What happens when you leave behind everything — but it never leaves you?
This week, we explore one of the most haunting closing monologues in American drama: Tom Wingfield’s farewell from The Glass Menagerie.
It’s a raw, understated piece filled with guilt, memory, and longing — and it’s a masterclass in the kind of subtle, layered performance demanded by Film and Television.
Tom’s Final Monologue in The Glass Menagerie — Breakdown for Film/TV Actors
About the Monologue:
Tom recounts how he fled the burdens of his family life, only to find himself forever haunted by the memory of his sister Laura.
There’s no melodrama here — only a man speaking honestly, almost reluctantly, revealing the quiet tragedy of a life spent running.
Character & Context:
- Character: Tom Wingfield
- Setting: Reflecting on his past from an unspecified location in the present.
- Context: After abandoning his family years ago, Tom struggles with the guilt of leaving his disabled sister behind.
On-Camera Acting Tip:
Less is everything!
This monologue thrives on subtext. On stage, you might project to the back row.
On camera, the audience is inches from your face.
A single blink can reveal regret.
A slight catch in the breath can betray overwhelming guilt.
Silence between thoughts speaks louder than over-emoting.
Approach this piece like a confession you don’t want to make — but can’t stop yourself from saying.
John’s Commentary: Tom’s Goodbye in The Glass Menagerie
About This Monologue:
In this final scene from the 1987 film adaptation of The Glass Menagerie, Tom Wingfield — portrayed by John Malkovich — delivers a haunting voiceover as he reflects on the life he left behind. This closing moment is a powerful example of subtle, cinematic storytelling, where performance, voice, and visual imagery combine to deliver emotional impact without theatricality.
This scene offers a valuable lesson: great screen acting often lies in stillness, restraint, and emotional subtext — not volume.
Think About:
- Emotional Isolation: Tom physically escaped his family, but emotionally, he’s still trapped by memory and guilt.
- Haunted Memory: The visuals show a drifting Tom, emphasizing the idea that the past continues to follow him.
- Unresolved Regret: The monologue doesn’t resolve — it lingers, like a wound that never fully closes.
New Media Acting Focus:
John Malkovich’s performance is deeply internal. There are no big gestures, no outbursts. Instead, he uses:
A measured vocal delivery in voiceover to communicate sorrow and emotional fatigue.
Visual stillness — long shots of Tom walking, watching, remembering — that reinforce the monologue’s tone.
Subtle physical cues that suggest what the words don’t say: the weight of a decision he can never undo.
For your own on-camera work:
Imagine the camera just a few feet from your face. Every blink, every micro-expression matters.
Let the words cost you something. Tom is not proud of what he’s saying — he’s haunted by it.
Don’t rush to show “big” emotions. Trust the quiet build of tension underneath the words.
Challenge:
Record yourself performing the monologue twice:
Once focusing on speaking the words truthfully.
Once focusing on feeling the guilt first, and letting the words come second.
Compare the two. Which one feels more honest? Which one do you feel was more powerful on camera?