The 20 most memorable movie monologues of all time
By: Acacia Deadrick (Yardbarker)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The 20 most memorable movie monologues of all time
Good dialogue is good, but a good monologue is better. These 20 monologues are the most iconic in movie history.
The Weinstein Company
1 of 20
Liam Neeson, 'Taken'
EuropaCorp
Plenty of audience members can remember exactly where they were the first time Liam Neeson delivered his iconic Taken monologue. Neeson himself has said he found it a bit cheesy upon first read, but his delivery turned it into a phenomenon.
2 of 20
Whoopi Goldberg, 'The Color Purple'
Amblin Entertainment
Celie had plenty of rage and frustration over her circumstances in The Color Purple . That was clear when reading the book. And Whoopi Goldberg brought those emotions and more to life so powerfully in her performance in the screen adaptation.
3 of 20
America Ferrera, 'Barbie'
Warner Bros. Pictures
America Ferrera emboldened women everywhere with her monologue in Barbie . Her character's rousing speech summed up what life is like for every modern woman, and she earned her first Oscar nomination in the process.
4 of 20
Meryl Streep, 'The Devil Wears Prada'
Fox 2000 Pictures
Name a more iconic speech about the color cerulean than Meryl Streep's in The Devil Wears Prada . Streep as Miranda Priestly fundamentally dismantled Anne Hathaway's character's perspective and gave all audiences an important glimpse into the fashion industry in the process.
5 of 20
Sally Field, 'Steel Magnolias'
Tri-Star Pictures
No amount of credit Sally Field gets will ever be enough. Her monologue after her character buries her daughter in Steel Magnolias is chilling, beautifully and tragically describing the pain of unimaginable grief.
6 of 20
Sean Astin, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'
New Line Cinema
Everybody needs someone in their life like Sean Astin's Sam from The Lord of the Rings . In The Two Towers , Astin masterfully delivers a speech about getting through difficult times. It's worth a listen anytime you're struggling.
7 of 20
Julia Stiles, '10 Things I Hate About You'
Touchstone Pictures
William Shakespeare has a writing credit on 10 Things I Hate About You , but not even the expert playwright could've penned the poem Julia Stiles recites at the end of the movie. Stiles still gets asked to recite the poem.
8 of 20
Ke Huy Quan, 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'
A24
Ke Huy Quan is such a good actor, and his monologue as Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once is beautiful and poignant. He reminds all listeners about the importance of kindness, "especially when we don't know what's going on."
9 of 20
Florence Pugh, 'Little Women'
Columbia Pictures
Florence Pugh as Amy March in Little Women delivered a monologue not unlike America Ferrera in Barbie (which isn't too surprising considering the scripts were both written by the talented Greta Gerwig). Amy's particular issues, thankfully, aren't quite as relevant for women today as they were when Louisa May Alcott was alive, but the sentiment remains.
10 of 20
Jeff Bridges, 'The Big Lebowski'
Working Title Films
Jeff Bridges would've been iconic in The Big Lebowski even if he hadn't uttered a word. He's just got great screen presence. Thankfully, though, he did speak, and one of the film's most memorable scenes is Bridges' monologue about why he prefers to be called "The Dude."
11 of 20
Rosamund Pike, 'Gone Girl'
20th Century Fox
Women have plenty to be mad about, and a lot of that rage seems to come out through movie monologues. Rosamund Pike delivered one for the ages: "Cool Girl" in Gone Girl .
12 of 20
Robin Williams, 'Good Will Hunting'
Miramax Films
It's objectively crazy that Good Will Hunting was the first movie that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon ever wrote. Those two absolutely nailed it, and they gave Robin Williams a compelling monologue that he expertly delivered on a charming park bench.
13 of 20
Taraji P. Henson, 'Hidden Figures'
Fox 2000 Pictures
Taraji P. Henson might not ever deliver a better performance than she did when she gave her iconic monologue in Hidden Figures . It's possible that no person will ever be able to top that.
14 of 20
Christoph Waltz, 'Inglourious Basterds'
The Weinstein Company
It's not often that we see a stirring monologue at the beginning of a movie, but it's not often that Christoph Waltz and Quentin Tarantino team up for a film like Inglourious Basterds . Everything Waltz's character said was disgusting, perfectly introducing the villain.
15 of 20
Kristen Wiig, 'Bridesmaids'
Apatow Productions
Kristen Wiig gave a few iconic monologues in Bridesmaids ,a movie that she co-wrote, but her best came when her character delivered an absolutely hilarious speech to her friend at her engagement party. Others tried to interrupt, but nothing could stop Annie.
16 of 20
Morgan Freeman, 'The Shawshank Redemption'
Castle Rock Entertainment
Morgan Freeman's performance in The Shawshank Redemption is one of the best movie performances of all time. His monologue about whether he feels rehabilitated is moving and convicting, and Freeman's equally iconic voice makes it even better.
17 of 20
Samuel L. Jackson, 'Pulp Fiction'
Miramax Films
Samuel L. Jackson should recite biblical passages in more movies. His Ezekiel 25:17 monologue is epic and memorable, just like his performance in Pulp Fiction and his career as a whole.
18 of 20
Julia Roberts, 'Erin Brokovich'
Universal Pictures
If only Julia Roberts as Erin Brokovich were able to represent clients in real life. Her monologue in the eponymous film is evidence enough that she'd be successful in the courtroom.
19 of 20
Michael Stuhlbarg, 'Call Me By Your Name'
Sony Pictures Classics
Part of the reason Timothee Chalamet is such a good actor is that, from a very young age, he's worked with some of the best actors in the business. One such actor was Michael Stuhlbarg, who delivered a spectacular monologue in Call Me By Your Name .
20 of 20
Gregory Peck, 'To Kill a Mockingbird'
Brentwood Productions
Actors have been delivering great monologues for decades. Gregory Peck gave an unforgettable monologue in To Kill a Mockingbird . Atticus Finch's closing argument was perfectly done. Even more impressive was that he memorized all those lines.
Acacia Deadrick (Author)
Acacia Deadrick is a South Dakota-based writer who has written for sites such as Nicki Swift, The List, and Glam. She loves music and all things pop culture, and she can be found watching TV, completing a crossword puzzle, or reading in her spare time.
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IMO there are 3 things wrong with this article. The first is that the images in most cases have little to do with the speech that is referred to, the second being that there should have been an initial few words at least of the referred to monologue in order to be sure about what monologue is being referred to, and the most important was the omission of James Earl Jones' speech about baseball in Field of Dreams:
I bet that those who think about it will come up with a lot more such iconic monologues. Besides the Terrence Mann one, I think Emile Zola's trial speech in The Life of Emile Zola would qualify.
Your 2nd point is well taken
Good list, but its unforgiveable that George C Scotts speech at the beginning of Patton isnt here.
Its taken from Shakespeare , but Kenneth Brannagh's speech as King Henry, in Henry V , to his troops before the battle of Agincourt might be the best of all.
... This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
The St. Crispin's Day speech from Henry V - The Poetry Society
I liked the version of this that was in the Danny DeVito movie the Renaissance man . Where the young soldier was called up during a field exercise by a drill Sgt in the pouring rain and asked what he was learning about Shakespeare , and he quoted this from Henry the V. great monologue .
Surely one of the greatest and most famed Shakespearian monologue of all is Hamlet's "To be or not to be" speech.