# Gangster-Mobster-Hitman-Serial Killer: Who's the best actor for the role? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 27, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449 "2006-04-27T14:41:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/1 "2006-04-27T14:41:30Z")
Over the years that movies and TV have focused on the “bad guy” in modern day settings, be they factual, fictional, or even fantasy, certain actors have acquired the persona of “the bad guy” to the point that they rarely get other roles. On the other hand, some accomplished actors have been cast for the “good guy” or at least a “neutral guy” often enough that their “bad guy” roles don’t force them into a typecasting situation. Given the breadth of roles that would qualify as “bad guy” who do you think is the consummate bad guy in a modern day situation? Please don’t include the “bad guy” from Westerns or Period Pieces, even if the actor you nominate has done successful interpretations in those eras. Use the period from the Jazz Age (1920’s) to current as the period in question. Here are some examples you might choose from: Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone Robert DeNiro as Vito Corleone Al Pacino as Michael Corleone James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano Warren Beatty as Clyde Barrow James Cagney in many roles George Raft in many roles Robert Mitchum in _Cape Fear_ Michael Rooker in _[Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099763/)_ If you can’t narrow it down to one actor or one role, it’s okay to give a short list. The main idea is to develop a list of the very best of the bad. ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/2 "2006-04-27T17:08:08Z")
Christopher Walken as Vincenzo Coccotti in _[True Romance](http://imdb.com/title/tt0108399/)._ “That smarts, doesn’t it? Getting slammed in the nose. Fucks you all up. You get that pain shootin’ through your brain, your eyes fill up with water. That ain’t any kind of fun, but what I have to offer you, that’s as good as it’s gonna get. And it won’t ever get that good again.” Alan Ford as Brick Top Polford in _[Snatch](http://imdb.com/title/tt0208092/)._ “Feed 'em to the pigs, Errol.” P.H. Moriarty as ‘Hatchet’ Harry Lonsdale in _[Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels](http://imdb.com/title/tt0120735/) ._ “I mean, it’s a liberty. And I can’t have liberties taken, can I Barry?” Kevin Spacey as ‘John Doe’ in _[Se7en](http://imdb.com/title/tt0114369/) ._ “I visited your home this morning after you’d left. I tried to play husband. I tried to taste the life of a simple man. It didn’t work out, so I took a souvenir…” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/3 "2006-04-27T17:29:24Z")
Nicely done, **Scupper** , and I’m sorry I overlooked the Walken character in _True Romance_ myself. Here are some others I’ve though of since the OP: Robert DeNiro as Al Capone in _The Untouchables_ Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in several movies Michael Madsen as Mr. Blonde in _Reservoir Dogs_ Mickey Rourke as Harry Angel in _Angel Heart_ ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/4 "2006-04-27T17:33:31Z")
Gary Oldman as Stansfield, the crooked psycho cop in \Leon, The Professional\ ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/5 "2006-04-27T17:42:05Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > Gary Oldman as Stansfield, the crooked psycho cop in \Leon, The Professional\ Bravo! Another one I had intended to include. Oldman was also exceptional in that small role in _True Romance_. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/6 "2006-04-27T18:34:49Z")
Lee Marvin in a number of movies (most notably Walker in **Point Blank** ). Michael Caine as the title character in the original **Get Carter.** And, to go even farther back, Alan Ladd in **This Gun for Hire.** ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/7 "2006-04-27T21:24:23Z")
Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winfield in _Pulp Fiction_ Ving Rhames as Marsellus Wallus in _Pulp Fiction_ James Cromwell as Lt. Dudley Smith in _L.A. Confidential_ Peter Lorre in _The Maltese Falcon_ (“You faaaat, bloated eediot!”) ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/8 "2006-04-27T21:33:37Z")
As a mobster, you can’t go wrong with Joe Pesci in _Goodfellas_ and _Casino_. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/9 "2006-04-27T21:39:28Z")
Speaking of Gary Oldman, he did great as the miscolored gangster/pimp Drexel in _True Romance_. “I know I’m pretty. But I ain’t as pretty as a couple of titties.” ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/10 "2006-04-27T21:41:29Z")
