Top 20 Best One Scene Movie Performances
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 มิ.ย. 2024
- If these characters had appeared in two scenes, it would have started to rain Academy Awards. For this list, we’ll be looking at actors who had a major speaking role for a single scene in a film. Our countdown includes Chris Evans, Vanessa Redgrave, Viola Davis, Christopher Walken, and more! Tell us which single scene performances stole the show for you in the comments below.
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Tell us which single scene performances stole the show for you!
Logan in new class
I was hoping that the number 1 scene would be Christopher Walken, but not in Pulp Fiction I thought it might have been in True Romance
w
Oh, come on. Meg Ryan's diner scene in When Harry Met Sally? I guess it is the best single scene "orgasm" performance.
Dude...didn’t even mention Michael fassbender in inglorious basterds. If you count Matthew McConaughey in wolf of Wall Street who actually appears in multiple scenes but is known for that one then you must count Michael fassbender as lt. Hicox
Not Peter Stormare as Lucifer in Constantine? He was really amazing!
Absolutely!
criminal that this wasnt even on the list
Unpopular opinion: I love that movie.
Agree.
I agree, he was all in that scene
Robert Duvall in To Kill a Mockingbird as Boo Radley. Even without uttering a single line he leaves an impression.
1917 - Andrew Scott, having worked with Benedict Cumberbatch in “Sherlock” was shown how great a friend Benedict is.
They wanted someone who could make an impact in a tiny space of dialogue. Benedict told everyone from the start to get Scott because “He can communicate an entire mood of a film in one small section of dialogue, with tone of voice, movement and just pure style”
Scott got the job and was paid for five days filming, even though he was there for about an hour and got the piece right on the first take.
Andrew Scott is mesmerising, one of the best living actors in my opinion. I was hooked on him since Longitude (2000). Wrote down his name thinking OMG I hope I am not crazy and people realise what a great actor he is and I hope I can see him soon again. Thank God and his talent I did.
That's awesome! I love them both ❤❤
@@madamepampadourbenediction is acting masterclass
The conversation scene in the beginning of Inglorious Bastards.
Absolutely great scene, but that's mostly because of Christoph Waltz and he was in the movie for more than one scene, which is what I think the parameters of this video are. That being said Waltz did win an academy award for his performance in that film...justifiably so!
@@robertcatania1120 Yep, I'd say you're dead-on with the reasoning. And Waltz's performance.
This list should have just been made up of Quentin’s movies
Credit to Denis Mènochet also for his composed performance in that scene
The bar scene as well
You missed Christopher Walken in True Romance. That scene with Dennis Hopper was like a master class in acting from both.
Agreed. Also, Gary Oldman as Drexel when he's confronted by Christian Slater's character. I would never in a million years have guessed that was him if I didn't already know ahead of time.
Walken was in more than 1 scene.
@@LeviBulger shocked oldman didnt make it
@@mully107 no he wasn’t. That’s the only time you see Walken in True Romance.
@@chappie_nottherobot okay. I thought we saw him earlier as well but I'll take your word for it. Definitely one that deserved to be in the list then
Gary Oldman in True Romance definitely deserved a spot on this list
I think he was technically in two scenes. But I agree he was awsome.
Though I guess there are a few characters on this list that are technically in two scenes.
“1917” was one of my favorite movies I’ve ever seen about World War I, and I loved how it felt like a continuous shot, never skipping between scenes, and feeling extremely realistic
Totally agree!! It’s a work of art and as a WWI scholar I agree it really is absolutely realistic
@@alyteima4185 thank you sir!
Javier Bardem's one scene in Collateral as Felix was also great, he managed to be so calm and menacing at the same time
Is anybody else disappointed that Samuel L. Jackson's robbery scene from "Coming to America" wasn't included in this?
No jus you
Me too bro
@@AngelGarcia-qn6wp lol
No....it wasn’t anything memorable about it other than he played a by the numbers criminal and it was one of his first roles....he had no memorable lines or phrases...
He did a better job in Jungle Fever, but that couldn’t be included because he was in four or five scenes
He hadn't made a name for himself at that point. Good scene though.
