by Brett Parker
It seems like most leading men of today’s cinema have to choose between being sensitive romantic heroes or testosterone-fueled tough guys. Patrick Swayze was that rare actor who could convey both of these masculine ideals with the utmost conviction. Armed with his chiseled Americana looks and polished physical grace, he could be a complete sweetheart to the ladies in one film and pound on bad guys mercilessly in another. Reflecting on his career, it’s hard to pin down Swayze as a lover or a fighter.
Heartthrobs are a dime a dozen in Hollywood, and most can work their whole careers without obtaining the kind of unforgettable roles Swayze delivered to us so skillfully over the years. As Swayze passed away on September 14th, 2009 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, we realized that he has given us certain films that can be appreciated by moviegoers from across all generations. When you think of his most memorable works, you realize that they don’t belong to a specific era or age group but are appreciated by fans of all ages. Dirty Dancing, for example, is a film cherished by everyone from 14-year-old girls to 60-year-old men.
From a young age, Swayze studied dancing and ballet, mostly under the dance studio ran by his mother, Patsy Swayze. He continued his training in New York City and even landed professional gigs on Broadway. He seemed on his way to a prosperous career in ballet until he made a fateful crossover into films with the rest becoming Hollywood history. Perhaps his early dance career signified why he would become so compelling in his film endeavors, for Swayze always brought a unique feeling of presence and movement to every role he inhabited. Even if he found himself in obvious turkeys, he still possessed an aura of dignity and a respect towards his fellow performers that any dancer can fully understand. Below is a selection of highlights from Swayze’s filmography that not only helped make him an icon but also displayed hidden notes we didn’t know he had. Some were big hits, some were cult classics, and some failed to make a blip on the pop culture radar, but all of them helped to prove that Swayze was undoubtedly a multi-layered movie star:
The Outsiders (1983)
Francis Ford Coppola’s poignant adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s teenage novel overflowed with untapped fres
h faces from the 1980s. In telling the heartbreaking story of underprivileged juvenile delinquents caught up in violent complications, Coppola employed up-and-coming raw talents who each employed mega-wattage edge and charisma. Swayze was amongst this remarkable talent pool, playing one of the older and more level-headed delinquents. His centered masculinity and grounded focus made his character stand out well in this grand canvas of talent. He proved very strongly, like almost every other male in the cast, that he had what it takes to be a certified movie star.
Red Dawn (1984)
There are few action films I can think of that possess a startling immediacy as shocking as Red Dawn doe
s. Within the film’s first minutes, Communist soldiers parachute onto U.S. soil and begin exterminating American citizens, no questions asked. The plot follows a group of terrified high school students who flee into the mountains and plot to fight back against this enemy invasion. Swayze plays Jed, one of the more strong-willed teenagers of this makeshift guerilla unit. Although his star was still on the rise, Swayze proved that he had the smarts and the gravitas to pull of a convincing action role. While constantly displaying a seething intensity and mental toughness, Swayze proved early on that he wasn’t just a pretty face.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
“Nobody puts Baby in the corner” boasted Johnny Castle to his lady love’s parents, and women every
where knew they were looking at a romantic hero for the ages. Dirty Dancing pitted Swayze in his breakthrough role as bad boy dancer Castle, who helps the shy, upper-class Baby (Jennifer Grey) find her inner-free spirit through uninhibited dancing. Swayze possessed a dynamite mix of rebellion and romanticism that helped make the role, like James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause, a heartthrob symbol for female fans across all generation gaps. Dirty Dancing is destined to be the signature film Swayze will always be remembered for, thanks in no small part to the sensuous electricity he generated with the loveable Grey. Not only did Swayze use this film to show off his lifetime experience of dancing skills, but also his singing skills by co-writing and performing the soundtrack’s hit, “She’s Like the Wind.”
Road House (1989)
One of the most entertaining guilty pleasure flicks of all time, it’s the cheese-fest you love to laugh at. Ro
ad House places Swayze in the wildly fun role of Dalton, the best bar bouncer ever who is hired to clean up the corruption surrounding a Missouri bar called the Double Deuce. You can say what you want about this over-the-top fluff, but I think its fun as all living hell. Very few films can walk such a peculiar tight rope between shameless action melodrama and shrewd self-parody while remaining so damn entertaining. What’s most remarkable is how Swayze is able to retain a certain dignity and coolness throughout the film’s wild shenanigans. He’s able to play up both his romantic and macho strengths while honoring the ludicrous mythic stature his role requires. It’s not easy for an actor to convey a detached seriousness while being completely in on a film’s goofy fun, but Swayze pulls it off and makes Road House a Wildman romp to remember.
