411's Top 100 Guy Movies: #90 - #81

Posted by Chad Webb on 07.21.2010

From Anchorman and Shoot 'Em Up to The Rock and The Killer, the 411 Movie Zone's look at the Top 100 Guy Movies of All-Time continues with #90 down to #81! Check out the full article to see which guy flicks made this part of the list!

The List So Far...

100. Mad Max
99. Stripes
98. Saving Private Ryan
97. Death Wish
96. Old Boy
95. Top Gun
94. The Evil Dead 2
93. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
92. Bachelor Party
91. Shaft


From #100-#91

#90
The Searchers

Starring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, and Vera Miles

Directed By: John Ford

Release Date: March 13, 1956

Summary: As a Civil War veteran spends years searching for a young niece captured by Indians, his motivation becomes increasingly questionable.

Memorable Quote: "Figure a man's only good for one oath at a time; I took mine to the Confederate States of America."

Blurb Written By: Scott Rutherford

This movie defines what the Western genre is all about and since Westerns are synonymous for being "guy" movies it is a natural lock for inclusion on this particular list. But why? What makes The Searchers so quintessential that it crosses over from being an everyday Western starring John Wayne (which there are copious amounts of) to being hailed by US Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and regularly voted amongst the greatest movies of all time. Does this mean the manliest of man movie genres has cross over appeal?

The complexity of The Searchers is at its heart. Ethan Edwards is a deeply flawed man who never really reveals the true nature of himself even though we know he's a racist man out to kill his niece after she goes from kidnap victim to "squaw" bride. A Confederate soldier that claims to have never surrendered, who shows up years after wars end with money probably gotten through ill-gotten means, we soon learn he's secretly in love with his brothers wife (although only implied, it blatantly obvious) and when all bar his two nieces are killed by an Indian hunting party, it's Ethan's lust for revenge for his sister-in-law than any motivation to retrieve the remaining family members alive that drives this film.

But things aren't so simple.

While Edwards plainly states his hatred of Indians stems form the violence they have committed towards white men, the leader of the Indian hunting party, Scar, hates whites for killing his two sons. Who's right? Is any of it justified?

Director John Ford deliberately plays these conflicting sides, which are essentially the same but sit on opposite sides of the fence. Any film that has such an flawed and closed off anti-hero like Ethan Edwards will always attract notice and while historically inaccurate views of Indians on film were slowly changing in the court of public opinion, that the film so blatantly depicted Edwards intentions as being racially motivated and wrong, making Scar's action much the same but almost excusable literally was groundbreaking in itself.

Men don't like to think that much about films and its characters, but Wayne and Ford confronted the general public with the conceived "norm" and challenged them to evaluate it's own prejudices by showing the bad guys acting under the same motivations (and to the audiences credit, it went along for the ride starting what was a massive sea change in how Westerns portrays their hero's and villains).

But why is a movie so in touch with its message so appealing to men? Secretly, all men feel like they are a better more enlightened person than Ethan Edwards but see much in common with his views. Racism is still one of the most prevailing topics in the Western world and even a 53 year-old western knows how to push the buttons that make men uncomfortable…and men like it. But to be fair, a man on a revenge trip murdering the fuck out of people, lying, cheating and generally being a surly racist asshole also is highly entertaining.

Manliest Moment: Any image of John Wayne defines the word "manly", but watching him carry his niece back is pretty damn manly.

#89
The Rock

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, Ed Harris

Directed By: Michael Bay

Release Date: June 7, 1996

Summary: A group of U.S. marines, under command of a renegade general, take over Alcatraz and threat San Francisco Bay with biological weapons. A chemical weapons specialist and the only man to have ever escaped from the Rock are the only ones who can prevent chaos.

Memorable Quote: "Welcome to the Rock!"

Blurb Written By: Jeremy Thomas

The Rock is, quite possibly, the best of guy movie auteur Michael Bay's films. What do I mean by "guy movie auteur?" I mean he has stuff blow up. All the time. Michael Bay is far from a great filmmaker, but he knows what guys like and in that context, he certainly deserves at least one film on this list; The Rock very much deserves to be that film. In this film, Bay made a story that had what every normal guy has always wanted; to be given a chance to get a gun, kill some terrorists and save the country. That's the All-American, red-blooded male dream. And to make it better, that normal guy has Vanessa Marcil at her absolute hottest as a girlfriend/fiancée. What more could a guy possibly want?

