So, November has descended upon us, with the temperature dropping quicker than the leaves. Just as Guy Fawkes Night comes and goes every year, a new autumn tradition has risen to popularity in recent years: Movember. In honour of all those sporting weird and wonderful facial hair in the name of raising charity awareness, I’ve compiled a list of some of the finest upper-lip-warmers to ever grace the silver screen, enjoy:
12. Sacha Baron Cohen – Borat
Everyone’s favourite Kazakhstani (unless you’re actually from Kazakhstan) sports a gloriously fuzzy ‘stache. Considering some of the disgusting and despicable things he does throughout the film, perhaps his facial hair is just what it takes to keep the audience on his side…
11. Tom Skerrit – Top gun
Much of the respect and authority that Viper has earned over the years is obviously down to his piloting skills… the rest has got to be moustache envy. Shares this place with the equally excellent upper lip of Goose (Anthony Edwards)…
10. Charlie Chaplin – The Kid
Arguably, the most iconic moustache in cinematic history, worn by one and only Charlie Chaplin. The classic ‘one-inch’ style was so popular, it inspired Adolf Hitler to grow one. After that the style mysteriously died out…
9. Will Ferrell – Anchorman
As well as having suits that’d make Sinatra look like a hobo, and a voice that could make a wolverine purr, Ron Burgundy has some awesome facial hair. Honourable mention has to be made for Burgundy’s colleague Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) also.
8, Sean Connery – Zardoz
Let’s face it, there isn’t much in Zardoz that you could say is good: ridiculous story, cheap production, and truly, truly, horrendous costumes. Thank goodness for Sean Connery and this handle-barred gem.
7 .Clark Gable – Gone With The Wind
The physical embodiment of suaveness. What else is there to say?
6. Chia Hui Liu – Kill Bill Vol. 2
Kill Bill’s kung-fu master Pai Mei sports the sort of facial hair I always felt Mr. Miyagi should have rocked. You can’t fault it, and even if you did, he’d probably rip your eye out of its socket anyway.
5. Groucho Marx – Duck Soup
Yet another classic comedy legend, and personally, my favourite Marx brother. Groucho has a style that has rarely been repeated and never improved.
4. Tom Selleck –Three Men and a Baby
Can anyone have a discussion about moustaches without mentioning Tom Selleck? Surely not. To be honest, it doesn’t matter what film he’s in, he and his moustache have created one of the greatest on-screen partnerships in history. Good work Magnum!
3 .Samuel L Jackson – Pulp Fiction
This style is made all the better by combing it with the hair, suit, and the fact that Samuel L Jackson is one of the coolest people on the planet. It’s somewhat fortunate that Jackson’s character Jules looks awesome, as it counteracts how ridiculous Travolta’s Vince looks.
2. Sam Elliot – The Big Lebowski
Sam Elliot has made a name for himself in Hollywood as a moustached wearer to be reckoned with, but I doubt he is ever better than as the sarsaparilla-drinking narrator of The Big Lebowski, known only as the stranger.
1. Daniel Day-Lewis – Gangs of New York
Well, it was a close finish, but claiming the top spot is the ‘greatest actor of his generation’. Sure, he’s won Academy Awards for There Will Be Blood and My Left Foot, but it’s his criminally underrated performance as crime lord Bill ‘the Butcher’ Cutting that wins him the number 1 spot, thanks to an astonishingly well-kept moustache.
