Robin Williams’ 10 Best Movie Scenes
It's hard to come to terms with the loss of someone like Robin Williams, who impacted the world with his heartfelt, compelling acting and his unfailing ability to draw laughter in any situation. His talent made him an icon, and his acclaimed kindness and playful humor made him a great friend, father and husband who will be sorely missed.
Williams' memory won't soon be forgotten by fans or loved ones. We're remembering his effect on the film industry and his captivated audiences by revisiting his 10 best movie scenes from across his expansive filmography.
The food fight in 'Hook.'
Both kids and adults can appreciate Williams' scene in 'Hook' where he exchanges fierce insults with Rufio across an empty banquet table. And who didn't feel a little shiver of pride and excitement when Peter mastered his imagination to trigger a colorful food fight?
When his students salute him with "Oh Captain! My Captain!" in 'Dead Poets Society.'
Williams' role as John Keating in 'Dead Poets Society' reached a pinnacle when his students stood atop their desks and quoted Walt Whitman to protest their poetry teacher's dismissal. "O Captain! My Captain! Rise up and hear the bells."
The poor cooking attempt in 'Mrs. Doubtfire.'
Williams' comedic timing was on fire -- literally -- in his hilarious attempt at cooking a homemade meal for his family in 'Mrs. Doubtfire.' His role as a dad-turned-undercover-nanny will remain an icon in comedy for a long time to come.
When Matt Damon asks "When did you know?" in 'Good Will Hunting.'
Sean Maguire's retelling in 'Good Will Hunting' of the night he met his wife is as funny as it is sweet and romantic. It's a perfect example of Williams' physical, full-body type of comedy, and his ability to add humor to even the most personal and emotional scenes.
The moving graduation speech in 'Jack.'
It's impossible to watch Robin Williams' graduation speech -- as well as almost any other scene -- in 'Jack' without shedding a few tears. This movie is just one example of the actor's wide range, proven through his ability to simultaneously portray the playfulness of a child and the frailty and fear of a man in a withering body.
When Williams demands "What year is it?" in 'Jumanji.'
Is there anyone that can rock a beard and scream at monkeys the way Robin Williams can? His acting is so spot-on that it's almost believable that it was Williams himself, not Alan Parrish, that spent 26 years in a board game jungle.
Fighting indifference in 'Patch Adams.'
Williams brought the true story of Patch Adams to life in the 1998 film. His scene defending his actions in court is a pivotal moment in the movie because of how passionately he speaks on behalf of his 'patients.' "If we're going to fight a disease," he argues, "let's fight one of the most terrible diseases of all -- indifference."
His father-to-son talk in 'What Dreams May Come.'
'What Dreams May Come' may be particularly painful to watch now, as it follows Williams' character Chris Nielsen on his exploration of the afterlife after the death of his wife. His conversation with his son, knowing the enormity of what they've both lost, is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Genie's 'Friend Like Me' production in 'Aladdin.'
Robin Williams can make us cry in dramas, laugh in comedies and sing along in hit Disney classics like 'Aladdin.' Though his role as Genie is one of his sillier characters, it's undoubtedly an important one. It pretty much guaranteed a generation that grew up as Williams fans from childhood.
The invention of 'Flubber.'
Though there are more serious and intense film scenes to have chosen from for the last item, it seems likely that Williams will be most remembered for his funny bone. He made kids laugh with his physical comedy and adults laugh with his mature humor. 'Flubber' is an example of his ability to delight entire families with his work, and it will never be forgotten.