Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Best Verbal Fight Scenes in Movies

Manfred Lopez

Manfred Lopez

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
992
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Mexico
Website
www.registrodeactores.com
I'm trying to compile a list of the all-time best verbal fight scenes in movies (not physical fights). I'll keep updating this first post with all suggestions to make one handy list. So, any favorite scenes you feel should be on the list?
 
The typical film school example. "To Have And Have Not", Bogart & Bacall.
 
TheThe said:
I'm trying to compile a list of the all-time best verbal fight scenes in movies (not physical fights). I'll keep updating this first post with all suggestions to make one handy list. So, any favorite scenes you feel should be on the list?
Click to expand...

Not theatrical, but one of the most amazing verbal fight scenes I've ever seen is from "Whitecaps" - the last show of season 4 from The Sopranos. James Gandolfini and Edie Falco both show what real acting is all about. It's an incredible 5 or 6 minutes. I have that show on DVD just for that scene.

And one of my personal favorites - at the very end of "Trading Places" when Randolph and Mortimer Duke are about to be delisted from the Stock Exchange and Randolph loses his mind. (okay... this one isn't that great... it just always cracks me up.)

Lucas
 
12 Angry Men? Not so much a scene, but the whole movie.

TV - Public Eye, Divide and Conquer.
 
It's not rip-roaring, but one of the longest -- if not the longest -- occurs in Godard's "Contempt", between Brigitte Bardot and Michel Piccoli.

Probably the best contemporary one, bar none, has already been noted: Tony Soprano vs. Carmela, season 4.

Edit: And there's always "Raging Bull" -- De Niro vs. his first wife over the rareness of a steak ("defeats its whole purpose!"), is pretty funny, though he does turn over a table, and the scene is brief, and must have been improvised.

Also "Mean Streets", De Niro vs. Harvey Keitel, also improvised (or so it seems).

You could also look at John Huston's "Fat City", Stacy Keach vs. Susan Tyrell, over a kitchen table. Also sounds improvised.

And of course, Cassavetes....
 
Thanks for the responses so far. Here is a list I have so far from suggestions from several people:


A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE -- Peter Falk Vs. Gena Rowlands -- Lunch with co-workers scene
PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE -- Adam Sandler Vs. Philip Seymour Hoffman -- "Shut! Shut! Shut! Shut the hell up!"
BEFORE SUNSET -- The Car Scene
CRIMSON TIDE -- Gene Hackman Vs. Denzel Washington -- "I've made a decision, I'm captain of this boat, NOW SHUT THE F*** UP!!!!!"
GOODFELLAS -- Joe Pesci -- "What do you mean I'm funny?"

A FEW GOOD MEN -- Jack Nicholson Vs. Tom Cruise -- "You can't handle the truth!"
RESERVOIR DOGS -- Introduction of Mr. Blonde
CLERKS II -- Randall vs. Lord of the Rings nerd
25TH HOUR -- Mirror Scene -- "**** You"
ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD -- The verbal tennis match -- "Statement!"

GOOD WILL HUNTING -- Robin Williams Vs. Matt Damon -- "It's not your fault"
THE REF -- "Excuse me, excuse me, Excuse Me, EXCUSE ME!!!!!!......if you don't mind, the corpse still has the floor!"
HIS GIRL FRIDAY -- Cary Grant & Rosalind Russell -- The Threesome / Four-way conversation
12 ANGRY MEN -- Lee J. Cobb -- "Rotten kids, you work your LIFE OUT!"
AMERICAN BEAUTY -- Kevin Spacey Vs. Annette Bening -- "Pass the asparagus."

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE -- Marlon Brando Vs. Vivien Leigh -- Plate-Throwing Scene
 
Best Verbal Fight scene

Best Verbal Fight scene

War of the Roses
Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas
 
Some fine examples, including this latter one. Even though, my vote would go to the classic cinema. 12 Angry Men is a crystal example, such as Bogie and the lovely Lauren Bacall in To Have And Have Not. Glad you haven't forgot the good ones.
 
Okay, here is the latest batch. Please feel free to suggest better scenes from any of the films listed. Some I have yet not seen. So anyway...

The new ones...