Well, just in case there is something, this one's probably got it. Military operations? We've got that in spades, complete with the honorable but misguided war hero-turned terrorist bad guy, played with his usual gravitas by Ed Harris, and the no-nonsense Navy SEAL captain portrayed by Kyle Reese himself, Michael Biehn. You want comedy? Well, luckily for you Bay loves his funny moments, and we have several of them here including the guy who runs the ill-fated trolley that suffers from John Mason's unauthorized race through the city, the black lady in Alcatraz who gives the tour guide crap for not being allowed to carry the gun….and that's not even mentioning a whole host of good lines between Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage as the weathered old ex-spy-turned-prisoner and the dorky-but-well-meaning bio-weapons agent who finds that he is capable of kicking ass if and when he needs to. Every part of this film seems built to appeal to guys, from the massive amount of action to the powerful, testosterone-filled score, right down to Cage's Stanley Goodspeed, who orders a record and has it sent to his work because his girlfriend wouldn't approve, but damn it, he's going to do it because it sounds better to him. And amidst all of this is Sean Connery, the stable center who just wants to get out of prison so he can reconnect with the daughter he never knew. All he has to do is kill a bunch of mercenaries and help disarm some deadly rockets at the same time. I ask you, is there anything in this movie that would NOT appeal to guys?

Manliest Moment: The standoff at the end between Hummell (Ed Harris), Baxter (David Morse), Darrow (Tony Todd) and Frye (Gregory Sporleder), with poor Sergeant Crisp (Bokeem Woodbine) stuck in the middle. We just know something bad is going to happen, and Baxter does the honorable thing, even though he knows how screwed he is. Major league man moment.

#88
Anchorman

Starring: Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate

Directed By: Adam McKay

Release Date: July 9, 2004

Summary: Ron Burgundy, San Diego's top rated newsman, has his life tossed into chaos as a woman attempts to make her way into the male dominated world of broadcasting. The day to day events of Burgundy's life and his news team make for some great laughs and memorable moments.

Memorable Quote: "I'm gonna punch you in the ovary, that's what I'm gonna do. A straight shot. Right to the babymaker." – Ron Burgundy

Blurb Written By: Mike Gorman

Anchorman is a distillation of 70s machismo wrapped up in the world of news broadcasting. Ron Burgundy is a true man's man, whatever that may really mean, and he does not take crap from anyone. He controls the airwaves in San Diego. Women want to be with him and men want to be him. That is, until Veronica Corningstone steps onto the set with her sights set on getting an anchor chair of her own.

Ron is a caricature of manhood and Will Ferrell definitely took that concept to the extreme. Ferrell's presence alone puts this one into the guy movie category but somehow Anchorman seemed to take his comedy to a new level. Burgundy establishes that the news biz is a man's world but his Achilles' heel is the woman he is trying to keep down.

What makes this such a great guy's movie is the humor that never quits. The jokes here all seem to work and none fall flat. The quotes from this film can be found on countless t-shirts and are still heard recited in most bars every night. Anchorman definitely struck a nerve in men and then struck it again and again. Did I mention that I love lamp?

Manliest Moment: Every time Ron Burgundy comes on screen it is a manly moment, let's be honest. If one specific scene had to be highlighted I would go with the back alley battle of the news teams. No one held back and they gave their all regardless of what maiming or death may be involved.

#87
Shoot 'Em Up

Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, and Monica Bellucci

Directed By: Michael Davis

Release Date: September 7, 2007

Summary: A man named Mr. Smith delivers a woman's baby during a shootout, and is then called upon to protect the newborn from the army of gunmen.

Memorable Quote: "Guns don't kill people. But they sure help!"

