10 Iconic Film Performances With Hardly Any Screen Time

By Helen Jones /

9. William Hurt €“ A History Of Violence

David Cronenberg€™s bloody adaptation of John Wagner and Vince Locke€™s graphic novel captured the heart of many a critic with its unflinching portrayal of the consequences of violence (well, the clue is in the title) and though its main star Viggo Mortensen €“ as former gangster turned small town diner owner Tom whose past comes back to haunt him €“ received much of the praise, his co-star William Hurt also turned in a blistering performance despite being featured in just one scene. As Tom€™s brother Richie Cusack, Hurt owns the screen with his portrayal of a vicious, bitter old-school gangster brimming with barely controlled rage and though the scene was less than ten minutes in length it earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 2006.