If his 31-year career has been littered with performances that have pole vaulted him to the top of the box office, Tom Cruise has also fought his fair share of battles.

Battles, in which he was pretty much always came out on top, with that unmistakeable megawatt grin and the kind of boundless energy his on-screen characters would envy.

As he turns 50, the actor is once again facing new challenges including a divorce - his third - from estranged wife Katie Holmes and a fight to secure his legacy as one of  Hollywood's most bankable stars.

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Since he burst onto the silver screen in the Eighties, Tom has flexed his muscles as a versatile actor and found love with leading ladies including Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz.

Classics such as Top Gun, Cocktail and Mission: Impossible bear his signature and, three decades on, their protagonist is still facing down detractors and just as in demand as ever.

In this special report, we look back at the movies that have defined a Hollywood icon.