A monologue is a short speech given by a single actor, to express how they feel to audiences or to other characters within the story. It’s a plot device that is very old indeed, even appearing in some Greek tragedies written thousands of years ago. Movies use monologues a lot, sometimes to progress the story, other times to help the audience understand the character, or on occasion, to set the mood.
Many movies give their viewers a monologue right off the bat, usually to introduce the primary character, to help the audience understand who they are and how they think and feel. But this isn’t the only way they can be used–sometimes they are used to tell the viewers a story, namely, the events leading up to whatever happens in the film, to provide some much-needed context on the situation. It may not be super original or even that new,but a lot of movies with opening monologues tend to stand above others thanks to how moving or interesting said monologues are.
10’Avatar' (2009)
Narrated by: Jake Sully (Sam Worthington)
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is the protagonist ofAvatar, and opens the film by telling the story of how he ended up on Pandora, so far from home. A former United States Marine, he is sent to Pandora after his twin brother is killed in a mugging incident. His twin was a scientist and enrolled in an Avatar program, and since they have essentially the same DNA, Jake is sent to Pandora to take his brother’s place.
It’s not the best per se, but it stands out because of how many callbacks and references to it there are throughout the film. It transitions from telling a story to Jake talking about dreams, before ending with “sooner or later, though, you always have to wake up.” It introduces the protagonist in a heartfelt way, and helps audiences understand why he thinks the way he does and the situation he is in.It’s not a very intense monologue, but it helps ease the audience into the plot of the film, which definitely helps.
9’Magnolia’ (1999)
Narrated by: Burt Ramsey (Ricky Jay)
Magnoliamay starTom Cruise, but the narration at the beginning is provided byRicky Jayas Burt Ramsey. The entire film is pretty elaborate, with multiple intersecting plotlines, all focused on people in search of a meaningful purpose in their lives. The opening monologue is one that isn’t super important to the rest of the film, but it does put the main theme out there right away. Burt talks about a case in which a mother fights with her husband, eventually resorting to pointing a gun at him. The gun accidentally goes off at the same moment her son falls past the window.
This results in a homicide charge being brought against the mother, all because her son was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It seems super far-fetched, and Burt acknowledges this. But still, crazy things like that happen all the time in the world ofMagnolia, which is how many of the different stories come to be interconnected.It’s a monologue that isn’t super exciting, but one that has a purpose, and that lets the viewers know what kind of movie they’re in for.
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8’Michael Clayton' (2007)
Narrated by: Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson)
The story ofMichael Claytonconcerns a corporate fixer of the same name who is played byGeorge Clooney. He is assigned to repair a situation following an attorney named Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), who has a breakdown after pursuing a criminal defense case for a powerful company that he knows darn well is guilty. This breakdown is a direct result of his conscience and the ethical implications of defending such a client.
Edens also provides the introductory monologue for the movie, which addresses it to Michael himself, begging him to understand where he is coming from. As he tells his story, he gradually becomes more and more frantic, spewing a lot of cryptic metaphors at a panicked rate. This one is very tense and is instrumental in getting the audience invested in the film. It leaves people hungry for more, desperate to find out what is happening.Wilkinson’s acting is sure to hook anyone in the movie right away and demands the full attention of its viewers.
Michael Clayton
7’Raising Arizona' (1987)
Narrated by: Herbert I. “Hi” McDunnough (Nicolas Cage)
The first scene ofRaising Arizonafollows Hi (Nicolas Cage), a convenience store robber who really sucks at not getting caught. But he actually does it on purpose, because he and the woman taking his mugshots, Edwina (Holly Hunter), are deeply in love. Hi tells the viewers about their unconventional love story, from the moment they met to their marriage.
Never has so much personality been crammed into a few short minutes. It tells the viewer everything they need to know about Hi immediately and lets them know that this is a comedy with a really odd yet endearing sense of humour. This was only the second feature film made byThe Coen Brothersandhelped cement their reputation as masters of their craftand as some of the finest filmmakers of their time.
Raising Arizona
6’The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' (2012)
Narrated by: Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm)
The opening ofThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journeyfollows familiar characters fromThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy 10 years prior. Audiences are immediately graced with Bilbo’s (Ian Holm) warm, kindly voice, telling the story to his nephew, Frodo (Elijah Wood). Say what you will aboutThe Hobbitfilms, but the opening monologue of the first movie matches its tone perfectly.The Hobbithas always been a more lighthearted story thanThe Lord of the Rings, so it’s perfect that viewers are welcomed with the voice of a kindly old hobbit rather than a mysterious Elven leader.
