The Stu View takes a look at the role of the manly beard in movie history. Much to the chagrin of Gillette (other makes of razors are available), the beard is back in fashion. Despite some men (myself included) never giving up on the fuzz, it is only in the last couple of years that facial bristles have become more prevalent; stars like George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp being at the forefront of this furry revival.
Film-wise, in the golden age of black and white, a beard was always used to mark a character out as a villain; Bela Lugosi's strange but funky double-goatee in White Zombie being a perfect example. Nowadays however, the bristles seem to be worn as a symbol of manliness, singling out the character as a grizzly bad-ass - don't mess with the beard, man!
Here are some truly memorable movie beards.
Actor: Bela Lugosi
Character: Murder Legendre
Film: White Zombie (1932)
Beardness: This truly bizarre piece of villain beardery even comes with its own matching accessories - a sharp-looking widows peak and a frightening monobrow. It seems that, as well as creating a drug to turn workers into mindless zombies, Lugosi's evil mill owner had plenty of time to spend in front of the mirror sculpting this outstanding chin masterpiece.
Actor: Christopher Lee
Character: Rasputin
Film: Rasputin the Mad Monk (1966)
Beardness: Another fine piece of facial foilage that is perfect for the 'slow beard stroke' favoured by all the best movie villains. Christopher Lee was memorably hypnotic as the Russian monk but was almost outdone by this classy piece of Bad Guy Beard with straggly hair to match. You only have to look at the photo to know this character isn't going to be winning any Humanitarian of the Year awards any time soon.
Actor: Ian McShane
Character: Blackbeard
Film: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Beardness: This one does exactly as it says on the tin. The character is called Blackbeard, he has a beard and it's...ehm...black. Although this picture does show up a number of grey flecks too. We can't be too pedantic though; calling the character Blackwithflecksofgreybeard just wouldn't work.
Actor: Kurt Russell
Character: MacReady
Film: The Thing (1982)
Beardness: John Carpenter's classic sci-fi horror movie The Thing is memorable for a number of reasons - the claustrophobic atmosphere, incredible special effects which still hold up well today and Kurt Russell's vast facial hair. Now this is truly a beard to survive fierce Arctic conditions. If the Oscars contained a Best Beard category, Kurt would have been a sure-fire winner with this one.
Actor: Jeff Bridges
Character: Rooster Cogburn
Film: True Grit (2010)
Beardness: When including Jeff Bridges characters in a line-up of best movie beards, the logical choice for most people would be The Dude from The Big Lebowski. However, to my mind, this is a far better piece of facial finery, which defines the character of Rooster Cogburn perfectly. How could anyone look at this mug and not think 'Mean Grizzly Old Bastard'?
Actor: Sylvester Stallone
Character: Deke DaSilva
Film: Nighthawks (1981)
Beardness: Undoubtedly the coolest looking character on this list, Sly really manages to pull it off here. After all, Deke is sporting a blow-waved mullet and has a hat on backwards but still manages to look effortlessly cool. Mind you, something has to make up for that awfully bad character name.
Actor: Clint Eastwood
Character: Man with No Name
Films: The Dollars Trilogy
Clint Beard Trivia: 1. Clint has worn a beard in seven films. 2. Every one of those seven films is a western. 3. Clint's first screen beard was worn in A Fistful of Dollars (1964). 4. His last screen face fuzz was seen in Pale Rider (1985). 5. Clint's first clean-shaven western was Hang 'Em High in 1968.
Actor: Tom Hanks
Character: Chuck Noland
Film: Cast Away (2000)
Beardness: If you're going to draw a face on a ball and talk to it, you need a bona fide Crazy Man Beard to get away with it. What may be surprising is that the beard Mr Hanks wears in this movie is 100% real. Just how long did it take him to grow this rather marvellous soup straggler?
Actor: James Hong
Character: Lo Pan
Film: Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Beardness: For a man over 2000 years of age, Chinese sorcerer Lo Pan looks pretty damn good; someone who could even become the new face of Just For Men with that wonderfully glossy black beard. This is, however, just Lo Pan's spirit form - until he appeases the gods by sacrificing a green-eyed girl, he's forever destined to resemble a shrivelled peanut that's been dropped behind the sofa cushion.
Actor: Chuck Norris
Character: Take your pick...
Film: As above...
Beardness: No self-respecting list of Top Movie Beards is complete without Mr Carlos Ray Norris. Ever since Lone Wolf McQuade, the beard has become an integral part of the Chuck personae. Legend has it that there is no chin beneath Chuck Norris' beard, only another fist. Are you brave enough to discover the truth?
