The Leading Men of the 1980's! (redux)

The Leading Men of the 1980's! - That is right, I am revisiting hence the redux the list's thus far made for the leading ladies and men of each decade. A total of only 3 does not allow us to fairly capture the actors from around the globe that truly left a mark in that particular decade. With a lot of thought a pain staking hours I have finally came up with the leading lists for each decade and now bringing you the COMPLETE LIST of the men of the 1980's who simply were in my book the definition of that decade. Enjoy and left me know via comments your thoughts...perhaps you agree or disagree and have leading ladies that potentially belong to the "Runner's Up List."

The eight top leading men deemed as the defining women of the 1980's are:

Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, Sean Penn, Michael Douglas, Willem Dafoe, William Hurt, Eddie Murphy, & Mickey Rourke

These leading men truly hit the silver screen in big ways with major roles in motion pictucres during the 1980's. "Love Those Classic Movies!" will highlight in articles each leading man as being the definition of what made the 1980's a great decade for films.

Great films that each leading man appeared during the 1980's:

Harrison Ford:

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Blade Runner (1982)
Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi (1983)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Witness (1985)
The Mosquito Coast (1986)
Frantic (1988)
Working Girl (1988)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Tom Cruise:

Endless Love (1981)
Taps (1981)
The Outsiders (1983)
Losin' It (1983)
Risky Business (1983)
All The Right Moves (1983)
Legend (1985)
Top Gun (1986)
The Color of Money (1986)
Cocktail (1988)
Rain Man (1988)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Sean Penn:

Taps (1981)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Bad Boys (1983)
Risky Business (1983)
Summerspell (1983)
Crackers (1984)
Racing With The Moon (1984)
The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)
At Close Range (1986)
Shanghai Surprise (1986)
Colors (1988)
Judgement in Berlin (1988)
Casualties of War (1989)
We're No Angels (1989)

Michael Douglas:

It's My Turn (1980)
The Star Chamber (1983)
Romancing the Stone (1984)
The Jewel of the Nile (1985)
A Chorus Line (1985)
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Wall Street (1987)
Black Rain (1989)
The War of the Roses (1989)

Willem Dafoe:

The Loveless (1981)
The Hunger (1983)
New York Nights (1984)
Streets of Fire (1984)
Roadhouse 66 (1985)
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Platoon (1986)
Off Limits (1988)
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Triumph of the Spirit (1989)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

William Hurt:

Altered States (1980)
Eyewitness (1981)
Body Heat (1981)
The Big Chill (1983)
Gorgy Park (1983)
Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
Children of a Lesser God (1986)
Broadcast News (1987)
A Time of Destiny (1988)
The Accidental Tourist (1988)

Eddie Murphy:

48 Hrs. (1982)
Trading Places (1983)
Best Defense (1984)
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
The Golden Child (1986)
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
Coming To America (1988)
Harlem Nights (1989)

Mickey Rourke:

Fade to Black (1980)
Heaven's Gate (1980)
Body Heat (1981)
Diner (1982)
Eureka (1983)
Rumble Fish (1983)
The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)
Year of the Dragon (1985)
Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986)
Angel Heart (1987)
A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
Barfly (1987)
Homeboy (1988)
Francesco (1989)
Johnny Handsome (1989)
Wild Orchid (1989)

In Pictures: Michael J. Fox

 

In Pictures: Michael J. Fox

Here is our 32nd installment of this very successful feature to "Love Those Classic Movies!!!" This article is simply an enjoyment via beautiful pictures of our favorite golden age classic stars. Not a lot of writing at all or tid bits or extras just simply as it is stated, "in pictures!" Hope you all enjoy one of the BEST leading men that defined the 1980's with his charisma and became one of the foremost leaders of motion pictures/television of the 1980's. Enjoy as we look back at Michael J. Fox's career through his roles and much more via photos!

 

 

 

The Secret of My Success (1987)

The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)/ Universal Pics.

Directed By: Herbert Ross

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Richard Jordan, Margaret Whitton, & John Pankow

Taglines:

There's no such thing as an overnight success. Brantley Foster took two weeks.

~ Nominated in 1988 for a Golden Globe for "Best Original Song"



Plot:

It is the late 1980's and Brantley Foster (Fox) just graduated from college. In Kansas on his parents farm he knows it is not the place to make it in his dream of being a big time financier so he dreams big and wants to head to New York City. His parents approve and his mother provides him with his very distant uncle that he has never met that is very well to do in NYC. Brantley takes his uncles information but vows to do everything on his own and takes a little money from his parents and off he sets sail to the city for a rude awakening.

The rude awakening is that the way of life is very different and doors just because he has a new found degree are not just going to open and give him an opportunity. He finds that he is either over qualified or under. The apartment is less than stellar with whacky neighbors and he is getting very defeated. Brantley finally contacts his uncle Howard Prescott (Jordan) regarding work at his very impressive company. Uncle Howard is the CEO of Pemrose and was founded by his father-in-law.

Brantley receives a job from his uncle in the mailroom and is very greatful. During this he starts to read the inter-office mail and the poor financial decisions being made. Digging more into paperwork and out of sheer curiousity he finds more poor decision making made by his uncle and other management. One day things start to take a dramatic change with a phone call into the mail room. Brantley's Aunt Vera needs someone to fill in for her driver to bring her from a day in the city to her home in the country. And with out knowing one another Brantley signs up to be the driver. The over sexed Vera (Whitton) throws quips as does Brantley back and forth to one another during this heated drive, the music goes up and the passion can be felt with the shirt being loosened, lipstick being added and more (side note this is one great scene!). Vera and Brantley head to the large country estate where she is determined to have her way with him.

Later, Brantley to help the company assumes an office and the name of Carlton Whitfield. Carlton looks into areas that can be improved for the company and hires an assistant and starts becoming a big shot though Brantley has to stay udner the radar in order that his uncle does not find out.

Christy Wills (Slater) is the no hold barred financial wiz within the company. Christy is having an affair with Howard and she is awaiting him to leave his wife Vera but that does not seem to happen anytime soon. Howard finds out about this new wiz Carlton who he wonders potentially is a spy and asks Christy to get close to him and find out what the circumstances are and to dig deeper. A long weekend ensues at the country estate of Howard's and Vera's where Carlton, Christy, Brantley are all invited. It is one crazy weekend where there are many attracted to one another and a night within the house where people are going into each other's room sneaking around that is soo memorable! Will, Brantley get his dream girl Christy and job or get found out and fired you will have to watch to find out!!!

In Pictures: Harrison Ford

In Pictures: Harrison Frod

Here is our 31st installment of this very successful feature to "Love Those Classic Movies!!!" This article is simply an enjoyment via beautiful pictures of our favorite golden age classic stars. Not a lot of writing at all or tid bits or extras just simply as it is stated, "in pictures!" Hope you all enjoy one of the BEST leading men that defined the 1980's with his charisma and became one of the foremost leaders of the best motion pictures of the 1980's. Enjoy as we look back at Harrison Ford's career through his roles and much more via photos!