powerful speech in movies

The 30 Best Movie Inspirational Speeches

Cinema's most stirring oratories and spirit-raising team talks.

In times of trouble, you need a little help getting up and going, and film can often provide just that. Cinema has a long and storied history of providing great words of motivation and encouragement, sometimes for the characters' own benefit and occasionally to the audience. Here, we've chosen 30 of the best that should fit almost any occasion - but if you're really pressed for time, here are 40 condensed into a two-minute span { =nofollow}. If you have a little longer, read on!

Also: The 25 Best Movie Bollockings

The Great Dictator

Made at a time when the shadow of World War II was looming over Europe, Charlie Chaplin’s speech here – he’s playing a poor Jewish barber in disguise as a preening dictator and forced to address a Nuremberg-style rally – is a heartfelt plea for sanity and compassion in a time of madness. It’s the perfect antidote to extremism, and uses fiery rhetoric for good. If only we’d be able to pull this switcheroo in real life.

Buy The Great Dictator

Independence Day

Sure, there are cheesemongers with less cheese on offer than you see here and OK, the American jingoism doesn’t work at all for those of us not of a Yank disposition. But Bill Pullman’s slightly sheepish style blends here with steely determination, and he delivers the American St Crispin’s Day speech with conviction. Then, like any US President, he leaps into his fighter jet and flies off to battle aliens.

Buy Independence Day

For those who prefer a little humour in their motivational speeches, try the pitch-black streak in this opener, establishing Russell Crowe’s Maximus Decimus Meridius as a leader of men and a helluva guy. Galloping around the Legions in his cool armour and fur-lined cloak, you might question whether he really needs an entire army to back him up, but you’ll never doubt for a moment that they’d choose to follow him as he unleashes hell.

Buy Gladiator

Any Given Sunday

There’s a lot to be said for a little personal touch to leaven your high-flung rhetoric, and it’s a trick that Al Pacino uses well here, in the first of three American football speeches we’re going to include (hey, we can’t help it if the heavily-padded sport produces some great pep talks). Pacino’s troubled Tony D’Amato unveils his own problems with brutal honesty before using his own failures as a spur to rev on his team to greatness, speaking of team spirit and commitment as someone who has been known to suck at both.

Buy Any Given Sunday

Friday Night Lights

The film has been somewhat overshadowed nowadays by the equally good TV show that followed it, but watch Billy Bob Thornton here and be reminded that Kyle Chandler isn’t the only fundamentally decent man who can inspire a team of small-town boys to great efforts in pursuit of perfection. It’s also worth noting that he puts his emphasis here on excelling and not winning, making it clear that victory isn’t only measured by the scoreboard. Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Buy Friday Night Lights

It is, and will probably always be, the greatest inspirational speech ever made. It’s endlessly flexible, and works even when not declaimed by the classically trained (see this Renaissance Man version for proof). And it’s by Shakespeare, still the best writer in Hollywood. We have, controversially perhaps, chosen Branagh’s version over Olivier’s because the latter sounds a little shrill to the modern ear, while Branagh convinces us that he could convince his men. This speech, given by the titular monarch to a vastly outnumbered force about to fight the French, obviously works especially well for English people, but by God, Harry and St George, it’s universal in its rousing effect.

Buy Henry V

This is a little-known film in the UK but it’s revered in certain communities in the US. Sean Astin’s Rudy has overcome dyslexia, poor grades and his relatively small stature to win a place on Notre Dame’s famous Fighting Irish American football team. Only problem is that he’s never been off the bench, and with his final game approaching he threatens to quit the team if he isn’t allowed to play – prompting this inspirational speech / telling off from a friend who points out that he’s being whiny and entitled and needs to grow a pair. Soon he’s back on the bench and given a starting position when his entire team threatens not to play unless he’s given a shot.

An honourable mention for Hector’s pep talk but Achilles wins the battle of the inspirational speeches just as he wins their duel (c’mon, that’s not a spoiler; it’s in the 2000 year-old Iliad). This is a short snippet, but then godlike Achilles, the man-killer, is a man of action rather than words. And what he does say – focusing on lions, glory and the manifold abilities of his small, hand-picked group of Myrmidons – would convince a rock to fight any Trojan who dared oppose it.

Animal House

Not every inspirational speech is about trying to inspire his cohorts to kill people or batter them up and down the length of a football field. Some aspire to a higher goal. Some aspire to debauchery, drinking and probably nudity. Some aspire to party like 1999 might have done had it tried harder. Some aspire to a particular kind of grubby, deranged greatness. One such is John Belushi’s Bluto, and this is the greatest night of his life.

Buy Animal House

The Goonies

Come the hour, cometh the man – and in this case the man is a small, asthmatic Sean Astin, inspiring his fellow Goonies to never say die and to keep going in their quest to find treasure and save their community. In his yellow rain slicker and with his voice on the edge of breaking he may not look like a modern Napoleon, but he has the same effect on his exhausted and discouraged troopers. He’s so good you’ll almost forget to laugh at his mentions of One-Eyed Willy. snigger

Buy The Goonies

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

Death comes to us all, and Aragorn ain’t going to lie about it. But he still gees up his troops with the assurance that their civilisation will survive the onslaught of the forces of Mordor. Sure, they’re vastly outnumbered and sure, it seems likely that Frodo has failed in his quest to destroy the Ring in Mount Doom (especially if you’re watching the Extended Edition) but Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn ensures that no one will be quitting any time soon. Not this day!

Buy The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

Bill Murray isn’t usually the guy you turn to for sincere, inspiring words of comfort. He’s more the type to puncture any attempt at same, and probably to fast-talk his opponents into giving up and going for a karaoke session while he’s about it. But after his heart grows two sizes during the course of Scrooged, he makes a plea for kindness and niceness from all mankind. He still does it in a recognisably Murray, manic and scattershot way, but that just makes him all the more compelling. Someone hire this man to play Santa Claus.

Buy Scrooged

Stirring sports speeches are limited to American Football. Miracle On Ice chronicles the based-on-truth tale of how the US Olympic hockey team triumphed over their Russian rivals. Kurt Russell's the speech-giver here, playing coach Herb Brooks. "Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world," he tells them. You'll feel a swell of pride and inspiration too.

Rent Miracle

Deep Blue Sea

“You think water’s fast? You should see ice.” Samuel L. Jackson’s been around the block more than once, and he’s seen the worst of mankind. It’s with the weight of that history behind him that he takes charge and orders his fellow survivors of a marine disaster to start pulling together and quit arguing. His speech also has what is, unquestionably, the greatest punchline on this list. Still, it achieves the desired effect once everyone has quit screaming.

Buy Deep Blue Sea

If in doubt, steal from classical history, something that David Wenham’s Dilios demonstrates with aplomb here. In actual history, the one survivor of the 300 was so shamed by his survival that he executed a suicidal one-man attack on the Persians at this Battle of Plataea, but Wenham seems more in control and also like he has quite a bit of back-up. “The enemy outnumber us a paltry three-to-one,” notes Dilios triumphantly. Why, it was hardly worth the Persians turning up.

Good Will Hunting

Here’s an inspirational speech well-suited to highly-paid sports teams and the enormously talented. Ben Affleck’s argument is, basically, that if you’re lucky enough to get extraordinary chances in your life, it’s your duty to the rest of us schmoes to actually take those chances and run with them as far as you can. If you can get past the shellsuit and the hair, he’s basically Yoda-like in his wisdom.

Buy Good Will Hunting

Most people only remember the last word – “Freedom!” – but the rest of the speech is pretty killer too. Mel Gibson’s William Wallace starts off by puncturing his own legend, and acknowledges the urge to cut and run in the face of a far superior English force. But then he reminds his men what they’d be missing if they do, and soon they’re all back on side and facing down the hated English. By the end of this speech, you’ll all hate the English with them – even if you are one.

Buy Braveheart

Coach Carter

You’d expect the inspiration in this basketball film to come from the titular no-nonsense coach, played by a fiery Samuel L. Jackson. But in fact it’s one of his players who nabs the best lines, as he and the team sit studying to keep their grades as high as their scores. There is a little cheating here: Rick Gonzalez’ Timo actually steals his inspirational speech from Marianne Williamson (it’s sometimes wrongly attributed to Nelson Mandela) but he delivers it well so we’re going to allow it.

Buy Coach Carter

While it’s his skills in the ring that he is most lauded for, Rocky Balboa is something of a poet to boot. An incoherent one, certainly; a poet who says “I guess” a lot more often than Wordsworth might like, but a poet nevertheless. His moving words here, as he single-handedly ends the Cold War and ushers in a new era of East-West relations, are just one example. Another is…

Buy Rocky IV

Rocky Balboa

If his last speech was incoherent – in fairness, his rhythm may have been thrown off by the translator – this one verges on incomprehensible when he really gets going. Still, there’s real passion in Rocky’s plea for one last shot and an argument that’s applicable to all sorts of situations of institutional injustice or unfeeling bureaucracy.

Buy Rocky Balboa

Stand And Deliver

Those who've watched him on the modern Battlestar Galactica know that Edward James Olmos is a past master at giving speeches. This is him from a little earlier in his career, playing Jaime Escalante, a real-life teacher who inspired his students to stop dropping out and start taking calculus seriously. Here, he's handing out as pop quiz, so anyone having to home school their kids can take note.

Rent Stand And Deliver

Good Night, And Good Luck

This one is couched particularly at media moguls, but there’s a call for excellence and the highest moral standards here that we would all do well to live by. David Strathairn’s Edward R. Murrow, in a speech lifted directly from Murrow’s actual address to the Radio and Television News Directors Association in 1958, pleads for TV to inform as well as entertain. We feel that if more people saw this speech, Made In Chelsea would be cancelled immediately and reality TV would be banned, so spread the word!

Buy Good Night, And Good Luck

Anyone who has ever flirted with a romantic interest knows the risk of being knocked back, and Jon Favreau's Mike is experiencing a crisis of confidence. Luckily for him, he has Vince Vaughn's Trent to talk him back into the game, and Alex Désert's Charles to remind him that he's so money. He's a bear! And she's a bunny! Everything is going to be fine.

Buy Swingers

Charles Dutton’s second appearance on this list, after Rudy, sees him once again reminding lesser men (and women) to get with the programme, pull the finger out and generally stand up and be counted. But this time they’re facing unstoppable acid-blooded xenomorphs rather than American football players, so he has to be extra-emphatic.

Buy Alien 3

Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End

Remarkably few women get to deliver inspirational speeches in movies – apparently they’re relegated to clapping admiringly from the sidelines. Thank goodness for Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightley) who is elected King of the Pirates and rouses her troops into action for a last-ditch fight against the Lord Beckett’s overwhelming forces, led by the Flying Dutchman. She may not have quite the lungs of others on the list, but there’s no doubting her conviction as she calls for them to “Hoist the colours!” – the Jolly Roger – and sail out one last time.

Buy Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End

The Replacements

One doesn’t expect lengthy speeches from Keanu “Woah” Reeves (although he’s done his share of Shakespeare actually) but he’s rarely more succinct and to the point than in this chat with his fellow Replacements. And in fact there are few speeches more likely to be effective in motivating an exhausted team for one last effort. “Chicks dig scars” could be used by virtually every example here to drive on the listeners.

Buy The Replacements

Bill Murray at it again, and once more an unconventional speech. This time out, he's John Winger, a loser who decides that he and best pal Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis) will join the Army. Stuck with a group of oddballs, and, after a night of partying, decides to rally his fellow troops. It works... Sort of. But Murray's typically laconic style works well for the speech itself.

Rent or buy Stripes

The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King

All seems lost for Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin again) and Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as they lie, exhausted, on the slopes of Mount Doom. Frodo’s beyond endurance and raving as the influence of the Ring grows ever stronger on him, and his desperate straits drive Sam to one last push. It’s barely a speech, really – he uses his words better here – but there are few moments more inspirational.

Buy The Lord Of The Rings: Return of The King

The Shawshank Redemption

A quiet moment between Tim Robbins' Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman's Red became one of the more memorable moments in Shawshank , a movie with no shortage of them. And for those who are spending more time inside than perhaps they might be used to, Andy's musing on what he would do if he got out of prison are inspirational in themselves, even before he gets to that iconic line.

Rent The Shawshank Redemption

Avengers: Endgame

Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, is not shy of breaking out speech mode when the moment calls for it. And inspiring the Avengers as they're about to embark on a trip through space and time to retrieve the Infinity Stones certainly seems like that moment. "Whatever it takes," indeed.

Rent Avengers: Endgame

32 Most Inspiring Speeches In Film History

There's nothing better to fire you up than an inspiring speech.

A lot of great speeches come from sports movies, but that's not the only genre that can make us want to run through walls. Some speeches are so good it has us rooting for the bad guys. Most are by the good guys though, and we'll follow those good guys anywhere. Here is our list of the most inspiring speeches in film history.

Independence Day - President Witmore

President Thomas J. Whitmore's ( Bill Pullman ) speech in Independence Day has become one of the most iconic film moments of the last 50 years. While the movie can be polarizing, some people can't get enough of it, others hope to never see it again. Still, it's hard to find anyone who truly hates the speech and that moment in the film. If you ever find yourself fighting against annihilation by a bunch of E.T.s, this is the speech for you.

Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin in The Hunt for Red October

The Hunt For Red October - Captain Ramius

If you thought you could never get fired up about the Soviet Union picking a fight on the United States during the Cold War, check it out. When Captain Marko Ramius ( Sean Connery ) tells his crew that the salad days of the Cold War are not behind them, and the United States will "tremble again - at the sound of our silence," it makes you want to stand up and fight for communism. At least for a brief moment.

Any Given Sunday (Coach D'Amato)

It's used at almost every professional football game in America, almost every Sunday, because in Any Given Sunday , Coach D'Amato implores his team and the rest of us to claw for every inch we can. It might not be Pacino's most award-winning role, but that scene... that scene is some of his finest and most enduring work.

Gladiator (Maximus)

"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius." If those words don't immediately fire you up, it's time to check for a pulse. Audiences spend most of Gladiator waiting for Maximus ( Russell Crowe ) to finally get his revenge on that conniving Commodus ( Joaquin Phoenix ) and finally we get it. Maximus will have his vengeance, in this life or the next.

Billy Bob Thornton in Friday Night Lights

Friday Night Lights (Coach Gaines)

In Friday Night Lights , Coach Gaines ( Billy Bob Thornton ) tells us how to be perfect. It has nothing to do with the final score, or winning. It's about how we treat each other and ourselves. It's about telling the truth and not letting anyone down. Live in the moment, "with joy in your heart." That's what makes us perfect. The swelling music by Explosions in the Sky only adds to the drama of the moment.

While he doesn't say "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose," (that comes from the TV show), he does mention his clear eyes and his full heart and afterward, none of us lose.

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Henry V (Henry V)

It's not just one of the most inspiring speeches in film history, it's one of the most famous speeches in human history. When William Shakespeare wrote the words to the famous St. Crispin's Day Speech in Henry V , he could not have known that it would be used for centuries afterward to inspire men. For we few, we lucky few, we can watch the speech brilliantly delivered by Kenneth Branagh in one of his finest roles , in his film version from 1989.

John Belushi in National Lampoon's Animal House

Animal House (Bluto)

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Of course it wasn't! Bluto (John Belushi) does a lot to inspire the brothers of the Delta house in Animal House but nothing more so than his speech after "Wormer dropped the big one" and suspended the fraternity. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, the men of Delta are inspired to have the best time of their lives, and Wormer? He's a dead man! Marmalard? Dead! Niedermeyer...

Gone With The Wind (Scarlett O'Hara)

Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) is not the most sympathetic movie character of all time. In fact, she ranks close to the bottom in that category, but you can't deny the power of her speech just before the end of the first part of the movie. Her family's plantation, Tara, is in shambles, her mother is dead, and her father has lost his mind. When all hope is lost, she promises herself she will fix it, and she will "never be hungry again."

Barbie (Gloria)

It's truly a show-stopping moment in Barbie when Gloria ( America Ferrera ) lays out what it's like to be a woman in today's world. The entire essence of the movie's message is summed up in that brilliant speech. It makes everyone want to jump up on their feet and applaud. It's a moment that will forever live in cinema history.

Robin Williams as Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting screenshot

Good Will Hunting (Sean Maguire)

It's not just the words that matter. It takes a special actor to deliver a speech like Sean Maguire's in Good Will Hunting . Thankfully there was the great Robin Williams. In a speech that is meant to devastate and inspire Will (Matt Damon), Williams tells him everything he is doing wrong but manages to show him how he can fix it, and open up an entirely new world for himself. It's cutting and loving. And brilliant. "Your move, chief."

Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King (Aragorn)

Like so many other battle scenes in movies, Aragorn's (Viggo Mortensen) speech at the Black Gates in Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King has us willing to fight to the death with our fellow soldiers. There is nothing like a leader riding back and forth on horse inspiring his troops.

Braveheart (William Wallace)

Always remember, that no matter how badly you are treated by a tyrannical English king, he can never take your freedom! William Wallace (Mel Gibson) brilliantly reminds us of that in Braveheart . While it's easy to mock the poor history telling in the movie (and we argue if it was really one of the best movies of 1995 ), you can never say that the speech Wallace gives before the biggest battle in the movie won't have you ready to take on the entire British Empire.

Keira Knightly in Pirates of the Caribbean : At World's End

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Elizabeth)

Speeches made by leaders to inspire men in battle aren't unique in movies. What makes the speech unique in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is that the speech is made by a woman. Elizabeth's (Keira Knightly) speech isn't a lot different than a lot of its ilk, but it's more inspiring to hear it from a woman because we've never heard that before. So hoist the colors!

Stripes (John Winger)

John Winger (Bill Murray) is the biggest misfit in a platoon filled with them in Stripes . He's the least likely to inspire the rest with a razzle-dazzle speech firing them up, yet that's exactly what he does before their graduation from boot camp. Bill Murray has some of the best lines in movie history, and this speech is near the top of them.

Miracle (Herb Brooks)

"Great moments are born from great opportunity." That is something we can all stand to remember. In Miracle , Herb Brooks inspires his rag-tag team of college kids to defeat maybe the greatest hockey team ever assembled in the Soviet National Team at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The movie is based on a true story and while it's impossible to know exactly with the real Brooks said, if it was anywhere close to what Russell delivers, it's no surprise we all believe in miracles today.

