History Main / OfficerAndAGentleman

* The modern pentathlon of the UsefulNotes/OlympicGames was intended to replicate a scenario potentially faced by a cavalry soldier caught behind enemy lines – the competitor rides a horse, swims, uses his pistol and sword, and finally runs to the finish. However, from 1912 (when it was introduced) to 1952, only cavalry ''officers'' were allowed to compete. The reason? Cavalry ''soldiers'' (i.e., enlisted men and [=NCOs=]) rode and trained horses for a living and were considered "professionals". As independently wealthy gentlemen, cavalry officers weren't in the military to make a living; therefore they were classified as Olympics-eligible "amateurs".

* The TagTeam of Kentucky Gentleman Chuck Taylor and Detective Dan Barry is called such, though this is a case of civil law rather than military officers.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comicbooks]]

[[folder:Theater]]
* Captain Bluntschli in Creator/GeorgeBernardShaw's ''Theatre/ArmsAndTheMan''.

* In Theatre/TheGentlemanRanker all of the officers are British Gentlemen, who can recognize that Private Smith has the right mannerisms. [[spoiler:Harford is German, but still an aristocrat]].

[[folder:Videogames]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* Rarity is this in ''Fanfic/FriendsOfASolarEmpire''.
* Used by the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' fanfic, "An Officer and a Not-So-Gentle Woman".

[[folder:Film]]

* In ''Series/{{Rome}}'', Lucius Vorenus has ironclad impulse control ([[TheBerserker except when it comes to his infamous temper]]), which is amusing given that the generals of the army (Caesar and Anthony) are just as lewd as the enlisted men.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, TropeNamer for TheBrigadier, who appeared as a companion to the Second, Third and Fourth Doctor in the classic series (as well as all the other ones up to Eight in Creator/BigFinish).
* Captain Jack on ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' manages to combine this trope with being a [[ExtremeOmnisexual dedicated and enthusiastic slut]]. The real Captain Jack Harkness, whom Jack [[DeadPersonImpersonation stole the name from]], fits the trope as well.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Starfleet is a pretty genteel place (exceptions need apply only to the Engineering division, and occasionally Security), but Picard still stands out. Better manners than most of the diplomats we see; unflappable (except around Borg and children); fences; rides horses; fond of classic literature… The writers were certainly well-aware of this tendency in his character, anyway; in the future timeline of "All Good Things…", Picard is an Ambassador (or rather, a retired one). The same honor was previously given to Spock.
%% * ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' Romulan officers often are this way, notably the one Kirk fought in ''Balance of Terror''. They are rather DarkerAndEdgier then Starfleet officers but can be {{Worthy Opponent}}s.
* ''Series/HoratioHornblower'':
** Sir Edward Pellew, Captain on HMS ''Indefatigable'', later promoted to Admiral. He's a fine fighting man and a fabulous commander who cares about his officers and common crew. He is absolutely charming at a formal dinner party in Gibraltar, hosted by their excellencies Major General Sir Hew and Lady Dalrymple.
** Major Edrington ("I am in fact the Earl of Edrington") in "The Frogs and Lobsters" (also known as "The Wrong War"). He's an accomplished and capable military leader in the British Army and looks damn fine in his red coat. In his first scene, he appears to be a haughty elitist who sneers at the Royal Navy and demands to be called "My Lord", but he turns out to be ok and behaves like a perfect gentleman (if a GentlemanSnarker).

%% * James Bellamy in ''Series/UpstairsDownstairs'' is hinted to be this.
%% * Lt. Giles Vicary from ''Series/RedCap'' is the young-and-somewhat-naive variant.
* General Hank Landry of ''Series/StargateSG1''. Apart from being a fine general, he was also fond of quoting historical figures like Patton and Churchill.
* Major Charles Emerson Winchester III from ''Series/{{MASH}}'' attempts to affect this trope during his time at the 4077th, with varying degrees of success. He's a brilliant surgeon from a respectable old money Boston family, however, he is very snarky (and not in a GentlemanSnarker way) and often behaves like a jerk.

* Capt. Laurence, of ''Literature/{{Temeraire}}''. He was originally a British Navy captain--where such is apparently expected--before harnessing Temeraire and is still more polished and formal than most of his crew and fellow officers, the Air Corps almost necessarily being much less formal. His own crew, out of admiration for him, started taking after his example. However, he is slowly starting to bend, [[HoYay especially concerning his lieutenant, Granby.]]

