History AffablyEvil / Film

* Most viewers saw Col. Quaritch in ''Film: Avatar'' as this, probably against James Cameron's intentions. The guy will do everything in his power to keep the people under his charge alive and safe (and his men obviously adore him for that), and he seems to be a fairly nice -if strict- person to have around... as long as you are not a Na'vi or a human who likes the Na'vi. It's telling that he actually got Jake a ticket home and a new set of legs for his efforts.

* Most viewers saw Col. Quaritch in ''Avatar'' as this, probably against James Cameron's intentions. The guy will do everything in his power to keep the people under his charge alive and safe (and his men obviously adore him for that), and he seems to be a fairly nice -if strict- person to have around... as long as you are not a Na'vi or a human who likes the Na'vi. It's telling that he actually got Jake a ticket home and a new set of legs for his efforts.

* Most viewers saw Col. Quaritch in ''Film/Avatar'' as this, probably against James Cameron's intentions. The guy will do everything in his power to keep the people under his charge alive and safe (and his men obviously adore him for that), and he seems to be a fairly nice -if strict- person to have around... as long as you are not a Na'vi or a human who likes the Na'vi. It's telling that he actually got Jake a ticket home and a new set of legs for his efforts.

* When not playing the MagicalNegro (literally, in some cases), MorganFreeman has mastered this trope in such films as ''Hard Rain'', ''Nurse Betty'', ''Dreamcatcher'', ''[[LuckyNumberSlevin Lucky Number S7evin]]'',"Wanted" and ''The Contract''.

* When not playing the MagicalNegro (literally, in some cases), MorganFreeman has mastered this trope in such films as ''Hard Rain'', ''Nurse Betty'', ''Dreamcatcher'', ''[[LuckyNumberSlevin Lucky Number S7evin]]'', and ''The Contract''.

* Colonel von Luger in ''TheGreatEscape''. Certainly more affable than the BigGood.

* All the villains in AlfredHitchcock's ''Saboteur''. In between planning and executing acts of sabotage against military installations, we see a kindly grand-father playing with his grand-child, a rich socialite who hosts a charity-dinner, a father who ponders whether he should let his son have long hair, a man who gives their hostage a milkshake, and a man who frets that the confrontation with the hero will make him unable to go to the philharmonica with his niece later that evening.

* [[spoiler:Burke]] in ''{{Aliens}}''.

* The Nome King from ''{{Return to Oz}}'' displays a disturbing mix of affability and subtle condescension towards Dorothy and her friends (his counterpart in [[Literature/LandOfOz the books]], though, was more of a cackling CardCarryingVillain). The film ''Return to Oz'' plays the same "[[AllJustADream all a dream]]" card that the film of ''Film/{{The Wizard of Oz}}'' played, and the Nome King, in this case, is supposed to be a direct analogue to the psychiatrist running the asylum where Dorothy is being treated at the beginning of the film. He himself is quite Affably Evil in his own right, warmheartedly declaring that electroshock therapy is "just the thing to cheer Dorothy up", words that the Nome King [[MeaningfulEcho repeats later in the film]].

* Subverted in ''ShutterIsland'', where we are led to believe that [[spoiler: Dr. Cawley is like this. As it turns out, this is his genuine personality, and, in fact, he has been running a very elaborate simulation in order to snap Teddy Daniels (real name: Andrew Laeddis) out of his self-induced fantasy that he is a Federal Marshall, in order to make him come to terms with his wife's death.]]

** So does Scaramanga in ''Film/{{The Man with the Golden Gun}}''.

** Film/{{Never Say Never Again}} is an independently-produced remake of ''Thunderball'' featuring Klaus Maria Brandauer as an utterly charming version of Maximilian Largo. Shame about the psychosis lurking just under the easy-going, good-humoured facade...

* Bill {{the Butcher}} from ''{{Gangs of New York}}''. He's polite, has a moral code, a deep sense of honor...but he just hates those bloody Irishmen invading American soil, and God help you if you get into a knife fight with him. To the point where Amsterdam is conflicted because he finds himself liking the man he intends to take revenge on for killing his father. He does have a few KickTheDog moments where you realize the guy is not merely a MemeticBadass but pretty reprehensible, so the audience is conflicted too.

* Idi Amin is this in ''{{The Last King of Scotland}}'', after the protagonist impresses him by taking ''his'' gun and [[ShootTheDog shooting the wounded cow]]. All while being surrounded by trigger-happy soldiers.

