The recent news ofGene Hackman’s tragic death at the age of 95 marked the passing of one of popular culture’s most preeminent cinematic bad guys. Receiving five Academy Award nominations and winning two across a successful career that spanned more than four decades,Hackman’s best moviessaw him produce iconic turns in the likes ofUnforgiven, I Never Sang for My Father, andMississippi Burningto rubber-stamp his status as one of cinema’s most respected faces.
While the late, great Hackman will always remain inextricably linked with his career-best role of hard-boiled anti-hero Jimmy"Popeye"Doyle in 1971’sThe French Connection, theEnemy of the Statestar also garnered a reputation for playing a diverse array of first-rate villains. By the timeHackman had retired from actingin 2004, his film credits read like a who’s-who of iconic silver-screen antagonists, whether the actor was playing Superman’s arch-nemesis, a murderous slaughterhouse operator, or a ruthless sheriff.
The Quick and the Dead
Cast
The Quick and the Dead, directed by Sam Raimi, is a Western film released in 1995. It stars Sharon Stone as Ellen, a mysterious gunslinger who arrives in the town of Redemption to enter a quick-draw competition. The film features a strong ensemble cast including Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, and Leonardo DiCaprio, and delves into themes of revenge and justice in a lawless town.
An ill-fated revisionist Western fromEvil Deaddirector Sam Raimi, 1995’sThe Quick and the Deadhas been more kindly reappraised by critics in recent years. However, despite boasting an ensemble cast including Sharon Stone, Russell Crowe, and a baby-faced Leonardo DiCaprio, the movie was a disastrous box office bomb and only received middling reviews upon initial release; a state of affairs that could have been even worse without the committed efforts of Gene Hackman as John Herod.
One Of The Most Underrated Westerns Of All Time Only Starred Leonardo DiCaprio Because His Co-Star Paid His Wages
Despite being one of the biggest actors ever, there was a time when one of Leonardo Dicaprio’s co-stars paid his wages for an underrated Western.
A prolific quick-draw sharpshooter, Hackman’s outlaw-turned-mayor rules the town of Redemption with an iron fist against the backdrop ofRaimi’s wacky Western. He had to sidestep virtually every genre trope in the book to do it, but the actor gamely persisted to produce one of his most colorful villains, serving to elevate this chaotic offering above its more prevalent shortcomings.
Extreme Measures
Extreme Measures is a medical thriller featuring Hugh Grant as Guy Luthan, a British doctor working in New York. Released in 1996, the film follows Luthan as he investigates the mysterious disappearance of a patient’s body, leading him to uncover dangerous secrets linked to a prominent surgeon at the hospital.
A crime-thriller from Michael Apted, Hackman’s bow as Doctor Lawrence Myrick in 1996’sExtreme Measuresis one of the actor’s more obscure roles, as well as a front-runner for his most twisted villain. A neurology professor encountered by Hugh Grant’s Doctor Guy Luthan, Myrick heads an organization that performs non-consensual experiments on homeless people in an attempt to find a cure for paralysis, a procedure that invariably results in the test subject’s death.
Extreme Measuresholds a score of 6.2 on IMDb.
Hackman’s morally devoid charge is the bright spot in a middle-of-the-road thriller, playing off his co-star with textbook ease to highlight his innate skill for playing villains of all varieties. The contrasting nature of his character’s reputation as a respected medical man with his sinister behind-the-scenes predilections makes for a notably unsettling villain, one who arguably serves as the star of the show despite Grant’s top billing.
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde, released in 1967, follows the tumultuous partnership between Bonnie Parker, a disenchanted waitress, and Clyde Barrow, an ex-convict. Set during the Great Depression, the film chronicles their notorious crime spree across America, featuring robberies and car thefts, as they capture public attention and infamy.
A groundbreaking outing that is regarded as one of the first movies of the New Hollywood era, 1967’s crime-dramaBonnie and Clydealso plays host to a performance that underlines why Gene Hackman was one of cinema’s greatest villain actors. Charged with bringing Clyde Barrow’s elder brother Buck to life, Hackman’s exemplary breakout turn as this memorable career criminal saw him receive an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination in what was only his sixth credited feature film appearance.