* Richard Hannay, the hero of John Buchan's thriller novels, is an officer in ''Literature/{{Greenmantle}}'' and ''Literature/MrStandfast'', retiring with disctinction at war's end.

->''"…that class of poor and honourable gentlemen. Their ancestors had attained nobility through some warlike deed. They grew up as sons of valiant squires, who themselves were accustomed to country life and the hunt. From the age of twelve they conditioned themselves to every kind of hardship sleeping in the woods with their dogs, arresting poachers, and fighting every now and then with a neighbor's son over the possession of a hare."''

Remember, what separates this character from the ProudWarriorRaceGuy or the WarriorPoet is not only the character’s devotion to honour, but to a set of "gentlemanly" principles, which include good manners and etiquette. Most representations of the officer and gentleman are most certainly LawfulGood or at least LawfulNeutral. If on the side of the antagonists, or the major antagonist himself, he will often be LawfulEvil, or likewise LawfulNeutral if meant to be sympathetic, and is often portrayed as an AntiVillain. Satirical versions of this trope are often represented as being LawfulStupid.

* [[ActionGirl 2nd Lt.]] [[WideEyedIdealist Alice L. Malvin]] in ''Anime/PumpkinScissors'' has [[HonorBeforeReason very definite ideas]] on what it means to be the daughter of one of "the thirteen noble families." The example she sets shames other less principled members of the privileged class, and impresses poor commoners outraged by the nobility's excesses.

* ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfWonderWoman2016'': ComicBook/SteveTrevor and Lawrence Stone are both USAAF pilots who are very respectful lieutenants who get promotions for their actions, though Steve feels his is undeserved. They are gentlemen by their honorable and polite actions not by class, as they are Americans from lower middle class families.

* Commodore Norrington of ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' fame started out this way, but went disappointingly south once he fell from royal favor, [[spoiler: DeathEqualsRedemption notwithstanding.]]

* ''Film/FlowersOfWar'': Colonel Hasegawa of the Imperial Japanese Army is a cultured officer who puts a stop to the slaughter at the convent by having guards posted outside. Appealing to his humanity only goes so far however, as John finds out. While Hasegawa is better than most Japanese soldiers and may even have personal misgivings about the way the war in China is being fought, his sense of duty compels him to carry out his orders to have the convent girls taken away to become sex slaves for his superiors.

* ''Film/ThePatriot'': This archetype is embodied by General Cornwallis, which was very much the ideal that high-level British officers at the time were at least supposed to strive for. He treats the entire Colonial War as a sporting game with temporary enemies, and is more than willing to hold a civil negotiation with Benjamin Martin. [[SubvertedTrope At least at first]]. His subordinate Colonel Tavington, whose brutal, unprofessional conduct in battle initially earns him furious rebukes from Cornwallis, is eventually given free reign to engage in war crimes after Cornwallis has been dealt a personal slight by Martin.

** Cordelia--as a captain in the Betan Expeditionary Force--is the female equivalent… as contrasted with Cordelia's prior tour in the Betan Astronomical Survey, where being captain was more like being TeamMom.

* Ista from Bujold's ''Literature/PaladinOfSouls'' is attracted to a man who fits the trope before ending up with that guy's younger brother who behaves much more casual and considers himself [[TheMinnesotaFats second best at everything]]. Of course the older one was taken [[spoiler:and undead]].

* Despite being a [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters rabble-rousing populist]], General Nortier of ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'' provides a good example of a gentleman soldier behaving honorably to those of the same class, even if on opposing sides. In the backstory which lead to Dantes' imprisonment, Franz d'Epinay's father, a Royalist, was caught [[DressingAsTheEnemy infiltrating]] the group of pro-Napoleon soldiers Nortier belonged to and seeing that d'Epinay was a fellow gentleman, Nortier allowed him to duel to the death instead of simply killing him outright.

* Capt. Laurence, of ''Literature/{{Temeraire}}''. He was originally a British Navy captain--where such is apparently expected--before harnessing Temeraire, and is still more polished and formal than most of his crew and fellow officers, the Air Corps almost necessarily being much less formal. His own crew, out of admiration for him, started taking after his example. However, he is slowly starting to bend, [[HoYay especially concerning his lieutenant, Granby.]]

* Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, of the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse novel ''Literature/OutboundFlight'', qualifies as one, if one given to somewhat underhanded tactics and a his own set of morals. However, [[Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy later-set books]] have him as an [[AffablyEvil Affably Imperial]] CulturedWarrior.