Blurb Written By: Jeremy Thomas

Shoot ‘Em Up is pretty much everything a guy could want out of a movie; it's basically an eighty-seven minute long action scene, but for a few necessary bits of exposition. Writer/director Michael Davis takes a brilliantly simple concept—a mysterious man intercedes in the attempted killing of a mother and child and finds himself on the wrong side of sadistic hit man Karl Hertz, played with malevolent giddiness by Paul Giamatti, and his army of killers—and just runs with the ball like there's no freaking tomorrow. Along the way, during the few moments where bullets aren't flying or punches aren't being thrown, we meet lactating hooker Donna Quintano, played by the so-hot-it's-almost-criminal Monica Belucci, who Mr. Smith apparently has a past with and employs to keep the baby fed while he tries to fight off the gun-toting army of bad guys. This is a film that any guy can just put in and watch, no matter what mood he's in, and feel better. There's no lengthy plot exposition, and we don't have huge, complex backstories to the characters; the most we learn about any of them is Smith, and even that is given to us only to show how much of a bad-ass he is. The fight scenes are utterly ludicrous, earning it a well-deserved reputation of essentially being an R-rated, ultra-violent live-action Warner Bros. cartoon. It's the kind of thing that could have completely fallen flat, but thanks to Davis's direction they carry an inherent sense of fun that is impossible to deny.

In fact, that's probably the best way to describe this film as a great guy film…it's just fun. Besides the great action films, there's style to spare, with such cool moments as Smith shooting at the bad guys and spelling out "Fuk U" in the neon sign behind them; Hertz notices it and in frustration shoots out a letter in the last untouched word so it now spells "Fuk U Too." Everyone involved with the film is clearly having a blast and it adds to the fun feel of the film; it only gets bogged down when we get deeper into the plot, which can't quite figure out if it has an anti-gun or pro-gun statement. Luckily those moments are very few and far between, instead preferring to focus on crazy fights like Smith going wild inside a gun manufacturer's warehouse or flying through a car windshield to end up in the enemy's van and shoot everyone. Along the way Smith delivers one-liners that are remarkably corny yet also very funny, such as quipping "Eat your vegetables" after jamming a carrot through the throat of a bad guy. He also delivers some great observations on all the annoying things that he encounters, always prefaced with "You know what I hate?" And damn it, he's right. Those ponytails don't make you look hip, young or cool; it's not so hard to use your turn signal, and pussies with a gun in their hands suck. All the one-liners, the action, the sex and the hot women…sounds like a winner of a guy movie to me.

Manliest Moment: While having sex with lactating hooker DQ (Monica Belucci), Mr. Smith (Clive Owen) realizes a cadre of gunmen are about to attack. He proceeds to engage in a gunfight while still in the process of having sex, resulting in one of the most successful mergings of violence and sex that cinema has ever seen.

#86
Patton

Starring: George C. Scott

Directed By: Franklin J. Schaffner

Release Date: April 2, 1970

Summary: The World War II phase of the controversial American general's career is depicted.

Memorable Quote: "You know, Dick, if I had my way, I'd meet Rommel face to face; him in his tank and me in mine. We'd meet out there somewhere... salute each other, maybe drink a toast, then we'd button up and do battle. The winner would decide the outcome of the entire war."

Blurb Written By: Chad Webb and Jeremy Thomas

General George S. Patton was a man filled with memorable quotes just like that. His words and wisdom on war have echoed through the ages. He is one of the most recognizable names in just about any military, and the performance of George C. Scott in the 1970 biopic from Director Franklin J. Schaffner is one of cinema's most iconic portrayals. George Patton was a lot of things, and in many ways he was more of a man than most. Scott captures the essence of the individual masterfully; to the point that no one else could possible hope to play the General again.

Patton is unfortunately remembered most as an officer who slapped a soldier that was suffering from battle fatigue. He was a harsh and stubborn leader, and these aspects of his personality are displayed, but he was much more than that. He was a fervent philosopher, a religious man who believed in reincarnation, a loving husband, and devoted tactician. What Patton achieves is depicting its titular character as a man like any other, one with strengths and flaws. His movie appears on this list because of he stands tall in the face of danger and is unyielding in the midst of battle and gunfire.