** [[{{Film/TheGreenHornet}} Benjamin Chudnofsky]], too. He has a politeness and an inferiority complex that's pretty disarming, and he tries too hard to seem intimidating in the end, but is dangerous when people point out that he isn't 'scary'.

* Major Koenig from ''{{Enemy at the Gates}}'' qualifies as this for much of the movie. Sure, he's out to kill his sniper counterpart, but he's polite about it, and when one character, a young boy acting as an informant, hears of his rival's supposed death and is trying not to cry:

* "Good Evening. Welcome to my humble abode. My, how beautiful you are. I hope you will stay the night. Oh, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. I am [[{{Film/Dracula}} Count Dracula]]."

* Hannibal Lecter of ''{{The Silence of the Lambs}}'' is an interesting example in that nobody can be really sure if his affability is just an act, particularly as he's prone to sniping insults at visitors who displease him. To credit the "affable" perspective, he never hunts down Clarice (considering such a thing "rude"), and, in the book, mails a substantial tip to an orderly he befriended - specifically, the [[WorthyOpponent orderly who ensured that Hannibal never escaped from the asylum]] until he was moved, and once broke Lecter's arm stopping him from attacking a nurse.

* Cheyenne in ''{{Once Upon a Time in the West}}'' is a cheerful, friendly fellow who seems perpetually amused by the events in which he is caught up. He's also a confessed murderer and bandit leader. It helps that A) he's not the villain of the film, just the local badman whose territory the villain trespasses on, and B) all of his crimes take place off-screen (just outside the door in the case of his slaughter of his prison escort).

* To some extent, Lyle From Dallas from ''Red Rock West''. Protagonist Michael Williams first meets Lyle after nearly being run over by him - Lyle is very apologetic about it, makes sure he's okay, gives him a ride back to town, bonds with him over their shared past with the Marine Corps, and buys him a drink. Since this is the first we see him, his turning out to be the bad guy would almost be a twist, were it not for him [[BerserkButton getting very angry]] about Michael initially refusing his offer to buy him a drink, as well as the fact that he's [[TypeCasting played by Dennis Hopper]].

* All the villains in AlfredHitchcock's ''Saboteur''. In between planning and executing acts of sabotage against military installations, we see a kindly grand-father playing with his grand-child, a rich socialite who hosts a charity-dinner, a father who ponders whether he should let his son have long hair, a man who gives their hostage a milkshake, and a man who frets that the confrontation with the hero will make him unable to go to the philharmonica with his niece later that evening.
* As in the novel on which the film is based, Don Vito Corleone from ''Film/{{The Godfather}}''. Warmhearted, reasonable, prefers to think of his partners as "friends", and happy to perform the odd favour for his less-than-fortunate neighbours. True, he does inform them that they might have to do a little something for him in return, but contrary to Amerigo Bonasera's worries, all he usually asks for is a free service from their business. He even [[PetTheDog adopted Tom Hagen]] and eventually allowed him to become his personal advisor - [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming even though he knew that none of the other Mafia bosses would approve]]. Vito's still in charge of one of the most powerful Mafia families in America, and he's not above the occasional murder or extortion to back up the usual income from gambling and union racketeering. However, EvenEvilHasStandards, which Vito demonstrates in his refusal to deal in drugs and prostitution (the most contemptuous line in the film is when he says, "Tattaglia's a pimp"). And, to his credit, he does his best to keep his children and his civilian friends as far away from crime as possible.

* Professor Henry Jarrod, as played by Vincent Price in the 1953 remake of "{{House of Wax}}", is a genuinely kind person. The Professor is constantly polite, he never mistreats his deaf/mute assistant (actually named Igor), compliments the ladies for their beauty, and goes to great lengths to save them from pain and horror while he transforms them into detailed wax figures.

* How can you not fall in love with SlimPickens' character Taggart in BlazingSaddles? He's an evil racist who goes along with every evil scheme devised by the film's BigBad, but there's something about Slim Pickens' accent that causes him to steal the show every scene he's in. He even gets a CrowningMomentOfAwesome towards the end with this classic line:

* Leo O'Bannon (Albert Finney) in ''{{Millers Crossing}}''.
* Loki in ''{{Film/Thor}}'' and ''{{Film/The Avengers}}'' is [[SoftspokenSadist calm, eloquent, and unreasonably charming.]] Even when he does lose his cool, it's [[EvilIsHammy with a certain amount of grandeur.]]