* The armies of Victorian Europe in the {{Literature/Flashman}} novels are full of officers who are jovial, charming, considerate of their men, and thoroughly chivalrous. Naturally our FakeUltimateHero protagonist despises every last one of them.

-->''If the world has any gentlemen it surely should be those born for generations of royal and titled blood, and reared from their cradles in every tradition of their rank. Europe is full of them, and many are superb men. I know a few. Now will you tell me where they are to-day? They are down in trenches six feet under ground, shivering in mud and water, half dead for sleep, food, and rest, trying to save the land of their birth, the homes they own, to protect the women and children they love. They are marching miles, being shot down in cavalry rushes, and blown up in boats they are manning, in their fight to save their countries.''

** Commander Farsight of the Tau Empire also qualifies. There's a short story in the Farsight Enclaves supplement where he encounters a Space Marine apotechary retrieving the geneseed of the fallen Marines during the battle and lets him go, an act that won respect of the Chapter in question and contributed to the remarkably civil cessation of hostilities when the Imperium had to call off the Damocles Gulf crusade.

* Captain Amelia of ''Disney/TreasurePlanet'' fits this trope perfectly right down to the [[UsefulNotes/BritishAccents upperclass British accent]] and StiffUpperLip, blending it with sharp GentlemanSnarker wit, LadyOfWar badassery, and IceQueen unattainability (eventually [[DefrostingIceQueen defrosted).]]

* TruthInTelevision: modern day officer corps are the direct descendants of knights. When warfare became a science instead of an art in the 15th century, most generals noticed that knights - professional soldiers who had trained for fighting, warfare, strategy and tactics - were far more valuable as officers and commanders of units composed of commoners, rather than privates in elite units.
** The tradition amongst European noble families is that the eldest son will inherit the estate and the younger sons will select career, either in military, clergy, academia or as civil servants. The name ''cadet'' for an officer trainee means "younger" in French - ''cadets'' were the younger sons of nobility.

** The USS ''Chesapeake'' then left harbor and sailed for the ''Shannon'', neither ship firing until they were at point-blank range. After the battle there were more than 200 killed and wounded, one of the bloodiest ship to ship battles of the age. Captain Broke was badly wounded and would never command another ship. The American Captain Lawrence was killed in action, and buried with full military honors by his enemies, with 6 Royal Navy officers as his pallbearers.

* UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel was the most chivalrous of the Wehrmacht's frontline Generals and Field Marshals: he committed ''no'' War Crimes at all, not even letting POW die of neglect or implementing the standard Retaliation Ratios (50:1 for wounded, 100:1 for dead) in reponse to partisan attacks! He is one of two Generals of Combat or Security units, of more than five hundred, known not to have done these things. He also embarassed the Wehrmacht by refusing to execute Jewish [=POWs=], and even demanding that slaves be paid for their labour (when building the 'Atlantic Wall' of anti-amphibious-landing defenses in France using French slaves)!
** Rommel is also known to have expressed objections when the [=SiPo=] sent a survey party to North Africa to "assess the Jewish problem" in Jewish ghettoes in North African cities then under Axis control. Rommel pointedly said that with shipping space so limited and problematical, he would have preferred an equivalent number of fighting soldiers, or their weight in petrol or ammo, rather than a bunch of Useless Mouths (using the rhetoric applied to Germany's disabled, who were being euthanized in ''Aktion T-4'') to feed and house out of his scarce resources. No more SS personnel were despatched to Africa. However, if he had succeeded in capturing Palestine then Police units would have been sent there to cleanse it. Rommel's reputation as "the Good German" would then have been shot.
* General Hans-Jürgen von Arnim was the closest thing the Wehrmacht had to another 'white sheep' among its Generals and Field Marshalls, and one who illustrated the difficulty of not participating or being implicated in War Crimes unless one refused command or was posted to North Africa. Commander of the 17th Panzer Division during Operation Barbarossa, he refused to implement the 'Commissar' Order and is not known to have taken any action against civilians beyond the usual 'foraging'. While the POW he captured and sent to the rear areas did suffer the same fate as the rest, as a mere junior commander he could make a reasonable claim not to have been able to do anything about that. On the 1st of October 1941 he was appointed to command of the XXXIX Panzer Corps, Army Group North, and charged with the maintenance of the Siege of Leningrad. More than 600k dead civilians later, in late November '42 he was transferred to command the 'Fourth Panzer Army' (little more than a Division) under Rommel's North African Front. Appointed to command the Front upon Rommel's recall in February 1943, he surrendered it in May '43.