Patton was based on factual material from Patton: Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago and A Soldier's Story by Omar N. Bradley. The screenplay was written by Francis Ford Coppola, and it contains an abundance of sharp dialogue, instantly quotable lines, and poignant conversations. Schaffner and cinematographer Fred Koenkamp balance the drama and the war sequence with dignity, intelligence, intensity, and care. It all works so well that the film warrants so many repeated viewings. This is a picture that is not only accurate from a historical perspective, but blends the personal and private details of Patton himself without sacrificing certain areas. It's rare that film can hit all these notes without loud complaints that tarnish the reputation, but this managed to steer clear of most.

Whether you loved him or hated him, it is difficult to not know about George Patton and his stamp on history. From the opening speech delivered to the Third Army as he stands in front of the huge American flag to any of the glorious battle sequences, Patton is cinema of the highest order. It went home victorious with 8 Oscars, including best picture, best director, best actor, best screenplay, best editing, and best production design. It was worthy of all those accolades, and of course the ultimate salute, which is the spot on 411mania's Top 100 Guy Feature. In 1986, George C. Scott stepped into the role of Patton once more in The Last Days of Patton, a depressing sequel. Schaffner's epic is how we want to remember him, as a larger than life General whose guts and determination could move mountains.

Manliest Moment: The iconic opening is definitely a classic and great guy moment. Against the backdrop of an enormous American flag, General Patton delivers one of the most patriotic, masculine and pro-war speeches of all-time. He talks about America's love of war and why the country will never lose one, and how being a part of World War II means that the soldiers he is speaking to will never have to tell their grandchildren that they sat by and didn't fight. Many inspirational war speeches since have tried to capture the magic of this one, and none have fully succeeded. I defy any guy to not feel inspired and emboldened by this.

#85
Training Day

Starring: Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke

Directed By: Antoine Fuqua

Release Date: October 5, 2001

Summary: On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop works with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears as.

Memorable Quote: "Today's a training day, Officer Hoyt. Show you around; give you a taste of the business. I got 38 cases pending trial, 63 in active investigations, another 250 on the log I can't clear. I supervise five officers. That's five different personalities. Five sets of problems. You can be number six if you act now. But I ain't holding no hands, okay? I ain't baby-sitting. You got today and today only to show me who and what you're made of..."
-Alonzo

Blurb Written By: Steve Gustafson

A lot can happen in 24-hours. Innocent and bright eyed Jake learns this the hard way when he reports to his training officer in order to earn a spot on the narcotics unit in the LAPD. Tough and unflinching, this movie throws us into the deep end, just like Jake.

A film like Training Day fails or succeeds with the performances of the actors. No where is this more apparent than in the portrayal done by Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. The chemistry between the two is what takes what could have been just a good movie and turns it into a great guy film. Much of their interaction takes place in 1979 Monte Carlo. As they're cruising down the street, Jake notices a female high school student being attacked by two homeless men in a side alley and jumps out to save her while Alonzo watches. Jake wants to arrest the men and question the girl, but Alonzo dismisses her and leaves the two men out on the street. Jake discovers the girl's pink wallet before he leaves and picks it up. Such a small scene has never carried so much weight. From showcasing the thin line between protecting the innocent and police brutality to displaying Alonzo's cold attitude towards his partner and those he has sworn to protect and serve. Plus, it sets up future subplots later in the film. Still not convinced this movie is a great guy film. 3 words. Eva Mendes naked.

Manliest Moment: It's a scene that can be overlooked, but so much happens in this one, it can considered the center of the movie, the hinge...if you will. It's got fighting. It's got drugs. It's got Denzel putting on the bad boy gloves and delivering a knock out blow. After leaving Roger the drug dealer's house, Jake Hoyt notices a girl being attacked by two men in an alley. He demands Alonzo Harris to pull over as he jumps out to save her. Alonzo watches, but instead of helping, he does the gangster lean. Jake does what needs to be done to take the two homeless, would be rapist, down. Applauding his actions, Alonzo walks up to assess the situation. Jake wants to process the men and the girl, but Alonzo dismisses her and leaves the two men out on the street, saying the girl's cousins will take care of her attackers. Jake denounces this as street justice, but Alonzo tells him that as a narcotics detective he is focused on shutting down major drug operations, not stopping individual crimes. Jake discovers the girl's wallet and takes it with him. Manly? Yes. From Officer Hoyt using real world tactics to Alonzo dispensing a little punishment himself. You'll never lie to a cop after seeing this.

