# Greatest Cinema Badass of All Time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596 "2010-08-18T02:04:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/41 "2010-08-18T21:07:38Z")
My favorite reality based badass is [Chuck Yeager](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I5zY-4ZtkY). The book _The Right Stuff_ gives a vivid description of Yeager’s experience during this bailout. His face was on fire due to a glob of molten metal burning thru his visor & being fed by his oxygen system. In the process of dealing with this, his glove actually fused to his hand. When he hit the ground, he pulled a pocket knife & started cutting the glove (along with skin & meat) from his hand, causing one of his would-be rescuers to vomit at his feet. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/42 "2010-08-18T21:38:46Z")
I’ll cast my vote for Toshiro Mifune’s nameless ronin in _Yojimbo_, although Zatoichi gets props for being badass and blind. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/43 "2010-08-18T21:39:12Z")
Well, since Starship Troopers mentions him by name, I need to submit the real world, yet mentioned in a movie (and a book by the same name): Rodger Young. \*YOUNG, RODGER W. Rank and Organization: Private, U.S. Army, 148th Infantry, 37th Infantry Division. Place and Date On New Georgia, Solomon Islands, 31 July 1943. Entered Service at: Clyde, Ohio. Birth: Tiffin, Ohio. G.O. No.: 3, 6 January 1944. Citation: On 31 July 1943, the infantry company of which Pvt. Young was a member, was ordered to make a limited withdrawal from the battle line in order to adjust the battalion’s position for the night. At this time, Pvt. Young’s platoon was engaged with the enemy in a dense jungle where observation was very limited. The platoon suddenly was pinned down by intense fire from a Japanese machinegun concealed on higher ground only 75 yards away. The initial burst wounded Pvt. Young. As the platoon started to obey the order to withdraw, Pvt. Young called out that he could see the enemy emplacement, whereupon he started creeping toward it. Another burst from the machinegun wounded him the second time. Despite the wounds, he continued his heroic advance, attracting enemy fire and answering with rifle fire. When he was close enough to his objective, he began throwing handgrenades, and while doing so was hit again and killed. Pvt. Young’s bold action in closing with this Japanese pillbox and thus diverting its fire, permitted his platoon to disengage itself, without loss, and was responsible for several enemy casualties. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/44 "2010-08-18T22:19:13Z")
Jack Palance’s **Jack Wilson** in Shane or arguably just Jack Palance. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/45 "2010-08-18T22:25:21Z")
I’m going with William Wallace. Maybe he’s not the biggest nor the strongest, but he inspired other people to their death. Nobody can last forever alone, you need an army behind you. Other than that, maybe Jet Li’s evil side in “The One.” ---
**Author:** ![Lethal\_Babydoll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@Lethal\_Babydoll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lethal_Babydoll)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/46 "2010-08-18T22:45:32Z")
The original **Terminator**. _“He’ll find her. That’s what he does. That’s all he does. You can’t stop him. He’ll wade through you, reach down her throat and pull out her f------- heart!”_ ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/47 "2010-08-18T23:13:51Z")
I’ll second the OP. Wow. I guess I’ll have to watch that movie. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/48 "2010-08-19T02:04:04Z")
Just remembered Mark Rydell as Marty Augustine in Altman’s [The Long Goodbye](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070334/). **Marty Augustine:** [_to Joanne_] Look at that face. Is that a face for a magazine cover? The profile. You’re beautiful, and I love you. I sleep with a lot of women; I make love to you. The single most important person in my life, next to my family. Is that right, Pepe? Huh? [_smashes a coke bottle on her face_] **Marty Augustine** : [_to henchman_] Get her out of here! **Marty Augustine** : [_to Marlowe_] Now, that’s someone I love! And you I don’t even like! You got an assignment, cheapie: find my money! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/49 "2010-08-19T02:16:15Z")
Mr. Smith from Shoot 'em Up. He’ll kill you with a fucking _carrot._ ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/50 "2010-08-19T03:01:36Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > I’ll cast my vote for Toshiro Mifune’s nameless ronin in _Yojimbo_,… Yup- spent 90 minutes fucking with the heads of the duelling village gangstas and 90 seconds filleting their sorry asses. Fun stuff ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/51 "2010-08-19T15:23:14Z")
Bond. James Bond. There is no other. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/52 "2010-08-19T17:09:04Z")
[Leon.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Professional_(1994_film)) In the opening scene he quietly takes out a whole crew of armed professional bodyguards – all warned and waiting – just so he can **deliver a threat** to their boss. But even he is topped by Hit Girl from _Kick Ass._ I mean, you have to give her mega bonus points for doing what she does **at the age of ten.** ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/53 "2010-08-19T17:10:41Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Bond. James Bond. > > There is no other. Badass fighter . . . dumbass spy. Giving out his right name all the time . . . Does the phrase “Her Majesty’s **Secret** Service” mean anything to you?! ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/54 "2010-08-19T18:00:03Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > I’ll cast my vote for Toshiro Mifune’s nameless ronin in _Yojimbo_, although Zatoichi gets props for being badass and blind. Speaking of. . . De Niro in _Ronin_. “You tellin’ me about an ambush? You tellin’ me about an ambush? I ambushed you with a cup of coffee. . .” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/55 "2010-08-19T18:25:53Z")
What, no love for John Bender? Sheesh, he could disappear forever and it wouldn’t make any difference. he might as well not even exist at this school, remember? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/56 "2010-08-19T18:36:25Z")
I am probably going to regret this, but my vote for Greatest Cinema Badass of All Time is this young lady: [River Tam from Serenity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Firefly_characters#River_Tam). ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/57 "2010-08-19T19:25:50Z")
> [@unwashed\_brain](#): > > **Jules Winfield** , Pulp Fiction. He even has the wallet to prove it. I think Mr. Blonde in _Reservoir Dogs_ was scarier - shoots at random civilians in a bank becuase he’s unhappy with the alarm going off, cuts the ear off a policeman and burns him alive to relieve the boredom of waiting for his accomplices to come back from an errand. > [@kayaker](#): > > Pinhead. Or are we restricting the search to _this_ dimension? If I remember the end of Hellraiser II, didn’t Pinhead actually try to save the two girls imprisoned in the Cenobite world? The psychiatrist in Hellraiser II turned into a scarier monster than Pinhead. As far as real-life badasses go, I would nominate [“Mad Jack” Churchill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill), the British soldier who went on the battlefield with a bow and arrow, in addition to his bagpipes. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/58 "2010-08-19T19:33:45Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > **Don Logan** as played by Ben Kingsley in [_Sexy Beast_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203119/). While watching the movie I got to the point where I wanted him to do something violent just to relieve the relentless tension that his character created. Absolutely awesome performance. I agree. His character was incredibly real. There are really people out there like that, I believe, and I hope I never piss anyone like that off. That possibly was the best performance in a movie I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/59 "2010-08-19T19:34:02Z")
Quentin Tarantino’s character in the 1996 **From Dusk Till Dawn**. Brutally slashes up the female hostage when his brother stepped out for a meal. Blood all over the walls. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596/60 "2010-08-19T19:50:49Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > As far as real-life badasses go, I would nominate [“Mad Jack” Churchill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill), the British soldier who went on the battlefield with a bow and arrow, in addition to his bagpipes. Holy crap. . . > [@Wikipedia](#): > > Churchill gave the signal to attack by cutting down the enemy Feldwebel (sergeant) with his barbed arrows, becoming **the only known British soldier to have felled an enemy with a longbow in the course of the war.** Why have they not made a movie about this guy? That’s a moment made for cinema if I ever saw one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-cinema-badass-of-all-time/550596.md?page=4)