Villains Wiki

Hi. This is Thesecret1070. I am an admin of this site. Edit as much as you wish, but one little thing... If you are going to edit a lot, then make yourself a user and login. Other than that, enjoy Villains Wiki!!!

READ MORE

Villains Wiki
Register
Advertisement
           KeyLocker

This Villain was proposed and approved by Villains Wiki's Pure Evil Proposals Thread. Any act of removing this villain from the category without a Removal Proposal shall be considered vandalism (or a futile "heroic" attempt of redemption) and the user will have high chances of being terminated blocked. You cannot make said Removal Proposal without permission from an admin first.
Additional Notice: This template is meant for admin maintenance only. Users who misuse the template will be blocked for a week minimum.

Warning
Scarfaceinthefall
This article's content is marked as Mature
The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older.

If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page.

Think of yourself a scabbard, Mistress McGregor, and I the sword. And a fine fit you were, too.
~ Cunnigham to Marie McGregor after raping her.
I will tell you something, to take with you. Your wife was far sweeter forced than many are willing. And truth put to it, I think not all of her objected...
~ Archibald Cunningham gloating about raping Rob Roy's wife.

Archibald "Archie" Cunningham is the main antagonist of the 1995 historical period action drama film Rob Roy. He is the sadistic chief henchman of the Marquis of Montrose.

He was portrayed by Tim Roth, who also played General Thade in the 2001 Planet of the Apes film, Abomination in The Incredible Hulk, George Wallace in Selma and Pete Hicox in The Hateful Eight.

Personality[]

He appears initially to be affable but a little extravagant, living in excess by seducing women or gambling. However, he is in fact a violent, sadistic psychopath. Besides being a murderer, Cunningham is a prolific rapist, usually hiding behind his station to persuade or force the opposite sex to do his will. He cares nothing for his mistress Betty, indifferent to the immense pain he caused to her.

Biography[]

Cunningham is from an aristocratic family, whose mother sends him to serve the Marquis of Montrose, in hopes that the climate of Scotland "will cool the fever in his blood." Cunningham is trouble from the very beginning, immediately seducing the young housemaid, Betty, working in the Marquis' home, and spending the Marquis' money without care or reason.

One man who plans on stretching every last guinea is Robert Roy MacGregor also known as Rob Roy, a local Scot trying to build up his lands and to make a home for his people. He contracts with the Marquis for a loan of 1,000 guineas, but when MacGregor's man disappears with the money, treachery is the first thing on his mind. It is, of course, Cunningham and the Marquis' man Killearn who have conspired to steal the money, and Cunningham does more than that: he kills one of MacGregor's dearest friends and dumps the body in the nearby loch.

Betty falls in love with the young man but after she reveals she is pregnant by him, her dear "Archie" tells her with a smile: "Love is a dunghill, and I am but a cock who climbs atop it to crow." When the legendary Rob Roy is declared an outlaw by the Marquis, Cunningham eagerly takes on the job to bring him in. He heads straight for MacGregor's home where his wife Mary remains behind. Cunningham orders the family's cattle slaughtered, their crops destroyed, and their house burned down. In the middle of it all, he rapes Mary while Killearn watches. He exits with a grin and makes sure Mary knows his name so the great Rob Roy can come for his revenge.

Cunningham eventually does capture MacGregor; he ties him up and beats him savagely, completing MacGregor's humiliation by dragging him behind a galloping horse for Cunningham's amusement. Rob Roy escapes only to learn the terrible truth about what Cunningham did to his wife, and he arranges a duel with the villain through the help of a local nobleman who stands against the Marquis. Cunningham battles to certain death, MacGregor, a brawler with the sword, is continually nicked and stabbed by the swifter Cunningham until he can take no more. As Cunningham holds his sword at MacGregor's neck and waits for approval to finish him off, MacGregor grabs the end of the blade before slicing Cunningham deeply across his torso, nearly cleaving him in two, and avenging Mary in the process.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Tim Roth was afraid of being fired for making Cunningham too eccentric, but director Michael Caton-Jones appreciated his work and encouraged him to play the character as he pleased.
  • Roth was nominated for an Oscar for his performance.

External links[]

Advertisement