Mann’s Men
The (male) protagonists of Mann
PostED ON17.10.2025
Rarely has a director devoted his œuvre so entirely to the masculine psyche of solitary heroes—even when they're lost in a crowd—as Michael Mann.
Who is Mann's male protagonist? An atypical entity who never gives up and is generally a man of few words. In Thief, James Caan utters his first line eleven minutes into the film, playing a marginalised lone wolf against the untrustworthy, ambiguous and potentially dangerous world. Mann’s characters have to negotiate with authority, which is always problematic. They need an adversary who is their equal, of comparable calibre, whom they often end up confronting in a scene where everything is brought forth. A few girls and women who fight back and don't let themselves be pushed around sometimes appear; they are like the Holy Grail to the men. These protagonists do not reject women in any way, on the contrary.
Their presence in the world reveals the shortcomings of American society. Mann's films highlight racism, the power of money and madness, contrasted against subversion. The filmmaker surrounds his outsiders with his sensual visual and sonic style – in Mann's language, the sound of bullets is supernatural – notably thanks to his choice of intense music that envelops it all in a seductive way. One of his composers, Elliott Goldenthal, sums up Michael Mann's taste in music, noting, ‘He really responds to things that evolve very, very slowly. He wants music that the images, montage and dialogue can stand above without too much of a connection’.
Welcome to a universe of solitary wanderers who walk and run a great deal and deploy their game with full awareness of the consequences. They are obstinate experts in manipulation of all kinds, on humans and machinery alike: Mann's (hench)men. Here are a few examples...
Virginie Apiou
THE JERICHO MILE
Who? Murphy who killed his father for raping his sister (Peter Strauss)
Adversary: Society, which put him in prison
Level of dangerousness: Huge - he burns dollars, denounces racism in prison
Iconic scene: His slow-motion, bare-chested run
© ABC Circle Films
The Jericho Mile (1979)
THIEF
Who? A robber-burglar-thief (James Caan)
Adversary: A society that doesn’t accommodate this rebel against authority
Level of dangerousness: Beware of his dexterity in successfully breaking in any locking system
Iconic scene: The theft, at night, filmed in fascinating close-up, displaying savoir-faire with the machines
© Mann/Cann Productions / DR
Thief (1981)
COLLATERAL
Who? A hitman (Tom Cruise)
Adversary: The ordinary man, a taxi driver (Jamie Foxx), held hostage
Level of dangerousness: Ultra high - a genuine killer, one of Tom Cruise's rare roles as the villain
Iconic scene: The killer grappling with the crowd in a nightclub
© 2004 Dreamworks, LLC and Paramount Pictures.
Collateral (2004)
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS
Who? The last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day Lewis)
Adversary: Groups that massacre populations
Level of dangerousness: He is a formidable enemy, a force for Good
Iconic scene: Running through the forest with his rifle
© DR
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
HEAT
Who? A legendary robber (Robert De Niro)
Adversary: A legendary cop (Al Pacino)
Level of dangerousness: Major - he's an outlaw, until he dies
Iconic scene: The De Niro-Pacino face-off; the shootout in the street
© Warner Bros / DR
Heat (1995)
FERRARI
Who? A brilliant car manufacturer (Adam Driver)
Adversary: His spouse (Penelope Cruz)
Level of dangerousness: Strange, adored, he cruelly leads a double life
Iconic scene: The heated fight between Ferrari and his wife
© Lorenzo Sisti / DR
Ferrari (2023)
Master class
Rencontre avec Michael Mann
Les Célestins, Théâtre de Lyon
Vendredi 17 octobre à 15h au Théâtre des Célestins
Cérémonie de Remise du Prix Lumière à Michael Mann
Amphithéâtre 3000
Vendredi 17 octobre à 19h30 au Centre de Congrès
>> Billetterie disponible ici
La programmation
Comme un homme libre de Michael Mann (The Jericho Mile, film TV, 1979, 1h37)
Institut Lumière (Hangar) di 19 9h
Le Solitaire de Michael Mann (Thief, 1981, 2h04)
UGC Confluence sa 18 20h
La Forteresse noire de Michael Mann (The Keep, 1983, 1h36)
Pathé Bellecour ve 17 16h15
Le Sixième sens de Michael Mann (Manhunter, 1986, 2h04)
UGC Confluence ve 17 16h30
Le Dernier des Mohicans de Michael Mann (The Last of the Mohicans, 1992, 1h55)
UGC Confluence sa 18 13h45 | Comœdia di 19 11h15
Heat de Michael Mann (1995, 2h50)
Halle Tony Garnier di 19 15h
Révélations de Michael Mann (The Insider, 1999, 2h38)
Pathé Bellecour sa 18 16h30
Ali de Michael Mann (2001, 2h37)
UGC Confluence ve 17 21h
Collatéral de Michael Mann (Collateral, 2004, 2h)
Comœdia ve 17 14h30 | UGC Confluence di 19 16h45
Miami Vice : Deux flics à Miami de Michael Mann (Miami Vice, 2006, 2h19)
Lumière Terreaux sa 18 21h15
Hacker de Michael Mann (Blackhat, 2015, 2h13)
Comœdia sa 18 17h15
Ferrari de Michael Mann (2023, 2h10)
Amphithéâtre – Centre de Congrès ve 17 19h30
Série
Tokyo Vice - saison 1, épisode 1 L'Épreuve de Michael Mann (The Test, 2022, 55min)
Institut Lumière (Hangar) sa 18 22h15
