Reel Infatuation: Dennis Riordan

This post is part of the Reel Infatuation Blogathon hosted by Font and Frock and Silver Screenings. To read about more cinematic crushes, click here. 

The Task

*To share a crush you have on a character 

*The difficult part of this task was picking a character as opposed to an actor crush. (Sorry, Cary!)

My Reel Infatuation

Blame it on the political season, but my crush goes to a character who has strong convictions yet can listen to the other side of the story and--gasp!--change his course of action if it benefits the whole.

Brian Aherne's Dennis Riordan in Beloved Enemy (1936)

Dennis Riordan is an Irish rebellion leader during the Irish War of Independence from Great Britain in 1921. He meets and falls in love with British Lady Helen Drummond (Merle Oberon), who helps him see the value of the two countries reaching a compromise in order to avoid additional lives lost.

Lady Helen pleads with Dennis to do what is right and cooperate with a peace treaty between the Irish Republic and Britain.

Aherne does a magnificent job showing the audience that Dennis is truly tormented about his decision to cooperate. He knows a truce with the British will anger his radical colleagues and possibly result in his death. Despite the Irish rebels' belief that backing down is cowardly, he ultimately opts to save lives and makes the compromise. What the Irish rebels view as a weakness is really a strength: the wisdom to know when to put down the sword and extend a hand.

In addition to high ideals and a willingness to sacrifice self for the greater good, it doesn't hurt that Dennis is a cutie and has a sexy Irish accent (although Aherne is actually British). 

Dennis has my heart in this clip (via TCM).

When Dennis shares his vision of the future with Helen, my heart melts: a house in the Irish countryside, a spirited woman (yep, that's me), and children. Oh, and he writes poetry! *sigh* All reasons why Dennis Riordan is my reel infatuation.

Ciao til next time!