The monologue tells the story of the Dwarven kingdom of Erebor, how it fell to the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch), and how the dwarves were exiled from their own kingdom. It felt like reuniting with a very old friend and ends with the very first words of the novel: “In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or eat. This was a hobbit hole…“The words combined with the voice feel like a grandfather telling a story to his grandkids, which is exactly how it should feel.It’s not the best opening monologue, but it’s got a cozy, familiar feel to it that ranks it as being up there among the greats.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
5’Goodfellas' (1990)
Narrated by: Henry Hill (Ray Liotta)
Goodfellasis a gangster film that follows a young upstart trying to rise through the ranks of the mob and achieve what is essentially his childhood dream. The upstart in question isHenry Hill(Ray Liotta), a real mafioso who eventually testified against his former associates. Right off the bat, it would seem that Hill is destined for that kind of life, as he begins his monologue by explaining that ever since he was little, he always wanted to be a gangster.
He explains further that being a gangster was more desirable than most jobs, even something as powerful as President of the United States. He states that this is because of the sense of family and belonging that the mob provided him. This is a harsh reality, as many do join the mob for similar purposes, and it helps to introduce Henry as someone who has a propensity for chaos and who never really had much of a choice because this is the life he felt he was destined for.It also earns points for feeling friendly and informal—more like a casual conversation than a speech.
Goodfellas
4'300' (2007)
Narrated by: Dilios (David Wenham)
The opening monologue in300is provided by Dilios (David Wenham) and is ripped straight from the original graphic novel byFrank Miller. It begins with “we march,” instilling an impending sense of doom, which is appropriate considering the events of the movie and the real battle upon which it was based. Not only does it explain the coming war with the Persians, but it also tells the story ofLeonidas I’s(Gerard Butler) childhood and adolescence, which may not be necessarily true, but it sure is entertaining.
It matches the style of the film perfectly and continues sporadically throughout the movie. At the end, the opening monologue and the bits of it littered throughout the film are wrapped up in a nice little bow as Dilios, a survivor of thedoomed battle, is pictured telling the story to a group of Spartan soldiers, inspiring them to take up arms and meet the Persians head-on.This opener is inspiring, foreboding, and very artistic, typical of the style of the rest of the film.
3’Trainspotting' (1996)
Narrated by: Mark “Rent Boy” Renton (Ewan McGregor)
Trainspottingopens with an introduction to all the characters, beginning with Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor), whoprovides narration for the scene. On top of the chaos pictured in the brief clips of the characters' lives, Renton talks about choosing how to live life. Anyone can choose a happy, healthy home life in the suburbs with a spouse and children, or they can choose to do nothing but sit in front of the TV watching game shows all day, or anything in between for that matter.
However, Renton lets his audience know that he chose neither. In fact, he didn’t even choose to have a life because he is addicted to drugs, and that ruins any prospects for the future he may have had. It comes as a poignant reminder of the devastation a drug addiction can inflict on the lives of individuals, but also that audiences ought to make the best out of their lives.It’s a short monologue, but one that comes with a powerful message that ultimately encapsulates everything that the film is about.
Trainspotting
2’The Godfather' (1972)
Narrated by: Amerigo Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto)
The script ofThe Godfatheris considered by many to be one of thegreatest screenplays of all time, with its opening speech, delivered by undertaker Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto),being one of the more memorable monologues in the series.The Godfatheris another gangster movie, with a lot of criminal themes about how the mob functions. The movie opens with a close-up of Bonasera as he tells his story. He tells of how he brought his family to America because he believes in the American dream, only to have it squashed after his daughter is horrifically attacked, and her attackers get nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
As the camera gradually zooms out, it is revealed that Bonasera is talking to Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), a mob boss, and is asking him to kill the men who attacked his daughter. He isn’t just telling the viewer his story; he’s telling the mob, explaining why he wants to employ their services. The acting is truly phenomenal and paints an emotional picture that will move any parent with pity. It’s not that Bonasera was right to ask for the mob’s help, but parents will certainly understand his actions.It also helps establish the main character, the story, and gives reason to why people might turn to the mafia for help. It’s just all-around excellent, much like the rest of the movie.
The Godfather
1’The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001)
Narrated by: Galadriel (Cate Blanchett)
“The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air.“These iconic words are the very first lines inThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which are uttered by Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) as she remarks on how Sauron’s power is growing. She then proceeds to tell the story of the One Ring—how it came to be, how Sauron was defeated, how it was found by Gollum (Andy Serkis), and how it came into Bilbo’s possession.
Blachett’s ethereal voice combined with her character’s elegance, mixed with the whispered Elvish version of the words, does a superb job at hooking the audience straight away. It paints Middle-Earth as a place of magic and mystery, yet it brings the feeling of something ominous coming very soon. It lets audiences feel the power of the Ring and helps viewers to immediately understand the malice contained within it.It’s enough to give anyone chills, but in a good way, and that’s what makes this not justthe greatest monologue in the seriesbut also the greatest opening monologue in movie history.