Rocky IV (Rocky Balboa)

The Cold War inspired a lot of movies, even sports movies like Rocky IV . Early in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) wasn't a man of many words, but at the end of Rocky IV , he finds some of the most inspiring words of the whole series, imploring all of us to get along, despite our differences.

Swingers (Trent)

What's a good friend if not someone to pep you up when you're feeling low? That's exactly who Trent (Vince Vaughn) is to Mike (Jon Favreau) in Swingers . Not only does he take him to Vegas for a night of fun, on the way home, after the trip doesn't pep Mike up as much as it should, Trent explains exactly why Mike is so money, and he doesn't even know it.

Peter Finch stands in the newsroom, looking mad as hell, in Network.

Network (Howard Beale)

It's scary just how much a movie like Network , released almost 50 years ago is still so relevant. We don't need Howard Beale (Peter Finch) to tell us just how bad things are, we just need to him to inspire us to go to the window, open the window and yell to the world that we're not going to take it anymore!

The Goonies (Mikey)

"The Goonies never say die!" When all seems lost in the Goonies quest to rescue their neighborhood from developers, Mikey (Sean Astin) reminds them all exactly how far they've come in the quest for One-Eyed Willie's gold. We don't get a lot of inspirational speeches from kids, but when we do, we love them.

Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz in Clueless, classroom monologue

Clueless (Cher)

When Cher (Alicia Silverstone) compares her garden party to a refugee crisis, your inclination is to think she's an airhead. But like so many before and after her, there is kind of a subtle brilliance to her thought process. She takes what she knows and uses that to find the emotion we should all feel for her side of the argument.

Sean Penn stands smiling in a doorway in Milk.

Milk (Harvey Milk)

Milk , based on the true story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), is inspiring in and of itself, but Milk's speech on the steps of San Fransisco City Hall at the Gay Pride Rally is a masterpiece.

Troy (Achilles)

In another classic example of a military leader inspiring his troops, Achilles' (Brad Pitt) speech reminding his men that they are lions, is enough to get anyone to storm the beaches of Troy. There's a reason the story has been told for thousands of years.

Norma Rae (Norma Rae)

The best thing about Norma Rae's (Sally Field, in one of her best roles ) speech in Norma Rae is that the most important word isn't spoken at all. She simply holds up a sign that says "Union" in the middle of her sweatshop. That's all she needs to "say" to get everyone in the textile mill to agree. It's brilliant.

We Are Marshall (Jack Lengyel)

We Are Marshall tells the tragic and heroic story of the 1971 Marshall University football team. At the end of the 1970 season, a plane carrying most of the team and its coaches crashed in North Carolina. Before the start of the next season, the new coach, Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) makes a speech at a memorial for some of the lost players and what he says about never forgetting the past but looking to the future will bring a tear to anyone's eyes.

Legally Blonde (Elle Woods)

More than 20 years after the first Legally Blonde movie was released Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) continues to inspire us. With an address like the one she makes at the end of the movie, as she's graduating, it's easy to see why. "You must always have faith in people. And most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself."

Avengers: Endgame (Captain America)

In a room full of superheroes, leave it to Captain America to make the hype speech. In Avengers: Endgame , that's exactly when Cap (Chris Evans) psyches the cadre up for their mission to reverse the Snap. "Whatever it takes."

Hoosiers (Norman Dale)

When tiny Hickman High School makes it to the Indiana State Basketball Finals, they are facing a huge school, in a huge arena. Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) takes only a minute or so to lay out what will make them successful, and a minute is all he needs. It's why Hoosiers one of the best sports movies ever made.

Rudy (Rudy)

The speech in Rudy is a little different. Rudy really has no audience, save for one person, but that doesn't stop him from delivering a first-rate speech that any Notre Dame alum gets goosebumps when they hear it, including the parts he lifted from the great Knute Rockne.

Juno (Mac MacGuff)

When Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) is wondering what her future holds, her father Mac MacGuff (J.K. Simmons) explains simply and succinctly, "The best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are." We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

Stand And Deliver (Jaime Escalante)

Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) is a no-nonsense math teacher who is determined to get the most from his students. He decides he needs to raise the level of expectations inside and outside of the classroom and he starts by breaking down when he is going to be so hard on his students, to get the most out of them. All they need is ganas – motivation.

Rocky Balboa (Rocky)

Leave it to Rocky to make a speech in 2006's Rocky Balboa meant to inspire his son to inspire all of us together. It's pure Rocky, leave it all out, don't accept things you don't like, and never make excuses, no matter how hard it is. And it seems like this was advice he took to heart when it became a struggle to make the film .

300 (Dilios)

Dilios (David Wenham) fires up the Spartans like no other person could. It's truly one of the great hype speeches in film history. It's exactly what you would expect from a civilization of warriors. Whether it really happened or not is irrelevant. The message is the same, "Remember us."

From sports to war, love to education, and beyond, a great speech raises goosebumps like nothing else in film can. These examples are some of the best speeches we've used to inspire us.

Hugh Scott is the Syndication Editor for CinemaBlend. Before CinemaBlend, he was the managing editor for Suggest.com and Gossipcop.com, covering celebrity news and debunking false gossip. He has been in the publishing industry for almost two decades, covering pop culture – movies and TV shows, especially – with a keen interest and love for Gen X culture, the older influences on it, and what it has since inspired. He graduated from Boston University with a degree in Political Science but cured himself of the desire to be a politician almost immediately after graduation.

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15 Best Movie Speeches of All Time

Dialogues and speeches are the string, which binds the beads of a good cinema. Acting, cinematography, production they can all fall apart if the writing sucks. There are so many movies with great stories who aren’t impactful, because of lame dialogues. On the other hand, people remember even mediocre movies because of a powerful speech. These speeches are so inspirational that they make the listener believe that anything’s possible. The sheer power of words is strong enough to move mountains. In these speeches, the speaker enthralls the audience with his wisdom and experience and motivates them to carry out the impossible in life. We, at the Cinemaholic, made a list of top movie speeches ever that will inspire you. Be ready to get motivated!

15. Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) – “Hoist The Colours”

Consider this. A fleet of pirate ship have been surrounded by the elite force of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy. The pirates are broken, without any command and their faith lies in their pirate queen Elizabeth who probably due to a turn of fate, became their leader. Tricked into a cornered position, by a cunning lord Beckett, she is left with no choice but retaliate with whatever she has. And she choses this moment to rise to the occasion. She thunders at her fellow pirates, asking them to fight like free men and not surrender meekly like cowards. And it resonates with pirates, irrespective of their clans and they roar as every version of Jolly Roger starts flying high in the wind.

14. V For Vendetta (2005) – “The Revolutionary Speech”

Just like Hitler crafted a dictatorship, disguised within a so-called superior race driven government, in a not so distant future version of London, the chancellor Adam Sutler formed a reign where in the name of security, privacy was looted. In return of order and peace to the society, the people traded their foremost weapon – consent. In the garb of protecting the people, the reigning government unleashed tyranny and oppression. In such times, one fine day, every TV gets tuned into a channel where a man wearing a Guy Fawkes mask speaks to them. He reminds them of Guy Fawkes, who brought a revolution to the people 400 years ago. To end this cruelty and meek submission, he asks everyone to join him in exactly one year later, on 5th of September on the gates of the Parliament. This speech sets in motion, of the events of ‘V for Vendetta’.

13. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013) – “I’m not fuckin’ leaving”

The high flying, corrupt and megalomaniac Jordan Belfort is finally caught and as a part of the deal with the FBI, he’s supposed to leave Stratton Oakmont and never ever indulge in the market of share trading, which made him so rich. He appears in his office and makes an announcement about his stepping down from the company, in front of his beleaguered colleagues. He explains his pain in leaving them in lurch and how he’s going to miss them all. While talking about their collective effort to make money overcoming their individual struggles in life, all of sudden he realizes, this is place where he belongs after all. And despite the warning of FBI, he screams his lungs out – ‘I’m not fuckin’ leaving !!’

12. Rocky Balboa (2006) – “It ain’t about how hard you hit”

Rocky Balboa is an ageing boxer, who has left the sport, only to come back to it again. His wife’s dead and his son is sick and tired of the name and pressure of being related to Rocky. His father’s fame has started to affect him professionally and personally as well. So he gets the news of his arthritic father, gearing up for another bout of boxing, he discourages him by stating his example of being a failure, despite of being a Balboa. Rocky thunders when he says, ‘It’s ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.’ He asks him to stop blaming others for his failure. It’s an moving speech with some profound advice for life. Life’s meant to be unfair and its sole plan is to keep you down. Instead of cribbing, you’ve to accept your loses and move forward. That’s how you win.

11. Any Given Sunday (1999) – “Life’s a game of inches”

Before an all important play off game, coach D’Amato, played by Al Pacino gathers around his players. Through many difficulties and infightings, they’ve reached a place where one mistake can cost them everything. He begins the talk with comparing their current position to being in a shit hole and it’s totally up to them to get beat the shit out of themselves or fight hard to come back. He cites his own example of being a broken man who lost money, family and himself for taking bad decisions in life. But life is just like a game of football . It’s all about the margin of error. Just like a game of football, where once one starts losing, he gets the drift of the game and then tries crawl into those inches. He urges them to come together as a team and win it for themselves.

10. Wall Street (1987) – “Greed, for lack of a better word, is Good”

Wall street is about money. Wall street is about power. Wall street is about greed. And greed, ladies and gentlemen, for the lack of a better word, is good. That’s what Gordon Gekko believed in. In a speech to the investors of a loss making paper company Teldar, he explains meticulously that the sole reason the company lost so much of money is because of inefficient people at the top and not because he broke the company to pieces. He argues that his greed of making money actually liberates loss making industries. Greed is an evolutionary trait and it’s greed which has made man go for more, be it knowledge, technology or profit. It’s an amazing take on something which itself is labelled as a biblical sin. Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko, gives an amazing performance.

9. Dead Poet’s Society (1989) – “Carpe Diem, seize the day boys”

In a school, where discipline is revered, a new English teacher comes in a breather among the strict disciplinarians. To a motley group of students, he reaches out and asks them to come out of their shell. He tells them to live their lives in their own way and not to someone’s expectations. One’s life duration is limited and eventually everyone will die. What will be left, is his legacy. So instead of living a dull life, one should do something to make it extraordinary. That’s the essence of Carpe Diem. The character of John Keating was played by the late Robin Williams , who demonstrates the importance of individuality to the students through this inspiring speech. He inspires them to be achieve greatness rather than to be successful.

8. Remember The Titans (2000) – “Take a lesson from the dead”

At the heights of racism, a black man is appointed as the head coach of a school, where traditionally it’s usually filled up by a white man. Tackling racism and discrimination at every step, coach Boone takes up the challenge. The team suffers from racially motivated conflicts and its success is deterred due to the ever meddling school authorities. Coach Boone takes everything to his stride and takes his team through a gruelling schedule of training at the Gettysburg cemetery where thousands of men died during the battle of Gettysburg. Through this speech, he asks his team to learn from those people, who laid their lives while fighting for each other. He urges them to be better by coming together and play as one team. His speech motivates his team to achieve success. Denzel Washington plays coach Boone in the sports drama ‘Remember The Titans’.

7. Braveheart (1995) – “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom”

In an English ruled Scotland, a young William Wallace witnesses the English massacring his family. He flees from the country only to return as a rebel who takes charge to lead the rebellion against the English. As he leads a rag-tag army of Scottish peasants and farmers, he asks them to fight as free men, against the enormous English army. When somebody from the army says that it’s better to hide and live than to fight and die, Wallace roars back by saying that the enemy may take their lives but they will never be able to take their freedom. Mel Gibson acted as well as directed this film, which went on to win five academy awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

6. Scent Of A Woman (1992) – “When shit hits the fan, some guys run and some guys stay”

At the Baird school, which traditionally has given the country many leaders and achievers, a disciplinary meeting takes place, for an act of mischief. While the reason remains trivial at its best, the focus shifts to two persons, who were supposed to be the witnesses of the events. One of those witnesses is a boy, whose father is a key figure in the school management. Hence he gets off the hook, after naming the suspects. Naturally it’s the other guy Charlie, who despite of being innocent, gets to take the blame. And it almost happens but for the presence of Lt Colonel Frank Slade. He makes his point that while everyone chose to be indifferent to the situation, Charlie showed integrity by not behaving as a snitch. And this is the stuff leaders are made of. Al Pacino played Lt Colonel Slade and gave a performance of a lifetime.

Read More: Best Nuclear War Movies of All Time

5. Independence Day (1996) – “Today, we celebrate our independence day”

While the world burns and is at the mercy of aliens, it comes down to a few brave men who decide to join forces to fight against the aliens. After repeated attempts of failure, a final assault is planned in the lines of a kamikaze attack, similar to a suicide mission. The president, himself a pilot mans the mission. Before they leave the base, he reminds them that this mission, incidentally to commence on 4th of July will be the biggest battle of their lives. And should they win, it will no longer be an American holiday. Rather it will be the day, when the world will be liberated of their common enemy. It shall be the world’s independence day. It’s a speech that evokes thunderous applause from everyone, as their belief in their leader becomes firm.

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4. Network (1976) – “I’m mad as hell and am not going to take it anymore”

News these days, are more of shock inducing and eye grabbing details rather than journalism based on facts. In ‘Network’, a TV network’s struggle with declining viewership turns into a full-blown war when its own people start making factory made shows to get ratings. The movie is primarily about how TV controls the life and through it audio-visual medium, can sway public opinion about everything. In a way, this is what controls the masses today. When the veteran news anchor Howard Beale screams at his viewers to shout that they’ re mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore, he vents out his frustration at the growing influence of TV on the people. He cites example of life going astray while the TV shows paint a rosy picture. Many years later, as we see today, the real has imitated the reel and today literally the TV controls everything. This speech is truly pathbreaking.

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3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – “Get busy living or get busy dying”

There’s nothing new that can be told about ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ . Arguably the best movie ever, this is Andy Dufresne’s story spanning across nineteen years in the infamous Shawshank penitentiary. While Andy makes the most out of his time at the prison doing various jobs, he also gets into a tiff with a corrupt warden over his discharge which leads him into a solitary confinement. When he’s out, his friend Red becomes afraid that this may break him forever. However a nonchalant Andy tells him about his dream destination and his wish to spend rest of his life there, thus explaining that life is all about hope and at times, it comes down to one simple choice – Get busy living or get busy dying. This speech is also a metaphor for being hopeful in the most hopeless of situations.

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2. A Few Good Men (1992) – “You can’t handle the truth”

A soldier dies at GITMO base camp and the blame goes to couple of fellow soldiers as an act of negligence. While the soldiers plead that they were under order to punish the dying soldier, it comes down to one of the most laziest of military lawyers to take up their case. As the case reaches its final stage, upon repeated provocation from the defence lawyer, Colonel Nathan Jessup becomes enraged and tells that at times, despite being wrong, people need to take decision that may take one life but in return save thousands. Freedom comes at a price and being a provider of the same, that’s what entitles him to take decisions which may or may not be ethical. This’s the truth and that possibly cannot be fathomed by a layman. A stunning performance by Jack Nicholson !

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1. The Great Dictator (1940)- “We think too much and feel too little”

Charlie Chaplin ’s ‘The Great Dictator’ is a political satire, in the garb of comedy and it condemns the ways of the contemporary dictators of the time, namely Hitler and Mussolini. A Jewish barber, who’s also a lookalike of the tyrant ruler of a fictional country gets to replace the dictator and ends up in a podium where he has to deliver a speech. He rises to the occasion when he tells his subjects that instead of ruling everyone as a dictator, he wants to help everyone. As human beings, one should rise above the ever engulfing greed. Though the world has progressed into future through numerous innovations, still it does distinguish people based on their caste, creed and colour. Humanity has been lost its meaning in the countless machinery that does our jobs. We’ve become cynical due to our ever growing penchant for knowledge. And that’s where we all lose as mankind.

Read More: Best Adolf Hitler Movies of All Time

The 20 Best Movie Speeches of All Time

Public speaking is not just a skill, it is an art form, one that very few can master.

For most, it is a source for anxiety. The sight of a large crowd and all the attention on one person can make even the most confident individual turn into a stuttering mess. However, when done correctly, they can inspire the very best and, sometimes, the very worst in humanity.

For these 20 films, the art of the speech is on full display, perfectly crafted by screenwriters and actors. Whether it is inspiring a team before the big game, soldiers before the big battle, students before entering the real world or as a rally cry against evil, corruption and the wicked, these speeches have transcended art and have entered the popular lexicon, sometimes as satire, but sometimes as a source of inspirations.

20. Invictus (2009) – “This is it! This is our Destiny!”

Following his release from prison in 1990, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) ran for government and became President of South Africa, effectively ending Apartheid. Despite this, the country still remained divided and tense. Mandela, however, saw hope in the form of the Springboks, South Africa’s National Rugby Union team.

After beating heavyweights France, Western Samoa and Australia in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the team faces the number one side: the Legendary New Zealand All Blacks. Overcoming the odds and securing a 15-12 lead, the team only has to hold out for seven minutes. Team captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) addresses his team, telling them to listen to the crowd, all singing in unison, “Heads up, look into my eyes”.

This is a real team captain talking, his message still simple for a rugby team, “Defence, defence, defence”. Plain yet inspiring. Pienaar is portrayed as a man who knows exactly the history he is about create. When asked at the end of the game if he could have done it without the 60,000 South Africans present at the game, “We didn’t have the support of 60,000 South Africans…we had the support of 43 million South Africans”.

The finale with Pienaar receiving the Web Ellis Trophy from a Springbok Jersey wearing Mandela remains not only one of the great moments of sport, but a great moment in human history.

19. Henry V (1989) – “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers”

Very few actors have been able to transport the Bard to the big screen. Lawrence Olivier, Orson Welles, John Gielgud, Ian McKellan are just a few that have succeeded. Today, most of Shakespeare’s plays are adapted into contemporary settings, from fairy tale Venice Beach (Romeo + Juliet) to gangland Melbourne (Macbeth).