#84
Braveheart

Starring: Mel Gibson

Directed By: Mel Gibson

Release Date: May 24, 1995

Summary: William Wallace, a commoner, unites the 13th Century Scots in their battle to overthrow English rule.

Memorable Quote: "You may take our lives, but you will never take OUR FREEDOOMMM!"

Blurb Written By: Scott Rutherford

It's hard to think of a more quintessential "guy" movie then this. Seriously, a commoner fighting the man and the man can't win? What guy isn't going to be into this? Historical inaccuracies aside, Braveheart appeals to the base instincts in all men and in Mel Gibson you can't (well you couldn't these days) get a more "guy" friendly actor. Rugged and rough with more than a little cheek, he was an ideal vessel to portray a man so loyal to being who he was and to his country that he lead common men against the might of the English army and won…time and again.

Guys love underdog stories and this top 100 list is full of movies about men overcoming something and it's portrayed usually in a courageous or life/death type manner. This movie hits ALL of those points and just for shits and giggles the scriptwriters decided to fuck with history and have Wallace be so fucking cool he even nails the future Queen and England. The final scene where Wallace is been drawn and quartered then hung with his last dying words being an impassioned "FREEEEDOOOOMMMM" meant you had big tough burly men crying like little bitches. For me the scene after where Wallace's best friend, Hamish, throws Wallace's sword towards the British army in defiance after watching William die at their hands, and Gibson saying in voice over…

In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields at Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen. And won their freedom.

Seriously, in my house it was "pass the tissue" time and when the credits rolled I got screamingly drunk, defiantly stated my legit Scottish heritage, mooned a friend of mine that was English and nearly got into the fist fight of my life. I swear, every word of that was true and this movie does that to guys. The subject matter, the story, the violence and the very real emotion make this a true guy flick in every way. The fact we can still watch it today and have the same feeling invoked each time speaks to the quality of the film. History has deemed it historically inaccurate and so it may well be but most of the films we watch are made up bullshit and the fact this movie has foundations in history and truth helped it immensely. The scary thing is that the Wallace death scene was severely trimmed from what happened in real life and if you really want to read horror, sought that little tale out in your history books. I need to go watch this film again…

Manliest Moment:The Battle of Stirling Bridge. Gibson had to cut some of the gore after a preview screening. He said, "You don't want to gross people out, but I think they have to feel what a 13th-century battle was like. It can't be a comfortable experience, people slugging each other with blunt weapons." Oh yeah.

#83
The Killer

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat and Danny Lee

Directed By: John Woo

Release Date: September 1990

Summary: A professional killer at the end of his career is forced to carry out one final hit, in order to pay for the operation that will restore the eyesight of a club singer he accidentally blinded during his last mission.

Memorable Quote: "I always leave one bullet, either for myself or for my enemy."

Blurb Written By: Owain J. Brimfield

Arguably the most critically acclaimed action movie to ever emerge from the Far East, John Woo's seminal 'The Killer' is a bitingly original take on the somewhat stereotypical "last hit for the hitman" scenario that deservedly wowed western audiences, despite its commercial shortcomings. The setup gets full points for off-the-wall absurdity - Chow Yun-Fat's titular, jazz-loving protagonist accidentally damages the eyesight of a club singer while carrying out his supposed final mission, and finds himself compelled to pay for a blindness-foiling corneal transplant operation... which, naturally, necessitates "one last kill". Hot on his heels, though, is Inspector Li Ying, who wouldn't you know it has been chasing our antihero Ah Jong for quite some time, and they both have to outwit Jong's former employers, who want him dead for blowing his cover. Jong remains fully driven, though, by the plight of his femme fatale (yeah, that's probably not the right term, but I couldn't think of an equivalent that would really fit 'The Killer's skewed outlook).

