The 10 most iconic film characters of all time: 3 and 4

4. The Man With No Name

Until Sergio Leone, Westerns were largely un-cool. Driven by crotchety old men who had some self-righteous ax to grind, the Westerns of old were characterized by languid plots and small-minded narratives. Although many are still remembered fondly today, very few have the cinematic panache to stand apart from the genre as a piece of film legend. They lacked style. They lacked presence. And then, in a salute to grandeur itself, Sergio Leone gave the Western its greatest champion.
True, each and every character Leone created, from Eli Wallac’s Tuco, to Angel Eyes, stood as a testament to the overstated beauty of a cinematic icon. But it is Clint Eastwood’s character, The Man With No Name, who came to represent not just the iconic flair of the Western genre, but motion picture history itself. His presence here on the list could be counted as a representation of every character Leone ever created, and as a representation of the cinema itself.
Larger then life, with an uncanny death-glare, Eastwood launched an entire career from this character. He never really deviated from its path for that matter. However, as The Man With No Name, his character holds the most respectability. Here, he is truly a cinematic icon, and not just some rip-off of so many other rip-offs.
The iconic status of this character is especially interesting to note, because it caused so many other things to take root in filmmaking. What’s more, his legendary presence was sealed because of a number of things not necessarily attributed to Eastwood’s performance.
The costume and visual look for instance was a large contributor to his iconic radiance. Some have pointed out that people would have never worn such crazy clothing in the West, but here it doesn’t matter. In Leone’s west, the larger you are, and the more presence you have, the better.
Leone’s choice of shots and angles in covering The Man With No Name also attribute to his iconic status. Extreme close-ups of Eastwood’s scathing eyes, so close that you can practically see the texture in his skin pores, have become an icon unto themselves. Other tasteful close-ups, such as his hand as it compulsively reaches for his gun holster, or his looming presence as he stands over a field of blank desolation, all blend together to make him larger then life. Simply put: The Man With No Name made the Western hero cooler then any other protagonist to grace the silver screen.






3. Indiana Jones

One of the more famous rumors surrounding directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas has been their alleged desire to film a James Bond flick. Apparently, this desire first took root years ago, and some have said that both directors pursued the project to a certain extent. However, those are just rumors. Additionally, Lucas and Spielberg never really went through with filming a Bond picture. Whispers and gossip are all that remain of the lucrative Spielberg/Lucas Bond flick. Something else was left over though.
Yes, neither one have denied the fact that Indiana Jones was a character Lucas created to channel their inspiration for a James Bond story into their own creation. They even got the original Bond, Connery, to play Indiana’s father in the final film of the series. Yet, along the way, Lucas tweaked a few things about the character and made them his own.
First and foremost, Indiana Jones resides in the late 30’s to 40’s. The earliest that Bond showed up was 60’s. Likewise, Indiana seems to be missing a number of subtle intricacies that Bond thrived upon, like that icy disposition or general sense of preparedness. Jones is also a scholar, and not just some brainless agent sent to do some overbearing government’s bidding. He lives for the thrill of the hunt and the attainment of some mystical artifact (not his next female conquest).
So why is he on the list? If he’s just some James Bond knock-off, why am I squandering the third best spot on the list over Spielberg’s aborted ambitions? Well, his character deserves special recognition because of how truly iconic he is. Everything about him makes him an icon. His fedora, whip, leather jacket, and personality all mark him as a top cinematic icon. Even the score by John Williams seems to be an extention of the character’s personality.
What’s more, you always get the sense that he’s always going to be escaping some danger or uncertain death, only to fall into the hands of some greater demise (which, he’ll eventually escape, leaving him at the mercy of some other doom). He is a never-ending cycle of trickery and showboating, a character who exists purely for popcorn enjoyment.
And because of that, Indiana Jones is the third most iconic film character of all time. Heck, he is the reason why lists like these exist. Not including him would have been a crime…