Greatest Classic Mob Movie Speeches: 5 Memorable Monologues

Some of the most iconic scenes in the most classic of mob movies in history are filled with memorable monologues and spectacular speeches. And some of those moments – where a monologue fills the air – are some of the most chilling and suspenseful of an entire movie, the kinds of moments that can propel a mob movie to cult status.

Here are five of the most memorable monologues in classic mob movies:

1. Marlon Brando in "The Godfather" (1972)

Brando sets the tone for the entire movie when, while playing Don Corleone, he calmly shames an old acquaintance who's asking for his help. He exudes rationality and intensity at the same. All while playing with his kitty.

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2. Jack Nicholson in "Chinatown" (1974)

Unknown to Nicholson's character – who's telling a crude racist joke – he's being overhead by someone he doesn't see. As Roger Ebert wrote in his review of the movie, "It’s also a triumph of acting, particularly by Jack Nicholson, who is one of the most interesting actors now working and who contributes one of his best performances. He inhabits the character of J.J. Gittes like a second skin."

3. Al Pacino in "Scarface" (1983)

Pacino, playing the out-of-sorts Tony Montana who's just been dumped in a crowded restaurant, brings all the attention on to himself as he stumbles away from his table as what he calls "the bad guy." As Genius.com notes, "In a drunken stupor, Tony Montana delivers a societal critique in the way Tony Montana does everything; loud and with swearing."

4. Robert De Niro in "The Untouchables" (1987)

In one of the most mobbed up scenes you'll ever see, De Niro, playing Al Capone, makes a speech about baseball and the importance of teamwork. Then, the character bashes in somebody's head with a baseball bat. As Complex.com writes about the mob movie, "Fun method acting fact: In order to fully immerse himself in the role, De Niro always wore the same old-styled silk underwear that Capone wore. Hey, at least he was comfortable while going all Josh Hamilton on folks."

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5. Al Pacino in the "The Godfather, Part III" (1990)

Let's be honest. The third part of "The Godfather" trilogy is nowhere near as good as the first two, and some of the reviews of the film were scathing. But with Pacino reprising his role as Michael Corleone after a 16-year hiatus, he delivers probably the most famous line of any of the three movies: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" As The New York Times wrote in its review, Corleone "is now a much more fully drawn character than he had been, and Mr. Pacino's mesmerizing performance embodies many new shadings."

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