Psychopaths in movies – The Period Dramas edition

Let’s face it. We use the term “psychopath” with a very broad sense when it comes to put a label on a movie villain. It’s not just the wicked grin, the bemused cackle and the wish to conquer the world which make an individual ‘worthy’ of such a title. However, movie psychopaths are in a league of their own. Charm, lack of empathy, heightened senses, above average intelligence, these are the men and women who make their way to the top, eliminating competition with no remorse. It’s a secret desire we all harbor. Unlimited, uninhibited power. We crave it, we hide our true colors and basically we can say we’ve lost our moral compass the moment a skilled actor inhabits this type of part.

Psychopaths are villains who exhibit a constellation of traits which include antisocial, narcissistic, and borderline behavior, lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships and extreme egocentricity. They also do not learn from failure and take it out on others. Psyhopatic traits include:extreme egocentricity, lack any form of both empathy and sympathy towards others, highly charismatic, capable liars, to the point of almost never being called out, inability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships, complete disregard for the rights of others, high Intelligence, normally impulsive, is emotionally unstable and will fly into a violent rage if things start to go wrong, ability to manipulate others

This little article here will focus on the psychopaths we’ve come across in Period dramas. The next installments will be dedicated to the psychos we’ve met in fantasy movies and contemporary times. For now…let’s turn back the clock and prepare for the dark cravings from the past.

1. HBO Rome’s Octavian

Gaius Octavian Caesar: You shall leave this city or I will declare our alliance broken. I will have this sad story read in the forum, I will have it posted in every city in Italy, and you know the people are not so liberal with their wives as you. They shall say you wear cuckolds horns; they shall say your wife betrayed you with a low-born plebe on my staff. You will be a figure of fun. The proles will laugh at you in the street. Your soldiers will mock you behind your back.

Oh my sweet, twisted psychopath. “Rome” made no effort to tone down the depravity and moral ambiguity of those times and situations and Max Pirkis truly took us on a journey with Octavian. In other movies or TV series, we’ve seen the scholar, the ruler, the pompous prick Octavian was but in this HBO pieces, we’ve seen the demons hiding beneath the calculated facade of the ruler. They say family, friends and events shape you into the man or woman you become, in Octavian’s case, these elements brought forth a menace they couldn’t fathom nor save themselves from.

   2. Gladiator’s Commodus

Commodus: Father. I would have butcher the whole world… if you would only love me!

Seriously? You need me to explain why? Joaquin Phoenix took us to the school of making a villain so deliciously twisted, you’re struggling with your own morality. On one side, you dare to understand Commodus frustrations, on the other hand, when you see his tactics and ways, you want him to fail. A character who walks the fine line of redemption and damnation is simply irresistible.

    3. Kingdom of Heaven’s Reynald de Chatillon

Reynald: Don’t worry. “Who but Reynald”, they’ll say. It’s always me. They’ll believe it in Jerusalem, I assure you. You were at Nazareth, praying.

Some try to pretend for the sake of appearances, others like Reynald de Chatillon in “Kingdom of Heaven” have the time of their lives. Again, take a Brit and give him the role of a nutcase, he’ll deliver charm, wit and poetic insanity. Brendan Gleeson has worked on Reynald’s vanity, insanity and perverse nature like a pro.

4. Ladyhawke’s Bishop of Aquila

Bishop: I believe in miracles, Marquet. It’s part of my job.

For the love of a woman, men went above and beyond, from starting wars and conquering lands to going simply ga-ga, minus the whole Lady part. John Wood in “Ladyhawke” went with the whole “I damned my soul and work with the Devil”. He’s calm on the surface but make no mistake, when things are not working according to his plans, it only takes on evil glare from him and the minions are scattering like frightened mice.

5. Robin Hood: The Prince of Thieves – Sheriff George of Nottingham

Sheriff of Nottingham: Locksley. I’ll cut your heart out with a spoon.

Give Alan Rickman the liberty to approach this part as he wishes and expect wonders. The movie was greeted with scorn from the critics yet the masses loved it. Nottingham will stop at nothing to have power yet he’s not lacking charm and witty lines. The larger than life portrayal remains one of the most enjoyable aspects of the movie and the role itself is a statement to Rickman’s talent.

6. Two times Michael Wincott: 1492: Conquest of Paradise Moxica and The Count of Monte Cristo’s Armand Dorleac

Dorleac: No, my dear Dantes. I know perfectly well that you are innocent. Why else would you be here? If you were truly guilty, there are a hundred prisons in France where they would lock you away. But Chateau d’If is where is they put the ones they’re ashamed of.

Michael Wincott owned the ’90s with the villains he played. Moxica is one character you were scared of. He’s menacing from head to toes. His glares is actually the equivalent of watching Death waltzing in front of you, ready to strike. Wincott went from Period Drama’s psychos to fantasy and contemporary ones, so he’ll come back to haunt our dreams in the next articles.