1.- Donald Sutherland - JFK
2.- August Diehl - Inglorious Basterds
3.- Ian McKellen - Last Action Hero
4.-Montgomery Clift - Judgement at Nuremberg
5.- Walter Brennan - Meet John Doe
6.- Bette Davis - Pocketful of Miracles
7.- Harvey Keitel - Pulp Fiction
8.- Joe Viterelli - State of Grace
9.- Benicio del Toro - Sin City
10.- Buster Keaton - Limelight
Ana De Armas - No Time to Die
I would have liked to have seen John Hurt from the first Harry Potter movie. He was only in the film for four minutes but his performance perfectly captured the tone of the early Harry Potter films. Whimsical with a hint of darkness just beneath the surface.
7:18 "👊💥....What's up. How's life. He seems nice" I'm sorry but that got me good 🤣
I probably wouldn’t put it in a top 20 but Jonah Hill’s cameo in Django Unchained always makes me crack up. It’s always fun to see the antagonists portrayed as bumbling idiots.
The watch scene from Pulp Fiction was one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen.
Good call on Alfred Molina in Boogie Nights. That scene was bats**t insane, and it was the one that stuck with me long after I left the theater.
Robert Duvall as Arthur "Boo" Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird: making his performance even more amazing is he didn't have a single word of dialogue in the film.
Drew Barrymore in scream is my choice she was on the poster so people thought she was the lead but she fooled them and was killed it was a shock
That right there is why scream was a movie that changed the genre because it became that nobody was safe
Barrymore's character didn't require great Acting.
Drew did Janet Leigh one better.
Loved how it became the trope of the Scream franchise until the recent one where they flipped it again. The realisation that the franchise started another horror cliche so they had to break it
The actor Christopher Walken did one of the coolest and best performance in the movie of Pulp Fiction 1994 when we can see him as Captain Koons in the scenes room
Viola Davis is such an incredible actress. She stole the show with just one scene in "Doubt", cementing her as a star on the rise! 🌟
She's also great in Out of Sight.
Dave Bautista was amazing in Blade Runner 2049
Agreed
I'm with you. Gene Hackman's scene in Young Frankenstein is so hilarious. Watching it here had me in stiches!
Christopher Walkin and Dennis Hopper in True Romance is top 5 greatest scenes of all time.
Yeahhh….More Tarantino.
I had to scroll down to see if anyone else said this. :) Agree. Should have been joint #1. I called Walken for #1 but knew it would be PF over this. Mind you... Gary Oldman for True Romance too.
@@JKintheAK “It ain’t white boy day, is it?” “Nah, man. It ain’t white boy day…” classic!
@@crowhurd 🤣
I think everyone can agree that ALL the acting in Network is fantastic.
I was waiting for Beatrice Straight to appear in this list but then I remembered she tecnically appears in two scenes
So did Matthew in Wolf of Wall Street, actually he was in three separate scenes
So true
Seeing Ned Beatty on this list, I felt sure Beatrice Straight would be on it too . Hopefully she will turn up on another list in the future.
That whole scene in the princess bride is HEAVILY quoted in our family...as is the rest of the movie!!!!
same!! I feel it should be way higher on the list I even have a magnet that says "i'm not a witch i'm your wife"
@@TheLauren800 that is great!! Hahaha!!!!! That whole movie has quotes for every day really!!
Yes, Princess Bride is full of some of the greatest movie scenes of all time. Impossible to pick just one. Miracle Max is great. I guess I'd go with the sword fight at the top of cliffs or the bedroom scene where Count Humperdink is humiliated by impotent Wesley.
"Sup, how's life? He seems nice," after punching Scott lol
Rob Reiner’s mom in “When Harry Met Sally”…”I’ll have what she’s having.” One line…quoted more than any other line in the movie.
I agree. 😁😀
Can we just give a shout out to the king of one scene performances Mr. Stan Lee? Bless him.
Just think of Mall Rats where he actually had two scenes.
Matt Damian in Eurotrip, it’s hilarious!
Scotty doesn't know!
Yesss
Definitely, a great and very surprising cameo.
This is why I have the song in my playlists. I always remember the line, "...nastiest little fcuk puppet I know"
Gary Oldman - True Romance / Christopher Walken - True Romance
That’s what I was thinking too
Maybe technically because it was two? Such a great film with memorable characters.
I was thinking about Walken in True Romance also, but Dennis Hopper really steals that scene with his “Sicilian history lesson.” One of my favorite movies of all time.
I thought the shopkeeper in the coin toss scene from ‘no country for old men’ gave an astounding performance
I totally agree. He gave us that mixture of surprise, confusion and growing sense of "something's terribly wrong" that was so unbelievably realistic.