Ghost (1990)
This supernatural tale of everlasting love and impending danger went on to become Swayze’s highest-gros
sing film ever as well as one of the biggest tearjerkers of all time, garnering an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture in the process. Swayze’s romantic depths were in full force in the role of Sam Wheat, a murdered accountant who watches over his wife Molly (Demi Moore) in the form of a ghost. Sam not only despairs over the intimate void within Molly’s broken heart, but must also devise a way to protect her from his murderer (Rick Aviles) who still stalks around his former life. Not only was Ghost a clever nail-biter, but also an enormously touching meditation on eternal love across the threshold of death. Swayze’s intense and sensationally heartfelt performance helped to make this film one of the most effective love stories of the modern era.
Point Break (1991)
One of the greatest action pictures I’ve ever seen, this is easily my personal choice for Swayze’s best film
and performance. Point Break tells the exciting story of a young FBI agent (Keanu Reeves) who infiltrates a gang of bank-robbing surfers high on adrenaline. As Bodhi, the Zen-like leader of these dangerous thrill seekers, Swayze had never been cooler or more charismatic. It’s easy to picture countless other actors portraying Bodhi as a cuckoo sociopath, but what’s surprising is how persuasive and real Swayze makes his character’s convictions. His free-spirited philosophies make a surprisingly strong counter-argument to Reeve’s strict views of hard justice. What’s just as impressive as his centeredness is Swayze’s willingness to let his every nerve and tick fall extremely in sync with the dangerous nuances of the film’s plot. This is a thrilling masterwork that is not to be missed.
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill (1995)
Tall Tale was a Disney flop that rapidly opened and closed in the wintertime season of 1995, but I happe
ned to buy a ticket to the film one Sunday afternoon when I was still 10-years-old. Even then, I found the film to be a surprisingly fun and touching throwback to the simple myths of old-fashioned storytelling. Swayze shows up as tall tale hero Pecos Bill, a tornado-riding cowboy who teams up with fellow folk heroes Paul Bunyan (Oliver Platt) and John Henry (Roger Aaron Brown) to help a young boy (Nick Stahl) save his family’s farm. Hiding behind a desperado’s mustache and shabby bandit attire, Swayze truly did disappear into his role, displaying a rare playfulness and wisdom we hadn’t seen before. We’d never really seen Swayze play such a plucky and mythic role, but that’s what made it all the more compelling to watch.
Donnie Darko (2001)
The mysterious and ambiguous Donnie Darko is regarded to this day as one of the great cinematic puzzl
es of the silver screen. The film’s intrigue is only heightened by the quirky and knowing unease of the grand cast of characters. As the teenage Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) wrestles with alarming and ominous visions of doom, he encounters Swayze in the role of Jim Cunningham, a cheerful and phony self-help guru harboring disturbing secrets. Swayze crafted one of his funniest roles here by pushing his sentimental sensibilities towards self-parody and wringing out absurdist notes from his movie star image. It’s rare to see Swayze revel so cheerfully in ridiculousness…and creepiness.
The Outsiders (1983)
Francis Ford Coppola’s poignant adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s teenage novel overflowed with untapped fres
h faces from the 1980s. In telling the heartbreaking story of underprivileged juvenile delinquents caught up in violent complications, Coppola employed up-and-coming raw talents who each employed mega-wattage edge and charisma. Swayze was amongst this remarkable talent pool, playing one of the older and more level-headed delinquents. His centered masculinity and grounded focus made his character stand out well in this grand canvas of talent. He proved very strongly, like almost every other male in the cast, that he had what it takes to be a certified movie star.Red Dawn (1984)
There are few action films I can think of that possess a startling immediacy as shocking as Red Dawn doe
s. Within the film’s first minutes, Communist soldiers parachute onto U.S. soil and begin exterminating American citizens, no questions asked. The plot follows a group of terrified high school students who flee into the mountains and plot to fight back against this enemy invasion. Swayze plays Jed, one of the more strong-willed teenagers of this makeshift guerilla unit. Although his star was still on the rise, Swayze proved that he had the smarts and the gravitas to pull of a convincing action role. While constantly displaying a seething intensity and mental toughness, Swayze proved early on that he wasn’t just a pretty face.Dirty Dancing (1987)
“Nobody puts Baby in the corner” boasted Johnny Castle to his lady love’s parents, and women every
where knew they were looking at a romantic hero for the ages. Dirty Dancing pitted Swayze in his breakthrough role as bad boy dancer Castle, who helps the shy, upper-class Baby (Jennifer Grey) find her inner-free spirit through uninhibited dancing. Swayze possessed a dynamite mix of rebellion and romanticism that helped make the role, like James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause, a heartthrob symbol for female fans across all generation gaps. Dirty Dancing is destined to be the signature film Swayze will always be remembered for, thanks in no small part to the sensuous electricity he generated with the loveable Grey. Not only did Swayze use this film to show off his lifetime experience of dancing skills, but also his singing skills by co-writing and performing the soundtrack’s hit, “She’s Like the Wind.”Road House (1989)
