From The Dead Poets Society(1989) to The Birdcage (1996), Williams has played a number of characters who inspired, berated, and joked - and he was a known improviser who would ad lib and add his own personal charm. Over the course of his career, Robin Williams has performed a number of incredible monologues. He is prepared to die for his friends, his kingdom, and his mission. It is hard to imagine the skeptical and closed off Strider uttering these words, but Aragorn has embraced his destiny and role as king. A hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day!" " A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. Aragorn has grown over the course of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and this speech does not only look to the ensuing battle, but also at the journey that has led him to this point. Perhaps the best example of this "genre" of monologue is Aragorn (played by Viggo Mortensen) during the final battle of The Return of the King (2003) at the Gates of Mordor. Crispin's Day" speech in Henry V (performed hundreds of years later on screen by Laurence Olivier in 1944 and by Kenneth Branagh in 1989) to The Mighty Ducks (1992), monologues can be used by leaders to inspire. Some monologues are meant to rally people together, from teammates on a sports team to men about to go to war. Her delivery and performance - coupled with long, wide takes that are reminiscent of a stage play - create the portrait of a dynamic and memorable villain. But then, she reveals that she did not know that her own son would be the agent, and that after he completes his mission, she will exact her revenge. Iselin instructs her son in a detailed monologue of his mission: "You are to shoot the presidential nominee through the head." Lansbury's character is cold, articulate, demanding - devoid of any maternal qualities. Iselin is the mother of Staff Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) Shaw has been brainwashed to obey Communist orders, and his mother is his handler. Eleanor Iselin, in The Manchurian Candidate (1962). However, one of Lansbury's most famous and acclaimed portrayals is that of Mrs. 19 Angela Lansbury in The Manchurian Candidateĭame Angela Lansbury is perhaps best known for her roles in musicals ( Mame), mysteries ( Murder, She Wrote), and animated films ( Beauty and the Beast). The speech captures the complexities of both Morpheous and the Matrix, and it signals a turning point for the film. As he tells Neo the truth, relating Neo's journey to Alice going down the rabbit hole, he manages to capture complex emotions: amusement at Neo's skepticism, awareness of the absurdity, and yet, a grounded, clear, and determined stance that has come from years of staring into the harsh abyss of reality. The monologue helps to showcase Fishburne's immense vocal control. Of course, Neo chooses the "red" pill, which allows him to see the truth and escape the Matrix.
#Picture this movie monologues free#
Morpheous reveals that Neo is a slave trapped in a prison, who has been made to believe that he's free even while he is trapped in a machine.
In his famous monologue from The Matrix(1999), Morpheous offers Neo a choice between two pills - and Laurence Fishburne opens up the world of the Matrix to the viewers of the Wachowski sisters' groundbreaking film.
Here are the 20 Greatest Monologues in Movie History: 20 Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix While this list only includes films, there is also a companion list that examines the greatest monologues in television, which can be found here. This includes Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men (1992), and Peter Finch in Network (1976). The list takes into consideration the writing and performance of each monologue, but it also considers factors like cultural relevance and the larger effect that the monologue itself had on the film or within popular culture.Īdditionally, movie "rants", which are a form of monologue, have their own list which can be viewed here.
This means that classic and celebrated monologues appear alongside monologues of equal merit, although perhaps less recognition. The list may have a numeric ranking, but it is also important to acknowledge how varied and exceptional each of these monologues is. While there are numerous other monologues that could have easily also been featured on this list, special attention was given holistically so that the monologues here are representative of a wide array of movies, actors, directors, writers, and genres. All of the monologues featured are in English. The monologues that appear on this list are a collection of strong and memorable performances across American film.