* Finland's very own Churchill, Field Marshal and later President Mannerheim. Being raised in a upper class family, serving in the Russian court and then as Supreme Commander in Finland's four wars did little to prevent him from being a true gentleman. He did however subvert it on occasions. His predecessor as president, Risto Ryti, gave a solemn personal pledge that he would continue their strictly-unofficial alliance with UsefulNotes/NaziGermany against the Soviet Union - including holding up their sector of the Siege of Leningrad (which did not extend to sending raiding parties out to disrupt the food imports across Lake Ladoga). On the 2nd of February 1943, the last survivors of the Stalingrad pocket surrendered. The following day Mannerheim met with the Cabinet, Mannerheim's memoirs claiming they unanimously agreed that Germany was utterly screwed and that they had to find a way to ditch them at the earliest opportunity. The moment came some eighteen months later, when the Soviets threw the Germans back from Leningrad and drove them into the Baltic: Ryti resigned, Mannerheim took office, and the new government declared war on Germany. When the Nazis demanded that they explain their 'betrayal', Mannerheim (politely if snarkily) reminded the Germans that A) their countries had never had an official alliance and B) countries are not bound by personal pledges of their leaders (however solemn).

* Zig-Zaggedd with the Soviets. The Red Army amid the Russian Civil War did have a good number of ex-Tsarist officers who made up most of the Red officer corps. A good number of these officers played this trope straight, but many of them such as Semyon Budyonny came from poorer backgrounds and those with a penchant for vulgarity were more favored by the communist ideology to contrast with the White Army's noble officer corps. Once the USSR was established, this trope was generally averted as gentleman officers were portrayed as imperialist class enemies, and the idea was to instead establish that anyone could be an officer. This culminated in the great purge ridding much of the Soviet's old guard officer corps due to the paranoia that they were politically unreliable, even ones who were never Tsarists or nobles, and thus young inexperienced officers who were at least reliably communist took their place. This purge contributed to multiple Soviet set backs in the early 1940s, but the growing professionalism of the Red Army in World War II brought upon pragmatic forces that embraced professional officers, relented purges, and saw those hastily promoted young officers mature and transform the Red Army onto the most devastating land force on the planet. By the ColdWar era, the Soviet Army's officers were "red" gentleman and nobles that indulged in special privileges, but sought to end the "decadent" west as well despite their own vulgarity.
** Generally, the Warsaw Pact's officers averted this trope due to their poorer backgrounds unless they were Soviet collaborators. They did come close to being part of the closest thing a socialist state had to nobility though, and post 1989 central/eastern European armies looked at military officers with suspicion due to their communist ties.
*** NATO's western European and north American officers similarly by the Cold War were no longer disproportional nobles, but this didn't stop the two sides of the iron curtain from portraying each other's officers as decadent oligarchs. The wealthy and well connected were still over represented in both sides' officer schools however, but average Joes commissioned from the ranks were steadily taking over due to the need for military build up.
* The Patron of the Brazilian army, UsefulNotes/DukeOfCaxias. As implacable was he was in the battlefield, he was known for treating all his foes as equals, offering them mercy and being open to diplomacy.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Major Armstrong lives this trope, especially compared to the behavior of most of the other officers in the Amestrian Army, who range from sexist pigs, shameless flirts, [[BadassArmy Badass Briggs soldiers]] and pencil necked stiffs (with the occasional psychopath thrown into the mix).

* ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfWonderWoman2016'': ComicBook/SteveTrevor and Lawrence Stone are both USAAF pilots who are very respectful well behaved lieutenants who get promotions for their actions, though Steve feels his is undeserved. They are gentlemen by their honorable actions not by class, as they are Americans from lower middle class families.

** Aral and Miles play this trope to a tee.

** Miles' relative Ivan also shows quite a few traits of this. Ivan--a soldier in the Barrayaran Imperial Service--employs some irony when asked, "Are you a hired killer?" He replies, "Well, [[LiteralMinded in a ''sense'']]."

*** NATO's western European and north American officers similarly by the Cold War were no longer disproportional nobles, but this didn't stop the two sides of the iron curtain from portraying each other's officers as decadent oligarchs.

