“Son of a gun. He stole my line.”
The scene: Will’s therapist is reading a letter written to him by Will. Robin Williams has delivered some amazing performances in his career, but this is one of his best – and it was completely unscripted! Also, this wasn’t the only line that he made up for this film.
He showed off his impressive improvisation abilities several times throughout this iconic movie. The movie went on to win a hefty two Oscars, which went to the main protagonists Matt Damon and Robin Williams, not to mention the additional seven Oscar-nominations that it received.
This Is Spinal Tap
Believe it or not, this film is actually mostly unscripted. That’s probably what makes this movie so unique, as it’s very rare that directors and movie makers give that much writing power to the actors. This movie is about a fictional 80s hair band starring in their very own spoof film.
Director Rob Reiner aimed to make this film as a relatable and hilarious look at the rock’n’roll lifestyle, so most of the script was left up to actors. It is even shown in the credits, as all of the actors are listed in the writer’s section, which includes Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest, who all also starred as the main characters of the movie.
The Dark Knight
*Clap, clap, clap…*
The scene: Everyone claps for Gordon’s promotion. The joker joins in with a slow clap that carries on after everyone else stops applauding. “The Dark Knight” was released in 2008 and included some big names like Christian Bale and, of course, the late Heath Ledger.
As one of the most iconic bad guys in cinema history, the Joker has been played by numerous actors. But, Heath Ledger arguably did it best because of how immersed he was in his character, which allowed him to improvise a lot of his lines and actions. His extended clapping in this scene was a definite show-stopper.
Saving Private Ryan
"Picture a girl who took a nosedive from the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down." The scene: Captain Miller and Private Ryan reminisce about their lives. As if the script wasn’t enough, Damon takes it a step further and adds a new layer of depth.
He tells a made-up story about when he saw his brother kissing a girl. Luckily, it added a lot to his character, and it remains one of the most remembered scenes in this film. To this day, the movie is still revered as one of the best depictions of the horrors of war.
The Silence Of The Lambs
"f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-v-v-v-s-s-s!"
The scene: Clarice Starling and frightening Hannibal Lecter are talking through the wall of the prison cell. He is describing in detail how he ate a human liver with "fava beans and a nice Chianti."
Anthony Hopkins plays a brilliant psychiatrist who also happens to be a complete psychopath who eats human flesh. In this eerie scene, as well as in the rest of the film, his goal was to be as spine-chilling as possible, which he definitely succeeded in doing. When filming this scene, he decided to include the sucking of flesh, which resembled eating the human liver, by making noises with his teeth and lips that is iconic to this film.