Another Memorial: Top Five Alan Rickman Roles

Can we make it a rule that cancer isn’t allowed to take anymore British performers in their late 60s this week?  The news of Alan Rickman’s death knocked me over while I was still getting up after the news of David Bowie’s.  While I haven’t seen Rickman’s whole body of work (I know he played Tybalt once, and I really need that in my life,) I’ve seen a decent cross-section.  Here are my favorites from one of the best-voiced actors on the big screen.  RIP, Rickman.

Hans Gruber, Die Hard

An oldie but a goodie.  Back in the days when movies had white terrorists, a barefoot John McClane faced off against smooth German criminal Hans Gruber.  The film became a franchise, but none of the subsequent films match the popularity of the first, I think in large part because none of the later villains are up to Gruber’s snuff as an entertaining baddie (which is a super-weird thing to say about a terrorist – how different the world was then.)

Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin Hood:  Prince of Thieves

I really don’t like Robin Hood:  Prince of Thieves, but I love Rickman in it.  Over-the-top in the absolute best way, his Sheriff of Nottingham delivers his lines between mouthfuls of scenery.  He’s sadistic, unhinged, petulant, petty, borderline campy… it’s just a thing of beauty.  The movie’s enjoyment factor goes up about two full letter grades every time he’s onscreen.

Col. Brandon, Sense and Sensibility

Brandon is a lovely character – what could have easily been a generic Long-Suffering Nice Guy Who Finally Wins When the Girl Gets Over Her Bad-Boy Phase is instead a quietly soulful, sharply perceptive man with a hidden heartbreak from years past.  As I’ve said before, Rickman does such a beautiful job in the role that I don’t even care that the age difference between him and Kate Winslet is way bigger than it ought to be.

Alexander Dane, Galaxy Quest

Goofy fun – this is a film I saw specifically for Rickman, and I liked it much more than I’d anticipated.  Rickman is great as a once-celebrated British thespian who’s now best known for his former role on a classic sci-fi series.  His withering contempt for all things Galaxy Quest (especially, of course, his signature line) is a hoot.

Professor Severus Snape, Harry Potter

Once again, Rickman is so stellar that I don’t mind that his casting screws up the aging on a number of characters.  Over the course of eight films, he’s masterful, letter-perfect as Snape.  He brings a good creepy menace, especially in the early movies, and his dry-as-kindling deadpan is glorious – he throws shade even better than McGonagall!  And it goes without saying that The Deathly Hallows:  Part 2 is his finest hour.  Stunning.  The Prince’s Tale wrecks me, without fail, every time.