The A.F.I. 50 Greatest Heroes:

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According to the A.F.I. (the American Film Institute for you new folks out there) a hero must be represented by the following traits: A hero can be a mythic figure, or ordinary people who prevail in extreme circumstances. Heroes dramatize a sense of morality, courage and purpose often lacking in our everyday world. Heroes do what is good, just and right; and even though they may be ambiguous or flawed characters, they often sacrifice themselves to show humanity at its best and most humane. Having read that through, I have to say, while I was surprised at Atticus Finch being number one, I also think it is a good choice, he is the kind of person we should at least aspire to be and in failing that, at least have made the attempt.

2. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford)
Raiders of the Lost Ark.

3. James Bond (Sean Connery)
Dr. No.

4. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart)
Casablanca.

5. Will Kane (Gary Cooper)
High Noon.

6. Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster)
The Silence of the Lambs.

7. Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)
Rocky.

8. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver)
Alien.

9. George Bailey (James Stewart)
It's a Wonderful Life.

10. T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole)
Lawrence of Arabia.

11. Jefferson Smith (James Stewart)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

12. Tom Joad (Henry Fonda)
The Grapes of Wrath.

13. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson)
Schindler's List.

14. Han Solo (Harrison Ford)
Star Wars.

15. Norma Rae Webster (Sally Field)
Norma Rae.

16. Shane (Alan Ladd)
Shane.

17. Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood)
Dirty Harry.

18. Robin Hood (Errol Flynn)
The Adventures of Robin Hood.

19. Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier)
In the Heat of the Night.

20. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Paul Newman and Robert Redford)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

21. Mahatma Gandhi (Ben Kingsley)
Gandhi.

22. Spartacus (Kirk Douglas)
Spartacus.

23. Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando)
On the Waterfront.

24. Thelma Dickinson and Louise Sawyer (Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon)
Thelma and Louise.

25. Lou Gehrig (Gary Cooper)
The Pride of the Yankees.

27. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman)
All the President's Men.

28. Juror No. 8 (Henry Fonda)
12 Angry Men.

29. Gen. George Patton (George C. Scott)
Patton.

30. Luke Jackson (Paul Newman)
Cool Hand Luke.

31. Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts)
Erin Brockovich.

32. Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart)
The Big Sleep.

33. Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand)
Fargo.

34. Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller)
Tarzan the Ape Man.

35. Alvin York (Gary Cooper)
Sergeant York.

36. Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne)
True Grit.

37. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness)
Star Wars.

38. The Tramp (Charles Chaplin)
The Kid.

39. Lassie (Pal the dog)
Lassie Come Home.

40. Frank Serpico (Al Pacino)
Serpico.

41. Arthur Chipping (Robert Donat)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

42. Father Edward Flanagan (Spencer Tracy)
Boys Town.

43. Moses (Charlton Heston)
The Ten Commandments.

44. Jimmy Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman)
The French Connection.

45. Zorro (Tyrone Power)
The Mark of Zorro.

46. Batman (Michael Keaton)
Batman.

47. Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep)
Silkwood.

48. The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

49. Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks)
Philadelphia.

50. Maximus (Russell Crowe)
Gladiator.