7. Rob Roy’s Archibald Cunningham

Archibald Cunningham: Think of yourself a scabbard, Mistress McGregor, and I the sword. And a fine fit you were, too.

Tim Roth delivered one scary, despicable son of a bitch in Caton-Jones’ “Rob Roy”. He played the character so well, one – like myself, who likes a good old fashioned villain – despised him – that is the character – up to the point of his demise.

8. Outlander’s Black Jack Randall

Captain Jonathan Randall: Ah, the speech of a lady. And the language of a whore. I prefer a whore.

“Outlander” won the hearts of readers and TV viewers alike with the passionate love story of Claire and Jaimie but we weren’t indifferent to the charms and wicked ways of one Black Jack Randall. Like a force sprung from the depths of Hell, he came, he used and abused and Tobias Mezies won his spot in the Psychos Hall of Fame.

9. The Patriot’s William Tavington

Colonel William Tavington: You know, it’s an ugly business doing one’s duty… but just occasionally it’s a real pleasure.

Give Jason Isaacs the role of a vicious, sadistic Green Dragoon and you’re in for the ride of your life. In the vein of the great British actors who enjoy playing a villain, Isaacs chewed his lines and enjoyed every moment of portraying a deranged bastard, to the point I almost ignored Mel Gibson’s presence on screen.

10. Dangerous Liaisons’ Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil

Marquise de Merteuil: When I came out into society, I was fifteen. I already knew that the role I was condemned to, namely to keep quiet and do what I was told, gave me the perfect opportunity to listen and observe. Not to what people told me, which naturally was of no interest, but to whatever it was they were trying to hide. I practiced detachment. I learned how to look cheerful while, under the table, I stuck a fork into the back of my hand. I became a virtuoso of deceit. It wasn’t pleasure I was after, it was knowledge. I consulted the strictest moralists to learn how to appear, philosophers to find out what to think, and novelists to see what I could get away with. And in the end, I distilled everything to one wonderfully simple principle: win or die.

This line here says it all and Glenn Close was at the top of her game playing the Marquise with gusto. It was like watching a two chess players dancing on the set table with wits, decadence and charm.

11. Scarlett’s Lord Richard Fenton

When he’s not dying on screen, Sean Bean can and likes to put together one Hell of a son a bitch, in this case, Lord Richard Fenton in the mini-series “Scarlett”. You simply love to hate the malevolent devil.

12. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’s Judge Turpin

Judge Turpin: Oh yes… such practices. The Geishas of Japan, the concubines of Siam, the catamites of Greece, the harlots of India. I have them all here, drawings of them. Everything you’ve ever dreamed of doing with a woman. Would you like to see?

Alan Rickman is back this time with a corrupt figure of justice who doesn’t avoid breaking the law in order to get what he craves. He destroys a family, throws in jail an innocent man, drives insane his wife and wishes to seduce their daughter. He does require a close shave.

13.  12 Years A Slave – Edwin Epps

Solomon Northup:  Thou devil! Sooner or later, somewhere in the course of eternal justice thou shalt answer for this sin!

Edwin Epps: No sin! There is no sin! A man does how he pleases with his property. At the moment, Platt, I am of great pleasure. You be goddamn careful I don’t come to wantin’ to lightenin’ my mood no further.

When he’s not Magneto or Macbeth, Fassbender jumps full speed into the pitch black territory of psychos and Edwin Epps is one fellow who makes everyone tremble and loathe his ways.

14. Gangs of New York – Bill The Butcher Cutting

Bill: Here’s the thing. I don’t give a tuppenny fuck about your moral conundrum, you meat-headed shit-sack. That’s more or less the thing. And I want you to go out there… You, nobody else. None of your little minions. I want you to go out there. And I want you to punish the person who’s responsible for murdering this poor little rabbit. Is that understood?

Daniel Day-Lewis isn’t shy to take on difficult roles. In fact, he loves it. Bill The Butcher with his looks, with his stare, with his morals – or better said lack of morals – and powerful stance, graces this article with one mighty roar.

15. Schindler’s List – Amon Goeth

Amon Goeth: Today is history. Today will be remembered. Years from now the young will ask with wonder about this day. Today is history and you are part of it. Six hundred years ago, when elsewhere they were footing the blame for the Black Death, Casimir the Great – so called – told the Jews they could come to Krakow. They came. They trundled their belongings into the city. They settled. They took hold. They prospered in business, science, education, the arts. They came with nothing. And they flourished. For six centuries there has been a Jewish Krakow. By this evening those six centuries will be a rumor. They never happened. Today is history.

Simply and without much further ado, Ralph Fiennes took Goeth’s part and remains to this day one of the most terrifying on screen presences.

Stay tuned! Next time we have a list of psychopaths in fantasy movies.