However, Kenneth Branagh’s performance in Henry V (following in the footsteps of Laurence Olivier) shows that one can still enjoy a classic, especially when watching the St Crispin’s Day speech.

“From this day to the ending of the world, but we shall be remembered – we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother”. Branagh does not deliver this line with awe and gravitas, but rather with joy. A great smile burnt across his face as he rallies his men with promises of immortality.

Perhaps Henry’s heart is filled with joy at the concept of being side by side with his men at his longest hour, or is Branagh portraying a naive boy king who is yet to understand the true horrors of war? One thing is for certain: audience will seldom find such passion and truth in modern Shakespeare.

18. Rudy (1993) – “Since when are you the quitting kind”

There are only a handful of films that men will acknowledge crying in. Rudy (Sean Astin) is one of them. How can you keep a dry eye when watching every member of the University of Notre Dame’s football team walk into the head office before the final game of the year, offering their position up for Rudy.

But before this immortal moment, Rudy quit the team, frustrated at failing to make the final team list of the year. It is only after the dressing down he receives from stadium janitor Fortune (Charles S. Dutton) that he changes his mind, “Since when are you the quitting kind,” he barks at a defeated Rudy. This not only acts as the key turning point for the film, it reveals the true character of Fortune, finally breaking down the emotional brick wall he built between himself and others.

Fortune, just like Rudy, had an opportunity but threw it away out of anger, “And I guarantee a week won’t go by in your life you won’t regret walking out, letting them get the best of you”. There is not softness, no compassion. Not Fortune’s style. Instead he gives Rudy the kick up the arse he needs to continue fighting to earn the title of ‘Fighting Irish’.

17. Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939) – “Well, I guess this is just another lost cause, Mr Paine”

There is no worse feeling than the moment you realise you have been beat. No second chances, no extra time. Nothing. You have lost. This was the moment that underdog Senator Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) not only realised he had lost but that he had been powerless all along. His first bill draws the wrath of a corrupt politician, not only destroying the bill, but turning Smith’s own constituents against him. Where he is shown the letters and telegrams sent demanding his resignation.

Beaten, exhausted and near collapse he seems resigned to his fate, “well, I guess this is just another lost cause, Mr Paine,” he mumbles, now barely conscious.

Instead, he finds one last ounce of energy, promising to continue the fight against political corruption, “You think I’m licked? Well, I’m not licked and I’m gonna stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if this room is filled with lies like these”. Mr Smith goes to Washington remains one of Frank Capra’s best and one of the truly great films on American politics.

16. Dead Poet’s Society (1989) – “Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary”

A good teacher is not meant to simply teach, but rather inspire his students. Guide them into finding their passion and push them into pursuing it. Inspiring teachers are a popular market with films like Stand and Deliver, Mr. Holland’s Opus and October Sky. However, nothing matches the wit, charm and passion found in Dead Poet’s Society’s John Keating (Robin Williams).

Despite the strict and conservative foundations of the school they attend, former student turned poetry teacher Keating encourages his students to rip out the mathematic formula for rating poetry and to stand on their desk shouting poetry, much to the chagrin of the headmaster.

But Keating’s teaching philosophy is laid bare when he shows his students photos of the past alumni who attended, “They’re not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts, full of hormones”, before whispering his magnum opus, “Carpe diem”. Keating is not just teaching poetry, he is teaching the boys to become individuals. To not be constrained by the social mores that there very school is trying to implement.

15. Friday Night Lights (2004) – “I want you to put each other in your hearts forever, because forever is about to happen here”

So inspiring is the coach’s speech to his team that it has become almost cliché. Halftime, down by a lot, exhausted and low morale, the team finds solace in the inspirational words of the calm and collected coach. Friday Night Lights is part of this cliché, but it is one of the few that gets it right.

Only gaining entry into the state final by virtue of a coin toss, the Permian Panthers and their coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) know they are the underdogs. But more than that, Gaines knows for many of them it will be their last game. Some may get a chance to play College Football and there might be that lucky one who goes on to play for the NFL. However, many of these boys will graduate from high school and live out the rest of their life.

In the end, it comes down to how they remember the game, “And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn’t one more thing you could’ve done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentlemen, then you’re perfect”. For the film, football is not about winning or losing, it is about character.

30 Replies to “The 20 Best Movie Speeches of All Time”

Alec Baldwin as Blake in Glengarry Glen Ross.

Shocked this wasn’t here

Tim Robbins in Antitrust.

That speech in Rocky Balboa is awesome. Never gets a lot of love as it says a lot about life.

Anything by Brando as Kurtz in Apocalypse now… snail on a straight razor… but especially this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPPGMNOLaMw

Kikuchiyo’s speech about the true nature of farmers and samurai in “Seven Samurai” (1954).

Theoden’s Speech from LotR: The Return of the King.

Belushi’s speech in Animal House!!

Jim Garrison’s closing argument to the jury in JFK

Jim Garrison’s closing speech to the jury in JFK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BckPa2_A8gI

25th hour(not public but we all saw it) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgL_5QcZCMo

This is a great idea for a list but Jesus F-ck, this list is embarrassing. The author seems to think that a great movie speech has to always be a motivational one. I mean sh-t, half of his picks are nothing but generic, clichéd sports movies. All the motivational sports speeches have the same message, just worded differently. The only pass I’d give is to “Rocky” because boxing is arguably the purest metaphor of life– “it’s not about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward” is poetry.

If you wanna go for a sports speech, then why not one of the most iconic speeches in American history? 1. “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” –Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech, The Pride of the Yankees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyT4mPBe4YQ

2. “In the name of God, do your duty.” –Atticus Finch pleading with the jury to commit to social justice, To Kill a Mockingbird https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYNxQL87tAY

3. “Every time you break the seal on that liquor bottle, that’s a government seal you’re breaking!” –Malcolm X opening the eyes and ears of folks living in Harlem, Malcolm X https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT1jLY20tLo&t=40s

4. “Rehabilitated, it’s just a bullshit word.” –Ellis Boyd Redding lecturing to the parole board about the truth of prisoner rehabilitation, The Shawshank Redemption https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcn6v7IaIfA

5. “You’re no crazier than the average asshole out walking on the streets!” –Randall McMurphy advising the other patients that a person isn’t crazy simply cuz he doesn’t conform to society’s arbitrary standards, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehPcYibzUKc

6. “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?? HELL NO!!!” — Parody of clichéd motivational movie speeches, Animal House https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep-xgd_eETE

7. “Our great war is a spiritual war.” –Tyler Durden offering sobering realizations about life in the modern age, Fight Club https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi9ivZL7vmA

8. “Macho shithead” –Dorothy Michaels calling out a director for perpetuating female stereotypes, Tootsie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V95u7t_4WVc

9. “I have killed for my country and I don’t feel good about it.” –Luke Martin, a Vietnam vet laying out the truth about war to high school students, Coming Home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duyYbn2TkvY

10. “Together we shall give them a 5th of November that shall never ever be forgot.” –V rallying the citizens of the UK to rebel against their tyrannical government, V for Vendetta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKvvOFIHs4k

11. “I’m trying real hard to be the shepherd.” –Hitman Jules Winnefield lecturing a small time crook on the errors of his ways, Pulp Fiction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PeyiU3uWJ8

12. “The whole trial’s out of order!” –Arthur Kirkland pointing out the inherent flaws of the American legal system, And Justice For All https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGomfEiWS9Q&t=137s

13. “It’s called gentrification.” –Furious Styles speaking the truth about life in the ghettos of America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BadSZDpvq-s

The Return of The King – both Théoden’s and Aragorn’s pre-battle speeches definitely deserved a spot on here.

Apparently the best movie speeches of all time were all in english…

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers”

Peter Graves’ final speech in It Conquered the World 1956 (MST3K version)

“He learned almost too late that man is a feeling creature… and, because of it, the greatest in the universe. He learned too late for himself that men have to find their own way, to make their own mistakes. There can’t be any gift of perfection from outside ourselves. And when men seek such perfection… they find only death… fire… loss… disillusionment… the end of everything that’s gone forward. Men have always sought an end to the toil and misery, but it can’t be given, it has to be achieved. There is hope, but it has to come from inside — from man himself.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx7A6eQqBc8

Scent of a Woman – Slades speech

Paltry, surely??

The 21 greatest movie award speeches of all time

From the oscars to the golden globes to the indie spirits, some clips to get you through a winter without them.

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Queeries is a weekly column by CBC Arts producer Peter Knegt that queries LGBTQ art, culture and/or identity through a personal lens.

If something didn't quite feel right this past weekend, it could have been one of a wide array of historically miserable reasons. Perhaps the fact that you didn't see your family for the holidays for the first time in your life? Or how we're just getting unsettled into what everyone is warning us will be the darkest winter our society has faced since at least World War II? (Hey, at least you didn't yet know that your week would have the rumblings of an American Civil War!) But for the many of us that rely on a different kind of "season" to get us through winters that are just a normal amount of dark, there was something else missing from our first Sunday night in January: the Golden Globes.

Whatever, I get it: awards shows are mostly meaningless, particularly the Golden Globes, which are voted on by a handful of journalists no one has really heard of (some of whom occasionally write wildly erroneous and offensive in-flight magazine profiles of Drew Barrymore ). But they are also fun , and if there's one thing completely absent from any person who is behaving's life right now, it's fun. Adding in that the greatest awards host duo of all time Tina Fey and Amy Poehler had already been announced to return, not having the Globes to ease our bluest post-holiday blues was especially unfortunate.

Now, the Golden Globes are still allegedly going to happen on February 28th with Fey and Poehler still on board . But February 28th sounds like years from now at this point, and in past years we would have had the SAG Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards, the BAFTAs and the Oscars all happen by that point as well. There's also a solid chance they'll get delayed again, as was just announced would happen with the Grammy Awards . So to help ease you through this awards-free winter, I took to one of my favourite past times: re-watching hours and hours of old speeches, largely by actresses. And I have come up with this highly scientific and completely undebatable list of the greatest movie award speeches of all time. May they help you get to the other side:

21. Melissa Leo's Oscar speech for The Fighter

Not enough awards acceptance speeches are truly unhinged, which is what makes Melissa Leo's from the 2011 Oscars so very special. After a deeply creepy presentation by the late Kirk Douglas, Leo capped off a season where she went rogue with her own hilarious personal ad campaign with a speech so wonderfully wild it must been both watched (above) and read .

20. Bong Joon-Ho's various Oscar speeches for Parasite

It's easy to forget that some very good things indeed happened in 2020, one of which was the sweep of the Oscars by Bong Joon-Ho's Parasite . The film won four trophies and became the first non-English language winner of best picture. And Bong's speeches throughout the night (and last awards season in general) were as charming as it gets, in part because of his flawless translator Sharon Choi .

19. Gabourey Sidibe's Spirit Award speech for Precious

Few awards season runs have been as delightful to watch as Gabourey Sidibe's for Precious . Nominated for essentially every award for her first time ever on camera, she would unfortunately lose the Oscar to Sandra Bullock . But the night before that, she got her moment at the Spirit Awards, offering an adorable speech that recalled how she saved her money to see Welcome To The Dollhouse in high school.

18. Louise Fletcher's Oscar speech for One Flew Over The Cockoo's Nest

This classic Oscar speech from 1976 saw Fletcher win for playing the monstrous Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest . Her iconic opening line — "It looks like you all hated me so much that you've given me this award for it" — remains one that future Oscar winners should aspire to.

17. Alfred Hitchcock's honorary Oscar speech

The legend that is Alfred Hitchcock tragically never won a competitive Oscar despite five nominations. So when they finally gave him an honorary one in 1968, there was definitely some deserved shade thrown in the minimalism of his speech.

16. Bette Midler's Golden Globe speech for best new female star

For decades, the Golden Globes would hand out two gendered awards for best "new star," which infamously ended shortly after allegations that Pia Zadora's husband may or may not have bought her a win . But a saving grace of the category's existence is this hilariously crass speech Bette Midler gave in 1980.

15. Meryl Streep's Golden Globe speech for The Devil Wears Prada

Meryl Streep has given dozens of acceptance speeches over the years, and few people are as good at them as she is. But while her three Oscar speeches are fine , she tends to be much more loose and entertaining at the Golden Globes, where she has won a record nine awards from 33 nominations. Of her competitive wins, this speech she gave for The Devil Wears Prada is the epitome of the grace, charm and humility that makes her so singular.

14. Jamie Bell's BAFTA speech for Billy Elliot

Jamie Bell was just 14 years old when he surprised the BAFTAs by beating out Tom Hanks, Michael Douglas and that year's Oscar winner Russell Crowe for the 2001 lead actor trophy. And the entire audience seemed to glow from his lovely little speech. It even got a smile out of Joaquin Phoenix!

13. Cher's Oscar speech for Moonstruck

Speaking of glowing, few actresses have ever looked quite as luminous as Cher when she took the Oscar stage in 1988 to accept her award for Moonstruck (which, if you're looking for a winter quarantine viewing, is a perfect movie). And her gracious, elegant speech that followed proved that even if winning that Oscar didn't mean Cher truly is somebody , she was already more than well on her way.

12. Adam Sandler's Spirit Award speech for Uncut Gems

The Oscars might have snubbed his extraordinary work in Uncut Gems , but Adam Sandler still won last year's award season with this hysterical speech at the Spirit Awards the night before. It was hands down the best moment of the season and maybe one of the funniest speeches ever given at an awards show.

11. Ruth Gordon's Oscar speech for Rosemary's Baby

"I can't tell you how encouragin' a thing like this is." Just the delivery of Ruth Gordon's 1969 best supporting actress Oscar speech for Rosemary's Baby warrants inclusion on this list alone. Coming 55 years after her first film, it's also just lovely to see a legend get her due.

10. Mahershala Ali's SAG speech for Moonlight and Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney's Oscar speech for Moonlight

While it was tempting to include the truly unprecedented and shocking 2016 best picture Oscar snafu on this list (which I surely don't need to remind you had the world thinking La La Land won best picture when in fact Moonlight had), I'd rather direct you to the two best speeches given by the Moonlight team that season: speeches they weren't forced to deliver after spending a few minutes believing they'd lost. Mahershala Ali's SAG Award speech for best supporting actor and Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney's Oscar speech for best adapted screenplay are both mini-master classes in public speaking. And you can also read the speech for best picture that Jenkins would have given under normal circumstances here .

9. Sally Hawkins's Golden Globe speech for Happy-Go-Lucky

There is a very special place in my heart for both Sally Hawkins's performance as Poppy in Happy-Go-Lucky and this wonderfully raw and sincere speech she gave when she beat out Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson for a Golden Globe in 2008.

8. Shirley MacLaine's Oscar speech for Terms of Endearment

"I'm gonna cry because this show has been as long as my career," MacLaine opens her 1984 speech for Terms of Endearment . "I have wondered for 26 years what this would feel like. Thank you so much for terminating the suspense." An instant classic speech, it also is just wild to be reminded of the extraordinary gay fact that Rock Hudson and Liza Minnelli handed Shirley MacLaine her Oscar.

7. Every speech Olivia Colman gave for The Favourite

Every. Single. One. And they should have let her go on for 10 more minutes at the Oscars.

6. Emma Thompson's Golden Globe speech for Sense and Sensibility

Emma Thompson delivered her 1996 Golden Globe speech for best screenplay in character as Jane Austen, and it is one of the most brilliant things an awards season stage has ever seen.

5. Halle Berry's Oscar speech for Monster's Ball

The first and somehow still only Black woman to win the Oscar for best actress, Halle Berry's 2002 speech was criticized by many at the time as "over-the-top" . But I mean, what would you do if you had to get up on stage in front of hundreds of millions of people and represent becoming the first Black woman to ever win an Oscar?! Besides, we should be so lucky to get such genuine displays of emotion more often. This was history being made, and Halle Berry let herself feel it.

4. Sally Field's Oscar speech for Places in the Heart

In probably the most misquoted line in awards speech history, when Sally Field won her second Oscar in 1985 for Places in the Heart , she did not just say, "You like me, you really like me!" What Field actually says is: "The first time I didn't feel it, but this time I feel it. And I can't deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me!" But either way, it's a wonderful speech and a wonderful moment, and we still can't deny the fact that we (really) like Field very much.

3. Tom Hanks's Oscar speech for Philadelphia

The only speech to have been loosely adapted into a movie (as far as I know at least), it was alleged that Tom Hanks outed his high school drama teacher when he accepted his Oscar for playing a gay man dying from AIDS Philadelphia . This, of course, inspired the movie In & Out (which oddly enough got Joan Cusack an Oscar nomination for playing the fictionalized fiancée of Hanks's teacher) and a New York Post headline that screamed "OUTED AT THE OSCARS!" But Hanks had actually contacted his teacher , Rawley Farnsworth, asking permission to disclose his sexuality. Farnworth agreed, and what resulted is one of the most tear-jerking speeches to ever happen on an Oscar stage and a huge step forward for the mainstream acknowledgment of HIV/AIDS*. (* This statement is very complicated but this is supposed to be a fun list so just do some further reading if that's of interest to you!)

2. Oprah Winfrey and Meryl Streep's honorary Golden Globe speeches

Two years in a row, two of the most famous women in the world brought down the house at the Golden Globes with their powerful, rousing acceptance speeches for that year's respective honorary award (and these were the years 2017 and 2018, so there were some things to discuss). I re-watched both at least once a month to get me through 2020, and I'll keep doing the same until/if 2021 starts to lighten up.

1. Julia Roberts's Oscar speech for Erin Brockovich

"I see you stick man!" One of the most joyous things available to watch on the internet, Julia Roberts's 2001 Oscar speech is basically the biggest movie star in the world having the biggest moment of her career and ... loving it up there. Nothing compares to its energy, and I dare future Oscar winners to challenge its glory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Knegt (he/him) is a writer, producer and host for CBC Arts. He writes the LGBTQ-culture column Queeries (winner of the Digital Publishing Award for best digital column in Canada) and hosts and produces the talk series Here & Queer. He's also spearheaded the launch and production of series Canada's a Drag, variety special Queer Pride Inside, and interactive projects Superqueeroes and The 2010s: The Decade Canadian Artists Stopped Saying Sorry. Collectively, these projects have won Knegt four Canadian Screen Awards. Beyond CBC, Knegt is also the filmmaker of numerous short films, the author of the book About Canada: Queer Rights and the host of the monthly film series Queer Cinema Club at Toronto's Paradise Theatre. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter with the same obvious handle: @peterknegt.

