Top 6: Actors For Monologues

For Episode 27, we suppose that we're making a movie with some big monologues. Who would we want to cast to deliver them? A big monologue can crash and burn, or it can be the highlight of a film, all based on the actor's delivery of the lines. Over film history, there have been a lot of interminable speeches, and a lot of monologues so electric and riveting, they equal the tension and visceral power of a great action scene.

It all depends on the writing and, arguably even more importantly, the delivery. I recall an anecdote often told about the Oscars, when Laurence Olivier delivered one of the most memorable and moving speeches in Oscar's history. But when those same people, who were so moved on hearing it, scratched their heads in puzzlement the next day when they read a transcript of his speech in print. Charisma counts for more than we'd like to think.

We allowed ourselves to choose from both past and present film actors. Who would you want to cast in your monologue-heavy roles?

As always, we recommend listening to the episode before reading further.

Stephen

1. Marlon Brando
2. Humphrey Bogart
3. Orson Welles
4. Jack Lemmon
5. Christopher Walken
6. George C. Scott

Sam

1. N!xau
2. Spencer Tracy
3. Peter Finch
4. Marlon Brando
5. Laurence Olivier
6. Walter Huston