Movie Cliche´s - The Hero wears Leather

[Hemingway Jones]

Once again, furthering our discussion of the nexus of clothes and characterization; often heroes and hero cops wear leather jackets.

Now, in previously discussing tweed as a choice for an anti-hero; if you are going to dress your gritty cop, why would you choose leather over, say a suit, a suit jacket, tweed, a canvas jacket, or a pea coat?

Which films have the most memorable leather jackets (this one should be easy)? Would Indiana Jones have been as cool if he was wearing a safari jacket?

Why choose leather for your hero or anti-hero?


Some memorable leather-clad heroes:

Perhaps the ultimate anti-hero:

 

[Feraud]

I think the choice of leather immediately says rebellion, Rock & Roll, tough guy, bad guy, etc. Whether it be a whip cracking professor or a killer cyborg from the future, a leather jacket is de rigueur for such types. My minor gripe is this. In recent times I notice almost everyone wears leather! There is not a discrimination between the types in film. I have seen cop films where the good guys and bad guys wear leather jackets. Perhaps this is the fault of lazy costumers...[huh]
Or more importantly, does this indicate what some people think is the blurred line between hero and villain?

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Hey, the first rule of Fight Club is we don't talk about Fight Club!!
I love Tyler Durden't leather jacket.
I think you're right on, a lot of heroes wore leather. I wish I new more about male heroes, but it does seem from what I've seen that the stronger character in a film tends to wear leather. Maybe it's because leather is a strong durable material that looks better with age, just like the heroes of some films.

 

[MrBern]

future cops

I like how he looks so crisp in MadMax, then in RoadWarrior, its the same costume...jsut disintegrating. And he looks jsut as bad as the badguys.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I agree with all of the responses above. What I am wondering is what was the earliest occurrance of a leather clad hero in film, and that is some one wearing it as a choice, not because they are an aviator or cyclist? I don't know the answer, but I am looking. I am assuming this influence came in from motorcyclists.

 

[carebear]

First leather jacket clad hero in cinema?

My bet is one of the '30's serial aviators or adventurer types. What Indy was an homage to.

Riders and flyers are the archetypes of "free men" in the modern era as the lone horseman and wilderness scout/mountain man were earlier. They possess the means and will to come and go as they please, unconstrained by society and convention.

 

[carebear]

Sailor: This is a snakeskin jacket! And for me it's a symbol of my individuality, and my belief... in personal freedom.

 

[Viola]

I agree with all of the responses above. What I am wondering is what was the earliest occurrance of a leather clad hero in film, and that is some one wearing it as a choice, not because they are an aviator or cyclist? I don't know the answer, but I am looking. I am assuming this influence came in from motorcyclists.

Or cowboys. Plenty of fringed leather jackets and dusters to go around in John Wayne movies and earlier. Nothing else coordinates with gunbelts quite as nicely.

 

[MrBern]

funny, no one is mentioning gal heros.
who was the first gal wearing leather?

 

[carebear]

funny, no one is mentioning gal heros.
who was the first gal wearing leather?

 

[Twitch]

Early leather? Aviators in Howard Hughes' Hells Angels of 1930.

 

[Lord Jagged]

Wartime Leathers?

Perhaps the hero in leathers is a relic of war aviators? When I think of hero's famous for their leather jacket in golden age movies I come up with flying jackets.

A classic for the picture gallery would be Cary Grant in "Only Angels Have Wings".

 

[The Wolf]

MrBern makes a good point

Steed's first female partner. Cathy Gale, was the first to wear leather. She was played by Honor Blackman who also played "Pusshy Galore" as Connery would say.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[scotrace]

Lodr Jagged - great image. One of my favorite jackets of all time. I'd like to have one like it!

 

[The Mad Hatter]

OK. We've discussed hero's who DO wear leather jackets. Following the lead of Sherlock Holmes' "the dog that did not bark," let us discuss heros who DO NOT wear leather jackets and consider how their persona's might be changed had they worn them.

Eg:

• James Herriot
• David Niven
• James Bond - Connery
• James Bond - Moore
• James Bond - Brosnan ( does wear one )
• Inspector Morse
• Hercule Poirot

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Please forgive me for my gross oversight in my last post.

If Bertie Wooster had worn a leather jacket, how might that affect the Bertie / Jeeves stories?

 

[jake_fink]

 

[carebear]

Going strictly by your list, except for Bond, those heros are not "action" heros. They don't beat people up with anything approaching regularity.

Perhaps the leather is an easy way to establish "physicality". Thinking further, the traditional "leather jacket" is becoming more period or specific occasion wear as well.

I think most of the non-leather wearers nowadays will not be "physical" heros if only because suits are now "formal" wear as opposed to everyday. If I only wear a suit to the office or a funeral I'm unlikely to have many opportunities to throw hands.

Of course, if suits and leather are now "special occasion" wear we should be seeing more heros wearing today's daily wear clothes.

Action guys who throw down in a suit (note the primary eras and context, in essence these are these guys "street clothes").

Bond, James Bond
John Steed
Marlowe
Spade
Vincent "Collateral"
the Transporter (when working)

Action guys who kick butt in street clothes (wear whatcha brung)

Jason Bourne
the Transporter (on his own time)
Jet Li in anything
Martin Riggs
John McClane

 

[carebear]

Please forgive me for my gross oversight in my last post.

If Bertie Wooster had worn a leather jacket, how might that affect the Bertie / Jeeves stories?

Is Bertie really a "hero"? He's a protagonist for sure, but when I think of the word "hero" I think in terms of (usually) violent conflict and feats of strength and endurance. "Hero" in this thread's context I think involves one who faces down evil doers, not just the primary actor in a more or less conflict-free human drama.

The inspectors and investigators, even if they only struggle in the realm of the mind, are thwarting wrong and injustice as personified in a villian.

Bertie in a leather, assuming he wasn't wearing it in a specific context, I think would just be poorly dressed.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Bertie in a leather, assuming he wasn't wearing it in a specific context, I think would just be poorly dressed.

On further thought, Jeeves in leather would be very interesting - almost sinister.

Another further thought, David Niven might go very well in a leather blazer and turtleneck. Although I can't quite see John Thaw's Inspector Morse in leather blazer plus turtleneck, I well could imagine many of our Detective Chief Inspectors so garbed.

Roger Moore's "The Saint" definitely could wear leather blazer plus turtleneck.

When it comes to leather jackets, there is the Anglo-Saxon leather jacket tradition, which we have been discussing. That does have the rough, tough, rebel, individualistic type tradition to it. However, there also is the Italian leather jacket tradition, which is elegant, sophisticated. It is much like motorcycles, which carry different connotations in Italy than in America.

Come to think of it, we might be able to see Bertram on the Riviera in such an Italian style leather jacket ( with a captain's sailor hat ) - although we all would agree that both Jeeves and Aunt Agatha would disapprove.