In her less-than-enthusiastic review of Inglourious Basterds today, New York Times critic Manohla Dargis kind of brings the professional self-loathing or some such thing. Describing the film's fourth chapter, she notes that it throws in "a risible fiction: a suave film critic."
It's hard to know the extent to which she's kidding or not, given the genuine displeasure the notice seems steeped in. 
Still. Come on. One ought not overgeneralize on the geekiness and putative social unacceptability of the paid cinephile. I mean, look at Michel Ciment, at far right. Sure, the fact that he's French kind of makes him suave by definition, but the cat can rock the tweeds like nobody's business. 
And how can we forget Manohla's predecessor at the Times, Mr. Elvis Mitchell (that's his badness on the left), who is most aptly described as a suave mother...shut your mouth! Hey, I'm just talking about Elvis. And we can dig it. And while I myself am currently far too chunky to convincingly bring the suave, I believe I've had my moments. So: who are your own favorite cinephiles of suavitude?
How about Peter Bogdonavich or François Truffaut?
Posted by: Tony Dayoub | August 21, 2009 at 11:17 AM
That ascot means that Bogdonavich is trying way too hard.
Posted by: bill | August 21, 2009 at 11:33 AM
THIS man:
http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/winter2004/features/images/critic.jpg
is one, sexy, sexy, beast.
[which is a movie that he surprisingly liked]
Posted by: Matthias Galvin | August 21, 2009 at 11:35 AM
James Agee most definitely had his moments of suavity...
http://thisrecording.com/storage/James_Agee.jpg
Is anyone else intimidated by Elvis Mitchell's hair?
Posted by: Joseph "Jon" Lanthier | August 21, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Stanley Kauffmann.
Posted by: Michael Adams | August 21, 2009 at 01:03 PM
OFerg (http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/images/04/30/otis_ferguson.jpg) -> jazzuavity
Posted by: Adam K | August 21, 2009 at 01:13 PM
Francois Truffaut. Jean Luc Godard. The French invented "suave"...
Posted by: Christian | August 21, 2009 at 02:32 PM
Well, this might be discounted as a ringer, but I'd vote for Graham Greene.
He also gets bonus points for getting sued by Shirley Temple.
Posted by: swhitty | August 21, 2009 at 02:41 PM
J Hoberman has struck me as decidedly un-geeky on the few occasions I have seen him in the flesh. And while Kent Jones may not qualify as suave, he is certainly no geek either.
Posted by: Sal C. | August 21, 2009 at 02:57 PM
karina longworth
Posted by: jason | August 21, 2009 at 03:03 PM
What about the photographer of the critic on the right?... (And why is that version so blurry?...)
Posted by: Lieutenant Fakenham | August 21, 2009 at 03:16 PM
Kim Morgan. Aww hell yeah. Though I don't know if "suave" is quite the right word.
Posted by: Graig | August 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
No idea what his manners are like, but every picture I've seen of John Simon pretty much encapsulates suave (old-white-guys-from-New-York division). Complete with unspoken hints of one not to be fucked with, an essential component of suave since James at least.
Posted by: Bruce Reid | August 22, 2009 at 01:24 AM
Suave, hell. Molly Haskell is positively chic.
Posted by: The Siren | August 22, 2009 at 08:41 AM
Andre Bazin, who you kind of resemble in the photo, Glenn. (:
Posted by: Brian | August 22, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Is it just me or is Manohla's review kind of simplistic - she seems to be trotting out the old Paradise Lost / "The devil gets the best lines" complaint. I mean, yeah, the man Nazi is charismatic; how does that invalidate the film?
Posted by: Earthworm Jim | August 22, 2009 at 01:01 PM
All these invocations of suave-ass French critics leads me to ask the Random Question: whither smooth German film critics?
Posted by: DUH | August 22, 2009 at 01:51 PM
I think that even today Glenn evinces a certain Laird Cregar-esque suavity.
Posted by: jbryant | August 22, 2009 at 03:22 PM
I have to second the Elvis Mitchell selection, Glenn--as you may recall, he actually rises from his seat at a table when ladies excuse themselves to the powder room. In the 21st century, that pretty much constitutes varsity-level suavity.
Posted by: Claire K. | August 23, 2009 at 12:11 AM
Don't forget Stephanie Zacharek and Charles Taylor! I think a photo of the two of them is the first entry under suave in the dictionary.
Posted by: Emily Gordon | August 24, 2009 at 02:26 PM