# Impressive long, single-shot acting performances **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486 "2008-04-15T20:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/21 "2008-04-16T04:04:50Z")
Most impressive has to be Tatum O’ Neal in Paper Moon, in the scene where they’re driving down the desolate road arguing the whole time- her ability to pull off that scene at that age (nine) is nothing short of amazing, and probably cemented her Oscar win. Someone that age pulling off such a long scene full of dialogue is pretty much unmatched in cinema. ---
**Author:** ![Pollux\_Oil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@Pollux\_Oil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pollux_Oil)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/22 "2008-04-16T06:10:55Z")
I’m not sure if this counts, but there’s an extremely long scene towards the end of **Children of Men** that I think is one take. I found it pretty impressive. There’s not much dialogue if I remember correctly, but I thought it was one of the best cinematic points of that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/23 "2008-04-16T06:22:44Z")
In the final scene of _Smoke_, Harvey Keitel tells Bill Hurt how he got his camera (stole it from a blind lady after pretending to be her grandson - it’s complicated). It’s a long story, and Ketel tells it in one take, with the camera slowly, slowly closing in on his face. Amazing scene; or, as Hurt says, “Well, that’s a good story.” Incidentally, the scene is taken almost verbatim from the Paul Auster short story that served as the basis for the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/24 "2008-04-16T08:34:12Z")
The \*\*Big Night \*\* scene mentioned above cannot be beat in my (limited) experience. It is stunning. If you’ve ever had a fight with your family but then immediately after have to get on with home life anyway despite the fact you’re not talking to one another, while tensions and anger and sorrow are just beneath the surface (and haven’t we all) you will find the power of the scene just gripping. My wife and I, neither of whom are film buffs and particular look for long takes or other similar technically impressive cinematic or acting technique, both independently found the scene jaw dropping. And not one word is spoken. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/25 "2008-04-16T09:12:40Z")
I was watching the Twilight Zone ep the other night about the woman that saw herself on a horse and there was a super long take that ENDED with a camera move and blocking of several actors. Wonder how many times the shot that! ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/26 "2008-04-16T09:15:36Z")
I can’t find a cite, so take this with a grain of salt, but apparently when Joss Whedon made the musical episode of _Buffy: the Vampire Slayer_, he filmed most of a [certain song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzxiChuVuoo) (warning, youtube) in one take. Apparently, the point when the actors walk into the kitchen marks the beginning of a single, long take. The cool thing is that Whedon wanted to flash to each actor’s face during certain sections of the song, so he choreographed all of the cameras in such a way as to let them take opposing shots without moving into any of the other cameras’ line of sight. (Or so I’ve been told. Someone could’ve been BSing me on the whole thing, but it seemed like something Whedon would do.) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Them](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Them](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Them)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/27 "2008-04-16T09:25:14Z")
Nobody’s mentioned _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest._ Both Louise Fletcher and Jack Nicholson have LOONG face shots where they’re not even _speaking,_ and pull off more emotion than…well, they’re stomach-twisting. Almost ETA: I hope I’m not confusing Nicholson’s scene with another movie. I think it’s in this one. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveroptic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiveroptic/32/8257_2.png) [@Fiveroptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveroptic)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/28 "2008-04-16T10:42:32Z")
[This scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDr-jbCyf4k&feature=related) from one of the later years of “Cagney and Lacey” was done in one shot, nearly four and a half minutes long. Love 'em or hate 'em, Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless did some pretty good acting here. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/29 "2008-04-16T10:57:24Z")
Renee Zellwegger does an extremely long face-to-the-camera monologue in the (in my view vastly underrated) film _Down with love_ - it’s easily in excess of 2 minutes, probably closer to 3. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/30 "2008-04-16T13:42:58Z")
I’ve always liked the end of _The Long Good Friday_, a lengthy silent shot in the car interior of the expressions playing over Bob Hoskins’ face as he’s driven away to his doom. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/31 "2008-04-16T13:55:36Z")
My memory of this was enhanced just this week when I saw _L.A. Confidential_ again after a long spell. I still can’t tell if there are editing tricks, like cutting from moving picture to still, with an intervening shot of Cromwell’s reaction, but Kevin Spacey’s death in that scene where he gives his “Rollo Tomasi” line and then goes blank has to be the most chilling portrayal of death I can recall. I didn’t time it, so I can’t add it to the list of long takes, but it’s a fine performance and may even be what got him nominated for several awards that year. ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/32 "2008-04-16T14:03:19Z")
