Totally Dublin

The film industry and the moustache are long and fruitful collaborators. Initially guilty by its association with evil historical figures like Hitler and Stalin, early cinematic moustached characters were often vilified. Generally depicted as criminals or untoward individuals with some form of ulterior motive, these representations probably gave rise to the popular equation of the moustache with a hidden agenda. With the industry taking note of this audience association the moustache soon evolved into a prop useful for character development. In present times its function ranges from fashion statement to providing retro-chic, with evoking nostalgia, ensuring a character is era consistent or acting as a mark of wisdom amongst its many other uses. As the month to pay tribute to ‘taches of all shapes and sizes is on us a countdown to its most memorable contributions to film seemed an irresistible task. So, in no particular order….

 

Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction

With a tache and beard combo that makes a similar statement to his wallet, the god-fearing gangster who resolves to change his ways following a moment of ‘divine intervention’ is one of Quentin Tarantino’s most impressive creations. Samuel L. Jackson comes close to a career-best both in terms of performance and upper-lip adornment. Never before has a biblical passage been so terrifying.

 

Dennis Hopper as Billy, Easy Rider

A landmark film that helped usher in the New Hollywood phase of film-making, Dennis Hopper directed and starred in this cross-county odyssey about a pair of hedonistic bikers. Hopper literally personifies the drug-fuelled hippy culture of 1960’s America, sporting a tache to compliment the handle-bars of his Harley low-rider.

 

Shirley Henderson as Sally, Intermission

Our Irish and only female entry is Intermission’s anorak-clad Sally whose heartbreak and subsequent physical neglect has left her in desperate need of grooming. An entire subplot is fashioned around whether or not Sally is ‘cultivating a ronnie’.

 

Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat, Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Cohen is barely recognizable as roaming Kazakhstani reporter Borat with thanks mainly due to this particularly unkempt creation. While Borat’s tache arguably assists in perpetuating certain stereotypes it’s a good example of its usefulness as a device for disguise or comic effect (oft used by Cohen in this way). At the very least Borat’s tache serves as a warning, demonstrating the catastrophic effects of neglect. Regular moustache maintenance is essential.

 

Daniel Day Lewis as Daniel Plainview, There Will Be Blood

Possibly the secret to his success, Day Lewis has made no secret of his penchant for distinctive moustaches, which have become increasingly elaborate as his illustrious career progresses. While evil mayor Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York and greedy oil entrepreneur Plainview do little to dissuade that all moustached folk are devious criminals Day Lewis’ intricate soup-strainers have achieved cult status with their own dedicated appreciation page on Facebook.

 

Sam Elliott as The Stranger, The Big Lebowski

The Coen Brothers’ noir-style tale of mistaken identity boasts a number of worthy contenders. Jeff Bridges is unforgettable as The Dude, an unemployed slacker with a taste for Credence Clearwater Revival and White Russians, but the prize must go to mysterious narrator The Stranger. Sam Elliot’s horseshow-shaped growth proved to be functional as well as eye-catching, allegedly allowing his dialogue to be easily dubbed over when necessary.

 

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

With numerous forays into facial hair Johnny Depp is no stranger to the tache, having clocked up an extensive back catalogue both on and off camera most notably perhaps as loveable rogue Jack Sparrow, a performance that is to be credited with making piracy fashionable but for which he narrowly missed out on a long overdue Oscar.

 

Burt Reynolds as The Bandit, Smokey and the Bandit

Arguably the most iconic and trend-setting movie moustache of all time and an example of one that has crossed over from trait into trademark for its proud owner. Reynolds’ only ever briefly parted ways with his perfectly-sculpted tache throughout his long career. It’s also commonly thought to be the inspiration behind fellow facial-hair enthusiast Tom Selleck’s moustache. The resemblance speaks for itself.

 

Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy, Anchorman

With a tache that would make both Reynolds and Selleck envious Will Ferrell’s self-absorbed, sleazy newscaster’s, though sadly the product of Hollywood trickery, combines the styles of the Village People with shades of 70s porn star. Ferrell often used a similar stick-on for various Saturday Night Live sketches.

 

Lt Aldo Raine, Inglourious Basterds

Though his dishevelled take on outlaw James in The Assassination of Jesse James is deserving of a mention, Nazi-slaying officer Raine complete with Southern drawl and a style only previously excusable on 70’s law enforcers is a personal best for Pitt in his finest comedic performance to date. With a tache as razor-sharp as his one-liners it’s unclear whether Pitt or Tarantino was self-referencing in the films closing lines ‘this just might be my masterpiece’. 

 

Tags: moustaches, movember

Posted on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 5:20 pm under Film. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.