One of the most entertaining guilty pleasure flicks of all time, it’s the cheese-fest you love to laugh at. Ro
ad House places Swayze in the wildly fun role of Dalton, the best bar bouncer ever who is hired to clean up the corruption surrounding a Missouri bar called the Double Deuce. You can say what you want about this over-the-top fluff, but I think its fun as all living hell. Very few films can walk such a peculiar tight rope between shameless action melodrama and shrewd self-parody while remaining so damn entertaining. What’s most remarkable is how Swayze is able to retain a certain dignity and coolness throughout the film’s wild shenanigans. He’s able to play up both his romantic and macho strengths while honoring the ludicrous mythic stature his role requires. It’s not easy for an actor to convey a detached seriousness while being completely in on a film’s goofy fun, but Swayze pulls it off and makes Road House a Wildman romp to remember.Ghost (1990)
This supernatural tale of everlasting love and impending danger went on to become Swayze’s highest-gros
sing film ever as well as one of the biggest tearjerkers of all time, garnering an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture in the process. Swayze’s romantic depths were in full force in the role of Sam Wheat, a murdered accountant who watches over his wife Molly (Demi Moore) in the form of a ghost. Sam not only despairs over the intimate void within Molly’s broken heart, but must also devise a way to protect her from his murderer (Rick Aviles) who still stalks around his former life. Not only was Ghost a clever nail-biter, but also an enormously touching meditation on eternal love across the threshold of death. Swayze’s intense and sensationally heartfelt performance helped to make this film one of the most effective love stories of the modern era.Point Break (1991)
One of the greatest action pictures I’ve ever seen, this is easily my personal choice for Swayze’s best film
and performance. Point Break tells the exciting story of a young FBI agent (Keanu Reeves) who infiltrates a gang of bank-robbing surfers high on adrenaline. As Bodhi, the Zen-like leader of these dangerous thrill seekers, Swayze had never been cooler or more charismatic. It’s easy to picture countless other actors portraying Bodhi as a cuckoo sociopath, but what’s surprising is how persuasive and real Swayze makes his character’s convictions. His free-spirited philosophies make a surprisingly strong counter-argument to Reeve’s strict views of hard justice. What’s just as impressive as his centeredness is Swayze’s willingness to let his every nerve and tick fall extremely in sync with the dangerous nuances of the film’s plot. This is a thrilling masterwork that is not to be missed.Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill (1995)
Tall Tale was a Disney flop that rapidly opened and closed in the wintertime season of 1995, but I happe
ned to buy a ticket to the film one Sunday afternoon when I was still 10-years-old. Even then, I found the film to be a surprisingly fun and touching throwback to the simple myths of old-fashioned storytelling. Swayze shows up as tall tale hero Pecos Bill, a tornado-riding cowboy who teams up with fellow folk heroes Paul Bunyan (Oliver Platt) and John Henry (Roger Aaron Brown) to help a young boy (Nick Stahl) save his family’s farm. Hiding behind a desperado’s mustache and shabby bandit attire, Swayze truly did disappear into his role, displaying a rare playfulness and wisdom we hadn’t seen before. We’d never really seen Swayze play such a plucky and mythic role, but that’s what made it all the more compelling to watch.Donnie Darko (2001)
The mysterious and ambiguous Donnie Darko is regarded to this day as one of the great cinematic puzzl
es of the silver screen. The film’s intrigue is only heightened by the quirky and knowing unease of the grand cast of characters. As the teenage Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) wrestles with alarming and ominous visions of doom, he encounters Swayze in the role of Jim Cunningham, a cheerful and phony self-help guru harboring disturbing secrets. Swayze crafted one of his funniest roles here by pushing his sentimental sensibilities towards self-parody and wringing out absurdist notes from his movie star image. It’s rare to see Swayze revel so cheerfully in ridiculousness…and creepiness.While the later part of his career lacked the high-wattage momentum of his earlier works, Swayze still worked consistently and professionally in TV, film, and on-stage up until his recent death. Even though he had a serious brush with alcoholism and personal tragedies, you’d be hard-pressed to find any performer or filmmaker having anything negative to say about Swayze. Like his on-screen characters, Swayze also conveyed an intelligible and level-headed sense of staying strong to your values and honoring what needs to be done. The fact that he married his teenage sweetheart, Lisa Niemi, and stayed with her until the day he died might also hint that Swayze was every bit the true romantic and enduring sweetheart he portrayed so convincingly on the screen. If movie star images can in fact reflect the real life people they represent, then perhaps that makes Swayze one of the most strong-willed and heartfelt actors the modern era has ever known.
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