Top 5 - Cool Cats

I've seen some movies recently that have made me think of what it means to be "COOL".  Movies where the men are men, but with romantic souls, big guns, and awesome wardrobes.  So today I thought I'd take a stab at naming my all-time Top 5 Cool Cats, who defined "COOL" in the movies.

1. Robert Mitchum - For me, it doesn't get any cooler than Mitchum.  Whether on the run from mobsters, or the cops, or shooting it up in a western or a war movie, he was always cool. With his drooping eyes, his swagger, and his way of not taking anything too seriously, he was always cool.  To see him at his coolest, check out "Out of the Past" and "Thunder Road".

2. James Coburn - Nobody really wore clothes better, and nobody was as quietly intense, or as deadly with a knife as Coburn.  Check him out in "The Magnificent Seven", "Our Man Flint", and "The Skyriders".

3. Jean Reno - A modern-day cool cat, known mostly for his work in French films, but who does the occasional film in English.  He's brooding, intense, and with his drooping eyes, always has an undercurrent of sadness and resignation. Check him out in "Ronin", "Mission: Impossible", and "The Professional".

4. Chow Yun-Fat - The coolest cat in Hong Kong, Chow is intense, romantic, and resolute.  Check him out in "Anna and the King" (he particularly defines "cool" in the battle on the bridge), "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and "Bulletproof Monk".

5. Steve McQueen - He'd probably be tops on most lists.  For me, he makes the list on the strength of three movies. Check him out in "The Great Escape" (terrific sequence with the German's chasing him on his motorcycle), "Bullitt" (best-ever car chase sequence), and the original "The Thomas Crown Affair" (He and Faye Dunaway sizzle while playing chess).

Advise and Consent

Otto Preminger is said to have been a beast to work for, shouting at and generally humiliating everyone who worked on his pictures.  Surprisingly the method worked, as the man made some highly successful and classic movies during the 1950's and 60's.  Case in point, this gem from 1962, "Advise and Consent". 

Despite his temper and his technique, Preminger had a knack for assembling a bunch of terrific actors, and giving them all great parts, even in the smaller roles.  In this picture alone, besides Fonda, we have Walter Pidgeon (love him), Charles Laughton, Gene Tierney (looking fabulous as usual), Peter Lawford, Franchot Tone (mighty handsome man in his time), Lew Ayres, Paul Ford, Burgess Meredith, George Grizzard, and Don Murray.

Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "Advise and Consent" is the story of a man, played by Henry Fonda, who has been nominated by President Franchot Tone to serve as Secretary of State, and his Senate confirmation process. Sounds pretty dry, right?  I beg to differ.  This is suspenseful, edge of your seat type stuff.  It seems that Fonda has a skeleton in his closet that certain parties will stop at nothing to reveal, that would prevent him from being confirmed.  Other parties will stop at nothing to see that he does get confirmed, even going so far as to blackmail committee chair Don Murray, who has his own skeletons, and make him vote yes. 

This was pretty heady stuff for it's time, and Preminger does a great job of showing the Senate processes and politics at work, while unraveling both conspiracies.  Fonda, and in particular Murray are both fantastic at displaying the fear that comes from having past mistakes possibly be revealed.  

I loved this movie - It's like the cinematic equivalent of a Grisham thriller, one that is too exciting to be put down, and then keeps you up all night.  Definitely one to add to the collection.

Interesting side note: There was still a production code in place in 1962 - and not only does Gene Tierney use the "B" word, but there's a scene that takes place in a gay bar.  It's as if Preminger took the Production Code and ripped it to pieces.