The Most Inspiring Speeches In Movie History

Inspiring movie speeches can be found in so many films, it's really hard to narrow down the top ones. These, however, are some of the absolute best, most inspiring, and highly-motivational speeches in movie history. From principals trying to inspire students to reach their potential to coaches attempting to get their teams fired up to great leaders (both fictional and non-fictional) striving to prepare their troops for epic battles, these speeches are worth remembering and recognizing.

What are the most inspiring monologues from movies ? Do you prefer inspirational sports monologues to great Disney movie speeches? Would you be ready to go into battle after hearing that iconic Braveheart monologue? See any glaring omissions? Add them. And be sure to vote on your favorites.

To Kill A Mockingbird

"Gentlemen, I shall be brief, but I would like to use my remaining time with you to remind you that the case of Mayella Ewell vs. Tom Robinson is not a difficult one. To begin with, this case should have never come to trial. The State has not produced one iota of medical evidence that shows that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. This case is as simple as black and white. It requires no minute sifting of complicated facts, but it does require you to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant.

Miss Ewell did something that in our society is unspeakable: she is white, and she tempted a Negro. The defendant is not guilty, but someone in this courtroom is. I have nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state, but my pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake. She knew full well the enormity of her offense, but because her desires were stronger than the code she was breaking, she persisted. The state of Alabama has relied solely upon the testimony of two witnesses who's evidence has not only been called into serious question, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant.

I need not remind you of their appearance and conduct on the stand. They have presented themselves in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted. They were confident that you, the jury, would go along with the evil assumption that all Negro's lie, and are immoral. Mr. Robinson is accused of rape, when it was she who made the advances on him. He put his word against two white people's, and now he is on trial for no apparent reason- except that he is Black.

Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the government is fond of hurling at us. There is a tendency in this year of grace, 1935, for certain people to use that phrase out of context, to satisfy all conditions. We know that all men are not created equal in the sense that some people would have us believe. Some people are smarter than others, some people have more opportunity because they are born with it, some men have more money than others, and some people are more gifted than others.

But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal. An institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the ignorant man the equal of any president, and the stupid man the equal of Einstein. That institution is the court. But a court is only as sound as its jury, and the jury is only as sound as the men who make it up.

I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore the defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty. In the name of God, gentlemen, believe Tom Robinson."

# 1 of 49 on The Top 45+ Films Released In 1962
# 349 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
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Remember the Titans

"Anybody know what this place is? This is Gettysburg. This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fightin' the same fight that we're still fightin' amongst ourselves today.

This green field right here, painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot lead pourin' right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men. I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family. You listen, you take a lesson from the dead.

If we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. I don't care if you like each other right now, but you will respect each other. And maybe - I don't know, maybe we'll learn to play this game like men."

# 414 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
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Dead Poets Society

"'O Captain, my Captain.' Who knows where that comes from? Anybody? Not a clue? It's from a poem by Walt Whitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Now in this class, you can either call me Mr. Keating, or if you're slightly more daring, O Captain, my Captain. Now let me dispel a few rumors so they don't fester into facts. Yes, I too attended Hell-ton and survived. And no, at that time I was not the mental giant you see before you. I was the intellectual equivalent of a ninety-eight pound weakling. I would go to the beach and people would kick copies of Byron in my face...

'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.' The Latin term for that sentiment is Carpe Diem. Now who knows what that means?...Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Why does the writer use these lines?...Because we are food for worms, lads. Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day gonna stop breathing, turn cold, and die.

Now I would like you to step forward over here and peruse some of the faces from the past. You've walked past them many times. I don't think you've really looked at them. They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you. Their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen. Do you hear it? Carpe. Hear it? Carpe. Carpe Diem. Seize the day boys. Make your lives extraordinary."

# 329 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
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Independence Day

"Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind - that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore.

We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist.

And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice: 'We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on!' We're going to survive!' Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"

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# 13 of 50 on The Biggest Movies Of The '90s, Ranked
# 33 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

"Sons of Scotland! I am William Wallace....Yes, I've heard. Kills men by the hundreds. And if he were here, he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes, and bolts of lightning from his arse. I am William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my country men, here, in defiance of tyranny.

You've come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight? ...Aye, fight and you may die, run and you'll live, at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom! Alba gu bra! (Scotland forever!)"

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# 16 of 96 on The Very Best Oscar-Winning Movies For Best Picture

Rocky Balboa

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward.

That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!

I’m always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You’re my son and you’re my blood. You’re the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain’t gonna have a life."

# 55 of 207 on The Best Sports Movies Ever Made
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The Great Dictator

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible: Jew, Gentile, Black men, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each others' happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world, there's room for everyone and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all.

Even now, my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women, and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say: 'Do not despair.' The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.

Soldiers! Don't give yourselves to brutes. Men who despise you, enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel! Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder! Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don't hate! Only the unloved hate, the unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!

In the seventeenth chapter of St. Luke, it is written the kingdom of God is within man, not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people, have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy, let us use that power. Let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth a f*ture and old age a security.

By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfill their promise. They never will! Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfill that promise! Let us fight to free the world! To do away with national barriers! To do away with greed, with hate and intolerance! Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness. Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite! (Cheers)

Hannah, can you hear me? Wherever you are, look up, Hannah! The clouds are lifting! The sun is breaking through! We are coming out of the darkness into the light! We are coming into a new world, a kindlier world, where men will rise above their hate, their greed and brutality.

Look up, Hannah! The soul of man has been given wings and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow! Into the light of hope! Into the f*ture, the glorious f*ture that belongs to you, to me, and to all of us. Look up, Hannah! Look up!"

# 260 of 703 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
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# 54 of 91 on The 90 Best Black And White Movies

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

"Just get up off the ground, that's all I ask. Get up there with that lady that's up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something.

And you won't just see scenery; you'll see the whole parade of what Man's carved out for himself, after centuries of fighting. Fighting for something better than just jungle law, fighting so as he can stand on his own two feet, free and decent, like he was created, no matter what his race, color, or creed. That's what you'd see.

There's no place out there for graft, or greed, or lies, or compromise with human liberties. And, uh, if that's what the grownups have done with this world that was given to them, then we'd better get those boys' camps started fast and see what the kids can do. And it's not too late, because this country is bigger than the Taylors, or you, or me, or anything else. Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again..."

"Alright people, here we are. In one hour, you are going to take an exam administered by the State to test your basic skills and the quality of education at East Side High. I want to tell you what the people are saying about you and what they think about your chances.

They say you're inferior! You are just a bunch of n****rs and s***s and poor...trash! Education is wasted on you! You cannot learn! You're lost! I mean ALL of you! I want all the white students to stand up. All my white students, stand up. Stand up. C'mon, stand up.

These are my white children and they're the same as all of you! They've got no place to go, if they had, they'd have abandoned us a long time ago like everybody else did. So, here they are in East Side High, just like the rest of us. You can sit down. Are you getting my point, people? Is it beginning to sink in? We sink, we swim, we rise, we fall, we meet our fate together! Now, it took the help of a good, good friend to make me know and understand that and I do understand that and I'm grateful. I'm eternally grateful.

And now, I've got a message for those people out there who've abandoned you and written you off! Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Good! You are NOT inferior! Your grades may be, your school may have been. But you can turn that around and make liars out of those bastards in exactly one hour when you take that test and pass it and win! So here's what I want you to do. When you find your thoughts wandering, I want you to knuckle back down and concentrate. Concentrate! Remember what's at stake and show them what East Side High's all about: a spirit that will not die!"

# 22 of 83 on The Best Movies Of 1989, Ranked
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V For Vendetta

“Good evening, London.

Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of everyday routine, the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration, thereby those important events of the past usually associated with someone’s death or the end of some awful bloody struggle, a celebration of a nice holiday, I thought we could mark this November the 5th, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. There are of course those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn’t there?

Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who’s to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you’re looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.

I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn’t be? War, terror, disease. There was a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic, you turned to the now high chancellor, Adam Sutler. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. Last night I sought to end that silence. Last night I destroyed the Old Bailey, to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives.

So if you’ve seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me one year from tonight, outside the gates of Parliament, and together we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever be forgot.”

# 438 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
# 65 of 375 on The Best Movies Based On Books
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Scent Of A Woman

"...No, I'm just gettin' warmed up. I don't know who went to this place - William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan, William Tell, whoever. Their spirit is dead, if they ever had one. It's gone. You're buildin' a rat ship here. A vessel for sea-goin' snitches. And if you think you're preparin' these minnows for manhood, you better think again. Because I say you are killin' the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills! What a sham! What kind of a show are you guys puttin' on here today. I mean, the only class in this act is sittin' next to me. And I'm here to tell ya, this boy's soul is intact. It's non-negotiable. You know how I know? Someone here, and I'm not gonna say who, offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn't sellin'....

Out of order, I'll show you out of order! You don't know what out of order is, Mr.Trask! I'd show you, but I'm too old, I'm too tired, I'm too f--kin' blind. If I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take a flame-thrower to this place. Out of order, who the hell do you think you're talking to? I've been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there isn't nothin' like the sight of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that. You think you're merely sending this splendid foot soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say you are executin' his soul ! And why ? Because he's not a Baird man. Baird men. You hurt this boy, you're gonna be Baird bums, the lot of ya. And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there, F--k You Too !...

I'm not finished! As I came in here, I heard those words - 'Cradle of Leadership.' Well, when the bow breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here. It has fallen. Makers of men. Creators of leaders. Be careful what kind of leaders you're producin' here. I don't know if Charlie's silence here today is right or wrong. I'm not a judge or jury. But I can tell you this. He won't sell anybody out to buy his future! And that, my friends, is called integrity! That's called courage! Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of. Now I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here's Charlie. He's come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It's the right path. It's a path made of principle that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey. You hold this boy's future in your hands, Committee. It's a valuable future. Believe me. Don't destroy it! Protect it. Embrace it. It's gonna make ya proud one day, I promise you."

"Men, all this stuff you've heard about America not wanting to fight - wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans traditionally love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, big league ball players, the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war, because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.

Now, an army is a team - it lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap. The bilious [people] who wrote that stuff about individuality for the Saturday Evening Post don't know anything more about real battle than they do about fornicating. Now, we have the finest food and equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. You know, by God, I actually pity those poor [people] we're goin' up against. By God, I do. We're not just gonna shoot the [person], we're going to cut out their living guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. We're going to murder those lousy Hun...by the bushel.

Now there's another thing I want you to remember. I don't want to get any messages saying that we are holding our position. We're not holding anything. Let the Hun do that. We are advancing constantly and we're not interested in holding onto anything except the enemy. We're going to hold onto him by the nose and we're gonna kick him in the [behind]. We're gonna kick...him all the time and we're gonna go through him like crap through a goose.

Now, there's one thing that you men will be able to say when you get back home, and you may thank God for it. Thirty years from now when you're sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee, and he asks you: 'What did you do in the Great World War II?', you won't have to say: 'Well, I shoveled s--t in Louisiana.'

All right now...you know how I feel - and I will be proud to lead you wonderful guys into battle anytime, anywhere. That's all."

# 26 of 96 on The Very Best Oscar-Winning Movies For Best Picture
# 8 of 263 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
# 58 of 240 on The 200+ Best Movies Based On A True Story

"What's he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin. If we are mark'd to die, we are enough to do our country loss. And if to live, the fewer men the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, that he which hath no stomach to this fight, let him depart. His passport shall be made and crowns for convoy put into his purse. We would not die in that man's company that fears his fellowship to die with us.

This day is called the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day and comes safe home will stand a tip-toe when this day is named and rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall see this day and live old age will yearly on the vigil, feast his neighbors and say: 'To-morrow is Saint Crispin's'. Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, and say: 'These wounds I had on Crispin's Day.' Old men forget yet all shall be forgot but he'll remember with advantages what feats he did that day. Then shall our names familiar in their mouths as household words: Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester, be in their flowing cups freshly remembered. 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 today 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 St. Crispin's Day."

# 171 of 264 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
# 54 of 83 on The Best Movies Of 1989, Ranked
# 178 of 240 on The 200+ Best Movies Based On A True Story

"There's a, uhm, tradition in tournament play to not talk about the next step until you've climbed the one in front of you. I'm sure going to the State finals is beyond your wildest dreams, so let's just keep it right there. Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here.

Focus on the fundamentals that we've gone over time and time again. And most important, don't get caught up thinking about winning or losing this game. If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game. In my book, we're gonna be winners! OK?!"

# 109 of 675 on The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
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# 198 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked

"I rode the bench for two years. Thought I wasn't being played because of my color, I got filled up with a lotta attitude. So I quit. Still not a week goes by I don't regret it.

And I guarantee a week won't go by in your life you won't regret walking out, letting them get the best of ya. You hear me clear enough?:

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Any Given Sunday

"I don't know what to say really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives, all comes down to today. Now either we heal as a team, or we're gonna crumble. Inch by inch, play by play -- till we're finished. We're in hell right now gentleman. Believe me. And we can stay here, get the s**t kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back, into the light. We can climb out of hell, one inch at a time.

Now I can't do it for you, I'm too old. I look around I see these young faces and I think, I mean, I made every wrong choice a middle aged man can make. I, uh, I pissed away all my money, believe it or not, I chased off anyone who's ever loved me, and lately I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror.

Y'know when you get old in life things get taken from you, I mean that's that's that's part of life. But you only learn that when you start losin' stuff. You find out life's this game of inches, and so is football. Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small, I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it, one half second to slow or to fast, you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break in the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches that's going to make the f**king difference between winning and losing. Between livin' and dying.

I'll tell you this in any fight it's the guy whose willing to die who's gonna win that inch , and I know that if I'm going to have any life anymore it's because I'm still willin' to fight and die for that inch. Because that's what livin is. The six inches in front of your face. Now I can't make you do it. You gotta look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now, I think you're gonna see a guy who will go that inch with you. You're gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team because he knows when it comes down to it, you're going to do the same for him.

That's a team gentlemen and either we heal now as a team or we will die as individuals. That's football guys. That's all it is. Now, What are you going to do?"

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Wall Street

"America, America has become a second-rate power. Its trade deficit and its fiscal deficit are at nightmare proportions. Now, in the days of the free market, when our country was a top industrial power, there was accountability to the stockholder. The Carnegies, the Mellons, the men that built this great industrial empire, made sure of it because it was their money at stake. Today, management has no stake in the company! All together, these men sitting up here own less than three percent of the company. And where does Mr. Cromwell put his million-dollar salary? Not in Teldar stock. He owns less than one percent. You own the company. That's right - you, the stockholder. And you are all being royally screwed over by these, these bureaucrats, with their, their steak lunches, their hunting and fishing trips, their, their corporate jets and golden parachutes...

Teldar Paper, Mr. Cromwell, Teldar Paper has 33 different Vice Presidents, each earning over $200,000 a year. Now, I have spent the last two months analyzing what all these guys do, and I still can't figure it out. One thing I do know is that our paper company lost $110 million last year, and I'll bet that half of that was spent in all the paperwork going back and forth between all these Vice Presidents.

The new law of evolution in corporate America seems to be survival of the unfittest. Well, in my book, you either do it right or you get eliminated. In the last seven deals that I've been involved with, there were 2.5 million stockholders who have made a pre-tax profit of 12 billion dollars. (Thank you. I am not a destroyer of companies. I am a liberator of them!

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed - for lack of a better word - is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms - greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge - has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Greed - you mark my words - will not only save Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much."

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Glengarry Glen Ross

Alec Baldwin: Let me have your attention for a moment. 'Cause you're talkin' about what...you're talkin' 'bout...[complaining] about that sale you shot....don't want to buy land, somebody don't want what you're selling, some broad you're trying to screw, so forth, let's talk about something important. Are they all here?

Kevin Spacey: All but one.

Baldwin: Well, I'm going anyway. Let's talk about something important. (sees Lemmon pouring coffee). Put that coffee down. Coffee's for closer's only. You think I'm f**kin' with you? I am not... I'm here from downtown. I'm here from Mitch and Murray. And I'm here on a mission of mercy. Your name's Levine?

Jack Lemmon: Yeah.

Baldwin: You call yourself a salesman...

Ed Harris: I don't gotta listen to this s**t.

Baldwin: You certainly don't pal 'cause the good news is you're fired. The bad news is you got all you got, just one week to regain your job, starting with tonight, starting with tonight's sits. Oh, have I got your attention now? Good. 'Cause we're adding a little something to this month's sale contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is your fired. You get the picture? You laughing now? You got leads. Mitch and Murray paid good money. Get their names to sell them. You can't close the leads you're given, you can't close s**t, you are s**t, hit the bricks pal and beat it 'cause you are going out.

Lemmon: The leads are weak .

Baldwin: The leads are weak. The f**kin' leads are weak? You're weak. I've been in this business 15 years...

Harris: What's your name?

Baldwin: F**k you, that's my name. You know why mister? Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove an 80,000 dollar BMW. That's my name. And your name is you're wanting. You can't play in the man's game, you can't close them? Then go home and tell your wife your troubles. Because only one thing counts in this life. Get them to sign on the line which is dotted. You hear me...

ABC. A, Always, B, Be, C, Closing. Always be closing. Always be closing. AIDA. Attention. Interest. Decision. Action. Attention. Do I have your attention? Interest. Are you interested? I know you are 'cause it's f**k or walk. You close or you hit the bricks. Decision. Have you made your decision for Christ? And action. AIDA. Get out there. You got the prospects coming in, you think they came in to get out of the rain? A guy don't walk on the lot lest he wants to buy. They're sitting out there waiting to give you their money. Are you going to take it? Are you man enough to take it? What's the problem, pal?

Harris: You, boss, you're such a hero, you're so rich, how come you're coming down here and wasting your time with such a bunch of bums?