I also agree. That scene in no country for old men would not have worked without the scene without the shopkeeper.
How about the "Impressive Clergyman" from Princess Bride? That scene is hilarious no matter how many times I see it!
Agree...... Wuv, twoooo wuv,
Definitely a great #1 pick. Plus, The Princess Bride is one of the few older movies I own that I still watch once in a while and the chosen scene from that film makes me smile every time. All in all, great picks, I bet you can make least 2 more of these lists! As always, wonderful video
True romance should have dominated this list with christopher walken, gary oldman, and james gandolfini.
Agreed!
completely agree!
Brad Pitt's cameo isn't bad either!
Completely agree I just came here to say the same exact thing
1:09 "2 relative unknowns" well... pretty sure the entire world basically had just finished watching Tommen Baratheon take a swan dive off the Red Keep...
Alec Baldwin's performance in Glengarry Glen Ross is in a class all by itself.
Seriously? He is playing himself in that part - a vile jerk with delusions of his own importance.
the scene with the actual killer from shawshank better be on this list
His laughter. That damn laughter
"They gave me shit" 😐
Elmo Blatch… creepy indeed.
Ted Levine is a criminally underrated actor
Bill Murray in the post-credit scene of Zombieland: Double Tap
I really liked the scene with Sarah Paulson in Serenity
JK Simmons in Spiderman
Bill Murray in Zombieland
Alan Ford in Snatch
Bruce Campbell in any of his cameos in Sam Raimi movies.
terrible list
JK Simmons and Bill Murray were in the movies briefly but for more than one scene
Bill Murray in Little Shop of Horrors. Almost managed to steal the movie from the brilliant Steve Martin - no easy feat!
Jack Nicolson did the same as the patient in Roger Corman's original nonsurgical.
Harvey keitel "wolf" in pulp fiction
Harvey Keitel gave amazing one-scene performances in many movies (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Taxi Driver, Pulp Fiction, The Irishman), but the possibility of it being recognized by a clickbait site like Watchmojo is quite slim.
@@t.hussain921 He was in more than one scene in Taxi Driver.
Me and my dad quote mel Brooks films all the time. Especially blazing saddles! 😂❤
"There there Taggart. It's just a man being hung on a horse."
Fargo is in North Dakota, not Minnesota. Just sayin’ 😜
I can understand the confusion, though, because most of both the movie and first and third seasons of the tv series take place in Minnesota. Only the 2nd season of the series (which is not only my favorite season of the show, but which I even prefer to the excellent film) actually has a large part of the action take place in Fargo, ND, because that’s where the Gerhardt Syndicate is based. The 4th season actually takes place in Kansas City, MO and barely has anything to do with Fargo (and is the first to have nothing to do with Minnesota).
The sad part of Gloria Foster's story is that her most iconic role was her last - she died not long after shooting her scenes for The Matrix Reloaded.
She was amazing in both Matrix films She played in.
Wilford Brimley, Absence of Malice
Peter Dinklage, Avengers: Infinity War
Alfred Molina, Raiders of the Lost Ark
While the entire movie has incredible one scene performances. Montgomery Clift in Judgement at Nuremberg is 8 minutes of master acting and a completely heartbreaking performance.
Great video, you could probably do another 20.
I totally agree with Cristopher Walken's scene in Pulp Fiction being on top, That scene is so epic... ( you could've also added his scene in True Romance )
So glad Donny Wahlberg's performance in The Sixth Sense was included. I didn't recognize him until I looked him up after the fact because I was so impressed by his performance.
alec baldwin completely shitting on the salesmen is probably the greatest movie cameo.
I really thought one of the best scenes in a dramatic role was that of the shark hunter Quint, played by the incomparable Robert Shaw, when in theJAWS movie, the three men were comparing scars they had accumulated over their lifetime...and Shaw suddenly changes the mood of the situation dramatically, as he retells the horrific fate of himself and the rest of the initial survivors of the U.S.S. Indianapolis after it was sunk by the Japanese in WWII...it will forever send chills down my spine thinking of that scene that Robert Shaw played to absolute perfection...as if he really and truly was recounting the story from his actual memory of the events that unfolded and left more than 700 dead of the over 1100 crew members of that ship.
He wasn't in the movie for only one scene
The Actress playing Chrissie.
I really enjoyed" A History of Violence"... I happen to see the title one day and clicked on it.
