Ian McShane Gave the Best Gangster Performance in Sexy Beast

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Ian McShane is a truly captivating actor, known for playing complicated characters like Al Swearengen in the HBO series and Teddy Bass in Sexy Beast. Over a career lasting six decades, he consistently delivers strong performances, even when the movie itself isn’t great. Twenty-six years ago, he created a particularly chilling and memorable character in a crime film, a role that doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves.

Today, many people recognize Ian McShane from popular movies and series like John Wick and American Gods. Throughout his long career, he’s proven he can command attention in any role, even with limited screen time. One of the best examples of his talent is a classic British gangster film from over twenty years ago – a movie that doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves in the US. In it, he delivers a truly unforgettable performance as a cold and powerful crime boss.

Sexy Beast is a British Gangster Masterpiece

The film Sexy Beast centers around Gal Dove, a retired bank robber enjoying a peaceful life in Spain with his wife and friends. That peace is shattered when Don Logan, a dangerous and ruthless old acquaintance, arrives and asks for his help with a final heist.

He tried to intimidate Gal into accepting the job with his aggressive outbursts, and confessed his interest in Gal’s friend’s wife was also a reason for showing up. After Gal and his friends are forced to kill Don in self-defense, he understands he must take the job and act as if nothing happened.

Gal continued to act like everything was normal, returning to London where he encountered Teddy Bass, a rival crime boss. Bass was different from Logan – calmer, more calculating, and careful in how he operated. As Gal spent more time with Bass, it became clear that Bass didn’t trust him and suspected he knew Don’s location. Despite his suspicions, Bass decided to wait until after the planned heist – celebrating briefly with Dove – before taking action. Afterwards, things quickly spiraled downward for the retired criminal, and he was fortunate to escape with his life.

Ian McShane Steals Every Scene He’s In

The film relies on surprising and bizarre moments, so it’s no surprise we first meet Teddy Bass at a lavish and decadent party. Immediately, he establishes himself as arrogant and self-centered, only paying attention to people if he can benefit from them. He believes everyone needs to prove their worth to him, and he’s quick to eliminate anyone who displeases him without remorse. This brief introduction quickly establishes him as a very different kind of criminal compared to the ruthless Don Logan.

Throughout the movie, Teddy becomes increasingly prominent, especially during a tense breakfast scene where he subtly suggests he knows Don’s secret. Shortly after the robbery, Teddy confronts Gal about the lies, and they leave the club together. He then drives Gal to the house of Harry, the bank employee who helped them plan the heist.

Bass quickly resolves the most pressing issue by accepting Harry’s drink, then immediately and calmly shoots him in the head. After making his message clear to Gal, he drives him to the airport and deliberately insults him by reducing Don’s offer of a 2% share to a symbolic ten pounds, even asking for change from a twenty-pound note.

The scene following the payment is among the most chilling in crime cinema. Illuminated by passing headlights, he coldly threatens Gal, emphasizing his complete indifference towards Don with a terrifying pause and stare before ordering him to leave. Having narrowly escaped death, a frightened and defeated Gal heads to the airport to return home, realizing he can never return to London. While Logan embodied the unpredictable danger of chaotic crime, Bass exemplifies the even more unsettling darkness of professional, cold-blooded criminality.

What really struck me about this scene is how perfectly it reinforces just how awful Ben Kingsley’s Don Logan truly was. It’s chilling to see even a ruthless character like Teddy willing to let Gal off the hook for killing him. It really hits home that Logan was such a terrible person, he’d alienated everyone – even those in his own circles weren’t going to shed a tear, let alone seek revenge. Teddy isn’t angry about Logan’s death itself, but about the fact that Gal endangered their operation and then tried to cover it up with a lie. It’s a fantastic character moment.

Sexy Beast Primed McShane For Deadwood

Ben Kingsley’s performance in Sexy Beast established him as a truly memorable film villain. His chilling scene with Ray Winstone, achieved through subtle expressions and vocal delivery, captivated audiences. This role perfectly set the stage for his portrayal of a ruthless Western pimp, a character that solidified his reputation as one of the best TV villains ever, especially when paired with Timothy Olyphant’s Seth Bullock.

Ian McShane is a well-known actor with roles in popular franchises like Hellboy, Pirates of the Caribbean, and John Wick. While many viewers might recognize him from shows like American Gods and Deadwood, his most intense and memorable performance is arguably in the film Sexy Beast, directed by Jonathan Glazer.

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2026-01-16 01:12