
Brokeback Mountain
Not only the most famous role of his career, this is probably Ledger’s best by far. The movie is understated yet powerfully moving, and Ledger brings an amazing amount of depth and gravitas to his role as a closeted and conflicted cowboy. Ledger is the emotional anchor of the movie and manages to communicate an encyclopedia of emotion behind his steely grimace and cowboy hat. This movie truly shows us what we lost; the amount of talent and promise inherent in this role suggests the art Ledger could one day be capable of.
A Knight’s Tale
What looks on the outside like some sort of Disney-fied knights and middle ages movie, this movie was Ledger’s first real Hollywood star vehicle, and he acquits himself with old-Hollywood charisma. The Romeo And Juliet-style blending of a period piece with modern slang and music works better than it should.
Monster’s Ball
The first role to reveal the talented actor behind the marquee good looks, Ledger plays a deeply depressed prison employee in this Oscar-winning movie. Ledger is only in the film briefly, but his character’s fate is pivotal to the plot.
The Four Feathers
Though critically panned and ignored by audiences, this movie is actually an underrated epic. Ledger stars as a cowardly officer-in-training who resigns from the British Army shortly before being shipped off to Sudan in the late 19th century. A somewhat convoluted plot about honor and friendship does not distract from the movie’s sweeping visuals or Ledger’s confident performance.
10 Things I Hate About You
The film that introduced Ledger to America, this remake of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew set in a high school proved an unexpected hit. Ledger plays Patrick Verona opposite Julia Stiles’ Bianca and steals virtually every scene in this light-hearted teen romance.
The Patriot
This was the movie that really made Ledger a rising star in the United States. Ledger plays the son of fellow-Aussie Mel Gibson in a Revolutionary War Braveheart wannabe. The movie is heavy-handed and almost laughably jingoistic (the bag guy gets stabbed in the heart at the end by an American flag wielded by Gibson) but Ledger looks like Gibson’s heir apparent in his limited role.
Ned Kelly
Returning to his Australian roots, Ledger gave one of his best performances in this indie version of Australian legend Ned Kelly. Standing out amongst an outstanding cast (including Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush and Rachel Griffiths) this is the film that sparked Ledger’s relationship with co-star Naomi Watts.
Casanova
Little seen and critically un-heralded, Ledger portrays the legendary Lothario in this costume piece that is heavy on the sex and the lace.
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