The 10 Most Evil Movie Characters

A hymn singing preacher, blue beard and child killer in a damn evil package, Robert Mitchum's portrayal of Harry Powell is still as spine chilling as it was more than half a century ago.

Frank is most brutal Wild West outlaw ever put to screen. He kicks the crutches from under a cripple, makes a noosed guy stand on his brother's shoulders and shoots a running child. Pure evil gold.

A gangster with sadomasochistic fetishes and a gas addiction, Frank Booth degraded women to the extreme. His misogynistic treatment of the then beautiful Isabella Rossellini is legendary.

A nightmare of a power hungry egomaniac, General Mireau is one commander you do not want to serve under. Its a character which explicitly reveals the worthlessness of human life during wars in particular and armies in general.

Jealousy drove Antonio Salieri to insanity but won an Oscar for F. Murray Abraham. His performance is a damning illustration of human ego and the fear of being deposed.

Charles Laughton had a penchant for creating and playing evil characters and as Captain Bligh, he was at his most brutal. If ever there was a man obsessed with subservience and discipline, it was Captain Bligh.

Putting all sweet and sexy nurse stereotypes to rest with one true powerfully bitchy and manipulative character, Nurse Rached might be the most evil woman ever to grace the reels.

Amon Goeth took the cold, bloodthirsty arrogance of Nazis to the extreme. Rarely has a character been so steadfastly vile.

Beckert committed such heinous child killing acts that it prompted a force of vagrants to launch a manhunt. Even the Nazis made a reference to the character's evilness.

Minnie Castevet was one hell of an annoying old lady… and nothing's more evil than a woman who conspires to impregnate a girl with the devil's child.