Top Ten Tuesday - Villains from Films

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is a Villains freebie.  Very few of my books tend to have villains - murders, yes but not characters I would really consider villains but when it comes to movies I love a good villain.  Here are 10 of my favorites from movies.

1.  Humperdinck (played by Chris Sarandon) from The Princess Bride - Is there any villain slimier than Prince Humperdinck?

2.  Gregory Anton (played by Charles Boyer) in Gaslight - This whole film gives me chills and is really an astonishingly astute depiction of emotional abuse and cruelty.  Boyer places the role to perfection and it's Angela Lansbury's debut film which is also a big plus.

3.  Cruella de Vil (voiced by Betty Lou Gerson) in the 1961 version of 101 Dalmatians - She wants to skin puppies to make a coat.  Not only is she incredibly evil but she is also incredibly ineffective and unorganized.  

4.  Dr. Herman Einstein (played by Peter Laurie) in Arsenic and Old Lace - Peter Laurie plays just the creepiest characters and he is just terrifying in this one.   The movie itself is hilarious in a bit of a twisted way but anytime Laurie is on screen there is a decided mood shift.

5.  The Queen of Hearts (voiced by Verna Felton) in the 1951 version of Alice in Wonderland - She is absolutely unhinged and I love the movie and her with my whole heart.

6.  The Wicked Witch of the West (played by Margaret Hamilton) in The Wizard of Oz - She's such an iconic villain I couldn't leave her off the list.  I've read a number of interviews with her and she seems like she was an absolutely delightful woman with a fantastic sense of humor.  She (and her stunt double) were both severely injured during filming and after this movie she refused to do any films with fireworks.

7.  Mr. Potter (played by Lionel Barrymore) in It's a Wonderful Life - Oh he's just the worst.  Not only is he mean but he is sneaky and dishonest and petty.

8.  Cody Jarrett (played by James Cagney) in White Heat - The movie is a bit cheesy but Cagney created the film gangster in this movie so it has to be mentioned - also Virginia Mayo is stunning.

Book/Movie Villains

9.  Josie Pye (played by Miranda de Pencier in the 1985 version) in Anne of Green Gables - Josie Pye is one of my least favorite fictional characters.  I don't want her to have a redemption arc or really anything redeeming.  I want her to have a comeuppance and stay there!  And that goes for both book and film version.

10. Mrs. Danvers (played by Judith Anderson) in Rebecca - I'm not afraid of many people but Mrs. Danvers terrifies me.  The scene where she talks the unnamed main character into wearing a particular costume is perhaps the cruelest action of any fictional character ever.  She just radiates malice in all forms.

Who are some of your favorite villains?