A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Movie Monologues

The Monologue. Anyone who has seen more than one movie knows it when it comes. The story takes a pause, and a character or two launches into a speech that goes longer than one or two lines. The technique is used to express character thoughts, provide exposition, or to rally the story forward. It has roots in ancient Greek theatre, and has been in film for so long that is often parodied or even drawn attention to, with Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES (2005), famously poking fun at it. 

Despite being around for so long, the monologue still works as an effective way to push the story, and over the years we’ve had many iconic examples. War movies are a perfect home for the rallying speech, with George C. Scott’s opening speech in PATTON (1970) one of the best, along with one or two memorable ones from APOCALYPSE NOW (1979). Quentin Tarantino, one of the best dialogue writers of our generation, has penned many great ones, with some of his best coming via Samuel L. Jackson in PULP FICTION (1994), and with David Carradine’s superhero-breakdown in KILL BILL VOL. 2 (2004). Those superhero movies are also a good home to the monologue (as THE INCREDIBLES told us), with some standouts coming from SUPERMAN (1978), and THE DARK KNIGHT (2008). Al Pacino had a movie full of them in THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (1997), and the late great Robin Williams had a pair of greats from GOOD WILL HUNTING (1998), and DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989). The best monologues are the ones that are often quoted, stand out tall in the film, stand the test of time, and are essential to the film’s functionality. And that brings us to Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Movie Monologues. 

So let’s get…..

10. Mad as Hell

From NETWORK (1976)

This Blogger has always found NETWORK to be way too over-the-top, but there is no denying the cultural impact the film has had over the last 40 years. Peter Finch plays Howard Beale, a former news anchor whose firing leads him to on-air rants that his network looks to exploit. It’s a story of network-business ethics, and Beale’s iconic “I’m mad as hell” is a rallying cry for all the common folk to unite against a world going to heck. As relevant today as it was in 1976. 

9. There was an idea

From THE AVENGERS (2012)

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) rallies Earth’s mightiest heroes together after a crushing defeat in Joss Whedon’s genre-breaking super-team blockbuster. AVENGERS may have been a spectacle, but Whedon’s knack for dialogue shines in Fury’s speech which provides the motivation for bringing together extraordinary people; to fight the battles the rest of us never could. This became not only the root of all the following AVENGERS movies over the next decade, but ground-zero for all superhero films. 

8. Get busy living

From THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)

One would not expect a drama about a man going to prison for a crime he didn’t commit to have a rousing, inspirational impact…but Frank Darabont’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella does exactly that; with the exclamation point coming at the very end by way of Morgan Freeman. Freeman plays Red, an old convict finally out of prison and on his way to find his friend. His monologue, which closes the film, addresses hope and importance of capitalizing on second-chances at life. Freeman earned an Oscar nomination for this film and has since then become Hollywood’s favorite narrator…both well deserved. 

7. People will come

From FIELD OF DREAMS (1989)

The love we have for baseball is summed up beautifully in James Earl Jones’ speech near the end of one of the best baseball films ever made. Things are not looking good for Ray (Kevin Costner), and his family, as they are about to lose their farm and magical baseball field. But he is swayed to stay the course thanks to this poetic speech, which inspires hope and sums up American baseball, along with the power of nostalgia, in a nutshell. 

6. They may take our lives…

From BRAVEHEART (1995)

Mel Gibson’s rally-cry at the head of a battle has often been imitated, mocked, and parodied with and without love…and all that points towards a speech that has made an impact one way or another. Gibson directs, and stars as legendary Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace in this Best Picture winner, and his thunderous war-rally on horseback in front of starving and outnumbered fighters is enough to get anyone into battle. 

5. Men of the West

From THE LORD OF THE RINGS – THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)

Peter Jackson’s Oscar-sweeping adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary masterpieces may have taken a page out of Gibson’s BRAVEHEART with this scene and rally-speech, but that’s perfectly fine because this one really gets the job done in an emotional wallop. Viggo Mortensen plays Aragorn, destined to be the next King of Men…facing an incoming army of orcs that has him outnumbered. Fear strikes into the heart of his army and himself, but as any great leader is supposed to do…he delivers a speech that unites. What makes it even better is that the monologue is a summation of the journey Aragorn has taken through the films; from closed-off recluse to an inspiring King. 

4. In the name of God

From TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

Gregory Peck plays Atticus Finch, a defense attorney tasked with defending a black man in this adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic novel. Finch’s closing argument on the surface may seem like something right out of TV’S LAW AND ORDER, but underneath is a call for justice in the name of equal rights. Finch addresses God, American ideals, and the true duty of the jurors; to put aside prejudices and judge by the evidence. 

3. You can’t handle the truth!

From A FEW GOOD MEN (1992)

Jack Nicholson plays Col. Jessup; the commander of a base in Cuba who may have taken his ideas of defending his country a bit too far; ideas that lead to the death of a young Marine. While on the witness stand, Jessup explodes into this memorable rant on his perception of what it takes to defend a country, and when prodded by the defense (Tom Cruise) for the truth, the now famous line that has been quoted endlessly was born. Everyone knows where this line came from. 

2. The U.S.S. Indianapolis

From JAWS (1975)

Robert Shaw co-wrote and delivered this quiet, yet epic speech in Steven Spielberg’s all-time great, JAWS. Shaw, in the role of Quint, the Ahab-like shark-hunter, tells the story of his time aboard the doomed battleship Indianapolis during WWII, which ended with him and his crewmates in the ocean for days surrounded by sharks. The based-on-a-true-story serves several purposes; to give the necessary backstory and motivation for Quint’s obsession with destroying sharks, and to give the movie the necessary pause, or Just Before the Battle, Mother moment before the finale. Perfectly written, shot, and acted…this is a highlight of JAWS and part of the template for blockbuster films for the next 40 years. 

1. Let us all unite

From THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940)

The most astounding thing about this masterpiece of writing is that it was composed eighty years ago and it is even more relevant today. The legendary Charlie Chaplin, in his first full-sound movie, plays a Jewish man who is mistaken for his country’s dictator in a comedy at Hitler’s expense. It was a mockery of Hitler years before Pearl Harbor would even bring America into WWII, which right away put Chaplin ahead of his time. The stirring speech is a condemnation of dictators and a praise for democracy, and it is also a call to arms which would eventually serve as a rally-cry for America. When played today, it is remarkably relevant and hasn’t aged a day. Chaplin delivers this monologue with a passion that leaps off the screen. This is one for the ages. 

 REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST MOVIE MONOLOGUES 

1. Let us all unite - THE GREAT DICTATOR
2. U.S.S. Indianapolis - JAWS
3. You can't handle the truth - A FEW GOOD MEN
4. In the name of God - TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
5. Men of the West - THE RETURN OF THE KING
6. They may take our lives - BRAVEHEART
7. People will come - FIELD OF DREAMS
8. Get busy living - THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
9. There was an idea - THE AVENGERS
10. Mad as hell - NETWORK 

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Special thanks to Dom Errico, friend of the blog, for suggesting this topic!