10 Best Movie Characters That Never Say A Word

One of the most basic expectations of just about any movie is that the principal characters will actually open their mouths and speak words to each other. It is the most common form of communication in the world and surely the most cinematic.

But sometimes that's not the case - sometimes movies will feature major characters who, for one reason or another, don't utter even a single word throughout the film.

They may be mute-from-birth or injured characters who are unable to communicate through the spoken word, or those who have sought to impose a vow of silence upon themselves.

This list will exclude characters known for their silence who nevertheless do pipe up occasionally, so don't expect to see Silent Bob or Edward Scissorhands here.

We're more concerned with major movie characters who uttered not a word over the course of a movie's runtime, whether to amplify their intimidation factor, sell their cuteness to viewers, or simply leave the audience unsure of their precise motivations.

Despite not literally speaking a single word aloud throughout their films, these characters spoke volumes with their facial expressions and meaningful actions...

Few mute movie characters are as memorable as Sin City's cannibalistic serial killer Kevin (Elijah Wood), who despite apparently having "the voice of an angel," elects not to use it during his lurid day-to-day manoeuvres.

While Wood gives a terrifically creepy wordless performance as the character, what truly makes him unforgettable is the circumstances of his death.

Ultimately, Kevin is overpowered by Marv (Mickey Rourke), who ends up hacking his limbs off, allows a dog to start eating him alive, and then finally saw his head off.

Despite all this, Kevin doesn't utter a single plea for help or let out even the faintest sound. He endures it all in absolute silence, which is somehow even more chilling than the fact that he murdered and ate people for a living.