Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons
Mr. Irons displays his Hot Bad Guy tendencies marvelously in the Legal Thriller/Who-dunit/
Did He Do It Reversal of Fortune. Eerily Narrated by Glenn Close as the comatose
Sunny von Bulow, this is the story of Claus von Bulow's legal struggle to have his attempted
murder conviction overturned, with the assistance of the Badly Permed Ron Silver, as the
Honest and Enthusiastic Alan Dershowitz. Without going into whether He Did It Or Not, let's
just say that there's no doubt he's a Hot Bad Guy.
Aside from the murder charges, he's an evil man - he even Smokes Evilly. He Backhandedly Compliments "the Jewish people." He coveted his wife's fortune, philandered freely with both prostitutes and a friend's daughter, neglected to seek medical attention for his comatose wife, and acted all the while as though he were visiting an Upscale Gentlemen's Club. He is Articulate, Distinguished, Gracious, Dignified, and Mannerly - I always prefer a Mannerly Villain. He offers his lawyer his "word as a gentleman" that he's innocent. Mmm, yeah. The word of a convicted attempted murderer. That always goes far. And yet he doesn't seem to realize that. His stony, intense insistance on his own innocence is incredibly disturbing, as is his penchant for telling Claus von Bulow Jokes.
Did he try to kill her for the money? Did he try to kill her at all? Who knows? Jeremy Irons says he does. But we don't, even after the movie. But while it casts doubt on whether or not he tried to kill his Selfish, Self-destructive and Supremely Screwed-up Spouse, he is without a doubt, a Bad Guy. And maybe an Attempted Murderer. Or simply a Misunderstood and Clumsy Necrophiliac. Watch the movie, and decide for yourself.
And no I won't tell you if he gets cleared.
As for his other work, the role that stands out most clearly is the voice of Scar, in The Lion King. It is almost a reprise of his role in Reversal of Fortune, only in this the attempted murder is an actual murder (and maybe not so much with the philandering). The highlight, for fans of this British Hottie? The repeat of his famous line, when told he is very strange: "You have no idea." Oooh, creepy-sexy, even as a lion!
(The receding hairline only makes him look more distinguished.)
Moonstone
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