Quintessential British Gentleman: Difference between revisions

[[File:henry-hatsworth.jpg|link=Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure|frame|Henry Hatsworth: a [[Stock British Phrases|jolly good]] example.]]

 

 

Start with one cup(pa) [[Spot of Tea|tea.]] Mix in a hearty helping of [[British Accents]]... no, it doesn't matter which, any will do. No one ([[Dan Browned|except those pesky British people]]) will notice. Add some [[Stock British Phrases]] for seasoning, wot, wot. Throw it all in a top hat and stir with a [[High-Class Glass|monocle]] over low heat for the 1000+ years in the history of [[The British Empire]]. Turn it out carefully, give him a name like "Sir Nigel Featherstonehaugh-Smythe," and Bob's your uncle, you have yourself the [[I Am Very British|Britishiest British man]] to ever "cheerio" his way into the media-viewing-public's home. And no one ([[Dan Browned|except those pesky British people]]) will be any the wiser that you're mixing dialectal phrases willy-nilly or throwing British slang around like Frisbees.

 

 

* A top hat or [[Dashingly Dapper Derby|bowler ("derby")]] and [[High-Class Glass]].

* Intellectual pursuits, often [[Adventurer Archaeologist|Adventurous Archaeology]].

* Lots of [[Spot of Tea|tea]], and occasionally crumpets.

* Using phrases such as "pip pip," "cheerio," and "guv'nor," even though these [[Did Not Do the Research|combine expressions from completely different dialects and from opposite ends of the class spectrum]].

* A [[Distinguished Gentleman's Pipe]], often in the Calabash style (the style [[Sherlock Holmes]] made famous).

* A crazy mustache.

* An Autoharp or harpsichord playing in the background.

* A cane or umbrella.

 

 

 

Actual British [[Blue Blood|Gentlemanly]] behaviour is more subtle the speech or dress, involving the virtues of [[Sacred Hospitality|hospitality]] and temperance, the avoidance of extremes, devotion to 'things held dear', rebellion against corruption, courage in adversity, and [[Stiff Upper Lip|extreme composure]]. (However, some of these - notably extreme composure - are sometimes seen in trope form).

{{examples}}

* Negi Springfield of ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' is a proto-version of this (at least at first), complete with tea. Lately though, he seems to be drifting in [[Badass|a different direction]].

** Even after becoming more of a Shonen hero (though not quite a [[Idiot Hero|standard]] one), however, he will still turn a diplomatic talk into a duel of honor between him and [[The Dragon]] over an argument about tea.

* ''[[Hellsing]]'' - watch the composed and polite gentlemen in expensive suits around the table as the enemies close in on them... {{spoiler|though in the end Sir Integra proved to be the strongest gentleman of them all}}.

 

* The title character of ''Amney Crucis Investigates'' is the type written by a Brit.

 

== Film ==

* Grp. Cpt. Lionel Mandrake, one of the characters played by [[Peter Sellers]] in ''[[Dr. Strangelove]]''

* The Mercedez Benz team in ''[[The Gumball Rally]]'', played by J. Pat O'Malley and Vaugn Taylor.

[Barney squeals tires as they leave the parking lot] }}

 

== Literature ==

* Although [[Sherlock Holmes]] himself does not really fit this trope, a few of the supporting characters from his stories do, particularly the clients he takes among the upper classes (such as the Duke in "The Adventure of the Priory School").

* Phileas Fogg, the protagonist of [[Jules Verne]]'s ''[[Around the World in Eighty Days]]'', of course. His favourite hangout is a gentlemen's club in London.

 

== Live-Action TV ==

* Bernard Fox also did this very well:

** Col. Rodney Crittendon on ''[[Hogan's Heroes]]''

** Major Bently Royce on ''[[F Troop]]''

** Sub-Lieutenant Clivedon on ''[[McHales Navy]]''

* Version from the UK itself: John Steed from ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'', though only after the series was tweaked in an attempt to make it more appealing to American audiences.

* Giles and Wesley from ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', and any number of visiting English watchers. Giles lampshades it right away:

'''Buffy''': Welcome to the New World. }}

* [[Doctor Who|The Doctor]] was always noticeably British (or at least Anglophile) in his tastes and attitudes, but it's arguably the Eighth Doctor from the (American-made) [[Made for TV Movie]] who comes closest to this trope ("He's... British." "Yes, I suppose I am!").