Now, if you haven't seen the movie, you're undoubtedly thinking that the plotline initially sounds quite saccharine. No truly manly assassin would be swayed into such compassion for an innocent, surely? Well, give it a few minutes, and you soon realise that you have yourself a film so unremittingly, brutally violent and rammed full of Woo's trademark volatile action scenes that you really don't have enough time to dwell on that amidst all the eyeballs being shot out and exploding churches. Not to mention the hilariously random freeze frames which are sure to elicit cheers from the portion of the audience that's consumed a few beers beforehand, and the 'Spy vs. Spy' dynamic that drives the movie's central relationship. A companion piece to Woo's own 'Hard Boiled' for sure, equally brutal and testosterone driven and equally kick-ass as an action flick, the movie is so convincing in its depiction of the Hong Kong Triads that gang membership apparently rose significantly in the months following the film's release. How's that for a stamp of approval? It's of note, too, that 'The Killer' comes from a whole different world of action movies and isn't afraid to show the tragic side of such unrelenting carnage, with a surprisingly downbeat denouement. Make no mistake though - the focus is on the action, there's plenty of it, and it's enough of an adrenaline shot to last a lifetime.

Manliest Moment: Director John Woo's über slow-mo action scenes, which have lost none of their verve and vicarious impact despite years of Hollywood copycats ripping them off.

#82
Big Trouble in Little China

Starring: Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, and James Hong

Directed By: John Carpenter

Release Date: July 2, 1986

Summary: Jack Burton, a cocky truck driver, finds himself in the middle of a mystical war and must stumble his way to save the girl.

Memorable Quote: "When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: ‘Have ya paid your dues, Jack?' ‘Yessir, the check is in the mail.'"

Blurb Written By: Shawn Lealos

You don't get a much manlier man than Kurt Russell in the 1980s. No one brought it out better than John Carpenter. The two men first teamed up for the television movie Elvis, where Russell portrayed the King of Rock n Roll in the Carpenter directed film. They also were responsible for one of the greatest horror remakes of all time in The Thing and created an icon in Snake Plissken from Escape from New York. John Carpenter had turned Kurt Russell into the prototypical alpha male. That makes their often maligned 1986 film even greater.

Big Trouble in Little China finds Kurt Russell as semi truck driver Jack Burton, a very anti-typical hero. The two sought to make the hero of the movie the less heroic and provided him with a sidekick who would actually do all the work. Fans at the time of the film's release were confused. The role reversal was old hat. The superhero The Green Hornet used his sidekick Kato to do most of the fighting action for him, but in 1987, fans were used to their heroes being manly men, able to fight on their own. That was not what Carpenter or Russell wanted with this film and made a very funny, action/mystic kung-fu hybrid that remains a highlight on both men's resumes.

Jack Burton is a clueless idiot. He is also arrogant and swaggering and believes he is able to do anything he puts his mind to. It is lucky for him, fate is on his side when he saunters into the middle of an age-old battle between mystical figures in Chinatown. He must save the girl and defeat the magical powered mystic beings that rule the town. People expecting an Indiana Jones styled adventure were disappointed in the results, but fans who know what they are walking into are in for a treat. There is about all the Fu Manchu B-grade movie clichés you could hope for with biting humor and satire from two men who were, at the time, at the top of their games.

Jack Burton is not Indiana Jones, or John Wayne, but he is a mixture of what both men would be like if they were a hard drinking braggart who stepped out of the local pub and found himself in the middle of a battle he never understood. The character Kurt Russell plays here is perfect in almost every way and around him and Carpenter creates a movie that is fun in its own ludicrous way. If you ever questioned about how serious this movie wants to be, I point out the death of Lo Pan, which was only matched in the Z-grade kung fu movie Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky.

This movie is as fun as you can get and as long as you never take it as more than a parody and slapstick comedy with the manliest man hero you could ever imagine. He's a manly man who shouldn't be able to win a bar fight, much less a battle with mystical figures. But he's a man's man nonetheless.

Manliest Moment: Lo Pan's death scene.

#81
Beverly Hills Cop

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, and John Ashton

Directed By: Ivan Reitman

Release Date: December 5, 1984

Summary: Smart ass Detroit Police detective goes to Beverly Hills to find out who killed his best friend.

