40. Staff Sergeant Barnes - Platoon
Played By: Tom Berenger In Oliver Stone's harrowing movie about Vietnam, Staff Sergeant Barnes is the amoral, sadistic and bitter soldier that commits several war atrocities throughout the tough picture. He is scarred both physically and emotionally and is a contrast to Willem Dafoe's naive and idealist Sergeant Elias. He is completely untrustworthy and unreliable and definitely not the guy you want covering you in the middle of a battlefield. Platoon shows the explicit horror of the Vietnam war and the character of Barnes emphasises what war can do to man and his soul as Barnes descends into inhumanity and sadism as his men fear him and he does not fear death.
39. Phyllis Dietrichson - Double Indemnity
Played By: Barbara Stanwyck In Billy Wilder's classic noir, Dietrichson is one of cinema's original femme fatale's as she seduces poor Fred MacMurray into killing her husband. She's impossibly sexy and no man can resist her charms as Walter finds out and it ultimately leads to his tragic betrayal and downfall. Dietrichson, behind the alluring looks is reprehensible and it is hinted that she committed a prior murder. She could hypnotise men and throw them away at her convenience and the pure horror of Dietrichson is the fact that she knows what she is. As the character herself says, she is rotten to the heart.
38. Warden Norton - The Shawshank Redemption
Played By: Bob Gunton There are very few things more reprehensible than a man who will corrupt, lie and kill for a quick, unsavoury buck. Yet, that is exactly what the warden of Shawshank is, he does not care for the prisoners, morality or redemption, the prison and his job is a means to an end and if he profits from corruption in the process, all the better. He is a towering hypocrite and is the perfect contrast to Andy Dufresne. Norton is a respected fellow, despite the guilt of his greed and corruption whilst Andy is a prisoner who has done no wrong and wallowing at the bottom of the societal ladder. When Norton is finally served justice, the audience couldn't be happier as they have watched him bully, manipulate and threaten to achieve his standing.