[QUOTE=ColonelDax] I’ve always liked the end of _The Long Good Friday_, a lengthy silent shot in the car interior of the expressions playing over Bob Hoskins’ face as he’s driven away to his doom. [/QUOTE] Damn, I came in to mention this. Amazing acting from Bob Hoskins here, and indeed throughout the movie. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/33 "2008-04-16T14:30:16Z")
**Conversations with Other Women** is nothing but extremely long shots, at least compared to its contemporaries. The whole film is done split-screen, so there is no real going back and forth between faces; both primary actors (Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart) are just left on screen in long continuous shots, while the viewer is able to choose which face to watch. Are you more interested in line delivery or reaction shots? [Jigsaw]Make your choice![/Jigsaw] I wouldn’t hail it as great acting in particular, though I’m not going to disparage it either. I’m a big fan of both principals, and thought they both delivered solid performances. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/34 "2008-04-16T14:39:29Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] My memory of this was enhanced just this week when I saw _L.A. Confidential_ again after a long spell. I still can’t tell if there are editing tricks, like cutting from moving picture to still, with an intervening shot of Cromwell’s reaction, but Kevin Spacey’s death in that scene where he gives his “Rollo Tomasi” line and then goes blank has to be the most chilling portrayal of death I can recall. I didn’t time it, so I can’t add it to the list of long takes, but it’s a fine performance and may even be what got him nominated for several awards that year. [/QUOTE] Nope, not a still image. Just a brilliant performance. I believe he has said that he played that scene by focusing on a spot on the wall behind Cromwell and then relaxing his gaze, so when Cromwell steps away Spacey’s eyes show no movement and look completely blank. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/35 "2008-04-16T14:51:22Z")
In Ken Branagh’s Henry V, there are a couple. The obvious one is near the end after the Battle of Angincourt. Henry picks up the dead body of Christian Bale and carries him across the battlefield. As he does so the camera sweeps across the carnage but we also see loads of reactions to him from many different people. It’s choreographed brillantly. When we get to the end and Henry puts the boy on the cart with other dead and he just stands there with this huge mix of emotions on his face. The one I really like is when the Archbishop of Cantabury explains that the salic law will not bar his claim. He does this long complicated speach in what seems like one breath. The guy is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/36 "2008-04-16T14:51:26Z")
In [Last Embrace](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079437/) Roy Scheider has one long, single shot scene (in his underwear!) where he talks to Janet Margolin about his wife’s death that has always impressed me. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/37 "2008-04-16T14:54:59Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Possibly NSFW, as you will be roaring with laughter. [/QUOTE] Wish I’d paid attention to that warning, as I just hooted involuntarily in the office. I thought George Clooney in the cab at the end of _Michael Clayton_ did an excellent job - that shot’s about 3 or 4 minutes long and there’s no action, but he keeps your attention. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/38 "2008-04-16T15:38:54Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Wish I’d paid attention to that warning, as I just hooted involuntarily in the office. I thought George Clooney in the cab at the end of _Michael Clayton_ did an excellent job - that shot’s about 3 or 4 minutes long and there’s no action, but he keeps your attention. [/QUOTE] It’s the ghost of a smile at the end that makes the scene (and possibly the movie). ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/39 "2008-04-16T15:53:41Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] It’s the ghost of a smile at the end that makes the scene (and possibly the movie). [/QUOTE] You’ve just reminded me of one of my favorite scenes from the movies: at the very end of Woody Allen’s [_The Purple Rose of Cairo_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0089853/), Mia Farrow’s character, a Depression-era movie buff who has been betrayed and abandoned, goes into a movie theater because she has nowhere else to go. She’s watching an Astaire and Rogers film, distraught, and the camera holds on her face for what seems like forever. As she slowly gets caught up in the magic on-screen, a very faint smile steals across her face. It’s brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486/40 "2008-04-16T17:15:23Z")
It’s not particularly long, but Jim Broadbent in [“Topsy-Turvy”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151568/) has an [amazing scene where he comes up with the idea](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF3Fq7ct6DE&NR=1) for “The Mikado”. No words, but you can see the whole thing playing inside his mind. It’s subtle rather than pyrotechnic, but one rarely sees a character _thinking_ rather than talking or doing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-long-single-shot-acting-performances/445486.md?page=3)