It's a highly underrated flick.
I feel like Christopher Walken could have pulled off a double appearance in this video with his Vincent Coccoti character in True Romance, but I guess Dennis Hopper’s part in that scene stole the show. If you know, you’re clearly part Eggplant.
agreed, great scene, but I lean towards Hopper's role in that...and he was in more than one scene.
@@robertcatania1120 Walken’s only in that one scene in the film though...
😂😂😂 this scene tops the PF one for me
Yeah that scene in True Romance was definitely the best
I’m not gonna lie I thought Donnie Wahlberg in the sixth sense was amazing even though he wasn’t in there that long he in my opinion should’ve gotten an Oscar nomination to for his performance in that
TBH I have seen that movie maybe 20 times and I never knew that was Donnie Wahlberg until this video, amazing transformation.
That was my #1 pick. It's too underrated.
@@jhayesday I didn't know one of The New Kids on the Block and Mark's brother was Malcolm's deranged former patient in The Sixth Sense either.
Andrew Scott also had a memorable scene in Band of Brothers.
I'm just gonna bring up Stephen Merchant as the Gestapo Agent Deertz in Jojo Rabbit. He managed to be both really funny and entertaining, and also terrifying at times.
I love that Alec Baldwin references that line in Boss Baby, "Cookies are for closers" 🤣
Some Considerable Mentions :
Christopher Walken - True Romance
August Diehl and Denis Ménochet - Inglorious Basterds
Gene Jones - No Country For Old Men
Peter Dinklage - Avengers Infinity War
Definitely agree with Walken as the best. His Stern, graffic story of the watch related to the three wars while the little boys sits affixed with his head on his hand and showing no emotion other than an occasional eye blink is epic.
The second I saw the title of the video I though: “Pulp Fiction Christopher Walken is number 1”
Not as good as Christopher Walken monologue in Man on Fire
Speaking of which...have you seen my pocket watch?
Wish they would have included some comedies on this list....Rob Riggle in the Hangover was pretty funny for a one scener.
The fact that this list does not have Beatrice Straight from Network who actually won an OSCAR for her one scene is criminal. Literally won an Oscar in 5 minutes and 2 seconds.
I was just gonna say. THE most famous single scene role in film history and its nowhere to be found. Like WTF?!?!?!!!!!!
THANK YOU!
She is in two scenes, not one.
@@Winduct So are at least five of the others on this list, especially McConaughy.
@@flmbyz Then there's something wrong with the title lol
I had no idea that was Donnie Wahlburg!!
Same! I was the picture of “shook” when they said that!
Today I learned that The Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships are held in Finland, and one winner said he prepared for the event by "mainly drinking." what a guy.
Thank you for that bit of trivia. You are never too old to learn new things. I will pass this tidbit on to my old friends🤣.
We also have rubber boot throwing contests and wife carrying contests.
Cool video 💜🖤💚❤️👍🏼
The Top 20 Best One Scene 🎥 Movie Performances:
20. Andrew Scott™
1917 (2019)
19. Ted Levine™
Shutter Island (2010)
18. Alfred Molina™
Boogie 🌙 Nights™ (1997)
17. Matthew Macfadyen™
The Assistant (2019)
16. Barry Shabaka Henley™
Collateral (2004)
15. Chris Evans™
Scott Pilgrim vs. The 🌎 World™ (2010)
14. Billy 🔮 Crystal™ & Carol Kane™
The 👸 Princess 👰 Bride™ (1987)
13. Dean Stockwell™
Blue Velvet (1986)
12. Vanessa Redgrave™
Atonement (2007)
11. Gene Hackman™
Young Frankenstein™ (1974)
10. William Hurt™
A History of Violence (2005)
9. Ned Beatty™
Network™ (1976)
8. Gloria Foster™
The Matrix™ (1999)
7. Viola Davis™
Doubt (2008)
6. Dave Bautista™ AKA Batista™
Blade 🏃 Runner: 2049™ (2017)
5. Steve Park™
Fargo™ (1996)
4. Drew Barrymore™
Scream™ (1996)
3. Matthew McConaughey™
The 🐺 Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
2. Alec Baldwin™
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Honorable Mentions:
Martin Scorsese™
🚕 Taxi Driver™ (1976)
Taiki Waititi™
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Charles Fleischer™
Zodiac (2007)
James Badge Dale™
Flight (2012)
Donnie Wahlberg™
The Sixth Sense™ (1999)
1. Christopher 🚶 Walken™
Pulp Fiction™ (1994)
Ned Beatty’s scene in Network is one of the greatest acting performances ever. Should’ve been higher
Glad Batista in blade runner made the list; well deserved. I knew walken was gonna be number 1 for pulp fiction, and PF is my favourite movie. It’s an iconic scene. But his scene with Dennis hopper in True Romance was a far better performance and scene IMO
James Gandolfini in “True Romance”
Honorable mention for q from the 007 series. He has one scene in about 25 movies. Which is an interesting play on this list.