Let’s not forget Vincent D’Onofrio as ‘Pooh Bear’ from [The Salton Sea](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235737/), or Dennis Hopper as ‘Frank Booth’ from [Blue Velvet](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090756/). ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/11 "2006-04-27T21:48:35Z")
Alan Rickman ought to count as one of my all-time favorite movie villains, Hans Gruber in _Die Hard_. And what about Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in _Silence of the Lambs_? ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/12 "2006-04-27T21:49:23Z")
One of the most obnoxious bad guys of recent vintage would have to be Ben Kingsley’s Don Logan in **Sexy Beast**. A little further back we have Dennis Hopper in **Blue Velvet**. I see on preview KarlGauss beat me to it. I have to give Robert DeNiro in **Heat** a nod as well. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/13 "2006-04-27T21:54:20Z")
> [@mack](#): > > I have to give Robert DeNiro in **Heat** a nod as well. I meant to include Kevin Gage as Waingro in _Heat_. ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/14 "2006-04-27T22:05:04Z")
How about Robert Mitchum in Night of The Hunter/Peter Lorre in M? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/15 "2006-04-27T22:13:20Z")
Although the role was tiny, Richard Widmark as Tommy Udo in _Kiss of Death_ (which starred Victor Mature – not the remake with David Caruso) was sufficient to land him fatter roles of the sort as follow ups. He became much more varied in his portrayals and some of them were even “good guy” types, but the Tommy Udo giggle was blood curdling. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/16 "2006-04-27T22:43:35Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > James Cromwell as Lt. Dudley Smith in _L.A. Confidential_ We might consider adding spoilers for some of these… Hitman: Joubert (Max von Sydow) in **Three Days of the Condor**. Serial Killer: Gotta go with Jame Gumb (Ted Levine) in **Silence of the Lambs**. Gangster-Mobster: Too numerous to count. I personally liked Teddy KGB (John Malkovich) from **Rounders** for over-the-top performances. As for real-life portrayals, I figured most real gangsters are like Chuck Pancamo (Chuck Zito) in **Oz**. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/17 "2006-04-28T00:49:43Z")
Robert Loggia’s “Mr. Eddie” in David Lynch’s **Lost Highway** is pretty amazing. \*I want you to get a driver’s manual ! I want you to study that motherfucker! And I want you to obey the goddamn rules! Fifteen fucking thousand people were killed on the highway last year because of fucking assholes like you ! - Tell me you’re going to get a manual ! - I will g-get a manual. Fucking ldiot! I’m sorry about that, Pete. But tailgating is one thing I cannot tolerate.\* ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/18 "2006-04-28T01:56:44Z")
Most of my favorites have been mentioned, but I’ve got one for mobster: Bob Hoskins as Harold Shand in _The Long Good Friday_. Oh yeah, andwhat the hell: for hitman I’ll nominate Paul Genge and Bill Hickman as the pair of Dodge Charger-driving hitters in _Bullitt_. They never have a spoken line, but somehow they seem totally realistic and therefore all the more frightening; a couple of anonymous, middle-aged guys who are all business. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/19 "2006-04-28T09:00:43Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Most of my favorites have been mentioned, but I’ve got one for mobster: Bob Hoskins as Harold Shand in _The Long Good Friday_. > > Oh yeah, andwhat the hell: for hitman I’ll nominate Paul Genge and Bill Hickman as the pair of Dodge Charger-driving hitters in _Bullitt_. They never have a spoken line, but somehow they seem totally realistic and therefore all the more frightening; a couple of anonymous, middle-aged guys who are all business. 100% agree with the entire post. The final scene of _The Long Good Friday_ is some sort of Master Class in acting. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449/20 "2006-04-28T11:53:14Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Most of my favorites have been mentioned, but I’ve got one for mobster: Bob Hoskins as Harold Shand in _The Long Good Friday_. I never heard of that. I’ll have to check it out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangster-mobster-hitman-serial-killer-whos-the-best-actor-for-the-role/354449.md?page=2)