Are American Movies Anti-Brit?

[Marian]

Interesting discussion on The Wright Stuff this morning about why all the "baddies" in American films recently are played by British actors or have British accents, and all the heroes and good guys are American?
They were talking in particular about the new animated film The Fantastic Mr Fox, but also mentioned a few others.
The conclusion seemed to be that the 'bad guy' roles are the most difficult to play, and also that British diction (to pick up on another thread) appears to suit these types of roles better than American accents.
So it appears we are not always the bad guys after all!

Marian

[michduncg]

Yes, they can be. 'Titanic', for instance, portrayed all the 'baddies' ie officers and crew with clipped English accents, and all the goodies as either American or non English Brits eg Welsh, Irish etc. In fact I seem to remember the descendants of the ships 1st Officer (William Murdoch) made quite a fuss at the way that he was portrayed. There are lots of other examples as well.

[Don Cooper]

Americans? Shower of bounders! Every last man jack o' them!

[mariana44]

I think there are some of us who would disagree with your last remark, Don.

[michduncg]

Indeed Mariana - I don't know Don enough to know whether he is joking or not I don't claim to be the greatest fan of the USA but my Dad (who worked with Americans for 20 years in the oil industry) always says 'they're loud, they're cocky but they'd give you the shirt off their back to help you!', and thats usually my experience of them too!

[Marian]

Individually, I have always found they are wonderful genuinely friendly folk, but as our recent tour manager, incidently an American, said when a group get together, she would prefer a group of Brits on holiday any day!
To go back to the film question....Alan Rickman is always cast as a 'baddie'.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Well, it may be true about Brits playing the baddies in movies but added to our own experience of warm and friendly American people, and in particular...loyalty, we need look no further than this forum.

[Marian]

Very true Lena and Harry, we have some great and true American friends on this forum, who also seem to be among the staunchest of Matt Monro fans.
Marian

[michduncg]

I was thinking of Alan Rickman too Marian, but then I think of the 'Die Hard' series of films in which he featured as the 'baddie' but I THINK that he was playing a German! Of course, in Harry Potter, he plays a baddie too (or was he in the end?!) - but then thats set in the UK anyway.

[Marian]

Wasn't he the Sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves" too?
Marian

[john]

Americans are really lovely and friendly people and we have quite a few of them on the forum.

[mariana44]

I am with Mike, Lena & Harry, John & Marian on this one. 100%.

[Don Cooper]

Terry Thomas (since deleted from post) "Bounder" "Shower" "Man jack" . A winking Smilie...

(Matt had a playful SOH, as evidenced on live recordings.Thought I would post in that tradition)

Pam! Save Me!

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Don, like Matt, most of us on the forum also have SOH, but generally accompanied by tact.
However, barring excessive intent to cause offence, we are a forgiving bunch.

[Gloria]

In Sweeney Todd, Alan Rickman played an evil judge who sentences barber Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) to jail for a crime he didn't commit. Once Todd is out of jail, he one day finds the judge in his own barber chair, so his revenge on the judge will obviously be long and gruesome. Johnny Depp admitted that he was nauseous about the idea of going to work and having to slit the throat of Alan Rickman, whose persona has become so iconic and "bigger than life" to movie fans. Honestly, Rickman is greatly loved and respected by Americans, for his talent and wonderful speaking voice, and he's often been picked as one of the sexiest males in show business.