I’m not a big fan of “macho”, can we just settle for “intensely masculine” instead? Because if so, nobody but nobody beats the young Marlon Brando.
Hey, someone agrees with me that Robert Shaw should be on the list! I think I first saw him as “Red” Grant in From Russia With Love: “You may know the right wines, but you’re the one on your knees. How does it feel… old man?”
http://cdn.whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/FR2.jpg
Then as Doyle Lollyhanah (or whatever it was :D) in the Sting. The poker game on the train is classic as Paul Newman just needles and needles while Shaw does a slow burn. Ya follow? (The game itself is a bit of a train wreck by modern poker sensibilities… string betting, ignoring table stakes, etc. but very enjoyable.) "What was I supposed to do? Accuse him of cheating better than me? In front of the others?! “Take him back to the baggage room! Put one in his ear! Then get that other son of a bitch and dump them in the first tunnel.”
I just thought I’d point out our collection of manliest moments on film.
I’d say Reb Brown is definitely one of the macho guys out there.
Lee Marvin was the son of an advertising executive and a fashion writer and went to prep school.
Charles Bronson was the son of a coal miner (one of 14 children) and worked in a coal mine.
Charles Durning: Silver Star, Bronze Star, 3 Purple Hearts Omaha Beach
Eddie Albert: Bronze Star for rescuing 47 Marines stranding in the surf on Tarawa while piloting a Coast Guard landing craft.
Not all of the real macho actors played in macho roles.
Richard Todd was a captain in the British Army. On D-Day he was part of the first unit that landed in gliders behind the lines. They captured Pegasus Bridge and held it throughout the day unit they could be relieved. It was a pivotal action during the first day of the operation. It kept reinforcements from reaching the beach. His troops met up with Major John Howard as part of the defense of the bridge.
In the movie The Longest Day Richard Todd played Major John Howard. Another actor played Cpt Todd.
Jack Palance, because he shits bigger than you.
And Donald Pleasence (who was not exactly known for his macho screen presence :rolleyes:) was commissioned into the Royal Air Force and served with 166 Squadron, RAF Bomber Command. His Avro Lancaster was shot down on 31 August 1944, during a raid on Agenville. He was taken prisoner and placed in a German POW camp.
Robert Mitchum was my first thought on seeing the OP.
Tommy Lee Jones
If we count Jim Brown, can we count Ken “left the USMC to become the heavyweight champ by breaking Muhammad Ali’s jaw” Norton?
I don’t know if he has many real life macho deeds, but Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Indiana Jones is who I think of as the ultimate in macho.
I’d say yes.
Hmm. I thought “macho” implied more of a swaggering, musclehead type, like Schwarzenegger or Stallone. I’d count most of the actors listed as some part of that, but more “manly” or “tough.”
Still no votes for Tom Berrenger? Ok one for him.
Stallone.
A lot of people on this thread seem to think that Macho=Military service. Presumably these same people think the most macho singer in the world is James Blunt
My first thought too, if only because I once read ( a long time ago, probably in a magazine article) that the word around Hollywood was Robert Mitchum had seven testicles.
Toshiro Mifune
How many machine gun nests did James Blunt take out? James Doohan was clearing obstacles off the beach on D-Day. James Blunt was on a peace keeping mission. Just being in the military does not equate to being macho. Being a bad mofo while in the military does.