Baldwin: You see this watch? You see this watch?

Harris: Yeah.

Baldwin: That watch costs more than your car. I made 970,000 dollars last year, how much you make? You see pal, that's who I am, and you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a s**t. Good father. F**k you, go home and play with your kids. You want to work here, close. You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse... You can't take this, how can you take the abuse you get on a sit. If you don't like it, leave. I can go out there tonight, the materials you got, make myself 15,000 dollars. Tonight. In two hours. Can you? Can you?

Go and do likewise. AIDA. Get mad... Get mad. You know what it takes to sell real-estate? It takes brass balls to sell real estate. Go and do likewise, gents. The money's out there, you pick it up, it's yours, you don't, I got no sympathy for you. You want to go out on those sits tonight and close, close, it's yours, if not, you're going to be shining my shoes. And you know what you'll be saying. Bunch of losers sitting around in a bar: 'Oh yeah, I used to be a salesman. It's a tough racket.'

These are the new leads. These are the Glengarry leads. And to you, they're gold. And you don't get them. Why? Because to give them to you is just throwing them away. They're for closers. I'd wish you good luck, but you wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it. (To Harris) And to answer your question, pal: Why am I here? I came here because Mitch and Murray asked me to, they asked me for a favor. I said the real favor, follow my advice and fire your [behind] because a loser is a loser.

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Best Movie Speeches of All Time: 15 Most Inspirational Movie Speeches Ever

If you are looking for the collection of the best movie speeches ever then you have come to the right place because in this post I have compiled a list of the top 15 inspirational movie speeches ever .

If you know anything about me then you will know that I love the art of communication. I love reading and I absolutely love speeches. Speeches are an extremely important part of our lives , whether you realise it or not.

I will enjoy movies not because of their action and adventure but because of their speeches. Speeches have the power to move you emotionally and to even change the way you think of life. Many people are afraid of speaking in public but if you can master the art of public speaking (like the characters in these movies have) it can impact your life dramatically.

There have been many great speeches in movies throughout movie history, some a lot better than others. I have compiled a list of what I believe to be the best movie speeches ever. All of these inspirational speeches from movies have some things in common.

They are extremely moving, they are uplifting and they inspire the viewer to live life to their full potential (even if they do it indirectly). These speeches come out of their character’s moment of strength and out of the wisdom they have gained from their lives (although fictional). By watching these you will be moved and changed forever, you might even pick up some tips about how to become a great public speaker .

I have listed them in ascending order. With the greatest movie speeches of all time being placed furthest down the page. These are all great movie speeches and I believe that everyone will agree. Watch them and enjoy.

15. The Replacements – Pain Heals, Chicks Dig Scars and Glory Lasts Forever

The replacements is a great movie about a team of misfits who are hired to play while the regular football starts go on strike for more money. The speech is short and sweet and informal, which is exactly fitting for this movie. Great speech and a movie well worth watching.

The movie doesn’t end at the grand final. The replacements are only hired for 4 games. This speech occurs during the final of their 4 games. They have already overcome bullying and much adversity to get them here. They are currently losing the game and need to make up for it in the final minutes.

14. Remember The Titans – A Lesson From The Dead

We all remember the remember the titans movie. It is awe inspiring, yet it contains humor and devastating drama. The story takes place at the time of integration of blacks and whites and this football team will have to deal with their colour issues if they ever want to win a game.

This film does not have a truly inspirational movie at the end. There is a locker room scene but it doesn’t qualify for the best movies speeches of all time. This speech however, does.

This speech occurs during a training camp where the black boys and the white boys are starting to come together as a team, despite much racial difficulty. After a long run coach Boone takes them to a sacred place to inspire unity between colors.

13. Dead Poets Society – Seize The Day

I have not seen this movie in a long time, but I was inspired by the fact that they could make a movie about poetry and it could still be interesting. Seize that day before it is too late.

This speech is delivered upon the introduction of the new teacher. He sets himself apart by teaching these boys about life and about the importance of every moment. The crescendo occurs later in the film where the teacher is forced out of his class (fired) and all the boys stand on their tables declaring “Oh Captain, My Captain”.

The concept of seizing the day and not letting it pass you by continues to inspire me, even though I first watched this movie over 10 years ago. Stand up, be inspired and make every day count. It is not so much the speech that is amazing but the impact it has on you.

12. Team America – Dicks F#@K Assholes – WARNING, LOTS OF SWEARING

Team America was a pretty controversial movie, and this speech is incredibly rude and strange. But yet it holds a great element of truth that we can all take home.

This speech happens towards the very end of the movie when Kim Jong Il and the Film Actor’s Guild are trying to destroy the world. This speech is hilarious, and if you look beyond the profanity it can actually be very inspiring.

11. Gladiator- My Name is Maximus

“My name is Maximus” – Damn I was I was as much of a man as this Gladiator was. The way he says it with such conviction is great to watch. Incredible movie and this speech continues to inspire me and give me goosebumps every time I watch it.

Maximus is stripped of his title as chief commander when the King is killed by his power hungry son. His wife is then murdered along with his children and he is forced to become a gladiator. He is so successful and becomes so famous that the new king comes to meet him and wants him to reveal his name.

The shock on the King’s face is priceless. He has just met his match. The movie then goes on to an epic battle between the Gladiator and the king.

10. Rocky Balboa – How Hard You Can Get Hit

Although Rocky does look like he has had a fair bit of plastic surgery he has a great story and gives a great speech all the same. It is amazing that the actor, Sylvestor Stallone, actually has a Rocky type story.

He got hit, and he got hit hard, but he kept coming back for more. He wanted to be an actor, and no one would have ever hired someone that looks like he does and that talks out of the side of their mouth like he does. But he got hit and came back, true inspiration.

9. Lord of The Rings – It is Not This Day

Lord of the Rings is the ultimate trilogy. This speech is given by Aragon, the king, at the black gates of Mordor. He was willing to give his life so that Frodo could have precious time to destroy the ring.

Obviously a poignant moment in the film, I find this speech more inspirational given the fact that Aragon and his army is facing certain death, unless of course Frodo and Sam can destroy the ring. A big gamble that pays off.

8. 300 – Final Speech

Man I wish I had bodies like these guys do, and spirits like they do. They know what they want, they know what they have to do and they go for it. If you are a guy you will love the movie for the raw masculinity, and if you are a woman you will love this movie for the raw masculinity also. 😉

7. The Miracle – Pre Game Speech

If it is based on a true story then it is all the more inspiring. This is the story of the Americans first victory over the Russians in Ice Hockey at the Olympics. They would not have achieved this without the genius of one coach, and they did achieve this and made history.

6. Independence Day – World Independence Day Speech

I watched independence day when I was a kid, but our TV was so blurry I couldn’t see what was happening. But I remembered it had a great speech. I watched it a second time JUST to see the speech. It is a good speech.

5. Armageddon – 14 Brave Souls Speech

Probably my favourite movie of all time, because it has everything in it – Action, Romance, Humour, Drama, Space. It is about the quest to destroy an asteroid heading towards earth (before it destroys the earth). It is extremely funny and emotional also. This speech is from the president of the united states as the astronauts are preparing to launch into space towards the asteroid.

4. Coach Carter – Our Deepest Fear Speech

Coach Carter is an incredible movie about a man who takes on coaching a basketball team in the trouble filled area of Richmond. This speach is from one of his students Timo Cruz who was almost killed working as a drug dealer. Inspiring speech and an incredibly inspiring movie.

3. Any Given Sunday – Al Pacino’s Speech

If I am completely honest with you I have never seen this movie. But I have watched this speech and I love it. An incredible speech and a great movie. Whoever wrote this is a genius.

2. Braveheart – Freedom

Obviously I was questioning putting this speech as number 1. It is based on a true story, it has an Australian in it (like me), it is based in Scotland (where my dad is from) and it is just an incredible speech of sacrifice for something higher than ourselves. But in the end I couldn’t justify putting it as the number 1 speech. Thus is comes in a close second for me in the running for the best movie speech of all time.

1. Lord of The Rings – The Tales That Mattered

It is expected that brave people like William Wallace make brave speeches to inspire those they lead. It is not expected that someone if relative insignificant, who is no great leader nor brave warrior, can make a speech so powerful that it brings you to tears and gives you goose bumps all over. This is definately the best inspirational movie speech of all time. Good work to the writers and the actors.

These are 15 great speeches, and I would say these are the 15 best inspirational speeches of all time. Over time more speeches will need to be added to this list, but these 15 speeches will remain great speeches that have touches the lives of thousands.

The Greatest Monologues In Movie History

To make a great film, a number of things need to fall into place. You need great actors, a well-written script, smart directing, an evocative score, beautiful sets, seamless editing — the list goes on and on. A truly great film reveals its greatness when viewed as a whole, as all of these disparate parts come together to produce something masterful. Still, just because films are made to be watched all in one sitting doesn't mean there aren't smaller moments that stand out. Sometimes, a particular scene is so well-written and well-acted that it becomes an iconic cultural moment in and of itself.

We're talking, of course, about great movie monologues. Those scenes that you can quote by heart and make you laugh, cry, or give you chills every time. A good monologue should play an important role in the plot of the film while also touching the viewer and delivering memorable lines of dialogue in a uniquely powerful way. Many classic film monologues feature only one or two characters in a scene, allowing viewers to really take in the words being said and appreciate their emotional impact.

If you're a film lover, there's a good chance you have your own list of favorite movie monologues. There are a ton of great ones out there, but we thought we'd try and narrow it down to the cream of the crop. Keep reading to discover the greatest monologues in movie history. Prepare to be moved.

The filibuster from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Some of the great monologues in film history are deeply sad or cynical -– characters railing against the injustices of the world or the horrors of their own lives. However, one monologue on this list succeeds precisely because of how strenuously optimistic it is. That monologue comes from a 1939 Frank Capra film called "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," which stars Jimmy Stewart . Stewart plays Jefferson Smith, a naive youth leader who becomes a senator. When he gets to Washington, he encounters corruption at every turn, leading to his famous speech on the Senate floor.

The full scene is nearly 20 minutes long, but the tail end of it is when things really take off. Smith has been filibustering for 23 hours at this point and it's clear he can't go on much longer — he's sweaty and his voice is hoarse. Still, much to the chagrin of his colleagues, he doesn't yield the floor and instead starts reading directly from the Constitution in an effort to remind everyone of the ideals they once vowed to uphold.

He urges his colleagues to look at America through the eyes of Lady Liberty before making an impassioned plea about the importance of fighting for lost causes. "Somebody will listen to me," he barks out before collapsing on the floor. There are few more rousing fictional political speeches than this one, and it still hits home today.

The final speech in The Great Dictator

Charlie Chaplin's speech in "The Great Dictator" is often listed among the great movie monologues, and for good reason. It's hard to think of a better speech than this one, as it perfectly encapsulates the hopeful spirit of the movie while also making an important political statement.

"The Great Dictator" is Chaplin's first sound film and is one of the greatest satires of all time. Chaplin plays two characters –- a Jewish barber and former soldier and a Nazi dictator named Adenoid Hynkel (a parody of Adolf Hitler). The Barber and Hynkel look alike, of course, and at one point in the film Hynkel's men mistake him for the Barber and arrest him, causing the Barber to take Hynkel's place.

The famous monologue comes at the end, as the Barber (dressed as Hynkel) makes an impassioned speech to the public. "Do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress." He urges the soldiers to rise up and defy their masters, the people of the world to embrace kindness instead of hate, and those currently in bondage to have hope. The fact that the film was released in 1940 –- after the Nazis had already risen to power -– makes this scene even more impactful, but Chaplin's message is just as important today as it was back then. It's a perfect speech and true movie magic.

I coulda been a contender from On the Waterfront

Marlon Brando is a master of the monologue, so it's no surprise that two of his films feature on this list. One of his most famous pieces of dialogue comes from a film in the early days of his career, 1954's "On the Waterfront." Brando plays Terry Malloy, a former champion boxer who now works as a longshoreman in New Jersey. His career went up in smoke when mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) convinced him to throw a fight, and now he's mustering up the courage to testify against Friendly in court.

In the most famous scene in the film, Terry is in the back of a car with his older brother, Charley (Rod Steiger). Terry reminds Charley that he was actually the one who told Terry to throw the match on behalf of Friendly, something he still blames him for. "I coulda been a contender, I coulda been somebody," he laments.

Despite Brando's slurred drawl, the lines are crystal clear, and the despair in his voice is right there on the surface. The scene is actually quite brief, but Brando reveals everything we need to know about the character here -– his bitterness, his longing for a different life, and how he's been living all this time with a broken heart.

Atticus Finch's closing argument in To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is often considered one of the great American novels, and the film adaptation is held in similarly high regard. Gregory Peck plays Atticus Finch, a single father and principled lawyer. Finch takes on the case of Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), a Black man accused of raping a white woman. Finch knows Robinson has very little chance of winning the case due to the deep-seated racism of the South, but he puts up an impassioned effort to get him off anyways.

In his final speech to the courtroom, Finch knows he's fighting a losing case and he's all but lost the jury. He's successfully proven Robinson's innocence but is struggling to change the hearts and minds of his fellow citizens. "In our courts, all men are created equal," he proclaims to a rapt audience of onlookers. He urges the jury to do their duty and follow the evidence, not their prejudice, though he knows they very likely will not.

It's a powerhouse performance by Peck, and it's considered some of his best work. The Guardian reports that novelist Harper Lee was so happy with his take on Finch –- who was based on her own father –- that she gave him her father's old pocket watch. This powerful courtroom scene proves what an impressive actor Peck is and why the film deserves its elevated status in the cinematic canon.

The USS Indianapolis from Jaws

The making of Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" is legendary. Bruce the shark kept malfunctioning, there was major tension on set, and the film went way over budget. Still, despite these troubles, the film contains one of the greatest movie monologues of all time, a scene that is also a favorite of Spielberg's (via Den of Geek ). The monologue is delivered by Quint (Robert Shaw), the grizzled, Captain Ahab-like shark hunter who joins Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and Brody (Roy Scheider) on their boat, the Orca.

Sitting in the cabin one evening, Quint shares the harrowing real-life story of the USS Indianapolis , an event that mirrors their own predicament. He describes the 1945 disaster, in which "1,100 men went in the water, 316 men come out, and the sharks took the rest." Spielberg explained in a documentary that the scene was a "Rosetta Stone for Quint's entire character" because it reveals all of his motivations and why he feels so strongly about sharks.

The scene is delivered with a perfectly garbled drawl by Robert Shaw, who, according to co-screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, actually re-wrote much of the scene himself (via The Hollywood Reporter ). As evidenced by the shocked faces of Hooper and Brody, Quint's tale has a distressing effect on his companions, as they can only imagine the horrors he's experienced. It's the most grounded, restrained scene in a movie that is often said to have invented the crowd-pleasing summer blockbuster, and it's among Spielberg's best work .

The world is a business from Network

Sidney Lumet's "Network" is one of the great films of the 1970s, and its brilliant take on the dissolution of television ethics is still relevant today. The film follows old-school news anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch), who's forced into retirement after a drop in the ratings. Beale is incensed and goes on a televised rant in front of the nation. Instead of firing him, cunning producer Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) decides to capitalize on the outrage.

The most popular monologue in the film is probably Beale's famous "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take this anymore!" tirade that gives the network a boost in the ratings and galvanizes the nation. Still, the most compelling monologue in the film comes closer to the end when Beale meets with Arthur Jensen (Ned Beatty), the chairman of the conglomerate that owns the network.

Jensen tries to convince Beale to abandon his anti-capitalist sermon by teaching him how the world really works. Jensen, at the far end of a very long table, tells Beale that he has "meddled with the primal forces of nature" and that there is only one natural force that rules the world: money. It's an extremely bleak sentiment, but Beatty's booming voice and the unique way the scene is shot –- with the camera getting closer and closer to Jensen as the monologue goes on — makes it impossible to tear your eyes away.

Liv Ullmann in Autumn Sonata

Ingmar Bergman's "Autumn Sonata" is one of the most emotionally harrowing movies ever made, and there are few better performances in the history of cinema than Liv Ullmann's. The film takes place over a single day and follows a mother, Charlotte (played by the great Ingrid Bergman in her last film role), who reunites with her daughter, Eva (Ullmann), after being away for seven years. Their relationship is extremely fraught, as Charlotte essentially abandoned her daughters to further her career as a concert pianist.

Their confrontation comes to a head late at night when Eva finally explodes in a monologue that shows just how much her mother has hurt her. She starts off angry and passionate, explaining to her mother how her neglect and emotional abuse have ruined her life. Things get heated when Eva brings up the abortion her mother forced her to have at age 18. After that, Charlotte remains silent, taking in Eva's words.

In the latter half of the scene, Eva is standing behind her mother, more dejected than angry. She argues that people like Charlotte should be "locked away and rendered harmless" because of the hatred they hold in their hearts. "Is the daughter's misfortune the mother's triumph?" Eva asks in a desperate refrain. There's not much catharsis here -– only the re-opening of long-held wounds -– and the emotional ruin feels like a swift punch in the chest.

I've seen horrors from Apocalypse Now

Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" is one of the most famous movies ever, perhaps partly because the behind-the-scenes drama has become so legendary. Still, despite the harrowing circumstances of the film's production, Coppola was still able to capture some of the greatest scenes in film history. There are a number of celebrated moments in "Apocalypse Now," but one monologue, in particular, stands out. Marlon Brando was famously difficult to work with on set, but all of that strife resulted in a stunning scene involving his Colonel Kurtz.

Bathed in shadow, the rogue Colonel Kurtz recounts the horrors of war, reflecting on the circumstances that have brought him to the jungle where he now rules his own small kingdom. "I've seen horrors," Kurtz tells Martin Sheen's Captain Willard. "But you have no right to call me a murder, you have the right to kill me." He goes on to describe these horrors in detail, explaining how he felt when he saw children who had their arms chopped off and thrown in a pile.

Having seen the worst of humanity, Kurtz has abandoned his own sense of morality and descended into a kind of principled insanity. Much of Kurtz' dialogue was based on Brando's own improvisations, and, despite the effort that clearly went into the complicated performance, the scene feels effortless.