* Loki in ''{{Film/Thor}}'' and ''{{Film/The Avengers}}'' is [[SoftspokenSadist calm, eloquent, and unreasonably charming.]] Even when he does lose his cool, it's [[EvilIsHammy with a certain amount of grandeur.]]

* The Brain, from ''[[{{Gremlins}} Gremlins 2]]''. An erudite, genetically-altered gremlin who merely wants what everyone wants, and what you tropers have: Civilization! The Geneva Convention, chamber music, Susan Sontag...

* [[spoiler:Angela Baker]] of the ''SleepawayCamp'' series practically becomes some kind of murderous [[spoiler:GenkiGirl]] in the second and third films. [[spoiler:She also really likes the "Happy Camper" song]].

* Hans Landa in ''InglouriousBasterds'' personifies this trope.

* Loki in ''{{Film/Thor}}'' and ''[[{{Film/TheAvengers}} The Avengers]]'' is calm, eloquent, and unreasonably charming. Even when he does lose his cool, it's with a certain amount of grandeur.

* Leo O'Bannon (Albert Finney) in ''{{Millers Crossing}}''.

* JamesBond:
** DrNo treats James Bond [[NoMrBondIExpectYouToDine to dinner]] and shows him around his evil lair!
** So does Scaramanga in ''{{The Man with the Golden Gun}}''.

** In his ''DiamondsAreForever'' [[TheOtherDarrin incarnation]], Ernst Blofeld is a [[DeadpanSnarker snarkalicious]], [[WickedCultured aristocratic]] LargeHam, and possibly the [[HamAndCheese best thing about the movie]].
** {{Goldfinger}} ''is'' this trope. Is that mint julep tart enough for you, Mr. Bond? It is? Excellent. Now, going back to my scheme to nerve gas and nuke 60,000 people...

* Some of the best conversations in ''TheMatrix'' trilogy are between Neo and Affably Evil Agent Smith, who famously insists on calling Neo "Mr. Anderson" even in the thick of battle. One of the best, from ''Reloaded'':
-->'''Smith:''' Now here I stand because of you, Mr. Anderson; because of you I'm no longer an Agent of the system, because of you I've changed, I'm unplugged, a new man, so to speak; like you, ''apparently'' free.\\
'''Neo:''' Congratulations.\\
'''Smith:''' Thank you.

* The dapper, charming Rene Belloq from ''{{Raiders of the Lost Ark}}''.
* The brother and sister duo, Vincent and Ida, in ''MotelHell''. They are a hospitable couple who run a nice little motel and provide some great meat pastries which are [[HumanResources made out of people]].

* Frank Lucas from ''Film/AmericanGangster'' is a very polite, well-dressed man who cares deeply for his family and even [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas takes his mother to church every Sunday.]] Despite this, he is frequently shown to have no qualms about gunning down people who get in his way in cold blood, or blighting communities with heroin for pure profit.

* Bill from the ''KillBill'' movies is very friendly and likable, as well as a loving father, despite being a self-proclaimed "murdering bastard," and even helps the Bride reach an epiphany about herself at the end of the duology.

* The Nome King from ''{{Return to Oz}}'' displays a disturbing mix of affability and subtle condescension towards Dorothy and her friends (his counterpart in [[Literature/LandOfOz the books]], though, was more of a cackling CardCarryingVillain). Of course, the film ''Return to Oz'' plays the same "[[AllJustADream all a dream]]" card that the film of ''Film/{{The Wizard of Oz}}'' played, and the Nome King, in this case, is supposed to be a direct analogue to the psychiatrist running the asylum where Dorothy is being treated at the beginning of the film. He himself is quite Affably Evil in his own right, warmheartedly declaring that electroshock therapy is "just the thing to cheer Dorothy up", words that the Nome King [[MeaningfulEcho repeats later in the film]].

* Quite a few characters played by VincentPrice (not counting the ones who are FauxAffablyEvil, of course).

* At least initially, Wikus in ''Film/{{District 9}}'' in several ways; he's an amiable, well-liked [[ObstructiveBureaucrat low-level functionary]]...who is casually racist and brutal towards the oppressed aliens, [[spoiler: and laughs and makes jokes when 'aborting' alien eggs]].

** Drug smuggling, but even his actor defends him, pointing out that he didn't kill anyone or get in their faces...wow, I really hope he got out of the film OK.
** If you consider getting thrown out of a moving firetruck and then run over OK, then he's OK.