WAR OF THE ROSES -- Kathleen Turner Vs. Michael Douglas -- (?)
MEAN STREETS -- Robert De Niro vs. Harvey Keitel -- (?)
RAGING BULL -- Robert De Niro vs. his first wife -- Argument over the rareness of a steak
FAT CITY -- Stacy Keach vs. Susan Tyrell -- Scene over a kitchen table
CONTEMPT -- Brigitte Bardot and Michel Piccoli -- Longest fight ever?
THE SOPRANOS -- James Gandolfini Vs. Edie Falco


The ones I haven't seen and don't know which scene to list:

TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT -- (?)
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? -- (?)

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS -- (?)

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD -- (?)

THE SHAPE OF THINGS -- (?)


By the way... How come Al Pacino isn't in any of these so far?
 
Chinatown - when Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway have it out over she being the mother or the sister ... (it does not stay verbal though).

All About Eve - 1/3 of the Film is Verbal Fight scenes between chars. - notably around the party sequence where Bette Davis announces: "Fasten Your Seatbelts it's going to be a Bumpy Night."

Nixon/Frost - (for a current film) - most of the Interviews are "Verbal Fight Scenes", sparing, notably the final Frost interview. In a way it is a film about two men in the ring together (this time a ring of words and facts, and history instead of punches)

North By Northwest - A Three Way Fight scene - when Cary Grant arrives in the Art Auction house to find Eva Marie Saint and James Mason together. He and Mason spar with Saint caught in the middle. (She does not really speak, but her tension is done visually). What is interesting about this scene is that its in a public place, so there is tremendous tension, but no raised voices.

Lion In Winter - with Peter O'Toole as Henry the VIII - he argues with everyone (He is Henry VIII after all) notably with Eleanor (played by Katherine Hepburn). Generally, any film where Henry VIII is the center have lots of verbal sparring

Elizabeth I - with Helen Mirren (not the Kate Blanchet one). She is caught in a sea of men. It is a two part film. She is constantly in conflict with her two lovers esp. the younger one. As well as being in conflict with her own advisors and those plotting against her. Its been a bit since I've seen it. But, as most of the films take place in her coutly chambers there is much intrigue, as well as some drop down verbal fights.

Thats a few there
 
makex said:
Chinatown
All About Eve -
Nixon/Frost -
North By Northwest - A Three Way Fight scene -
Lion In Winter -
Elizabeth I - with Helen Mirren (not the Kate Blanchet one).
Click to expand...

Good list! Thanks. I also just remembered Kramer Vs. Kramer. I'll have to watch it again to see which scene takes the cake.
 
Yes, I hand not thought of Kramer v. Kramer, good thought.

Another one I just thought of was Woody Allen's "Interiors". Its an incredible film, but not a comedy so not quite as popular as many of his films. There is constant tension between the chars. There are some amazing scenes, not only of verbal sparing but confrontation. Toward the end there the youngest (I believe) daughter confronts the Mother who has suddenly returned to the house after her husband has remarried.

I mention that film because the staging, and visual design, is incredibly well matched to each scene and even the dialog. It ain't called "Interiors" for nothing :)

Want to say I really like this question. Because right now in cinema (mainstream anyways) "Fight' is often a physical fight; chars. resolve their issues physically. However, previously (esp. say between the 50s-90s) there was a tremendous amount of verbal tension, that really was more true to life in my mind. Most peoples disputes are not resolved with high powered weapons, and kung-fu.
 
TheThe, I think one worth of mentioning is Pachino and DeNiro's scene in Heat. While not a full on shout match fight, their subtle yet downright firm way of telling each other if they get in their way, the will not hesitate to take each other down was a great scene of tension and plot build as well.
 
Hollis Framton's film Critical Mass (part of his Hapax Legomena series) is one to keep an eye out for. A brilliant, funny short film about an argument. Among other things.

You might be able to find it on YouTube, but it's hardly the best way to see it.
 
3324248251_f99117f8b2_o.jpg


lest we forget, Sir Ben Kingsley's riveting performance in SEXY BEAST

some links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_UzRJe_nL0

and trailer is at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSVRGdHFxYc
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top