Wilfred Brimley. Two movies. The Client and absent of malice. Great scenes. 👏👏👏👏👏
And what about Beatrice Straight from Network?
In a five minute role, she made one of the best performance in Hollywood history, and she also got an Oscar.
Two more were Phillip Stone as Delbert Grady in "The Shining" and Donald Sutherland as 'X' in "JFK".
Thank you for mentioning JFK love that movie.
@@ronaldmcdonald2817 Me too. Especially that scene. But then there are so many great scenes in that film.
@@maxwellstupid5253 Super underrated.
Delbert Grady, excellent choice.
I watch these videos just to witness how impressively she delivers her dialogues. Hope to bring such elegance in my speech some day.
Viola Davs should be higher i mean she was >DESERVEDLY< nominated, it’s not easy steal attention when you’re acting in a scene with Meryl Streep
Wilford Brimley as the judge in Absence Of Malice!
Robert Duvall in To kill a mockingbird
honestly there are plenty out there but this reminded me of some of my favs, so thanks.
Missed Christopher walken in true romance
Not to mention Hopper!
I would also like to throw in Gary Oldman and James Gandolfini from that movie.
DON'T MISS IT. It's one of the most incredible two-man scenes in history, with Dennis Hopper!
No Country For Old Men..... gas station man and Sugar. Greatest scene in cinema history
Charlie Sheen in Ferris Bueller.
Orson Welles in "The Third Man", along with Ned Beatty, who you mentioned, there is also Beatrice Straight in "Network"
Orson was in more than one scene
Michael Keaton in Birdman when he gives the monologue, "well I'm a f***ing actor" it's such a strong scene in a film thats pretty much autobiographical of Keaton's career as batman
But he's the star of the movie. This is about actors in 1 scene only
Did u read the question
Channing Tatum in "This is the End", come on now!!
I know that scene cracked me up completely especially when you know about What happened behind the scenes before they started filming it is hilarious and a little bit weird
Gene Hackman in “Young Frankenstein”
(This was the first one to come to mind, after Alec Baldwin in “Glengarry Glen Ross,” which I figured would definitely be on the list. I didn’t think Hackman would make it, though.)
We watched this recently and I'm embarrassed to say I didn't realize that was Gene Hackman!
I think you nailed the video structure with this one.
I only know that actor as "She puts the lotion in the basket" guy.
James Earl Jones, the "People Will Come" scene, from Field of Dreams.
Charlie Sheen in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?
Sean Penn in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, it's one of his best performances, period. You could make an argument for Jim Caviezel in Deja Vu.
Sean Penn in Taps -- "It's beautiful man!"
Paul Giamatti in Saving Private Ryan, even Ted Danson's one scene was great.
Christopher Walken's scene in Pulp Fiction is not a soliloquy but a monolog. Big difference.
Any scene with Walken is awesome...
Bradley Cooper in Licorice Pizza. Dennis Hopper & Christopher Walken in True Romance. "Freaskhow" in Harold & Kumar go to White Castle. Will Farrell in Wedding Crashers.
That scene from "Flight" never left my head since.
Christopher Walken shoulda got an honorable mention for True Romance
@lygophile I agree but Oldman wouldn't qualify because he had more than one scene in the movie
Even though Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is the best movie Sean Connery’s last minute cameo of the film is still felt as he always brings a presence every time he’s on screen!
complaining about an American Robin Hood went a bit lame when they don't carp at a Scots Plantagenet; Connery was also remarkably too old for Richard I: It would have been better for Tom Cruise to turn up as Prince John
Sir Sean Connery appearing in the end is great.
honorable mention. scene stealer in Booksmart is Billie Lourd (Carrie Fisher's daughter). At some point, I started anticipating her appearance coz I knew it was going to be a riot.
Can you do creepiest images on the Internet?
Ps: you are my favorite TH-camr