Bonnie and Clyde(1967)
Best Supporting Actor
Won
A glorious star-making performance that would establish Hackman as a face to watch moving forward, the actor’s scene-stealing combination of menace and manners meant that Buck remained one of his most widely celebrated roles even as his career progressed to new heights. The quintessential romanticized criminal, Clyde’s blend of laconic humor and hard-boiled toughness is one of this classic outing’s most memorable aspects.
The Hunting Party
The Hunting Party, released in 1971, is a Western film that follows a ruthless rancher and his gang as they wield long-range rifles to pursue and kill the men responsible for kidnapping his wife.
ArguablyHackman’s darkest Western movie role, 1971’sThe Hunting Partysaw the actor take on the twisted role of Brandt Ruger. A sadistic cattle baron, the movie chronicles Ruger’s attempts to track down the men who kidnapped his wife, with the help of a murderous posse and a selection of advanced new rifles to aid his pursuit.
…one of the actor’s more memorable villainous bows can be found at the heart of Medford’s movie.
A diabolical production from the mind of the late Don Medford,The Hunting Partyis one of Hackman’s most violent outings. However, if one is willing to look past a literal lake of fake blood, one of the actor’s more memorable villainous bows can be found at the heart of Medford’s visceral Western movie.The Hunting Partyis far from a flawless outing, but Hackman’s first-rate turn as the implacable Ruger serves as a notable highlight.
Welcome to Mooseport
Welcome to Mooseport is a comedy directed by Donald Petrie, starring Gene Hackman as a retired US president who returns to his hometown of Mooseport, Maine. He enters a mayoral race against a local candidate, played by Ray Romano, creating unexpected turmoil in the small town.
Welcome to Mooseportisn’t exactly the first film that comes to mind when thinking of a farewell appearance befitting of a cinematic standout like Gene Hackman. However, in addition to marking the actor’s final movie credit, the 2004 political satire serves as one of the more unlikely vessels for one of his less serious antagonists;Monroe Cole, the former President of the United Stateswho finds himself in a heated race for a town’s mayorship against Ray Romano’s hardware store owner, Harold Harrison.
Welcome to Mooseportholds a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score of 13%.
While the movie was panned by critics, the lighthearted nature ofWelcome to Mooseport’spremise allowed Hackman the freedom to flex his comedic muscles, resulting in one of his more unexpectedly memorable appearances as the movie’s primary antagonistic foil. Blending his usual gravitas with a wicked dose of humor, Hackman’s inimitable presence is the only thing that makes this dismal outing bearable.
Crimson Tide
Crimson Tide is a 1995 thriller directed by Tony Scott, featuring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. It explores tensions aboard the USS Alabama, as Captain Frank Ramsey and Lt. Cmdr. Ron Hunter clash over military strategy, amidst a global threat from a breakaway Russian republic armed with nuclear warheads.
A fan-favorite performance thatHackman will always be remembered for, 1995’sCrimson Tidesaw the actor play one of his more complex antagonists.Captain Frank Ramsey decidedly isn’t a villain of the Doctor Evil variety,but he’s still framed as the bad guy of Tony Scott’s submarine action-thriller, after the battle of wills that erupts between Hackman’s seasoned submarine commander and Denzel Washington’s new executive officer threatens an international nuclear crisis.
Hackman was a real-life military veteran; the actor lied about his age to enlist in the United States Marine Corps and served four and a half years as a field-radio operator.
Producing an electrifying performance that leverages his impressive chemistry with Washington to maximum effect, Ramsey is one of the actor’s most compelling bad guys. A testament to the actor’s ability to play layered, nuanced antagonists, Hackman’s part in this epic battle of wills carries one of the most underrated offerings of the 1990s from the moment that his character appeared onscreen.
Runaway Jury
Runaway Jury (2003) is a legal thriller directed by Gary Fleder, based on John Grisham’s novel. The film follows a widow’s lawsuit against a powerful gun manufacturer after a shooting incident. John Cusack stars as a juror with hidden motives, with Gene Hackman playing a ruthless jury consultant and Dustin Hoffman as the prosecuting attorney. The film explores themes of corruption, justice, and manipulation within the American legal system.