* This was done quite a bit on [[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]. For example, in one episode where Geoffrey's long-lost comes to visit (who claims that he has plans to attend Butler School) Carlton becomes fascinated to the point where he begins to imitate the British Gentleman stereotype, bowler hat, pip pips and all.

* Many sketches from ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' parodied the stuffy British stereotype that their parents' generation more closely embodied.

 

== Music ==

* [[Professor Elemental]] evokes one of these, with a mix of upper crust British accent, adventurer's outfit, [[Sherlock Holmes]] pipe and raps about tea and mad science experiments.

* The Wayfarers: "Deck the Sheds" is based on the idea that an audience of these is being treated to [[Land Down Under|an Australian version]] of "Deck the Halls". At first they're enthusiastic about it, with lines like "Spiffing!" After it turns out the song has "Rip a bloody hugey, bonza mate!" instead of the traditional fa-la-la, they're...less wowed.

 

== Theatre ==

 

* The last boss, Sir Richard Rose, in the 1991 side scrolling action game ''[[Sunset Riders]]''. His two lines of dialogue are "Cheerio, old chap!" and "I say, bit of bad luck."

** Luke covers the areas of Britishness that Layton can't as well.

* Taken to comical extremes in the [[Adventurer Archaeologist]], monocle-wearing, mustache-bearing, tea-guzzling protagonist of the game ''[[Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure]].'' When he drinks tea, he summons a giant robot to help him. Yep, this is a Western [[Widget Series]], all right...

** Scope Sterling from the sequel is his [[Distaff Counterpart]].

* Remilia Scarlet from ''[[Touhou]]''. Being a vampire, her favorite cup of tea is human blood.

* The titular character from ''[[The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom]]'' isn't a nice version of these. He always wants something for himself and do whatever whatever he needs, even at the expense of others. He gets better.

 

 

* Parodied/deconstructed with ''[[Englishman]]'', who is in some ways the stereotypical British gentleman as imagined by Americans (he lives in the USA, and [[They Fight Crime|fights crime]]), but the series is written by two Britons. Also, he embodies the darker side of the British upper classes as well, cheerfully trading in slaves, shooting foreigners and so on.

* [[Whateley Universe]] example: Fey's magic tutor Sir Wallace Westmont, who's virtually a [[Shout-Out]] to John Steed, down to the bowler and accent. He even has an [[Action Girl]] accompanying him to [[Super-Hero School|Whateley Academy]].

* [[Hellfire Commentaries|Ntom64]] is basically MADE of this trope.

* The Dark Id's [[Let's Play]] of ''[[Resident Evil]] 4'' [http://lparchive.org/LetsPlay/RE4/chapter14.html makes El Gigante] (a mindless giant) into one of these, complete with a photoshopped monocle.

* Played with in the bizarre [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWQoK506xkQ "Leg Peeing"] sketch by The Whitest Kids You Know.

* National Cynical Network's "Chap in the Hood" series. A toned-down example, possibly because it was recorded around 4:20.

* Mr. Green online casino has a series of videos dedicated to this. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2IAQEgJ_tI Here's the first one.]

* [http://www.youtube.com/adamzonetopmarks "GameChap and Bertie"] of [[YouTube]] fame play off this trope.

 

== Western Animation ==

** Props for also depicting their very real pervy side, though.

** Notably taken [[Up to Eleven]] with the New Yorker employees in "Brian goes back to College" through covering pretty much every variety of this trope in a matter of seconds:

'''Bottomtooth''': ''[has comical underbite, terrible teeth, speaks unintelligibly]'' }}

* Lord Monty Fisk from ''[[Kim Possible]]'' fits the trope to a T in his first appearance before his [[Face Heel Turn]].

* Mr. Herriman from ''[[Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends]]'' has a top hat, monocle AND a mustache. However, being imaginary, he's not really British.

* Lord Chumley in the ''[[Transformers Generation 1]]'' episode "Prime Target". He even has his own [[The Jeeves|Butler]].

* The titular star of ''[[Around the World with Willy Fog]]''.

 

== Real Life ==

* [[Stephen Fry]] is often placed in this trope in people's minds, something he admits to willingly going along with

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:National Stereotyping Tropes]]

[[Category:Characterization Tropes]]

[[Category:An Index of Ladies and Gentlemen]]