Top 10 GREATEST Movie Characters with the LEAST Screen Time

“Harry Potter” franchise (2001-)
Given his prominence in the “Harry Potter” franchise and his presence in the fanbase, you’d think that Harry Potter’s snide rival Draco Malfoy would have a big chunk of screentime. Yet, if you look at actor Tom Felton’s appearances across all 8 films, and tally up how long he’s onscreen, you’d probably be surprised to discover that he reportedly only appears for just under 32 minutes! Honestly, it’s impressive that the filmmakers and Felton manage to give Malfoy such a defined character arc in such little time, going from insufferable snob to wannabe Voldemort follower to not-quite-such-a-jerk after all.

“Doubt” (2008)
There aren’t a lot of characters in this drama film, but Mrs. Miller comes in for one scene and not only makes her mark, but she does so in less than roughly 8 minutes! The mother of Donald, an altar boy caught drinking wine, she talks about her child with Sister Aloysius. Aloysius believes Donald was given the wine by Father Flynn, whom she believes has an improper relationship with the boy. Shockingly, Mrs. Miller doesn’t want to hear it. Donald is gay and she believes attending the school is his best chance at not only a better life, but survival, given his abusive father. Viola Davis’s powerful performance more than earned her an Oscar nomination! Not many can match Meryl Streep like that.

“Les Misérables” (2012)
Her impact on the plot of “Les Misérables” is so profound that it’s easy to forget how little Fantine appears in the story. A worker fired from Jean Valjean’s factory for having an illegitimate child, Fantine is put through the ringer, physically and emotionally. Turning to sex work to support herself and her child, she is exploited and mistreated at every turn. Yet Anne Hathaway’s amazing performance, both vocally and in her dedication to physically looking the part helped Fantine stand out even among the large ensemble. Despite reportedly only showing up for somewhere around 15 minutes, the character is not easily forgotten.

“Glengarry Glen Ross” (1992)
It says a lot about Alec Baldwin’s performance that he’s able to come in for a roughly 8-minute long scene and steal the movie away from some of the best dramatic actors in the business! Blake’s speech to a group of struggling salesmen is meant to light a fire under them so they’ll perform better. It’s one part sales technique seminar, another part harangue, and basically a huge flex on them all using his own success as a benchmark. Blake has everyone in the room (and the viewers) hanging on his every word! Speaking of which, it’s shocking how many quotable lines are packed into just this speech. If you should “always be closing,” then Blake closed this scene no problem!

“Beetlejuice” (1988)
His name is the title — of course Beetlejuice is in a lot of the movie…right? Granted, this spooky comedy film isn’t very long, but it’s still surprising to remember that its namesake character is in the film for less than 20 minutes. Beetlejuice’s manic energy and madcap comedic timing absolutely steal the show whenever he’s onscreen. The undead fixer may be extreme in everything from his behavior to his methods, but he’s a joy to watch work. If the folks behind the sequel know what they’re doing, they’ll definitely put him front and center!

“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
While we also paid some attention to how little the eponymous “man behind the curtain” appears, it’s the Wicked Witch that has us incredulous. The cackling, green-skinned villainess looms large over the film, and indeed pop culture in general. The Wicked Witch hounds Dorothy and her friends throughout their journey to Oz and even beyond, yet it’s usually from afar. By the time she’s finally melted down, the Witch has only appeared for around 12 minutes in total. Not bad, considering how memorable she and so many of her lines are. “What a world” indeed!

“Pulp Fiction” (1994)
Tarantino films are rife with memorable, single scene characters. Although fellow “Pulp Fiction” character Captain Koons was a tempting alternative, Winston Wolfe just makes too big a splash. The criminal fixer arrives on the scene in record time to help Jules and Vincent dispose of the accidental murder in their car. With time a factor, Mr. Wolfe (call him Winston) takes charge, assessing the situation quickly and formulating the most efficient way to resolve it. The Wolf’s commanding presence, politeness, and impeccable dress sense embed him immediately in the watchers’ minds, even if he only shows up for somewhere around 12 minutes. Not only is he a character, he has character!

“The Godfather” (1972)
While the famous mafia don does appear more in “Part II”, it’s Marlo Brando’s iconic performance most people associate with the character. And sure, at roughly 40 minutes of “The Godfather”’s runtime, that’s more than the rest of our entries. But first - “The Godfather” is a really long movie, and second - Don Vito is among the most recognizable mafia characters ever! Brando’s incredible performance is not only fantastic throughout, it and Don Vito himself have become synonymous for many with the idea of a mob boss. We couldn’t “refuse” him a spot, even if we wanted to!

“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)
The “Star Wars” franchise has some of the most recognizable characters in film. Yet it would surprise many to learn how little some of them appear in the original films. Although Boba Fett’s paltry screen time is also notable, Vader is just a more legendary character. Indeed, the famous villain only shows up for somewhere between 8-12 minutes in the film that started it all (and not much in some subsequent ones, either). Yet, Vader’s commanding voice, intimidating presence, and iconic design ensured that he stood out, even among the many memorable elements of the first “Star Wars.”

“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
Roughly sixteen minutes of screentime gave us one of cinema’s greatest villains! Anthony Hopkins’ incredible portrayal of the cannibal psychiatrist may not last long, but it’s utterly unforgettable. The soft-spoken killer is erudite, intelligent, and utterly terrifying. Even if he spends most of his time behind bars or restrained, Hannibal commands every scene he appears in. His hypnotic, charismatic voice gets under your skin, and his ability to manipulate everyone around him is as frightening as his few violent outbursts. It’s little wonder that Anthony Hopkins nabbed multiple awards, including a Best Actor Oscar, for the role!

Is there a small part that casts a long shadow that we forgot? Well, comments are for closers - are you a closer? Make your case below.