Moment of Madness

It’s a well worn plot device that works successfully time and time again on the big screen in which the movies main protagonist spends an age toiling, grafting, forging an empire and reaches the top of his / her game. In a moment of madness, usually a misjudged wink, word or deed, unravels all of their hard earned, formulaic ill gotten gains, in an instant.

Why is it that on screen characters, when things are on the up, when everything is panning out really nicely, has a self destructive habit of pissing their success down the lavatory? Every genre has a story to tell using this format here we have a look at some of the best that ever did it…

No Country for Old Men – Llewellyn Moss

What’s the story?
He’s an ex Vietnam vet who’s living off the fat of the land doing a spot of welding here, shooting a few wild animals there. It’s a simple but carefree life that is ransacked in nano seconds when he stumbles across a drug deal gone bad and two million dollars in cash.

Mad moment
Literally seizing the opportunity with both hands and with a crazy glint in his eye Moss cannot believe his luck. After making off with the spoils he fails to spot the old adage bellowing loud and clear in this chance…”nothing in life is free”

What happens next
Never has a man’s lack of foresight returned to bite him so savagely in the rear than when assassin Anton Chigur is called in to reclaim the loot. There will be blood, sweat and tears…all his, sadly.

The Five Heartbeats – Eddie King Jr

What’s it about?
It follows the meteoric rise of a fictional 60’s vocal group who, from humble beginnings wow America with their singing ability. Hustling their way from pokey juke box joints all the way to sell out stadiums The Five Heartbeats catchy tunes net them money and power in record time far beyond the heights that any of them ever anticipated.

Mad Moment
In nearly every band there is always one bad seed. Here it’s Eddie King Jr played by Michael Wright who brings the band to a tear jerking halt with his night of debauchery fuelled by drink, drugs and women.

What happens next?
Seeking to exploit the division in the band record label bosses step in and sow bad feeling and mistrust by offering various members separate recording contracts. The band split acrimoniously vowing never to speak to each other again.

Goodfellas – Tommy DeVito

What’s it about?
Anthony Hill, a wanabee wise guy who snitches on his mob pals after being caught dealing drugs, is the subject of one of Martin Scorsese’s most violent movies. It charts Hill’s rise as an insignificant foot soldier to lofty confidant of one of America’s most notorious crime families.

Mad Moment
“Now go home and get your fuckin’ shinebox” Apart from the obvious expletive, this is a pretty harmless throwaway line, only problem is it’s aimed at Anthony’s friend Tommy Devito who is perpetually looking for any excuse to “whack” all comers. Anthony’s moment of madness is stand by and watch as Tommy lays waste to this goon who turns out to be a “Made” guy.

What happens next?
After Hill assists him by disposing of the body it is this single action that not only unravels the friendship that exists between Tommy and Anthony but also sows seeds of mistrust with the rest of his mob pals.

Malcolm X – Malcolm X
What’s it about?
Malcolm Little aka Malcolm X aka El Hajj Malik El Shabbaz was the most charismatic and eloquent leader of the Nation of Islam. Spike Lee’s epic follows him from petty thief to civil rights leader culminating in his eventual assassination.

Mad Moment
Famed for his eloquence it was his ill timed statement on the assignation of President Kennedy that sealed his fate. Describing the assassination as “chickens coming home to roost” Malcolm X would soon find that his words would come back to haunt him in so many different ways.

What happened next?
After being suspended from public speaking X found life inside the Nation of Islam untenable. Whilst the accusations of adultery that were levelled at Elijah Mohammed hastened his exit, his changing ideology, popularity and outspokenness also made him the target of counter intelligence programmes that have been linked to his eventual assassination.

American Gangster – Frank Lucas
What’s it about?
Unbelievably Frank Lucas, America’s most notorious drug Kingpin, stayed under the radar undetected for decades whilst he dealt the purist of narcotics under the brand name Blue Magic.

Mad Moment
“That’s a clown suit. That’s a costume; with a big sign on it that says “Arrest me”. You understand? You’re too loud, you’re making too much noise. Listen to me, the loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.” A stern warning from Lucas to his own brother about the dangers of flash dressing and its propensity to draw the attention of law enforcers. It’s ironic then that it wasn’t the amount of bodies he’d racked up in his reign that brought him down but the wearing of a chinchilla hat that obscured the view of feds behind him at a boxing match.

What happened next
Top cop Ritchie Roberts eventually brings Lucas to justice but it’s the co-operation with the authorities that eventually enables the top dealers to be brought to account and facilitates Lucas’ early parole.

Heat – Neil Mac Cauley

What’s it about?
A group of bank robbers plan a series of audacious raids culminating in the heist of the decade whilst the feds close in.

Mad Moment
After a series of high risk bank raids MacCauley falls for a brunette who proves to be his undoing as top cop Vincent Hanna closes in and nabs his elusive foe.

What happens next
“A guy told me one time, “Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.” Neil MacCauley might be able to trot out some great one liners but boy does he need to take his own advice once in a while.

Ghost Dog – Ghost Dog
What’s it about?
He’s an assassin, highly skilled in his art. Adopting the credo of the ancient Samurai he lays waste to all contracts with precision and dedication leaving no trace.

Mad Moment
“If one were to say in a word what the condition of being a samurai is, its basis lies first in seriously devoting one’s body and soul to his master.” It’s this selfless devotion to his mob boss that ultimately leads to carnage. In a moment of madness he is forced to ice his mentor.

What happens next
It’s downhill from here as the mob close in on him in an effort to even the score.

Scarface – Tony Montana

What’s it about
Charting the rise of the fictional Tony Montana, Cuba’s most hot headed export Scarface explores the inner turmoil, greed and ultimate betrayal of Montana who annihilates his competition to be become Americas most powerful drugs baron.

Mad Moment
It’s the moment where Montana slays his best friend Manny Ribera after mistakenly believing that he is taking advantage of his sister. A transgression that had it been based on fact might be unforgivable. Unfortunately Montana’s judgment is so impaired that his would friends and foes have, in his mind, merged into one.

What happens next
At this point of the movie Montana has reneged on his own rule “Don’t get high on your own supply” It’s this single act that underlines that Montana has lost all grip on reality and the empire that he has painstakingly built crumbles quicker than Michael Jackson’s foundation.