Tears in the rain from Blade Runner

Film characters don't often have the chance to make philosophical speeches just before their deaths, but in a world filled with robots, things work a little differently. The original "Blade Runner" film gives us one of the greatest sci-fi monologues of all time, delivered by a replicant -– a humanoid robot -– named Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer). The film follows Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former Blade Runner whose job was to hunt down and kill replicants, who are now seen as a threat to humanity.

Batty is one of the rogue replicants that Deckard has been sent to kill, and his final scene is one of the greatest sci-moments ever captured on film. Batty saves Deckard's life and then, realizing his time is up, reflects on the nature of his existence. He describes the amazing things he's seen in his short lifetime, summing up the experience by saying, "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain."

The monologue itself is only 42 words long, but it packs an incredible punch, aided by Hauer's magnificent performance and a quietly soaring soundtrack. Hauer told Radio Times that he actually re-wrote parts of the scene himself, including that iconic final line. It's arguably the most important moment in the movie, as it proves just how human the replicants actually are. One death scene to rule them all.

I knew these people from Paris, Texas

Wim Wenders' 1984 film "Paris, Texas" is about a man lost at sea. Well, more precisely it's about a man lost in the desert, but the metaphor is still apt. Harry Dean Stanton plays Travis Henderson, a man who has been missing for many years. The recently rescued Travis reconnects with his brother and son but soon finds himself on a journey to locate the mother of his child, Jane (Nastassja Kinski).

He finds Jane in Houston at the peep-show club where she works. He sees her behind a one-way mirror and decides to finally speak to her. Travis tells Jane their story, starting with the time they met and fell and love and ending with the violent dissolution of their union. The 10-minute-long scene is beautifully directed by Wenders, who alternates between focusing the camera on Travis as he's telling the tale, and Jane, who slowly begins to realize the story is about her.

It's a masterclass in empathetic storytelling as it's difficult not to feel for both characters, even as Travis describes the terrible way he treated Jane. "Paris, Texas" won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984, and this scene is likely a huge reason why. A slow-burning monologue filled with resignation and regret, it's an enormously affecting moment.

I'll show you out of order from Scent of a Woman

Many of the great monologues in film history come from equally great films, but this is not always the case. In his storied career, Al Pacino has delivered countless powerful speeches in movies like "The Godfather" and "Scarface." However, one of his most celebrated monologues is from a film that is often forgotten — 1992's "Scent of a Woman." Pacino plays Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a blind, cantankerous Vietnam veteran planning to end his life. Frank's niece hires Charlie (Chris O'Donnell), a prep student in trouble for refusing to rat out his classmates, to look after Frank over Thanksgiving.

Frank spends much of the movie acting like a mean, angry old man, but he swoops in at the end to save the day. Charlie is forced to sit through a hearing led by his crooked headmaster, who thinks he should be expelled for refusing to inform on his peers. Frank then enters the courtroom and gives an impassioned speech about the importance of courage and integrity, qualities which seem to have been lost on the headmaster.

Pacino is known for turning things up to 11 in climactic moments — and his performance here isn't exactly subdued — but he gives Frank's righteous speech a rousing dramatic flair. With his old-school Southern accent and a sprinkling of classic Pacino expletives, it's a classic Hollywood monologue that stands the test of time, even if the film itself has not.

Your move chief from Good Will Hunting

Robin Williams is something of a master advice-giver in films, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the 1997 film "Good Will Hunting." Williams plays Sean Maguire, a therapist who is counseling a young genius mathematician named Will Hunting (Matt Damon). Williams has several impactful monologues in just this film alone, but there's one that stands out.

Though Sean has been working to break through Will's defense mechanisms and get to know the real him, Will continues to treat therapy like a joke and even goes so far as to insult Sean and his dead wife. Sean and Will sit together on a park bench one day and Sean takes Will to task for his childish arrogance. He tells Will that he may know things about the world from reading books, but he's never actually lived in the world, as Sean has. "I can't learn anything from you that I can't read in some f***ing book," Sean explains. "Unless you want to talk about you."

It's a talking-down-to that Will rightly deserves, and it eventually leads to the famous therapy breakthrough scene later in the film, where Sean tells Will, "it's not your fault," after Will admits to being abused as a child. The latter scene is the more memorable one, but this earlier scene is an important building block for the film as a whole, and Williams gives a typically wisened performance here.

King Kong from Training Day

Denzel Washington is one of the great contemporary masters of the movie monologue, and you don't have to look far to find some legendary ones. From "Malcolm X" to "Philadelphia" to "Macbeth," he's an actor of almost unparalleled strength and gravitas. One of his very best monologues is not a political speech or a drawn-out soliloquy but a short, volatile scene from the 2001 film "Training Day." Washington plays Alonzo Harris, a crooked LAPD cop who is forced to start working with a rookie (Ethan Hawke).

By the time we get to Washington's greatest monologue, Alonzo's time has started to run out. Though he previously ruled the neighborhood with an iron fist, his hold on the community is starting to slip, and the Russian mob has a hit out on him. He tries to reassert his dominance by giving a threatening speech to the local gang members and onlookers. "I'ma burn this motherf***er down. King Kong ain't got s*** on me!" he yells.

"Training Day" may be a gritty crime movie, but this scene feels very Shakespearian in nature — which makes sense, considering Washington is a Shakespeare-trained actor. Though he's trying to remain an alpha, you can hear the desperation behind his threats, and Washington's dramatic rhythm is spot-on. Washington's work here is made all the more impressive when you consider the fact that he actually improvised the famous "King Kong" line, which marks the powerful climax in this mighty speech.

I drink your milkshake from There Will Be Blood

Paul Thomas Anderson is a filmmaking legend with numerous beloved films under his belt, but one scene (and one line of dialogue) stands above them all. Daniel Day Lewis' delivery of "I drink your milkshake" from the 2007 film "There Will Be Blood" is one of the most iconic lines of the 21st century and is a small part of a great cinematic monologue.

The line comes in the film's final scene as two rivals face off. Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) is a preacher who has long tried to wrest power from the megalomaniac Daniel Plainview (Lewis). Daniel holds a grudge against Eli because of the time Eli forced him into a baptism, so when Eli comes to Daniel's door like a beggar, Daniel can't help but point out his hypocrisy. Eli offers to sell a piece of his oil-rich land to Daniel, and Daniel tells him he's already drained the land, leading to the famous "I drink your milkshake" line.

Eli's made a huge mistake coming to Daniel like this, as Daniel has reverted into the worst version of himself –- misanthropic, cruel, and bloated with wealth. While the milkshake line is incredible, the cruelest line comes earlier, when Daniel tells Eli, "you're just an afterbirth," because his twin brother, Paul, is more successful. The scene ends with Daniel killing Eli with a bowling pin, completing Daniel's transformation into a man devoid of humanity. Chilling stuff.

The same spot as you from Fences

Any movie monologue list needs at least one Viola Davis scene, and her performance in "Fences" is among her best. If you weren't convinced of Davis' brilliance before this movie, you certainly will be afterward. "Fences" is an adaptation of the August Wilson play of the same name and follows a married couple, Troy (Denzel Washington) and Rose (Davis), along with their son, Cory (Jovan Adepo). Troy never got over his dream of becoming a professional baseball player, and he takes his frustrations out on his wife and son.

In one climactic scene, Rose confronts Troy about his cheating and he tries to justify it by explaining how hard it's been "standing in the same place for 18 years." However, Rose is having none of his excuses and screams back, "Well I've been standing with you!" With tears streaming down her face and snot literally dripping into her mouth, Rose lays out her desolation, explaining how she had to bury her wants and needs to stay married to Troy and find a reason to keep living.

Troy doesn't reflect on Rose's feelings, of course, but she lays them out with devastating clarity. "I planted myself inside you and waited to bloom," she says, admitting that she knew she never would. Davis gives a tour de force performance here –- the kind you have to remind yourself to breathe while watching –- proving that she's really in a lane of her own.

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The monologues that appear on this list are a collection of strong and memorable performances across American film. All of the monologues featured are in English. 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. 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. 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.

Additionally, movie "rants", which are a form of monologue, have their own list which can be viewed here . This includes Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men (1992), and Peter Finch in Network (1976).

While this list only includes films, there is also a companion list that examines the greatest monologues in television, which can be found here.

Here are the 20 Greatest Monologues in Movie History:

20. Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix

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.

The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room.

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. Of course, Neo chooses the "red" pill, which allows him to see the truth and escape the Matrix.

The monologue helps to showcase Fishburne's immense vocal control. 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 speech captures the complexities of both Morpheous and the Matrix, and it signals a turning point for the film.

19. Angela Lansbury in The Manchurian Candidate

Dame Angela Lansbury is perhaps best known for her roles in musicals ( Mame ), mysteries ( Murder, She Wrote ), and animated films ( Beauty and the Beast ). However, one of Lansbury's most famous and acclaimed portrayals is that of Mrs. Eleanor Iselin, in The Manchurian Candidate (1962). Mrs. 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. Mrs. 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. 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. 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.

18. Salvatore Corsitta in The Godfather

In the opening moment of The Godfather (1972), Amerigo Bonasera (played by Salvatore Corsitta) utters, " I believe in America ." Then, in agonizing detail, he recounts the story of his daughter getting savagely beaten by two American men. He demands, begs for vengeance from Marlon Brando's Don Corleone. As Bonasera tells Don Corleone the plight of his daughter, the camera slowly pans out on the scene. Without any pretext, the audience is transported directly into the brutal and violent world of the film.

Don Corleone, as it happens, is the godfather of Bonasera's daughter, and his assurance that Bonasera will receive justice is coupled with his menacing:

" Someday, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this justice as a gift on my daughter's wedding day. "

It is the perfect way to introduce Don Corleone to the world.

17. The Blair Witch Project

Heather Donahue's monologue, as she clutches a camera in the dark and apologizes to her parents, is perhaps the most iconic moment of The Blair Witch Project (1999). The low-budget indie horror film would go on to influence and inspire countless horror movies and indie film producers in the years to come. Donahue's voice and close-up footage of her face was also used in the film's famed marketing campaign - her (largely improvised) words were what drew people to the theaters in droves. In the film, Donahue (who plays a character of the same name) is one of three student filmmakers who goes to investigate a local legend and disappears - the film is "pieced together" after the filmmakers' disappearance when it was "discovered" a year later. In the monologue, Donahue is alone, afraid, and scared for her life, capturing the paranoia and fear that The Blair Witch Project instilled in countless audience members.

16. Viggo Mortensen in Return of the King

Some monologues are meant to rally people together, from teammates on a sports team to men about to go to war. From as early as Shakespeare's "St. 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.

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. 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. He encourages his men, saying:

" 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. A hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day!"

It is hard to imagine the skeptical and closed off Strider uttering these words, but Aragorn has embraced his destiny and role as king. He is prepared to die for his friends, his kingdom, and his mission.

15. Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest

The wire hanger monologue from the cult-classic Mommie Dearest (1981) is famous for its absurdity. The film got mixed reviews, but the monologue is the highlight of Faye Dunaway's performance as Joan Crawford. The film is a biography film that portrays Crawford as an abusive adoptive mother to her two children; the script was based on the memoir of Crawford's adopted daughter. In the scene, Crawford discovers a wirehanger, which she claims will damage the clothes, in her daughter's closet. She takes the use of the wire hanger very personally, saying that she is delibarately being sabotaged and undermined by her young children. Dunaway's over-the-top performance in the scene is a feat to behold: she screams and rants, she throws clothes, and she beats her daughter. It's clear why this is the moment from the film that audiences remember - she's deranged, she's horrifying, and she is a thing of nightmares.

14. Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl

Rosamund Pike plays the titular "girl", Amy, in Gone Girl (2014), who disappears under mysterious circumstances which make it seem as though her husband murdered her. In a chilling voiceover, Amy reveals that she isn't dead, but instead has gone into hiding. While the audience watches her escape and transformation into a different person, Amy explains how she had actively tried to embody the paradoxical male desire of the "cool girl" - a woman who is effortlessly attractive, interested in sports and other "masculine" hobbies, and who is never demanding or judgmental. After years of trying to please her husband, Amy realized that he didn't know her at all, and decided to take matters into her own hands. At the end of her reflection, she says coldly, as if to justify why she framed her husband for her murder:

Can you imagine, finally showing your true self to your soulmate, and having him not like you?

13. Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting

Over the course of his career, Robin Williams has performed a number of incredible monologues. 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. Even in Good Will Hunting (1997), Williams has a number of inspirational and hilarious monologues as Sean Macguire, a therapist who has been asked to help a troubled mathematical genius Will Hunting after Will has a run in with the police.

At first, Will is cocky, refusing to open up to Sean, and asserting his intelligence. Sean fires back with a monologue telling Will that he knows nothing about life:

You don’t know about real loss, because that only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself. I doubt you’ve ever dared to love anybody that much. I look at you; I don’t see an intelligent, confident man; I see a cocky, scared shitless kid.

Sean puts Will in his place, and this risky play actually convinces Will to start opening up to Sean. Sean doesn't beg Will, he doesn't push him, he simply says, " Your move, chief ."

12. Charlize Theron in Monster

Charlize Theron's portrayal of real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003) won her critical acclaim and ultimately an Oscar for Best Actress. One of the most moving parts of the film is a monologue when Aileen reflects on her life, and remembers when she was a young and hopeful little girl. She describes herself, waiting for a movie scout to discover her like Marilyn Monroe and to take her away from her life, seeing her as a diamond in the rough. Unfortunately, the audience already knows that is not how Aileen's life turned out; instead, she has become a prostitute, who eventually turns to murdering her clients. In the final line, Aileen says:

Yeah. I lived that way for a long long time. In my head, dreaming like that. It was nice. And one day, it just stopped.

Reality took its toll on the young girl, and she gave up.

Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975) helped to bring about the rise of the blockbuster, but one of the films' quietest moments is also its most powerful. Robert Shaw plays the shark hunter Quint, whose hatred of sharks is as obsessive as Ahab's hatred of Moby Dick. In his captivating monologue about being aboard the USS Indianapolis, Quint details to Roy Scheider's Martin Brody and Richard Dreyfuss's Matt Hooper the story of how the ship was sunk by the Japanese in World War II. He then tells them about a number of shark attacks that killed men, including Quint's friends, before his very eyes over the four days leading to his rescue. Interestingly, actor Robert Shaw actually helped to write the monologue, contributing along with two screenwriters to craft the horrifying story. The result is an absolutely riveting long-take monologue that many fans cite as the best part of the entire film.

10. Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator

Charlie Chaplin's 1940 satire The Great Dictator was mocking Adolf Hitler long before Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. The film, Chaplin's first full-sound movie, gained commercial and critical success in America. Chaplin plays a Jewish man who is mistaken for the country's dictator, Adenoid Hynkel - hilarity (of course) ensues, at Hitler's expense. Despite this, the film ends on a powerful and serious note when Chaplin makes an impassioned speech. Chaplin condemns dictators and promotes the power of democracy. The speech is a call to arms, and in the years to come, it would be a rallying point for America as it went back to war. Even though Chaplin's words were clearly meant for his own moment and location in history, they resonate with fans today as much as ever. The speech is simply a masterpiece for all times.

9. Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption

Morgan Freeman's performance in The Shawshank Redemption (1994) as Ellis Boyd Redding - or "Red" for short - garnered him an Oscar nomination. His character, who has spent the last two decades in prison, gives a number of speeches in the film. However, of all of these speeches, his voiceover in the final moments of the film is truly inspiring and exceptional. After being let out of prison, Red decides to break his parole and join his friend, Andy, in Mexico. While the camera pans to the Pacific, Red says:

I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

After years in captivity, Red is given the chance to live again - and he takes it. The monologue is the culmination of the film, and, with the aid of Freeman's legendary voice, it does not disappoint.

8. Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now

Marlon Brando is regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time, and his numerous acclaimed performances over the course of his prolific career make it difficult to choose a single performance that encapsulates his many talents as an actor. If there was one monologue, however, it would be his powerful performance as Colonel Kurtz, the central antagonist of the film Apocalypse Now (1979). Kurtz reflects on the horrors of war, and decides that judgment is what inhibits soldiers from doing whatever is necessary. He praises the Viet Cong forces for not showing the same weakness as American soldiers do. Kurtz is a man who is willing to commit horrors of his own, but it is clear that his mind has been warped by his experiences in war. This twisted character allows Brando to illustrate his range, and paint a horrifying story of mutilation and cruelty with words alone.

7. Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream

Ellen Burstyn's Sara in Requiem for a Dream (2000) is an Oscar-nominated performance that fans have not soon forgotten. Burstyn is a powerhouse who brings immense energy and emotional depth to every scene, including her moving monologue to her grown son, Harry (Jared Leto). Sara explains that her life has been meaningless without people to take care of - but since she has been offered a spot on a television game show, she has a reason to wake up in the morning and smile, " It makes tomorrow all right ." Requiem for a Dream is a story of addiction and what it can cost people, and Sara's addiction begins with her dream life, where she isn't lonely and people like her. Even though Sara claims to be happy in the monologue, it's a heart-wrenchingly sad look into her lonely life - apparently even a member of the camera crew teared up while filming her.

6. Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton

A well-placed (and well-paced) monologue can create some of cinema's most memorable moments. For instance, in the opening moments of Michael Clayton (2007), Tom Wilkinson delivers a voiceover monologue as Arthur; as he recounts an incident to Michael, it becomes clear that Arthur is having some sort of mental health lapse. As Arthur speaks at an increasing pace, his words are coupled with shots of the law firm, largely devoid of people, as the credits appear. Arthur's breakdown puts the events of the film into motion, and this opening sequence propels the viewer directly into the story without any pretext. The audience is left to figure out who Arthur and Michael are from the pieces; the film chooses to show rather than tell, and the result is truly masterful storytelling. Tom Wilkinson was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Arthur, and this monologue showcases what a truly brilliant actor he is; with only his voice, he is able to convey so much about his character and propel the story along at an incredible pace.

5. Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice

Meryl Streep's performance as Sophie in Sophie's Choice (1982) is legendary; even for Streep's incredible career, Sophie's Choice is perhaps her single most acclaimed film and performance. In the film, Sophie has a number of confessional monologues as she recounts the events that led to her being a prisoner in Auschwitz who was forced to choose which of her two children would live. In one monologue, she explains that her father was actually himself a Nazi sympathizer who believed that the Jews should be exterminated. As Sophie tells the story, the film intercuts close-ups of Streep's face, staring directly into the camera with visuals of the events. After Sophie hastily tries to type up her father's speech, he makes mistakes because of her grammatical mistakes. She repeats his harsh words: " Zosia, your intelligence is pulp . Pulp. " After all these years, it is clear that these words still ring in Sophie's ears, and Streep's delivery is perfect.

4. Mo'Nique in Precious

Mo'Nique won both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Sundance special jury prize for her portrayal of Mary, the mother of Precious in Precious (2009). Mary physically and emotionally abuses Precious, and seemingly turns a blind-eye to Precious's father's sexual abuse, which has resulted in two pregnancies. When Mary is confronted about this, she tearfully breaks down, saying that she secretly resents Precious:

That was my man and he wanted my daughter. And that’s why I hated her because it was my man who was supposed to be loving me, who was supposed to be making love to me, he was fucking my baby and she made him leave, she made him go away… It was Precious’ fault because she let my man have her and she didn’t say nothin’, she didn’t scream, she didn’t do nothin’...

Mary's confession is the last straw for Precious; she leaves her mother, and goes to live on her own.

3. Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction

Quentin Tarantino loves a good monologue. His films are full of characters waxing ex tempore (and usually profanely). At the end of Pulp Fiction (1994), Samuel L. Jackson's Jules Winnfield recites Ezekiel 25:17 for the last time - well, in the film anyway. Samuel L. Jackson proudly still knows the Bible verse and has quoted it on talk shows before. As Jules tries to de-escalate the attempted robbery in the diner, he explains to robbers Ringo (Tim Roth) and Yolanda (Amanda Plummer) that he always quotes Ezekiel 25:17 before he kills someone. However, the significance of the verse itself isn't even necessarily clear to him. He concludes by saying:

Or it could mean you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. Now I'd like that. But that shit ain't the truth. The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be a shepherd.

Jules lets Ringo and Yolanda go, and maybe is better for it.

2. Viola Davis in Doubt

Beatrice Straight famously won an Oscar for her supporting performance in Network (1976), winning with only five minutes and forty seconds of screen time. Straight's performance does feature a short monologue, but her performance in the scene as a whole, including the dialogue with her philandering husband really showcases why she deserved the award.

Viola Davis's performance in Doubt (2008) is in a similar vein. Davis was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting role for her performance, which was under eight minutes and less than two scenes. Davis's monologue, however, is her crowning achievement, a powerful and sorrowful story.

Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) approaches Donald Miller's mother (Davis) to tell about the possibility that Father Flynn (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is abusing Donald. Mrs. Miller reveals that she doesn't care - her son is gay, which has meant that he is bullied and his father beats him. She claims that she doesn't want to know why Father Flynn is kind to her son, because her son needs his kindness. Mrs. Miller leaves the domineering Sister Beauvier speechless - and Davis steals the scene from Meryl Streep.

1. Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird

There are a number of powerful courtroom dramas that lend themselves to impressive monologues: lawyers, witnesses, and defendants will speak uninterrupted, which provides an opportunity for actors to demonstrate their talents. Jack Nicholson's speech in A Few Good Men (1992), when he shouts the famous, " You can't handle the truth ," occurs in a courtroom - and is featured on our list of best movie rants.

The number one spot for movie monologues, however, is saved for the courtroom speech of Atticus Finch. Gregory Peck's Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) is one of the most beloved heroes in cinematic history, even being voted number one on the American Film Institute's list of movie heroes. Peck won an Oscar for the role, and when watching his portrayal, it's no wonder why. His performance culminates in Atticus Finch's legendary defense of Tom Robinson, a black man on trial for a violent crime he didn't commit. In his closing remarks to the jury, Finch invokes God, American ideals, truth, and the duty of the jurors - he famously ends with the line:

In the name of God, do your duty. In the name of God, believe Tom Robinson .

Despite Atticus Finch's efforts, Tom is condemned by an all-white jury, and denied justice by a jury of his peers. The audience, however, is certainly won over by Peck's legendary performance.

What monologue do you think is the greatest of all time? Join the conversation in the comments!

Cinematic Masterpieces: 25 Monologues That Shaped Film

A movie monologue is a speech given by a single character. They often happen at important turning points, i.e., at the point of no return or near the end – at the movie’s climax .

For the monologue to be convincing, the actor who delivers the speech has to convince the audience—big or small—in the film so that we, as viewers, are persuaded, and our disbelief is suspended.

I mention the rhetorical appeals throughout the article to add context to the quotes. If you’re unsure about what ethos, logos, and pathos are, click here .

1. The Newsroom: “America is not the greatest country in the world anymore.”

In this powerful monologue from The Newsroom (2012) , Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) explains to a sophomore why he thinks that America isn’t the greatest country in the world anymore.

Notice how he uses logos and pathos, which tells us that he has both the brain and the heart when it matters.

2. Contact. – Jodie Fosters Pitch

In this scene from Contact (1997) , we see Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) trying to secure funding for her SETI project.

Test your knowledge in the ultimate sci-fi movie quote quiz .

Notice how she abandons logos for pathos when the board initially denies her funding. Her passion convinces the mystical billionaire S.R. Hadden (John Hurt) to fund her research.

3. The Dark Knight: Joker meets the mob and does a Pencil Trick

In this scene from Batman: The Dark Knight (2008) , we see the Joker (Heath Ledger) trying to convince the mob of Gotham City to pay him half of their money to kill Batman.

Notice how he establishes credibility and authority (ethos) from the beginning so that the mob knows he is no fool (pun intended).

Heath Ledger did a great job as Joker, and his posthumous Academy Award for this role is well-deserved.

4. Hidden Figures. “Be The First” Appeal To The Judge

In this scene, Hidden figures (2016) , we see a strong appeal made by one of the female protagonists, Marie Jackson (Janelle Monáe), to the skeptical judge to allow her to attend an all-white high school.

In this 1-minute monologue, notice how she uses pathos to establish common ground and get the judge to see it from her point of view.

5. Independence Day. President Speech.

In this cult scene from Independence Day (1996) , the President of the United States, Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman), gives a motivational speech to the Air Force before the final battle against the aliens.

It’s a powerful speech. It comes from authority (ethos) – POTUS himself – who in the movie is raised to a pedestal as if he is not only the president of the US but the entire human population on earth.

The motivational speech is a pure pathos appeal based on fear and hope – we fight, win, or die!

Independence Day has many memorable lines. Check out the best quotes from the Independence Day movie .

6. The Devil’s Advocate. Al Pacino’s monologue about God

Here’s a great example of a monologue from the antagonist in a movie.

In this scene from The Devil’s Advocate (1997) , the devil (Al Pacino) gives a speech about God. As the devil himself, you won’t find a more authoritative figure (ethos) except maybe God.

The monologue is a pathos appeal – rooted in anger, of course – to establish a common ground with our protagonist, Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves).

7. Scent of a Woman. “I’ll Show You Out of Order!”

Here’s a dramatic monologue by Al Pacino from the movie Scent of a Woman (1992) .

In this scene, the blind military veteran Lt. Col. Frank Slade (Al Pacino) defends the young prep school student Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell).

We see Slade establish credibility and authority (ethos) through his powerful appearance and references to his time in the military.

And though he is blind, he sees right through the school’s hypocrisy, which he unveils with his passionate choice of words and intonation (pathos).

It’s a great scene and an iconic performance by Al Pacino.

8. Braveheart: Freedom Speech

In this monologue from Braveheart (1995) , we see William Wallace (Mel Gibson) give a powerful speech to the clansmen of Scotland.

The pathos appeal is rooted in the clans’ fear of losing their independence and freedom from England. The purpose is to persuade the clans to unite and fight against the English army.

9. Good Will Hunting. “Your Move Chief”

Here’s a favorite scene from one of my favorite films, Good Will Hunting (1997) .

In the scene, we see the therapist, Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), giving Will Hunting (Matt Damon) an important lesson about life.

The monologue from Williams’ character becomes the turning point for Will, as he finally decides to be honest with his therapist and himself.

Williams’s character has life experience and credibility (ethos). Though he might not be a genius like Will, he knows enough (logos) to dismantle Will’s intellectual bullshit, which up to this point, has worked as a shield not to let anyone see who he is inside.

Maguire sees right through Will’s facade. It’s a warm and caring talking-to and lecture (pathos) that persuades Will to drop his guard and open up and one of the best moments in the film.

Robin Williams did a great job in this movie and was rewarded an Academy Award as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, which is well deserved if you ask me!

10. Good Will Hunting. “My boy’s wicked smart”

Here’s another scene from Good Will Hunting.

In this scene, we see some of Will’s (Matt Damon) genius as he rips apart a condescending Harvard student, Clark, who tries to make a fool of his best friend, Chuckie (Ben Affleck).

We see how Will uses logos to outwit Clark (Scott William Winters) while establishing authority and dominance (ethos) at the same time.

He already has the upper hand when he suggests a fight, as both he and Chuckie are used to fighting, as we can see from their bruised faces.

Ultimately, it’s a double-win for Will, as Clark loses to muscles and brains.

Speaking of wins, it’s no surprise that Damon and Affleck’s script received an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

11. Wall Street. “Greed […] is Good”

In this scene from the movie Wall Street (1987) , we see the anti-hero Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) persuading the audience at a shareholder’s meeting, announcing that “greed [..] is good. Greed is right, greed works”.

He establishes himself as an authority when he speaks of himself as a liberator of companies instead of their destroyer. He refers to the massive amount of money his takeovers have afforded other shareholders through the years.

The monologue aims to persuade the shareholders that it is a good idea to accept Gekko’s takeover bid.

He does this by—apparently—establishing common ground (pathos) with shareholders on the floor while speaking against the vice presidents on the board who make a lot of money.

12. Apocalypse Now. “The Horror”

In this monologue from Apocalypse Now (1979) , Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando) recalls the horrors of war. We’re invited into his mind to witness first-hand the cause of his insanity.

It’s a horrifying monologue (no pun intended) filled with pathos, which contrasts Kurtz’s screwed reasoning that if you can embrace horror, then you can “kill without feeling… without passion… without judgment”.

In doing so, Colonel Kurtz equals being able to kill without emotion and conscience with strength in its purest form.

13. The Matrix Reloaded. The Merovingian on Causality

In this scene from The Matrix Reloaded (2003) , we see the antagonist, The Merovingian (Lambert Wilson), lecturing Neo et al. on causality, i.e., cause and effect.

As a program himself (logos), he separates himself from human avatars in the matrix – embodied by the female guest – who are controlled by emotions and instincts (pathos).

The “why” in his monologue is reasoning (logos) and power.

If you don’t understand “why,” a.k.a. the cause, you become a slave to your emotions (pathos) and those who understand the “why” because they can control you by manipulating those emotions.

14. Kill Bill Vol. 2: Kill Bill on Superheroes

In this memorable performance from Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004) , we see Bill (David Carradine) speaking about how Superman differs from other superheroes.

Other superheroes—like Spider-Man—are weak and human, except when they have transformed into their superhero alter ego and put on their masks.

It is the opposite way around with Superman. Superman is always a superhero underneath his cape, and his alter ego, Clark Kent, is the weak one.

The speech is an analogy to female assassin Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman), a.k.a. The Bride, a.k.a. Arlene Plimpton.

As her former teacher, Bill doesn’t condone her wish to live a simple life like Arlene Plimpton. In Bill’s perspective, becoming Mrs. Plimpton resembles Superman becoming Clark Kent – a weak alter ego. Bill sees Beatrix Kiddo as “a natural born killer.”

As her former teacher and a feared assassin, Bill already possesses much authority (ethos). And though the Superman analogy might seem like a logos appeal, it is a pathos appeal where Bill tries to re-establish a common ground with his former apprentice.

It’s the classical “we are the same you and I” antagonist monologue, but it is wrapped in clever Tarantino writing.

15. Ratatouille. “Anyone can cook”

Here’s a scene from one of my favorite Disney films, Ratatouille (2007) by Pixar.

It’s a wonderful climactic monologue near the end of the film, where the cooking of the rat Remy (Patton Oswalt) and Linguini (Lou Romano) is judged by the feared food critic Anton Ego (Peter O’Toole).

It’s not only a well-written monologue on art and criticism. It is also about the transformative power of acceptance, courage, and risk-taking, as Anton Ego has to revise his biased views on cooking.

As a feared food critic, Anton Ego has established himself as an authority (ethos) that can make or break a restaurant through the power of his words (logos).

But when he writes the review, he risks and loses this credibility. Instead, he is reborn and reconnected with the happy feelings from his childhood (pathos), which he hasn’t been in contact with for years.

16. Mona Lisa Smile. Katherine’s speech to the class.

In this Mona Lisa Smile (2003) scene, we see art history teacher Katherin Ann Watson (Julia Roberts) in a passionate speech to her students at Wellesley College in 1953.

Julia makes a strong pathos appeal to get the students to see that there is more to life than getting married and fill out the roles the girls “were born to fill” – as her highly conservative student Elizabeth “Betty” Warren (Kirsten Dunst) had written in an editorial for the college paper.

She also uses logos appeals, showing the class contemporary ads with demeaning portraits of women, which act as a mirror to the young students.

It’s a powerful 2-minute monologue of female empowerment.

17. The American President.

In this monologue from the movie The American President (1995) , we see the Democratic President of the US, Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas), giving a speech before the press about free speech.

He also rebukes the attacks by his political opponent – the Republican Senator Bob Rumson.

It’s a passionate monologue (pathos) contrasting his earlier measured speeches (logos). Again, we see how logos is overtaken by pathos when it matters.

18. Malcolm X

In this powerful speech from the movie Malcolm X (1992) , we see Malcolm X (Denzel Washington) address Harlem’s citizens.

It’s a classic us-against-them speech in which he first establishes a common ground with the black community of Harlem (pathos) by peeling away all that could divide them and then putting them against the white man, a.k.a. the government and politicians.

19. A Few Good Men. “You can’t handle the truth!”

In this famous movie monologue from A Few Good Men (1992), we see Col. Nathan R. Jessep (Jack Nicholson) admitting that he ordered Code Red – a violent extrajudicial punishment – which led to the death of marine officer William Santiago.

Up until this point, the courtroom battle has been a case of providing evidence and a battle of wits (logos) between Jessep and lawyers Daniel Kaffe (Tom Cruise) and JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore).

But as Kaffe catches Jessep in a lie, things heat up, and Nicholson gives a powerful and passionate monologue rooted in anger (pathos), starting with the famous words, “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!”

It’s also an excellent example of using a rhetorical question to set up the answer.

20. Skyfall. “Mommy was very bad.”

In this scene from Skyfall (2012), James Bond (Daniel Craig) meets the villain Silva (Javier Bardem) for the first time.

Check out our list of the best 007 movies of all time .

As Silva enters the room where Bond is captured, he gives a disgusting (pathos) monologue about getting rid of a rat infestation on his grandmother’s island when he was a kid.

The rats thrived by eating coconuts, and the way to get rid of the rats was to capture them in an oil drum and let them eat each other until there were only two left.

The two survivors will now have changed their nature to feast on rats instead of coconuts and are released into the wild.

Of course, the two surviving rats are an analogy of Bond and Silva, whose natures have been changed as they are both trained MI6 agents. Instead of killing other rats, the two agents have a license to kill other humans—or at least one of them does. For Silva, killing is a feast in itself.

21. Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction (1994)

Another honorable mention is Jules Winnfield’s (Samuel L. Jackson) citation of the verse Ezekiel 25:17 in Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino:

Anyone familiar with Pulp Fiction might remember that the quote appears twice in the film.

The second time is in the final scene where Jules lectures Ringo, a.k.a. Pumpkin, on how to be a bad-ass motherfucker – or is it a shepherd?

Here is the monologue in full.

Well, there’s this passage I got memorized: Ezekiel 25:17: ‘The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.” I’ve been sayin’ that shit for years. And if you heard it, that meant your ass. I never gave much thought to what it meant. I just thought it was some cold-blooded thing to say to a motherfucker before you popped a cap in his ass. But I saw some shit this mornin’ made me think twice. Seee, now I’m thinking: maybe it means you’re the evil man. And I’m the righteous man. And Mr. 9-millimeter here, he’s the shepherd protecting my righteous ass in the valley of darkness. Or it could mean you’re the righteous man and I’m the shepherd and it’s the world that’s evil and selfish. I’d like that. But that shit ain’t the truth. The truth is you’re the weak. And I’m the tyranny of evil men. But I’m tryin’, Ringo… I’m tryin’ real hard to be the shepherd. – Jules Winnfield

22. Meryl Streep in One True Thing (1998)

In this heartwarming (and heartbreaking at the same time) monologue, Meryl Streep plays a cancer-stricken mother, Kate Gulden, talking to her daughter Ellen (Renée Zellweger). The latter is upset with her father, George (William Hurt).

It’s a moment of truth about marriage, the idea of a good father, and life and death at the most basic level. And it’s filled with pathos.

It’s another excellent performance from Meryl Streep, who was nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards.

23. ‘Tears in the Rain’ by Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner (1982)

I’m a huge Blade Runner fan, so this may be biased. But I love this final monologue from the Nexus-6 model Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer):

It’s a pivotal moment in the film because the Nexus model chooses to save Rick Deckard’s (Harrison Ford) life.

At this point, it is assumed by most that Deckard is human, so for a Nexus model to save a human, the Tyrell Corporation’s idea of creating robots that are ‘more human than human’ is enforced.

Viewed analytically, the logos of the cold-blooded soldier Nexus-6 model give way to a pathos-filled moment in its final hour.

24. John Goodman in The Big Lebowski (1998)

One of the movie’s most hilarious monologues is from Walter Sobchak (John Goodman). Granted, this movie is filled with crazy dialog and scenes and is one of the best comedy movies of all time .

In this scene, Walter gives a ceremonious speech before he scatters Theodore Donald ‘Donny’ Kerabatsos’s (Steve Buschemi) ashes near the sea while The Dude (Jeff Bridges) listens in the background.

