Movies with controllers

Hollywood hasn’t shied away from the chauffeur as a plot element, even though most of us don’t have one in our day-to-day lives. In some movies, it is clear from the beginning that the chauffeur is an integral part of the plot. Other times, it’s just a pleasant surprise. Here are some of the favorite movies with a chauffeur everyone should know about:

Driving Miss Daisy

From the film’s title, it’s immediately clear that Morgan Freeman’s character, Hoke Colburn, will be a vital part of the plot. The film centers on Jessica Tandy’s Miss Daisy, a southern Jewish woman who has had too many accidents to continue driving herself. She is reluctant to allow her son to hire a chauffeur for her, but ends up developing a quick friendship with Hoke, who teaches her not to worry so much about what society thinks.

The film begins in 1948 and covers the development of the civil rights movement, with Hoke teaching Miss Daisy about the prejudices she has faced. This forces her to acknowledge her own racism. In return, Miss Daisy teaches Hoke to read, and the movie ends with the two older Southerners as best friends.

The transporter

Instead of the chauffeur being a supporting character in this movie, Jason Statham as the transporter is the main character. Who wouldn’t want a chauffeur who was from the Special Forces? Although Statham’s character starts out as a package driver, not people, and is more than just a mercenary, he ends up being the perfect combination of an amazing driver and bodyguard to win over the girl and save the car.

Die hard

The chauffeur, Argyle, seems like a minor character who has been given a simple task. You have to pick up John McClane from Bruce Willis at the airport, take him to a Christmas party, and then take him home. However, the cunning street driver provides assistance to McClane as he saves the hostages in the building and captures the technical support of the terrorists.

The princess’s Diary

Actor Héctor Elizondo plays the most traditional of movie chauffeurs, serving for years as the chauffeur for the Queen of Genovia. When he informs his granddaughter of his ties to the small country and that she is the heir to the throne, the character of Elizondo helps the young American adjust to life as a member of royalty. In the sequel, her character also manages to make some of her dreams come true.

No matter what type of chauffeur invades your daytime dreams, the special events in your life can be enhanced by hiring a car and driver to take you there. Whether it’s a company Christmas party or a simple trip to Piggly Wiggly, renting a car and driver makes any event more memorable.