Favourite Characters of Celluloid

There's always the odd character which you take to moreso than usual (well for me anyway) - maybe it's because they seem so idealistic, so dynamic or so wickedly evil or maybe we can identify with them. Anyway, here's a list of characters that have stood out in my film-watching experience:

<- the perfect dad

. Atticus Finch
The personification of Good, a man who hasn't had it easy by any means (he's had to tackle raising two children on his own and to defend an African American in a town where racial intolerance reigns), but who is able to quietly, yet strongly remain dignified. The book gave a great basis for Gregory Peck to perfect Atticus Finch on screen. I first saw snippets of this film in a Commerce class in Year 10 and they were of the court scene - and as the cliche goes, I was blown away.



. Longfellow Deeds
A character with high ideals (in spite of his use of violence and somewhat temper that comes out in one scene-but hey, who's perfect?) and boyish charm, Mr. Deeds is the kind of guy who happens to be both awkward and handsome (perhaps the combination is what makes his good looks more down to earth). In the film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Gary Cooper--someone who somewhat skirts the line between underacting and not acting at all, it all depends on one's opinion on the matter--plays the title character with such nuance, if you look closely at his every movement, every facial gesture, you can see how fully his character's traits come alive.



. Antoine Doinel
We have the fortune that there were five films chronicling Francois Truffaut's alter ego, Antoine Doinel (played by Jean-Pierre Leaud-who actually shares resemblance with Truffaut). Here we get the progression of a troubled youngster who lacks the proper love from his parents and who just can't get himself out of ruts. As he moves to adulthood, he finds he suffers from irresponsibility (carried on from childhood I guess) and is unable to fully commit to a wife or an occupation, resulting in the divorce of the former and of the latter, a career in writing his memoirs. He eventually finds, what we assume, is a gal who'll he commit to and we leave on a satisfied note. Through his successes and losses we are with Doinel, becoming infectious towards his charm, his humour and his introspection, hoping ultimately it will all come together for him.



. Sybylla Melvyn
I only just wrote about My Brilliant Career last week, but here it comes up again in another form. Maybe, perhaps, I identify with Sybylla because she doesn't quite fit in to society's conventional structure-though in that sense, maybe she's not so different to many people, as I suppose everyone struggles to fit in and conform. What separates Sybylla I guess is that rather than try to take her 'rightful' role in society, she choses to rebel instead. She doesn't get everything in the end, but with what she has achieved she is content. I like Sybylla because she can be contradictive (asserting her independence, and yet so obviously trying to get Harry to notice her), she's very human and very free-spirited, as perhaps everyone is naturally. Oh, and her ultra frizzy, big hair really gets attention--I wondered more than once why she didn't use hairgel or something to control it, but when I think about it more, I guess her hair makes a statement of who she is-she can't be tamed or controlled, just like her hair can't be.

--fin--