* In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' there's General White, a retired Bob-omb general with a rather [[BadassMoustache elegant moustache.]] Admiral Bobbery comes close too, though he's a little rougher.

** Captain Jack on ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' manages to combine this trope with being a [[ExtremeOmnisexual dedicated and enthusiastic slut]]. The real Captain Jack Harkness, whom Jack [[DeadPersonImpersonation stole the name from]], fits the trope as well.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'''s Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Starfleet is a pretty genteel place (exceptions need apply only to the Engineering division, and occasionally Security), but Picard still stands out. Better manners than most of the diplomats we see; unflappable except around [[BerserkButton Borg]] and children; fences; rides horses; fond of classic literature…
** The writers were certainly well-aware of this tendency in his character, anyway; in the future timeline of ''All Good Things… '', Picard is an Ambassador (or rather, a retired one). The same honor was previously given to Spock.
** Romulan officers often are this way, notably the one Kirk fought in ''Balance of Terror''. They are rather DarkerAndEdgier then Starfleet officers but can be {{Worthy Opponent}}s.
* Major Edrington ("I am in fact the Earl of Edrington") in ''Series/HoratioHornblower'' "The Frogs and Lobsters" (also known as "The Wrong War")
* Both Sinclair and Sheridan from ''Series/BabylonFive'', in different ways.
* James Bellamy in ''Series/UpstairsDownstairs'' is hinted to be this.
* Lt. Giles Vicary from ''Series/RedCap'' is the young-and-somewhat-naive variant.

* Major Charles Emerson Winchester III from ''Series/{{MASH}}'' attempted to affect this trope during his time at the 4077th, with varying degrees of success.
* Major Richter in ''Series/EnemyAtTheDoor''.

* Erwin Rommel was the most chivalrous of the Wehrmacht's frontline Generals and Field Marshals: he committed ''no'' War Crimes at all, not even letting POW die of neglect or implementing the standard Retaliation Ratios (50:1 for wounded, 100:1 for dead) in reponse to partisan attacks! He is one of two Generals of Combat or Security units, of more than five hundred, known not to have done these things. He also embarassed the Wehrmacht by refusing to execute Jewish [=POWs=], and even demanding that slaves be paid for their labour (when building the 'Atlantic Wall' of anti-amphibious-landing defenses in France using French slaves)!

* Yet another example: Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander) Karl von Muller, during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI as the commander of the commerce raider [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Emden_(1906) SMS Emden]] He often risked his ship and crew in order to be polite and often released his prisoners aboard neutral or civilian ships. Still regarded as an example of a wonderful campaign and Knightly service.

* Yet another example: Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander) Karl von Muller, during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI as the commander of the commerce raider SMS Emden [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Emden_(1906)]] He often risked his ship and crew in order to be polite and often released his prisoners aboard neutral or civilian ships. Still regarded as an example of a wonderful campaign and Knightly service.

** Rommel is also known to have expressed objections when the SiPo sent a survey party to North Africa to "assess the Jewish problem" in Jewish ghettoes in North African cities then under Axis control. Rommel pointedly said that with shipping space so limited and problematical, he would have preferred an equivalent number of fighting soldiers, or their weight in petrol or ammo, rather than a bunch of Useless Mouths (using the rhetoric applied to Germany's disabled, who were being euthanized in ''Aktion T-4'') to feed and house out of his scarce resources. No more SS personnel were despatched to Africa. However, if he had succeeded in capturing Palestine then Police units would have been sent there to cleanse it. Rommel's reputation as "the Good German" would then have been shot.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, who appeared as a companion to the Second, Third and Fourth Doctor in the classic series (as well as all the other ones up to Eight in Creator/BigFinish).

* Surprisingly, ''WesternAnimation/YosemiteSam'' of all people is able to pull this off during one cartoon where he is a Confederate officer who didn't get the message that the American Civil War ended decades ago. Though he relentlessly pursues Bugs Bunny, bent on keeping Yankees off of Confederate soil, when Bugs disguises himself as a woman, Sam is genteel and unfailingly polite to the "Scarlet Ma'am". This is also one of the few times where Sam isn't talking at his [[NoIndoorVoice usual volume level.]]

* Britt Reid from ''Franchise/TheGreenHornet'' fanfic ''Bad Medicine'' is a graduate of West Point Academy and a former Army Captain who served two tours in Afghanistan [[BattleButler (which is how he met Kato)]]. He puts the skills he's learned in the Army to good use as the Green Hornet but also retains a sense of honor. He even invokes the words 'as an officer and a gentleman' to get someone he's trying to protect to trust him.

