Sheriff of Nottingham (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) by Alan Rickman

Two performances from the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves are still memorable to this day as it approaches its 31st anniversary. Critics praised Alan Rickman's unorthodox portrayal of the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham, while the movie star - Kevin Costner - was universally despised for his lacking an English accent. Alan brought something fresh to a character that had been played many times before, with a beautifully self-aware delivery that satirized the weary tone of the plot.

Sheriff of Nottingham, who first featured in the 1938 masterpiece The Adventures of Robin Hood, has appeared in almost every subsequent cinematic adaptation. There is no deviation from the main clichés of the original plot in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which is that the Sheriff seeks to bring the cloaked knight to justice. As he was given nothing new to deal with, Alan decided to go all out and take the character to the most extreme, comical level.

Since the one-dimensional casts have so little nuance, this adjustment was essential. Rather than imposing a tragic past or deeper motives beyond the obvious malice, Alan plays his role with a lighthearted exuberance. Originally meant to sound threatening, lines such as "I shall remove your tongue" turn into comedic bits due to Alan's hilariously exceptional performance. Film adaptations in the future may try to employ unique elements, but Alan Rickman's creativity for Sheriff was the last time the tale about Robin Hood seemed unique. Many bravos to the talented actor for having lifted such a mediocre movie.