While figuring out characters for my current work-in-progress, I've been thinking a lot about the importance of some underrated characters: sidekicks. They support the main characters or try to show them where they're going wrong. They're often funny without even trying. There's also a disarming humility about a lot of sidekicks; they're focused on everyone but themselves.
After thinking about this for a while, I decided to do a post on it. (Yes, I'm a college grad and this is the way I choose to spend my free time. You may judge me.) Here are ten of my favorite movie sidekicks and supporting characters! I picked movies because I could show pictures of the characters. Maybe at some point I'll do a post on sidekicks from books too.
Bartok, Anastasia
Bartok is on the bad side. He's helping the villain, Rasputin, find the escaped Princess Anastasia. But Bartok is continually dismayed by Rasputin's evil plans. He tells him to "forget the girl and get a life!" Finally he decides it's gone too far: "You're on your own, sir! This can only end in tears." Bartok's voice is hilarious (not surprising, since he's voiced by uber-talented Hank Azaria). This is a sidekick who deserved his own movie...and got it, with Bartok the Magnificent (which is a really fun movie, by the way)!
The Captain of the Guard, Cinderella
The Captain of the Guard in Disney's live-action Cinderella is so great. He's the best friend Prince Kit seems to have at the palace (besides his father). When the Grand Duke schemes to bring more power to the kingdom at the expense of Kit's happiness, the Captain is always there to remind everyone that Kit is a person too. He's also really funny! I love when Kit is telling him all about the girl he's fallen head over heels for, and the Captain says, "Do you think she has a sister?" The Captain also gets to put Lady Tremaine in her place at the end. "Who are you to stop an officer of the king? Are you an empress? A saint? A deity?"
Kronk, The Emperor's New Groove
Like Bartok, Kronk is the villain's sidekick; Yzma is using him to help her track down the escaped emperor-turned-llama. (This sounds really weird if you haven't seen the movie.) Kronk is not the brightest bulb in the box, but when Yzma gets deeply entrenched in ridiculous schemes to kill the emperor, Kronk turns out to be the one who uses common sense! He's friendly, hilarious, and a great cook. (In fact, the point where he turns against Yzma is when she tells him she never liked his spinach puffs!) He also talks to squirrels.
Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
I would be remiss if I didn't include one of the most iconic movie sidekicks ever: Inigo Montoya. Although I don't hold with revenge or dueling, I appreciate the terrific love Inigo has for his father that makes him chase the six-fingered man for so many years. I also love his interactions with the other characters. He's incredibly forthright and will tell you just what he's thinking.
To Vizzini: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
To the Man in Black: "I do not think you would accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you!"
Cogsworth and Lumiere, Beauty and the Beast
I had to mention both of these because they're so hilarious together! Cogsworth is a mother-hen type and the straight man to Lumiere's funny man. (Incidentally, my siblings have informed me that he is the Beauty and the Beast character most like me.) He wants to make sure nobody's breaking rules or making the Beast mad. Lumiere, on the other hand, thinks that rules are more like guidelines than actual rules. He wants to show Belle just how hospitable the castle can be! Their interactions with each other and the Beast are just golden.
Cogsworth (to the Beast): "Who? Oh! The girl. Yes, the,
ah, girl. Well, actually, she's in the process of, ah, um,
circumstances being what they are, ah... she's not coming."
Lumiere (to the Beast): "Master, I could be wrong, but that might not be the best way to win the girl's affections."
Cosmo, Singin' In the Rain
Cosmo Brown and Don Lockwood started out as good friends who did second-rate vaudeville together. Then Don Lockwood became a movie star, and Cosmo...well, he played the piano on the set. All through Singin' In the Rain, while Don's in the spotlight, Cosmo is cheering him up behind the scenes and helping him figure out his problems. He comes up with terrific ideas, like dubbing Kathy's voice over Lina's in "The Dancing Cavalier." And he's not looking for fame or recognition, just helping his friends and making people laugh!
Sir Hiss, Disney's Robin Hood
Sir Hiss, evil Prince John's sidekick, always makes me laugh. On the one hand, he goes around flattering Prince John and even spying for him. On the other hand, Prince John makes him incredibly crabby...and Sir Hiss is hilarious when he's crabby! He can see Prince John for what he is: a whiny, cowardly character who's not fit to lead anything, let alone a whole kingdom.
Prince John:
"One more hiss out of you, Hiss, and you are walking to Nottingham"
Hiss [aside]: "Snakes don't walk, they slither. Hmph. So there."
Hiss: "How nobly King Richard's crown sits on your royal brow."
Prince John [not paying attention]: "Doesn't it?" [realizing, furious] "King Richard? I told you never to mention my brother's name!"
Hiss: "A mere slip of the forked tongue, Sire."
Truman, October Baby
October Baby is a pretty serious movie for the most part. After all, it deals with a serious theme: the right to life of unborn babies. But it has some great comedic moments, and a lot of them involve Truman.
Truman is one of Hannah and Jason's college classmates. We first see him trying to make a little extra money by "upgrading" people's tickets as they come to a school play. Next, we see him catching an iron on fire. No matter what ridiculous thing Truman is doing, he maintains a dignified and gloomy composure that is hilarious in contrast. And he's nerdy--the kind of socially awkward nerdy that most of us nerds hope we're not. I love it!
Canoe, That Darn Cat
Canoe is a boy who hangs out at Patti Randall's house, raiding the fridge and taking Patti to surfer movies that make her feel seasick. But when he suspects that something fishy is going on at the Randall house, he's determined to help Patti out by getting to the bottom of it...and jealous, because he thinks there's a young man involved. Canoe's bumbling detective attempts are one of the best things about this movie!
Sam Gamgee, Lord of the Rings
Sam Gamgee is an unusual sidekick because he's also the hero of the story! Sam starts out as Frodo's bumbling, comedic gardener, always needing his master's help and guidance. But throughout the story, Sam gets wiser and stronger. As the Ring becomes harder and harder for Frodo to bear, Sam supports him. He risks his life over and over for Frodo. Without Sam, the whole quest would have failed. He's my favorite LOTR character.
These are only a few of my favorite movie sidekicks. I'd love to see your favorites in the comments!
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