Crowe's Gladiator sets movie hearts fluttering

Gladiator made Crowe a worldwide star

Russell Crowe's Roman general Maximus has been voted the sexiest film character of all time in a British magazine poll.

The top female choice in the survey, published by Empire magazine, was Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi, with fans influenced by scenes showing Carrie Fisher in a skimpy gold bikini top.

Just behind was Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman in Batman Returns, which sees her cavort in a rubber catsuit.

Second-placed man was Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones.

"Maximus is everything a woman could want"

Two characters from four decades ago are also fondly remembered by film-goers - Marilyn Monroe's Sugar Kane in 1959's Some Like It Hot is fifth, while Jane Fonda's strip in Barbarella was burnt into the minds of the 5,000 people who voted in the poll.

Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's was also popular.

One female reader said of Maximus: "He is everything a woman could want - strong, noble, intelligent, brave, loyal, devoted to his family and just about sexy enough to light any woman's fire."

Empire's top ten:

• 1. Russell Crowe as Maximus in Gladiator (2000)

• 2. Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi (1983)

• 3. Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman in Batman Returns (1992)

• 4. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones trilogy (1981-89)

• 5. Marilyn Monroe as Sugar Kane in Some Like It Hot (1959)

• 6. Jane Fonda as Barbarella in Barbarella (1967)

• 7. Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

• 8. Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

• 9. Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity in The Matrix (1999)

• 10. Rene Russo as Catherine Banning in The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)