When I was a kid, I watched a few Charles Bronson movies with my
brother. If you've ever seen a Charlie Bronson flick, his characters
were always famous for two things:
1. Killing many people (usually out of revenge) with ridiculously
sized guns.
2. Bad acting.
Somehow though, when I was engrossed in those films, I would
always end up rooting for Charles because his characters usually
fought for people who had been bullied and put into a no-win
situation. He was the X factor. In one of his films in the Death
Wish series (I think it was IV), he actually blows up his nemesis
at point blank range with a rocket launcher. Awesome.
Bronson personified a tough guy image that made those who
were twisting the law know that they were in the wrong. He took
up the cause of the defenseless and brought justice wherever he
went in his films. Apparently, he only got into acting after earning
a purple heart in the military because he was interested in the
amount of money one could make as an actor.
Bronson makes me think about rules. There are certain rules that
transcend law and government - they are innate to our beings. In
Oceans 13, Danny Ocean and his crew talk about fighting back for
their friend Rueben because Rueben's nemesis 'broke rule
number one'. Oddly enough, within the film, this rule is never
fully explained...but the audience just sort of gets it. I think that
a safe rule number one for most would be 'don't double cross
your friends' - or an extension of the golden rule. Either way -
you just don't break rule number one. You don't do it. If you
do, consequences will always follow.
Many people who break rule number one have convinced
themselves that they did the 'best they could' and have moved
on. I'd like to think that we'll all be reminded for our mistakes
one day - so we can learn from them.
Sadly, Bronson died of pneumonia in the midst of suffering
from Alzheimer's disease on August 30, 2003. He was buried
close to his three decade residence in West Windsor in
Brownsville, Vermont. I'd like to think he never broke rule
number one.
