I posted a while back about monologues. I wanted to return to the subject because I hadn’t even scratched the surface on the classic monologues there are to be found. The question is–what’s to be learned? Are you considering writing a monologue for your script? Here’s what I’d consider before putting an essentially verbally-driven vehicle, a standard for stage plays, into my visually-driven screenplay….
- Is it essential? Is there a movie without it?
- Does it advance character?
- Does it drive story?
- Does it speak to the tone and the world of the movie?
When you think about Scent Of A Woman it’s hard to think about another scene beside the blind tango dance that Pacino’s character does. But there is another essential moment, and it’s the culminating monologue where Pacino testifies for Charlie. Unforgettable five minute scene written by Bo Goldman that’s essentially a monologue. I can’t show the full sequence, but here’s a piece of it, utterly essential to story and character.
- MAGNOLIA
Slightly less noble but no less powerful is the Tom Cruise monologue (and there were multiple to pick from, sorry I didn’t choose the “Respect the Cock” mono, just too sleazy) in Magnolia. This scene is as thoroughly character defining as it gets and if you’re writing a monologue and unsure, see how a monologue nails the Frank character down in this rant/seminar speech…
INT. HOLIDAY INN – SEMINAR ROOM – THAT MOMENT
CAMERA holds on the image of a slide that reads:
“How To Fake Like You Are Nice And Caring”
Frank steps into FRAME. HOLD. OC we hear the audience applaud…
FRANK
“How To Fake Like You Are Nice and Caring.”
This is…obviously…quite an important
section…I mean, let’s face it…face the
facts…Men Are Shit, right? I mean,
that is what they all say. We’ve all done
bad things…bad things that no woman
has ever done…that’s what they say.
We As Men are taught to apologize: “I’ve done wrong.”
“I’m sorry.” “My needs as a man made me…”
Something, something…bullshit….well what
I would like to say….
Frank references some note cards, a bit of a daze is clear now:
FRANK
If you feel, made to feel like you need
them, like — like you can’t live if
you’re without them or you need, what?
They’re pussy? They’re love? Fuck that.
Self Sufficient, gents. That’s the truth.
What you are — we are — you need them
for what? To fucking make you a piece of
snot rag? A puppett? huh? Hear them
bitch and moan? bitch and moan —
and we’re taught one thing — go the other
way — there is No Excuse I will give you,
I’m not gonna apologize — I’m not gonna
apologize for my NEED my DESIRE…my, the
things that I need as a man to feel comfortable…
You understand? You understand? You need
to say something, “my mommy hit me or
daddy hit me or didn’t let me play soccer,
so now I make mistakes, cause a that — something,
so now I piss and shit on it and do this.”
Bullshit. I’m sorry. ok. yeah. no. fuck.
go. fuck. alright. go make a new mistake.
maybe not, I dunno…fuck….
Ah, screw it, here’s the Respect The Cock one too…ah Good Reader, my lowbrow tastes betrayed!
- NETWORK
OK, now I’m feeling guilty and want to balance that up, so let’s go the other way and show a strong female character with the killer monologue. How about Faye Dunaway in Network. Every Millennial just went “huh?” How about a Avengers-era movie, Peditto? Consider it a public service. For those of you born in the 90’s, here’s the power hungry Diana leading poor Howard Beale to his inevitable end, a masterpiece by Paddy Cheyefsky… here’s a small piece…
DIANA
Yes, I think we should put Beale back on the air tonight and keep
him On. Did you see the Times this morning? Did you see the
News? We’ve got press coverage on this you couldn’t buy for a
million dollars. Frank, that dumb show jumped five rating points in
one night! Tonight’s show has got to be at least fifteen! We just
increased our audience by twenty or thirty million people in one
night. You’re not going to get something like this dumped in your
lap for the rest of your days, and you just can’t piss it away!
Howard Beale got up there last night and said what every American
feels — that he’s tired of all the bullshit. He’s articulating the
popular rage. I want that show, Frank. I can turn that show into
the biggest smash in television.
Here’s the famous Beale monologue for the hell of it. Don’t forget that Brian Cranston is playing this role on Broadway soon!