Memorable Quote: Axel Foley: "Don't you think I realize what's going on here, miss? Who do you think I am, huh? Don't you think I know that if I was some hotshot from out of town that pulled inside here and you guys made a reservation mistake, I'd be the first one to get a room and I'd be upstairs relaxing right now. But I'm not some hotshot from out of town, I'm a small reporter from "Rolling Stone" magazine that's in town to do an exclusive interview with Michael Jackson that's gonna be picked up by every major magazine in the country. I was gonna call the article "Michael Jackson Is Sitting On Top of the World," but now I think I might as well just call it "Michael Jackson Can Sit On Top of the World Just As Long As He Doesn't Sit in the Beverly Palm Hotel 'Cause There's No Niggers Allowed in There!"

Blurb Written By: Bryan Kristopowitz

"Beverly Hills Cop" was Eddie Murphy's first real starring role wherein he had to carry the movie, more or less, by himself. That isn't to say that the movie isn't populated by fine and capable and memorable supporting actors because it is. But when someone says the flick's title, I highly doubt many people are going to be thinking of Jonathan Banks' chilling turn as Zach (or as I like to call him, "Cus"), the main henchman of the big time villain Victor Maitland (Steven Berkoff), or even Judge Reinhold's hilarious young detective Billy Rosewood. People are going to be thinking about Eddie Murphy's street smart Detroit cop Axel Foley.

Now, the great thing about the movie is that it takes the "fish out of water" story and immediately subverts it as soon as the fish, Foley, shows up in the water, Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills is seen as this strange land populated by uber rich people who just don't understand what it's like outside of Beverly Hills. When Foley arrives, he's instantly above the place. He can pretty much do whatever he wants there and there isn't much anyone can do about it. The people of Beverly Hills are lame, soft, out of touch with reality. Sure, Foley is quickly arrested by the local police and reprimanded for a whole host of local violations (like carrying a gun in town when he's not authorized to) and put in jail, but so what? Foley easily handles the police. He can do and say whatever he wants. The same thing is true for the criminal element he encounters. Even when he's in their presence he's in complete control of the situation (the strip club robbery scene, the country club buffet scene, the second Maitland warehouse scene with the drugs under the coffee grounds, heck, even the big customs building scene shows you how in control Foley is no matter what).

The odd thing about the movie, though, is that it basically forgets its early revenge motivation after about forty minutes. The flick initially is all about finding out who killed Foley's buddy Mikey. Then that's more or less forgotten (mention is made of it twice towards the end, but it isn't something that actually drives the story at all) and the movie is all about taking down a drug runner. Think about the flick's ending. Usually, in a revenge movie, the hero gets to kill the main bad guy at the end. In "Beverly Hills Cop," the hero gets to participate in killing the main bad guy, but he isn't the only one that gets to blow Victor away. Ronny Cox's Bogomil gets to shoot the former Bond villain, too. But that ending doesn't ruin the movie. It's what's supposed to happen at the end of an action movie. The bad guy dies. It doesn't really matter who does it.

And think about this, too. The flick is obviously a comedy. That's what it's known as. But then there's the significant moments of intense action. If Murphy couldn't sell those sequences and not look stupid doing them, the movie was going to work. If he couldn't, it wouldn't matter how funny the comedy bits were. The rest of the movie would be a chore to sit through. But those action sequences work. Murphy, the funnyman, doesn't look ridiculous carrying a .45 magnum. He doesn't look ridiculous jumping down a flight of stone steps, rolling on his shoulder, and then "expertly" shooting a bad guy in the chest, twice in the heart.

So, in the end, it's all about balance. The Eddie Murphy balance. Since it's all about him, he's the one that has to make everything work. If he doesn't work, the rest of the movie can't work. So I guess we have to thank Eddie Murphy for being Eddie Murphy.

Manliest Moment: Sgt. John Taggart decides to screw procedure and ignore the orders of his captain and help Axel Foley and Billy Rosewood infiltrate Victor Maitland's compound to rescue Foley's kidnapped female friend Jenny Summers. Taggart even brings along a shotgun.

Thanks for reading and make sure to check back next week!