good vs. bad depictions of intelligence on film
This isn't a subject that gets talked about a lot, but what do you think differentiates good, convincing portrayals of intelligence in cinema vs. bad, superficial ones?
One of the most common clichés I've noticed when it comes to characters that are depicted as "geniuses" on film, is that they are always as portrayed as monotone, fast-talking, logic-based people without a lot of social skill or emotional sensitivity. This one personally irks me a lot, as Hollywood seems to think that a high IQ is always dictated by how emotionless and robotic someone acts. Even The Social Network, for all its praises, more or less portrayed Mark Zuckerberg in that vein.
It's a common misconception that in order to be smart, one has to remove all sense of emotion in their thinking. When in reality, our gut emotional response is often just as useful in dictating the right course of action as an extensive period of logical calculations.
One of the best characters that exemplifies intelligence coming from a deep place of understanding of human social interactions, is Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds. That man knows how to employ fear and intimidation in others without so much as even raising his voice. He knows how to do the tiniest of things in a conversation, to put pressure on those he interrogates.
Furthermore, no matter what side he's on, he always knows how to turn the odds in his favor. This is most evident at the end, when he decides, rather than rounding up all the Basterds to protect the Fuehrer, he lets them win the war so he will be marked down as a hero in the history books. THAT, is a fucking smart character.
What I'm getting at here, is that I want to see more films and TV shows, depict intelligence not simply as being unemotional and only using cold, hard logic to fuel one's thinking. Social skills, charm, and ability to read/empathize what others are thinking and feeling are often just as useful as being able to crunch numbers or recite 20 pages worth of text in one's mind.
Any thoughts on this subject?
Discuss...