The Dark Triad in Movie Characters
Prior to reading this article contains spoilers for the movies: Titanic (1997), Stand by Me (1986), and Primal Fear (1996).
So in my intimate relationships class we we’re discussing how some movies display relationships in an unrealistic way. This is definitely a truth, which gave me an idea for my new article. Watch a movie and analyze the darker personality traits of some of these movie characters. Today I will be discussing a topic of social psychology called the Dark Triad and relating it back to some of the best movie characters that demonstrate each example.
There are three characteristics that make of the Dark Triad: Psychopathy, Narcissism, and Machiavellianism (manipulation). I have provided one character from film that demonstrates each characteristic. Let’s begin with psychopathy.
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is probably the most dangerous of the three traits because this trait can come off as “charming and polite”. These are people who have no conscience, they lack regard for any person or animal, and they have no morals. In simplest words, you never know if you have met someone with this trait. They’re scary when they’re angry, but when they’re not they come off as ordinary citizens. In the 1986 film, Stand By Me, Ace Merrill (Kiefer Sutherland) seems to be the best example of a psychopath. He breaks mailboxes, has no empathy for human life (as he attempted to kill River Phoenix’s character), seems to enjoy dominating others, and is often sadistic towards young children.
Narcissism
Narcissism is a sense of inflated ego, a grandiose view of self, and the inability to acknowledge when one is wrong. This trait is commonly seen in politicians and authority figures. The grandiose view of self is seen as a compensation for one’s inadequate self-esteem. The example I choose is Mr. Caledon Hockley from Titanic (1997), it’s clear from the very beginning of the introduction of Zane’s character that he only cares about being wealthy and material possessions. This is seen when he violently flips a table during breakfast with Rose (Kate Winslet), where he sees her as only a commodity and demands her respect after she was hanging out with Jack Dawson, a third-class passenger. As well as how he treats the third class passengers, sneering at them as “inferior”. We all know how his fate ended, but thankfully Rose ended up leaving him anyway.
Machiavellianism
Lastly, we come to our the final trait of Machiavellianism or manipulativeness. These are people who manipulate people to get their way and guilt trip others in order for them to always be on top. In the 1996 film, Primal Fear, Ed Norton plays a character (Aaron Stampler) who is on trial for the murder of a Catholic priest. Norton’s character at first seems to be innocent and naïve, but overtime he has what one would call “multiple personality disorder”. This is where he switches from innocent to angry, egotistical, and vain (this is the other side of the personality named Roy). He shows at the very end of the movie that the innocent, clueless Aaron was a trick he used on the system to get out of the death penalty and that the murderous Roy was the only personality that existed the whole time. Leaving Richard Gere’s character feeling played for letting the man escape death row.
