50 years of movie heroes

Sometimes the bad guy is the good guy. Sometimes he's a girl. Here's how the movie hero has developed over the past few decades...

1: The CONFORMIST (1955 - 1965)
We love and trust the government; Our Man In [insert exotic locale that no ordinary cinema-goer could possibly afford to visit, such as France]; straight girls swoon and gay girls straighten up for him; that IS a pistol in his pocket; his trousers do not cover his socks; laughs at beatniks and hippies in the (wrong)assumption that he will survive them all; aspirational; fights for a nice salary.

PIN-UP: Sean Connery as James Bond
WALLET-SIZED: Flint, Those U.N.C.L.E guys; Batman

2: The MAVERICK (1966 -1976)
That's NOT a pistol in his pocket; we don't trust the government and neither does he; he shoots the bastard, that's his policy; he's with 'the kids' on this one; girlfriend/s probably Japanese; ex-wife is 'a bitch'; frequently dies in the last reel; often an outright criminal; fatalistic; fights for kicks and survival.

PIN-UP: Clint Eastwood as Harry Callaghan
WALLET-SIZED: Michael Caine in Get Carter; Elliott Gould; Peter Fonda; Steve McQueen; Charlton Heston sci-fi.

3: The DISCIPLE (1977 - 1985)
Home plundered by baddies and dog scoffed at (or just plain scoffed) by The Bad Guys; finds comedic sidekick/s and seeks wisdom/revenge (synonymous); has a sword/sabre/stick; wide-eyed; fights on behalf of defenceless populace.

PIN-UP: Luke Skywalker
WALLET-SIZED: Conan The Barbarian; Flash Gordon

4: The RELUCTANT HERO (1986 - 1992)
Ripley coins the oft-repeated 'Get them out of there!' in Aliens, revealing authority as not necessarily corrupt (see Maverick above) but totally incompetent; has to be blackmailed/coerced into being the hero; must struggle against crippling flashbacks of earlier trauma; cynical; fights on behalf of defenceless populace/irritating children.

PIN-UP: Ellen Ripley (for being the first)
WALLET-SIZED: John McClaine; Rambo; [Manhunter guy]; Robocop; Batman.

5: The REBORN GOOD GUY (1992- 2001)
Clinton's in - we love our Prez; God bless the Irish; down with English psychos! ; patriotic; fights for truth, justice and the American way.

PIN-UP: Harrison in Air Force One
WALLET-SIZED: Bill Pullman in Independence Day; Braveheart; Men In Black

6: DAMAGED GOODS (2002 -)
It's all gone Hong Kong; saving the world between rehab and the confessional; bipolar; fights for redemption and forgiveness.

PIN-UP: Spiderman
WALLET-SIZED: Batman (Bale); Daredevil; X-men; (returned) Superman; James Bond (Craig)