Simply stated, a monologue involves one character of a play, TV show, or movie speaking aloud to either another character (s) or the audience. When anyone begins a serious discussion of best monologues ever written and performed, he must turn his attention to two playwrights.
First, Shakespeare stands as the foremost wordsmith in world history, and Hamlet proves one of the greatest plays ever written-due in large part to its use of monologue and soliloquy. Gaining a true appreciation for the power of monologue requires viewing some of Shakespeare’s plays. His writing (difficult as it may be to understand at times) demonstrates the depth of insight a monologue can produce, and because viewing is the best way to experience plays, treat yourself to the film version of one of his plays. Click here for a full list at IMDb.
Second, David Hirson’s play La Bête, which will be appearing on Broadway from September 2010 – February 2011, contains the single most astounding monologue ever written. For those who are not familiar with the play, it is set in France during the year 1654 and involves mayhem in an acting troupe. The troupe’s leader Elomire is furious when his patron forces a street performer named Valere on the group. Valere loves the sound of his own voice. He loves the sound of his voice so much that when he first appears on stage, he performs a monologue in rhymed iambic pentameter that lasts approximately 30 minutes. Instead of inducing boredom, this monologue induces side-splitting laughter throughout and helps carry to the play to the heights of a modern classic. Do not be surprised if a movie production of La Bête hits the silver screen in future years (in which case, it will vault to the top of most “best” monologue lists).
Concerning the best monologues that set movies apart as classics, many films stand out as possible contenders. From Marlon Brando’s short but powerful “I could have been a contender” speech to many of Liam Neeson’s speeches in “Schindler’s List,” cinema is filled with notable monologues. Because of that, arguing for a definitive “best” monologue in movie history does not prove beneficial. Instead, this article will simply draw attention to one film that deserves recognition.
One of the best monologues in cinematic history comes from the film currently ranked #1 on IMDb’s Top 250: The Shawshank Redemption. Throughout the film, Timothy Robbin’s character Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman’s character Red form a friendship while serving extended sentences in Shawshank Penitentiary. The film initially bombed at the box office (earning just over $18 million) but gained status as one of the most popular films ever. Much of the popularity of this film stems from its use of memorable lines like “Get busy living, or get busy dying.”
*Spoiler Alert*
After Andy escapes Shawshank, Red must face the parole board with the expectation that he will be denied one more time. While facing the enemy, he begins the memorable monologue in which he shows regret for the crime that he committed and ultimately earns his freedom: “Rehabilitated? Well, now, let me see. You know, I don’t have any idea what that means … I know what you think it means, sonny. To me, it’s just a made-up word. A politician’s word, sonny. . . Rehabilitated? That’s just a bullshit word. So you go on and stamp your form, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because, to tell you the truth, I don’t give a shit.”
The freedom that Red earns through this speech leads to an emotional reunion with Andy on the sandy shores of Zihuatanejo. At this point, the audience should think back to another one of Morgan Freeman’s memorable lines: “”I have to remind myself that some birds aren’t meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice.” In the end, the audience finds itself rejoicing for both of the beautiful birds that are no longer caged.
Works Referenced:
www.imdb.com/title/tt0116477
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000636
www.davidhirson.com
www.labetetheplay.com
www.broadway.com
www.imdb.com/chart/top?tt0111161
www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Robbins
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Freeman
www.shawshankredemption.org
