The Monologue.

Dialogue in film isn’t always necessary. Bearing in mind it was extremely limited for the first 25 years of cinema’s existence and even today, there are so many ways to deliver moments, surprises, storylines and pathos. But so often, its the words spoken which can drive a story forward, can give a film its touch of “Art” and it’s the script which can deliver the knockout blow or a pertinent social commentary. Look at Tarantino’s wordiness, discourses on Madonna’s like a vigin or the intimacies of a foot massage. There are so many treasures in a Tarantino film... the script is just one of them.

But what about one persons speech. A grandstanding performance from an individual, or eminently quoteable lines from a short diatribe, the monologue gives actors the chance to shine and to hold the spotlight.

I looked through my list of films and drew out some of the great monologues that I found and wanted to give them context and my thoughts on them.

“Jaws” and the sinking of the Indianapolis. Possibly the most well known monologue in film. Robert Shaw tells the grim and painful story of impotence in the face of losing over 700 lives to natures most refined killing machine. The deep tones and claustrophobic surroundings just add to the delivery. It’s three and a half minutes which tells you so much about Quint and the fish they are hunting without any self reflection and not once do you forget that they too are on a floating vessel. The creaks of the boards and the gently swinging lamp overhead make sure of that.

Released in 1975, Shaw died just three years later  but over forty years after his demise, his speech lives on as one of cinemas greatest monologues. As good as it is though, for me it’s the last line that makes it for me..... the weariness in his voice, bordering on guilt, “Anyway. We delivered the bomb”.

“The Fugitive” Tommy Lee Jones kicks off the manhunt. .The man’s got charisma, that’s for sure and he sets the tone for the rest of the film in a punchy, frantic 30 second speech. Inspiring his troops like a manager in  stadium changing room, he tells them what they need to know and shows them he is not a man to be trifled with, he’s a man who knows what he is doing, what he wants and how he wants to get it. Harrison Ford may be the star of this 90’s actioner, but it’s Jones who gets the best lines. Little wonder he got an Oscar for this performance.

“Glengarry Glen Ross” Always Be Closing. It’s dramatic, it’s loud, it’s theatrical, but that could be because it started on the stage with David Mamet adapting his own play for the big screen. It’s in your face, boorish and personal. Alec Baldwin’s delivery makes you shift in your seat and feel as uncomfortable as those in the room with him, and it conjours up an instant dis-likeability for his character. But that doesn’t matter, because he doesn’t care. His arrogance oozes out in every word and in stark contrast to Tommy Lee Jones speech in the Fugitive, his threatening , vindictive narrative provokes the team into action rather than inspires.

“Reservoir Dogs”, Mr Orange. Tim Roth sallies forth with a long winded tale of one of those heart in the mouth moments which makes a man. Long winded it may be, but the way it is told, and cut, and edited makes it a masterclass in filmic storytelling... a story within a story and both of them delivered with spades. I sometimes wonder that Tarantino’s writing has never bettered Reservoir Dogs.........

“Silence of the Lambs” Lecter’s dressing down of Starling. Another Academy Award winning performance and another remarkable script delivering some unforgettable lines. Although this is not the most famous quote from the film, to me it is the most telling. He’s already inside Clarice’s mind and now quietly, viciously he provokes her. In inferior hands it would be the insults of the playground, but Lecter (and Hopkins) elevates it to deep psychological manipulation, one that Starling must harness lest it destroy her.

“Trainspotting”. Choose Life. A throbbing, thumping start to a film with Glaswegian cod philosophising. More of a sermon than a simple monologue, ultimately it was MacGregors punchy delivery that made it what it was, but once again, combining visuals, music, freeze frames and cross cutting made it great cinema.

There are many more, but those were my favourites, what are yours?

The Also Rans: “V for Vendetta”, “a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate” and the rest.........

“Seven”, “I'm setting the example. And what I've done is going to be puzzled over...and studied...and followed... forever.”