Hackman’s penultimate movie appearance, Gary Fleder’s legal thrillerRunaway Juryplaced the veteran actor in the boots of one of his most morally devoid charges. This took the form of the movie’s chief antagonist, Rankin Fitch, a corrupt jury consultant who uses his position to influence the outcome of legal proceedings. Fleder’s picture sees Hackman’s devious charge go up against John Cusack and Dustin Hoffman during a fraught court case concerning a mass shooting.
Runaway Juryis based on John Grisham’s 1996 novel,The Runaway Jury.
Fitch serves as one of Hackman’s most sinister villains; hardly a surprising state of affairs when one considers that the character is inspired by the works of the iconic novelist, John Grisham. Distracting the movie’s audience from some of its more blatant legal implausibilities with his committed performance, the actor’s shady turn as Fitch also bears the notable accolade of being the final serious villainous role from one of cinema’s quintessential bad guy actors.
Prime Cut
Prime Cut is a crime thriller released in 1972, directed by Michael Ritchie. It stars Lee Marvin as a mob enforcer tasked with confronting an unscrupulous slaughterhouse owner in Kansas City. The film explores themes of corruption and brutality within the criminal underworld.
Hackman’s work in 1972’sPrime Cutunderlined the actor’s willingness to get down and dirty with the roles he selected, playing the leading villain in a controversial movie notorious for its graphic subject matter. The American was tasked with the role of"Mary Ann"in Joe Wizan’s unashamedly dark crime outing,a crooked slaughterhouse operator with a predilection for using his position for dastardly means.
The actor’s first project following his Oscar win forThe French Connection, Mary Ann is a character brought to life at the height of his dramatic powers.
Prime Cutserves as the backdrop for one of the actor’s most colorful and memorable villainous performances.Hackman’s first movie following his Oscar winforThe French Connection, Mary Ann is a character brought to life at the height of his considerable dramatic powers. There’s so much ridiculously explicit content in the shocking movie that it’s easy to get distracted, but Hackman’s gleefully wicked bow serves to keep the audience’s attention effortlessly grounded as Wizan’s twisted story plays out.
Superman
Superman, directed by Richard Donner, stars Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent, an alien from the planet Krypton living on Earth who adopts the persona of Superman to protect humanity. Released in 1978, the film features Gene Hackman as the villain Lex Luthor, who creates a plan that threatens millions of lives. Margot Kidder co-stars as Lois Lane, a journalist at the Daily Planet and Clark Kent’s colleague.
One of cinema’s earliest blockbuster supervillains, Hackman’s portrayal of Lex Luthor inthree Superman moviesfrom 1978 to 1987 underlined his status as one of cinema’s most celebrated and instantly recognizable faces. Charged with playing the nemesis to one of the most famous characters in the history of popular culture,Hackman threw himself into playing Luthor with a gleeful lack of restraint that resulted in one of his most memorable bows.
Placing the actor head-to-head with Christopher Reeves' titular character, 1978’sSupermanwould spawn four sequels. A critical and commercial hit, Hackman’s superbly bonkers performance as Superman’s arch-enemy was a vital component in the original movie’s lasting success and influence. He would reprise his role on two separate occasions, 1980’sSuperman IIand 1987’sSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace, although neither appearance is as revered as his work in the series' first installment.
Unforgiven
Unforgiven follows retired gunslinger Will Munny as he is drawn back into his former life for a final mission, seeking justice with his old partner and a young outlaw called The Schofield Kid.
Pitting Hackman against Western legend Clint Eastwood,the actor’s electric turn as the ruthless Sheriff “Little Bill” Daggett in 1992’sUnforgivenis widely regarded as a front-runner for his best performance, villainous or otherwise. Earning Hackman his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, the American’s bow as Clint Eastwood’s foil produced one of thebest Western movie villains of all time, a status quo that remains intact as of 2025.
Clint Eastwood’s Best Movie Explains Why He Stopped Making Westerns
Eastwood is one of the greatest actors and directors of the Western film genre. One film was so exceptional that he stopped making Westerns after it.
Gene Hackmanutterly lost himself in bringing his memorable charge to life, a state of affairs that allegedly left his co-star, Morgan Freeman, afraid that Hackman was literally going to hurt him while in character as"Little Bill.“An eloquent and calculating antagonist of the highest order, Daggett’s conflicting nature as a man willing to plumb any moral depths to maintain law and order in his town presents one of the more complex bad guys that the genre has ever played witness to.