* Dredger from the recent ''Film/SherlockHolmes'' movie is basically an [[GiantMook extremely large thug]] who ''will'' wreck the place and crush you (with his bare hands, if necessary) if that's what he's been paid to do...but he's surprisingly personable about it.

* In ''TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'', the entire plot of the movie is set in motion when [[LouisCypher Mr. Nick]] (TomWaits), having already won the soul of the Parnassus's daughter in a wager made decades before she was born, agrees to allow Parnassus to try to win it back on the eve of its forfeiture (even though Parnassus has absolutely nothing to offer to sweeten the pot). Throughout the course of the story, it becomes clear that Nick is deliberately trying to lose this wager to avoid ruining his FriendlyEnemy status with Parnassus, to the point that [[spoiler:he tries to physically restrain the daughter from deliberately damning herself to Hell just to spite her father and, when that fails and he wins the bet, he immediately offers Parnassus a new wager so he can try to win her back ''again'']].

* Cheyenne in ''{{Once Upon a Time in the West}}'' is a cheerful, friendly fellow who seems perpetually amused by the events in which he is caught up. He's also a confessed murderer and bandit leader. It helps that A) he's not the villain of the film, just the local badman whose territory the villain trespasses on, and B) pretty much all of his crimes take place offscreen (just outside the door in the case of his slaughter of his prison escort).
* ''Film/DieHard''. Hans Gruber: Cold-blooded killer, relentlessly mocks the hero, doesn't even really care if all of his {{mooks}} get killed during the Nakatomi takeover...But he's [[WickedCultured incredibly sophisticated, debonair, and intelligent]], and even [[PetTheDog agrees to have a couch sent out to the lobby for a pregnant woman to sit on, and praises Holly for her courage in confronting him]]. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And he has a fabulous taste in fashion]].

* Colonel Hepburn from the HammerHorror film, ''Cash On Demand'', is a friendly and amiable man. When he visits a bank, he is more friendly to the employees, and knows more about them personally, than the [[BadBoss bank manager does]]. Of course, the reason he's visiting the bank is to rob it...

* As in the novel on which the film is based, Don Vito Corleone from ''Film/{{The Godfather}}''. Warmhearted, reasonable, prefers to think of his partners as "friends", and happy to perform the odd favour for his less-than-fortunate neighbours. True, he does inform them that they might have to do a little something for him in return, but contrary to Amerigo Bonasera's worries, all he usually asks for is a free service from their business. He even [[PetTheDog adopted Tom Hagen]] and eventually allowed him to become his personal advisor - [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming even though he knew that none of the other Mafia bosses would approve]]. Of course, Vito's still in charge of one of the most powerful Mafia families in America, and he's not above the occasional murder or extortion to back up the usual income from gambling and union racketeering. However, EvenEvilHasStandards, which Vito demonstrates in his refusal to deal in drugs and prostitution (the most contemptuous line in the film is when he says, "Tattaglia's a pimp"). And, to his credit, he does his best to keep his children and his civilian friends as far away from crime as possible.

* How can you not fall in love with SlimPickens' character Taggart in BlazingSaddles? He's literally an evil racist who goes along with every evil scheme devised by the film's BigBad, but there's something about Slim Pickens' accent that causes him to steal the show every scene he's in. He even gets a CrowningMomentOfAwesome towards the end with this classic line:

* Leo O'Bannon (Albert Finney) in ''{{Miller's Crossing}}''.

-->Taggart: PISS ON YOU! I'M WORKING FOR MEL BROOKS!

* Tuco of ''TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly''. He doesn't seem like such a bad guy, he's even pretty funny, but then you remember he's a criminal who isn't above the rape and murder of civilians, [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation if you believe]] the [[VillainyDiscretionShot list of crimes]] read by his executioners early in the film.
** One scene that helps is a brief conversation between Tuco and his brother, where we to get a few hints as to ''why'' he is who he is. It's implied that it was simply because he grew up in a poor family and the only way he could survive was to steal.
*** On a similar note, Juan from DuckYouSucker is initially set up as a mean, ruthless, and amoral bandit, then we get to know him and find out that he's just an ordinary guy trying to look out for his family in a world where stealing is the only way to survive.

* Big Chris of ''LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'' is a hitman, but is overall a nice guy, and a good dad to his son, Little Chris. But so much as lay a finger on Little Chris, and the affable part goes out the window, and Big Chris shows off why he's a hitman. Most likely, with a car door.