* In Theatre/TheGentlemanRanker all of the officers are British Gentlemen, who can recognize that Private Smith has the right mannerisms. [[Spoiler: Harford is German, but still an aristocrat]].

** Which is probably about the only way Chamberlain could have possibly topped his ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome previous feats]]'' of [[RousingSpeech talking]] 80 disgruntled deserters into [[MisfitMobilizationMoment joining his regiment]] and then using them to [[HoldTheLine save the entire Union Army]] (with a [[CrazyEnoughToWork bayonet charge]]!) less than 24 hours later at the battle of Gettysburg, earning himself a well-deserved Medal of Honor.

For example, an officer and a gentleman will rarely if ever [[ClusterFBomb cuss]], and never knowingly in the presence of a lady. He will rarely drink to the point of inebriation, unless it is used for [[NotSoAboveItAll comedic purposes]] or to tragically show how the war [[DrowningMySorrows may be taking a toll on him]]. He would never, ever [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil take advantage of a lady]], and will be very protective of women, both of their persons and their sensibilities, even when it is not merited. Further, if you insult his honour, or worse, the honour of a lady he fancies, you may earn yourself a [[ThrowingDownTheGauntlet challenge]] to a [[DuelToTheDeath duel]], unless profuse apology is the next thing out of your mouth. Otherwise, expect a [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen fair, gentlemanly duel]] in which he will proceed to carve you into cutlets. However, he would not think of [[TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty fighting dirty]], and most certainly WouldNotShootACivilian on purpose. On the other hand, if he is evil, he might have some of his less honourable henchmen do the DirtyBusiness for him. Further, whether good or bad, he will always keep his word… after all, [[IGaveMyWord he gave his word as a gentleman]]. Characters typifying this trope often have the habit, for better or worse, of displaying HonourBeforeReason. Expect him to be AFatherToHisMen.

** The fact that Lee clung to his OfficerAndAGentleman ideals in the face of crushing defeat, especially his abhorrence of [[TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty guerilla warfare]] and [[WouldNotShootACivilian "collateral damage"]] had as much to do with reuniting the Union as anything Lincoln or Grant did.

* From ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger the good Captain America]] qualifies. He's less uppercrust and more the ideal American Boy Next Door type; however, he makes up for that with his keen intelligence and artistic talent. He's unfailingly polite to every woman he meets - he shields ComicBook/BlackWidow instead of himself or ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} during battle, and he pretty much gets [[ForcefulKiss lip-raped]] by a random secretary because he can't figure out how to turn down her advances without being rude. He ''will'' [[HonorBeforeReason do anything]] to help a friend, even go on what basically amounts to a suicide mission, ''alone.'' The only time we see him [[DrowningMySorrows drinking heavily]] is when said friend dies later on - and even then, his hyperactive metabolism won't let him get drunk. He plays TheSpock to IronMan's TheMcCoy (and challenges IronMan to a [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen one-on-one fistfight]], not over a woman, but because Tony's being the [[ByronicHero consummate douchebag]] we all know and love). And the only time we hear him swear is when he's vehemently ''ordering'' his love interest ([[MajorlyAwesome who outranks him]]) to get the hell outta Dodge before she's shot down by anti-aircraft artillery. Damn.

* Subverted by the Auxiliary Division of the RIC during the Irish War of Independence. Composed of veteran UsefulNotes/WW1 officers, they had a notorious reputation for their lack of discipline, drunkenness, for carrying out murderous atrocities and for burning Cork city center to the ground. They later wore burnt cork in their hats as a symbol.

* Skipper of ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'' [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins penguins]] (and in ''ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'') has some of these qualities. He is a lot more cultured than the rest of the commando penguins, generally courteous towards ladies, and also [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking pulls off the craziest stunts]].

Remember, what separates this character from the ProudWarriorRaceGuy or the WarriorPoet is not only the character’s devotion to honour, but to a set of "gentlemanly" principles, which include good manners and etiquette. Most representations of the officer and gentleman are most certainly LawfulGood or at least LawfulNeutral. If on the side of the antagonists, or the major antagonist himself, he will often be LawfulEvil, and is often portrayed as an AntiVillain. Satirical versions of this trope are often represented as being LawfulStupid.