Donny, a trusted friend and bowling partner, was true to the trio until the end. Donny dies from a heart attack after an altercation with the nihilists who’ve just set the Dude’s car on fire at the movie’s end.

But even though the three friends have bowled for years, the Dude and Walter don’t know much about Donny. So Walter has to make up a speech on the spot, which is more logos than pathos.

Here it is in full:

Donny was a good bowler and a good man. He was… he was one of us. He was a man who loved the outdoors… and bowling. And as a surfer, he explored the beaches of southern California from La Jolla to Leo Carillo and up to Pismo. He died.. he died as so many young men of his generation before his time. In your wisdom, Lord, you took him… as you took so many bright, flowering young men at Khe Sanh, and Lan Doc, and Hill 364. These young men gave their lives, and so Donny. Donny who loved bowling. And so… Theodore Donald Karabotsos… in accordance with what we think your dying wishes might well have been… we commit your final, mortal remains to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean, which you loved so well. Goodnight, sweet prince. – Walter Sobchak

25. Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator (2000)

Gladiator (2000), directed by Ridley Scott, is one of my favorite movies. It’s a great story with amazing performances—not least by Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus and Russell Crowe as Maximus.

In this pathos-filled scene, Commodus realizes that his father, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), won’t let his son be the new emperor of Rome. Instead, he’ll pass the torch to his general Maximus.

Commodus tries to redeem himself and let his father know that he is ready to be the new emperor:

[Commodus] You wrote to me once… listing the four chief virtues. Wisdom, justice, fortitude, temperance. As I read the list, I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, Father. Ambition. That can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resourcefulness. Courage. Perhaps not on the battlefield, but… there are many forms of courage. Devotion… to my family… to you. But none of my virtues were on your list. Even then, it was as if you didn’t want me for your son. [Marcus Aurelius kneels: Oh, Commodus… you go to far.] [Commodus] I search the faces of the Gods for ways to please you, to make you proud. One kind word, one full hug where you pressed me to your chest and held me tight… would have been like the sun on my heart for a thousand years. What is it in me that you hate so much? All I’ve ever wanted was to live up to you. Caesar. Father. [Marcus Aurelius: Commodus. Your faults as a son is my failure as a father.]

Tough love! That’s ancient Rome’s idea of a good father for you! Probably not the best or wisest way to respond to a disgruntled son from whom you’ve just denied the emperor’s throne.

Honorary mentions: Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator

Any famous movie monologues list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning this quote from the final scene in The Great Dictator (1940) by Charlie Chaplin.

The quote is as relevant then as it is today:

Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent, and all will be lost.– A Jewish Barber A Jewish Barber

The quote encompasses pathos, logos, and ethos, making this one of the best movie monologues ever.

What makes great monologues from movies?

It can be valuable and fun to view and understand the monologues from a rhetorical perspective and apply the rhetorical appeals ethos, logos, and pathos .

Ethos Logos Pathos the persuasion triangle

Ethos, logos, and pathos are tools for persuading an audience to support you.

An ethos appeal is the speaker’s credibility and authority, a logos appeal is to logic and reasoning (in what’s being said), and a pathos appeal is to the audience’s emotions and passions.

For a monologue to be effective, the character has to have credibility, and he or she has to speak with pathos, a.k.a. passion. In other words, he or she has to speak to our hearts.

I find that pathos, more than logos, often powers these speeches.

Monologues aren’t just for protagonists.

However, the best monologues from movies aren’t reserved for the protagonist. Villains have held some great movie monologues throughout film history, which we’ll examine.

Monologues for villains are so common that Disney’s Pixar made fun of them in The Incredibles. Check out this comedic monologue from Syndrome:

So those were the best film monologues I could think of.

Did I miss any obvious ones? What are your favorite famous movie quotes?

Let me know in the comments below.

Up Next: If you’re an aspiring actor, here are some 1-minute monologues for auditions.

Jan Sørup is a indie filmmaker, videographer and photographer from Denmark. He owns filmdaft.com and the Danish company Apertura, which produces video content for big companies in Denmark and Scandinavia. Jan has a background in music, has drawn webcomics, and is a former lecturer at the University of Copenhagen.

4 thoughts on “Cinematic Masterpieces: 25 Monologues That Shaped Film”

This is really helpful for my drama class, and it has one that I’ve looked for before and couldn’t find, so thank you.

Thank you. I’m glad you found it useful. Good luck in drama class 🙂

Yoo I needed a monoloague to declaim in class, this website helped me a lot to find it. Thankss!!!

thank you so much this help me in my performance.

10 Most Riveting Speeches In Movies

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LOTR: What Happens To Gimli After The War Of The One Ring?

Lord of the rings: 10 strongest villains in the franchise, ranked, the rings of power: what is the sigil marked on galadriel's brother.

There comes a moment in a film, no matter the genre, in which the acting, music, and dialogue blend together to create visual and audio gold. Speeches are a beautiful thing in films. They can inspire, and engross the audience into feeling a great swell of emotion. Great speeches in films will always be remembered. The same cannot be said for horror films that weren't on fans radars .

Related: 5 Worst Horror Movie Heroes

Cinema in itself is compelling, and the joys of cinema are heightened through many things. Whether that be the latest action set piece or the funniest gag from a comedy. Yet, speeches have a legacy of their own and can aspire to us, and compel us entirely into the film.

10 A Watchful Protector, The Dark Knight

After the intensity and non-stop climax of The Dark Knight , Commissioner Jim Gordon and Batman agree that Harvey Dent must die a hero, and no one can know of the sinister and broken villain that The Joker morphed him into. This sequel to Batman Begins outshines the original . As Batman, wounded, and defeated, is chased by the police, Gordon speaks to his son about the kind of hero Batman is.

Hans Zimmer’s music swells triumphantly, as Batman takes the ultimate sacrifice to be Gotham’s villain. Gordon sums it up perfectly “ He’s the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now ”. It’s chilling, inspiring, and changed comic book movies for the better.

9 My Name Is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Gladiator

Gladiator follows the story of a disgraced general with a murdered family, Russell Crowe is perfectly cast as Maximus and delivers a powerful speech to The Emperor (Joaquin Phoenix). Nothing stops Maximus’ speech, as he confesses to the Emperor who he is, something that he knows all too well.

Maximus’ abilities in the gladiator pits of Rome’s Coliseum leave all attendees inspired and adoring of his skills, both with and without a blade. They chant “ Live! ” as Maximus stands proudly, knowing that his fight is more than about survival, but one of revenge.

8 Fighting For Our Right To Live, Independence Day

The President of the United States (Bill Pullman) makes a speech on mankind, and the importance of the 4th of July, for the entirety of humanity. The speech is powerful, and provides an intense patriotism, even for those not even American. It’s a proud speech written with strength and with champions in mind.

After the speech, the crowds cheer and holler at the U.S President, a mix of civilians, soldiers, and jet fighters. It’s a captivating speech in a timeless 90s movie , about coming together and overcoming the pride that hurdles our differences, for the sake of victory and union over an alien invasion.

7 Whatever It Takes, Avengers: Endgame

After the survivors of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War discover a way to travel back through time and reclaim the lost infinity stones , they suit up and listen to Captain America (Chris Evans) and his riveting speech on how important this mission is. With no do-overs, everyone is important to the success of bringing back the dead, especially the amnesiac best friend of Captain America , Bucky Barnes.

Chris Evans boasts a remarkable talent as Captain America for his outing in Avengers: Endgame . He is captivating his team and keeping audiences on the edge of their seats as they listen to his words. It’s almost impossible not to want to cheer for their success, knowing that half of the remaining universe rests on their shoulders.

6 Get Busy Living, The Shawshank Redemption

Regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time, The Shawshank Redemption focuses on the growing friendship between Red (Morgan Freeman) and Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins). This particular scene has the two talking about their desires once they get out of prison. Robbins takes over this scene, as he imagines the life he wants.

Related: Horror Movies With Great Love Stories

The music is somber and follows a few piano keys as the two men discuss getting out. It’s impossible to look away or talk whilst listening to their dreams. Robbins’ famous quote “Get busy living, or get busy dying.”, is heavily remembered to this day as one of the most aspiring quotes.

5 Inches, Any Given Sunday

Any Given Sunday follows Tony D’Amator (Al Pacino) as the Miami Sharks coach. The film is full of an ensemble cast at the 50-year line of the gridiron cosmos. Pacino is nothing short of legendary and holds a remarkable portfolio of acting credits. Any Given Sunday is one of many of his impressive works, and this over four-minute-long speech is captivating, through and through.

After all, is said and done, D’Amator simply says “Now, what are you gonna do?” and his team erupts into cheer, jumping with adrenaline and a newfound devotion to their team, and their teammates. It’s a legendary scene, and win or lose, the Miami Sharks were provided with the motivation to go to the Moon.

4 The Show Goes On, The Wolf Of Wall Street

Many fans of Leonardo DiCaprio regard his role as Jordan Belfort as his best. The Martin Scorsese picture, The Wolf of Wall Street , features incredible performances, and a true story filled with drugs, money, and capitalist greed. Jordan and his team manipulate the stock market and cheat their way to the top.

One scene has Jordan preparing to step down from Stratton Oakmont, and he gives a vigorous speech about how he is not leaving. It’s filled with passion, adrenaline, and swearing. His words are nothing if not hyper, and enthralling.

3 Ride For Ruin, Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is largely regarded as one of the greatest trilogies of all time. His adaption of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work won the franchise a lot of Academy Awards and loyal fans around the globe. One part, in particular, that is powerful enough to make people weep is King Théoden’s (Bernard Hill) speech in The Return of the King .

His speech is filled with vigor and pride. The Riders of Rohan are entirely outnumbered by the Orc hordes of Sauron, but it matters not. The strength of King Théoden’s speech has them all shout “ Death! ” at the top of their lungs, a powerful war cry before embarking on a battle from which they may not return.

2 Freedom, Braveheart

Set in the late 13th century, Braveheart follows William Wallace (Mel Gibson), as a returning man to Scotland. With the King of England seizing the Scottish throne, Wallace brings it upon himself to assemble a band of countrymen to battle against tyranny, and defy the unholy rule of an English king.

William rides his horse across his countrymen, rallying them into battle with a riveting speech. William’s speech hits at the heart and brings passion and patriotism for one’s freedom. It’s a speech worthy of war, and the many men raise their swords in the union of William’s words.

1 It Ain’t How Hard You Hit, Rocky Balboa

The sixth installment of the 80s franchise , Rocky franchise has Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) seeking to return to the ring after he is offered the opportunity to fight the reigning Heavyweight Champion, Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver). After being confronted by his son, Rocky delivers a powerful speech about the world.

Rocky’s words are captivating, and the passion behind his words is infectious. It’s inspiring and filled with strength. The speech works outside of a Rocky movie and is great for motivation all around. Stallone’s writing and delivery of this speech are nothing short of legendary.

More: Underrated Movies Starring Tom Hanks

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Lord of the Rings

10 Best and Most Inspirational Speeches in Movies

By Film Threat Staff | August 8, 2019

In addition to plot and cast, a vast number of movies can impress viewers with speeches they contain. In some cases, they are as meaningful that become assigned to be analyzed in the educational process. This blog post can be useful as online help with your assignment if you face issues with finding motivational sources for your presentation or writing task. You can read the writemypapers.org review to find out more about writing help. It provides consideration of the best ten inspirational speeches from modern and classical movies.

When students need to write a speech, there are a few ways to help them compose a masterpiece. The first way is to turn to a speech writing service where they can hire a professional writer who will write a custom speech that meets their demands, and the other way is to have a look at some strong examples presented in this article.

10. “The Show Goes On” Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

In Wolf Of Wall Street , the main hero’s speech is inspiring because it includes consideration of success, mainly financial. Presented instances of how people achieve wealth, after being poor ones, can make individuals to take a chance when an opportunity appears. His speech has since, apart from being an honorable person, it is also significant to have decent living conditions.

9. “We are special” Gridiron Gang (2006)

The speech of the coach (Dwayne Johnson) reflects that all people are special, regardless of any circumstances, like imprisonment. He inspires to think that even in cases when human is not a part of high society, he or she can achieve considerable goals and show that he or she is worth to be recognized. It is only essential to make efforts and do all actions one can to be better.

8. “Dream” The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

It is worth saying that the entire film is quite touching since it reflects relations between father and son. In this scene, an adult man teaches his son to fight for his dream, when people around consider it impossible. The main idea of the speech: if somebody believes that you can not achieve your goals, then do not listen to such people. They are not right if they see you as a person with no power to reach your goals.

7. “Our Deepest Fear” Coach Carter (2005)

In Coach Carter , speech goes about fear to be successful, since it implies the possibility to influence other people. However, success can become an inspirational tool, which can make other people also to get past fears. Moreover, in the speech, one can see the rethinking of how it is significant to make efforts in order to “shine.”

6. “Being Perfect” Friday Night Lights (2004)

The movie includes a scene with the inspiring speech of the coach, who talks about what it means to be perfect. From his perspective, being perfect lies in the attitude towards relatives and friends, in love and truth, which a person express. His words can make an individual think over the noted points, as valuable indicators of perfection. As well, one can consider whether he or she expresses love towards surroundings, tells the truth, and have no remorse.

5. “Respect each other” Remember the Titans (2000)

Speech presented in Remember the Titans goes about friendship and respectful attitude to each other. It can make an individual think over the significance of peaceful relations since disagreements are destroying for mankind. The hero insists on being respectful despite any features of individuals like race, nationality, or point of view. From the selected scene, one can recognize that friendly relationships can be quite useful in achieving common goals, especially when it goes about teamwork.

4. “Presidents Speech” Independence Day (1996)

In this film, the president of America talks about the significance of humankind and friendship among all nations. His speech is inspiring since it goes about unification, which can be beneficial in terms of struggling with enemies and saving people. In general, it reflects the need to forget about nationality, race, gender, and other feature of identity because without focusing on them, humans can easily cooperate and protect humankind more effectively. This speech can be quite useful for consideration of international relations.

3. “Freedom” Braveheart (1995)

This scene contains the speech of William Wallace (Mel Gibson) about freedom, as an essential part of a human being. From his point of view, freedom is more significant than mere life with its routine. As well. The speech can inspire individuals to take actions for the sake of more meaningful things like love, faith, truth, or pride, instead of making nutrition and sleep crucial.

2. “Get Busy Living” The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

This inspiring speech reflects the faith of a person in a successful and happy future, even if it requires a lot of efforts to achieve this goal, while another man surrenders. At this point, each person can choose own path, namely “get busy living” or “get busy dying,” as the main hero says. Therefore, you should always think about the future life with a positive attitude, and imagine how and where you will be happy.

1. “We are Mutants” Stripes (1981)

In the selected scene, the main hero John Winger (Bill Murray) talks to his military colleagues, inspiring them to be good soldiers. From his speech, it is possible to emphasize the significance of identity background, which is forming by generations. His statements can inspire individuals to be proud of their bloodline, even if their ancestors are not recognized as worthy people. Thus, this speech can be considered as an inspirational one in terms of American patriotism.

Burden’s got bat on the brain

Pop culture-inspired art can be a thing of beauty, especially when it is as painstakingly crafted as the pieces by Bay-Area artist Robert Xavier Burden....

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The 30 Best Movie Inspirational Speeches

The Great Dictator

Independence Day

Any Given Sunday

Friday Night Lights

Animal House

The Goonies

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

Deep Blue Sea

Good Will Hunting

Coach Carter

Rocky Balboa

Stand And Deliver

Good Night, And Good Luck

Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End

The Replacements

The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King

The Shawshank Redemption

Avengers: Endgame

32 Most Inspiring Speeches In Film History

Independence Day - President Witmore

The Hunt For Red October - Captain Ramius

Any Given Sunday (Coach D'Amato)

Gladiator (Maximus)

Friday Night Lights (Coach Gaines)

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Henry V (Henry V)

Animal House (Bluto)

Gone With The Wind (Scarlett O'Hara)

Barbie (Gloria)

Good Will Hunting (Sean Maguire)

Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King (Aragorn)

Braveheart (William Wallace)

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Elizabeth)

Stripes (John Winger)

Miracle (Herb Brooks)

Rocky IV (Rocky Balboa)

Swingers (Trent)

Network (Howard Beale)

The Goonies (Mikey)

Clueless (Cher)

Milk (Harvey Milk)

Troy (Achilles)

Norma Rae (Norma Rae)

We Are Marshall (Jack Lengyel)

Legally Blonde (Elle Woods)

Avengers: Endgame (Captain America)

Hoosiers (Norman Dale)

Rudy (Rudy)

Juno (Mac MacGuff)

Stand And Deliver (Jaime Escalante)

Rocky Balboa (Rocky)

300 (Dilios)

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15 Best Movie Speeches of All Time

15. Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) – “Hoist The Colours”

14. V For Vendetta (2005) – “The Revolutionary Speech”

13. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013) – “I’m not fuckin’ leaving”

12. Rocky Balboa (2006) – “It ain’t about how hard you hit”

11. Any Given Sunday (1999) – “Life’s a game of inches”

10. Wall Street (1987) – “Greed, for lack of a better word, is Good”

9. Dead Poet’s Society (1989) – “Carpe Diem, seize the day boys”

8. Remember The Titans (2000) – “Take a lesson from the dead”

7. Braveheart (1995) – “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom”

6. Scent Of A Woman (1992) – “When shit hits the fan, some guys run and some guys stay”

5. Independence Day (1996) – “Today, we celebrate our independence day”

4. Network (1976) – “I’m mad as hell and am not going to take it anymore”

3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – “Get busy living or get busy dying”

2. A Few Good Men (1992) – “You can’t handle the truth”

1. The Great Dictator (1940)- “We think too much and feel too little”

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The 20 Best Movie Speeches of All Time

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The 21 greatest movie award speeches of all time

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21. Melissa Leo's Oscar speech for The Fighter

20. Bong Joon-Ho's various Oscar speeches for Parasite

19. Gabourey Sidibe's Spirit Award speech for Precious

18. Louise Fletcher's Oscar speech for One Flew Over The Cockoo's Nest