There are few emblems of male cool as enduring as classic movie characters. If you've ever secretly attempted to mimic Tony Manero's "Saturday Night Fever" strut, or consoled yourself while in formal wear with the thought that at least you look a little like James Bond, then you know we speak the truth.

In cinema-land, even a petty gangster, a serial killer or a junkie can look seriously dashing -- indeed, some sociopathic flaw is often a positive advantage in the film fashion stakes. We've counted down some of the most influentially dapper movie roles ever and, more importantly, offered a few tips on how to bring a touch of celluloid glamour to your own wardrobe.

Think we missed an icon of cool? Let us know which screen style heroes we've missed in the comments.

The Most Stylish Movie Characters Ever

    Steve McQueen as Bullitt in "Bullitt"
    McQueen is the cool standard that all leading men aspire to. Turtle-neck sweatered cop Bullitt might be his coolest role.

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    Clint Eastwood as Harry Callahan in "Dirty Harry"
    Cinema history is littered with characters whose dapper dress sense is matched by the their general vicious bastard-ness. Few are as nonchalantly brutal Clint Eastwood's Harry Callahan -- and none looked as good in a shabbily chic brown three-piece suit.

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    Harvey Keitel as Mr. White in "Reservoir Dogs"
    Sure, it may have inspired countless unimaginative Halloween costumes, but there's no denying the iconic impact of the skinny tie and suit uniform worn by Tarantino's gang of pop culture referencing armed robbers.

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    Malcolm McDowell as Alex in "Clockwork Orange"
    While you may not want to exactly copy the cricket whites, codpiece and combat boots get-up of Alex and his droogs, there are few movies as influential in terms of overall style as Kubrick's elegantly brutal vision of Anthony Burgess's cult novel.

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    Jean-Paul Belmondo as Michel Poiccard in "Breathless"
    Godard's French New Wave masterpiece gave us one of cinema's great anti-heroes, in the form of petty crook Jean-Paul Belmondo, who seduced the delectable Jean Seberg via a combination of gruff, boyish charm, American gangster film references and fantastic hats.

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    Adrien Brody as Peter L. Whitman in "The Darjeeling Limited"
    The obsessive detailing that makes Wes Anderson's films such a visual treat extends as far as the character's costumes. As the middle Whitman brother in "Darjeeling" Adrien Brody's striking physicality is subtly enhanced by his slim cut suit, while the vintage belt and glasses add a poignant touch.

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    Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock in "The Graduate"
    Though "the Graduate" is often remembered as a classic '60s counter-cultural film, it was a preppy sort of rebellion indulged in by Dustin Hoffman's disaffected, corduroy blazer -clad college leaver.

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    Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in "Back to the Future"
    Eighties kids movies aren't known for their timeless style. But then Robert Zemeckis' whip-smart "Back to the Future" wasn't your average '80s kids movie and Marty McFly's denim jacket, suspenders, basketball kicks and puffer vest combo wasn't your average '80s kids movie outfit.

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    Jimmy Cliff as Ivan Martin in "The Harder They Come"
    As well as boasting one of the greatest soundtracks in movie history, cult Jamaican reggae n' gangsters flick The Harder They Come offers an insightful critique of the media's glamorization of crime and violence. A message only slightly undermined by the fact that Jimmy Cliff's gun toting, sweet singing anti-hero looks impossibly cool throughout, particularly in the scene when he records the title track, cigarette in hand, clad in his iconic gold star shirt.

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    Romain Duris as Thomas Seyr in "The Beat My Heart Skipped"
    Though set in contemporary Paris, this excellent 2005 French film has a grimy, retro '70s New York vibe. Appropriate, then that its lowlife-thug-cum-concert-pianist antihero rocks his skinny leather jacket like he's the long lost sixth member of the Strokes.

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