This weekend I got to see two of my favorite movies showcasing two of my favorite heroes:
Frank Sinatra in Come Blow Your Horn
and Alan Ladd in Shane.
At first glance, the movies are totally different and the two heroes don’t seem much alike. But they are! They resemble each other in many ways, have a lot in common, and evoke the same feelings in me.
What makes these two guys similar–my vision of the iconic hero?
Well, first of all, they are both very good at what they do. Sinatra’s character is a bachelor playboy who revels in his fun-filled lifestyle, always gets the girl, and is just too “cool.” Shane is a gunslinger who is fastest on the draw–never been beat. People who are fully whatever they happen to be (whatever that is), and are the best at what they do, inspire my admiration.
Though not classically handsome, both are sexy and all-male, of course. Both have slight builds and great eyes.
They both have a delightful sense of humor that sometimes makes you giggle.
They’re both self-aware. They’re nobody’s fools, and they take no nonsense or guff from strangers. This makes them fiercely independent, and protective of their friends and the ladies in their lives.
What makes them particularly heart-warming is their combination of toughness with sensitivity. Under their strong exteriors, they’re both capable of tenderness.
In the end, they both take the high road, making morally correct choices on the side of love–even though it means sacrificing something dear to them.
Got to keep these two men in mind next time I’m writing a hero. A girl could do worse!
