movie heroes

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WHAT is your idea of a movie hero? I was looking at a magazine when this trivial question popped into my mind. On the cover page is Daniel Craig who shot to fame as the latest James Bond in Casino Royale and he was staring at me with his piercing blue eyes, with a gaze that’s sort of bewildering. He looks skinny and unkempt, with an unshaven face and uncombed hair but I suppose this is the so-called wake-up look. Yes, he may look trendy but he hardly fits my image of a screen hero, in the league of Sean Connery, Sir Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan. I thought Craig looks more like someone on the police wanted list or a struggling stage-hand, working part-time to make ends meet, than the dashing and suave super-spy, 007. Even the three other photographs of him on the inside pages are unconvincing, despite his well-tailored three-piece suit. He simply does not fit into the typical Bond profile. And that sets me thinking. How the world has transformed over the last few decades! We are living in a rapidly changing environment that is constantly shaping our values, outlook and perception, ever so subtly. The advent of science and technology has not only enabled us to go faster, farther, higher, deeper and better, but it has also changed our lifestyle and traditional way of looking at things. And so the image of our screen heroes has changed. The sharp contrast becomes crystal clear when we compare Hollywood legend Charlton Heston who passed away recently at the age of 84, with our latest and hottest Daniel Craig. Having grown up in an era when looks, build, character and even moral make-up count to qualify as a hero, I sure miss iconic movie stars like Heston who played biblical heroes such as Moses and Ben Hur, towering John Wayne who acted in many cowboy movies and even the rugged, fast-shooting Clint Eastwood. Thanks to Hollywood, they have cast a mould in my mind and all my heroes must fit into this mould. In other words, old-fashioned as I am, I find it quite impossible to recast another mould that may be more up-to-date with the present trend. Let me explain. A hero must look like good people. When we cast our eyes upon him, we immediately know which side he is on. I have no problem with Charlton Heston. Or even John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, even though their way of killing off the natives on screen is a blatant violation of human rights, which the Americans are now preaching. He must be tall and well-built, have a deep voice that commands attention when he speaks, and sharp and alert eyes. I can’t accept anyone that’s flabby, short with small squinty eyes, a crooked nose and a squeaky voice. Not even when the scriptwriter has given him the highest of morals. Hollywood has influenced us greatly in this respect. They have never cast any pint-sized, mousy-looking fella in the hero roles. On the other hand, the audience probably won’t accept a tall, dark and handsome guy in the villain role either. It would really upset the status quo. Charlton Heston was hero material. Blessed with classic looks, he fitted our perception of a hero. When he walked into a room, heads would turn. When he spoke, he commanded attention. But that’s in the past. He belonged to an era when black was black and white was white, and there was never grey – an era when men were men and ladies, ladies. The men were rugged, handsome or sexy but not lustful, strong but compassionate, and they were always in control, always did the right things and always emerged triumphant. They had enough male hormones coursing through their veins, which were reflected in their looks and the way they carried themselves. One must also be able to imagine that he could hold a swooning heroine in his arms without being clumsy and awkward. Those in the same league, but who came much later, were the likes of Sylvester Stallone who played the title role in Rambo and Arnold Schwarzenegger of Terminator fame. But they were merely killer machines on screen. We have been brainwashed and if we can’t accept a guy with a crooked nose and walks with a limp to be the screen hero, blame the movies. Oh yes, I salute Charles Chaplin, Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey, Austin Power and even Rowan Atkinson. They are good actors and I enjoy their marvellous acting. But they can never fit into my preconceived image of a hero. I own up: I’m prejudiced ... hopelessly!