Films that made you cry

[stuart.uk]

What scenes from films brought a tear to the eye

Dodge City when young Bobs Watson is killed in the middle of a gunfight and Errol Flynn says This has got to stop

In The Alexander Graham Bell Story when Don Ameche's Bell, also a teacher of deaf and dumb children, who teaches a boy with the use of vibrations to call Gene Lockhart Father!

Monty Clift standing up to his adopted father John Wayne in Red River, when Duke decides to hang two of his men for deserting his cattle drive and stealing flour.

Chaplin in The Kid when he saves Jackie Coogan from the workhouse. Chaplin again at the climatic moment of City Lights, when Virginia Cherrill discovers it was The Tramp, who gave her the money for the operation that restored her sight.

Errol Flynn's Custer and his farwell scene with both Olivia De Havilland and her character Libby in They Died With Their Boots On.

Ceric Hardwycke's David Livingstone, leading the natives in Onward Christian Soldiers, mock punching one in the stomach, with Spencer Tracy's Henry Stanley looking on in Stanley And Livingstone.

Escape Of The Amithist where Captain Richard Todd and his naval crew daringly escape The Chinese Liberation Army.

The end of The Dambusters when we find out which of the crewmen survived and those that didn't.

[srowley75]

At the risk of everyone writing me off as a sickeningly soft touch, I admit I cried several times the first time I watched Spielberg's The Color Purple, a film only slightly more emotionally manipulative than my grandmother.

Mom has long been the butt of family jokes because of her extreme sensitivity. She's been known to become verklempt listening to those OnStar "real life drama" commercials on the radio.

If it counts, the end of A Night at the Opera made me laugh so hard I cried.

-Stephen

[movieman1957]

If it counts, the end of A Night at the Opera made me laugh so hard I cried.

-Stephen

It counts.

[ChiO]

Like Rufus T. Firefly, I am a sentimental old fluff. I'm the easiest touch. Just a few for the waterworks...

STARS IN MY CROWN -- My chin was quivering for the entire second half of the movie just this week.

DINER -- No, not when the Baltimore Colts question is missed. The last scene, slo-mo -- when that bouquet hits the table with the guys and I know that their time together is no more, I'm sobbing.

HOMEWARD BOUND: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY -- How many times did I have to watch this with our younger daughter? That's how many times I was sniffing when Shadow finally comes home (it's even hard to type this).

GUN CRAZY -- Yeah, I know. But why, oh, why did John Dall have to die?

WEST SIDE STORY -- There's...a...place...for us/Somewhere/A place...for us. (Waaaah!)

And, let the ridicule begin: DR. ZHIVAGO -- Who cares about Omar and Julie? Not me. But when Sir Alec tells Rita Tushingham that "It's a gift.", I lose it every time.

(And don't get me started with IKIRU, MOUCHETTE, UMBERTO D. or THE BICYCLE THIEVES.)

[moira finnie]

When Lassie came home to Roddy McDowell. Just writing that sentence, the damn waterworks start to kick in.

[knitwit45]

One of the cable channels has been running "You've Got Mail" about 5 times daily, and every time Tom Hanks comes up the garden path, I start up. The looks that run across Meg Ryan's face - disbelief, shock, joy, and pure love. Dang! where's my Kleenex?????

In "Return to Me", at the very end, when David Duchovny rests his head on Minnie Driver's chest, and listens to THE heart.......floods!!!!!!

When Ilsa walks away from Rick...oh, jeez, and I'm still at work........

[stuart.uk]

Champions, Even though we knew the ending, because it was a true story, but John Hurt's recovering cancer jockey Bob Champion, winning The Grand National. The scene that gets me going is when Edward Woodward's trainer Joss Gifford arrives to lead the horse to the winners enclosure with the words. Bob you are beautiful, as he wipes the tears from his eyes.

[movieman1957]

'To Kill A Mockingbird," several places. "It's A Wonderful Life" still gets me.

[jdb1]

In "Return to Me", at the very end, when David Duchovny rests his head on Minnie Driver's chest, and listens to THE heart.......floods!!!!!!

Knitty, that scene is a direct steal from one that happend on St. Elsewhere long ago. Did you see it? Do you remember it? It was performed by David Morse as the shocked young doctor listening to his wife's heart in a sleeping transplant patient. It was about a 150,000 times more affecting than Return to Me, although Duchovny was certainly sniffle-inducing. I tear up just thinking about the expression on Morse's face. I love that guy and his Roger Livesey voice.

[myrnaloyisdope]

I start balling about halfway through the original Waterloo Bridge\, the scene where Mae Clarke puts on her make-up kills me. From then on I am a wreck the rest of the way.

Stand By Me gets me too.

Boyz 'N the Hood, why does Ricky have to die???

Ooh Field of Dreams, when Costner plays catch with his dad...I'm done for.

The Elephant Man, I actually watched this at work for the first time on my iPod, and I kept making periodic bathroom breaks, just to avoid breaking out in tears.

The Magnificent Ambersons devastated me on 2nd viewing, if only it didn't have the happy ending.

There's a few films I cried during my first viewing, but haven't rewatched to gauge their effect...Broadway Danny Rose, The Kid, The Green Mile among them.

I well up a little whenever I watch most of Busby Berkeley's production numbers (42nd Street and Lullaby of Broadway in particular), simply due to being overwhelmed by how much I love them. If need to remind myself of how good life is, I watch those, and I get tears of joy.

When I last watched The Apartment I got pretty emotional too, though I think it was a combination of pathos for Shirley MacLaine and an intense realization that this might be the greatest film ever made.

[Garbomaniac]

I am a big wooze when it comes to the "human" element. Anytime in any film when lovers are reunited, the dog comes home, gramma's hugs when you have learned your lesson after NOT taking her adivse, the hero emerges triumphant after scathing opposition, or just even when the music swells. That is why I am SUCH a sucker for old films. They WERE the human element. They taught lessons, morals, and life in general, and all of that makes me cry.

[Mr. Arkadin]

Too many to name them all, but a few that never fail to move me:

Europa 51 (1952)
Voyage to Italy (1953)
Rossellini's work with Ingrid Bergman continues to touch my heart in these two very different films that deal with the discovery of love and its purpose.

Three Comrades (1938)
Just about any Margret Sullavan drama has me dabbing my eyes, but Three Comrades has tons of moments for me, whether it's hunting Gottfried's killer in the snowy streets to the sound of hymns, or Erich flinging his watch across the room to stop time for himself and his beloved.

Umberto D. (1953)
Forbidden Games (1952)
I'm always a sucker for animals. Here are two masterworks that never resort to cheap sentimentality, but instead stress the gift of life.

Some Came Running (1958)
Although much different from the novel, Dave Hirsh's struggle with hypocrisy is stunted when he realizes the purity of Ginnie's unconditional love.

Night of the Hunter (1950)
City Lights (1930)
If you don't cry at the end of these two films there is something wrong with you!

[MissGoddess]

[srowley75]

Some more...(yeesh...sorry in advance for my long-windedness)

*Hobson's Choice (1954) - The unfolding of the unique and class-transcending love story between strong-willed, industrious Maggie Hobson and aimless yet equally hard-working Will Mossop will between the laughs also leave you choked up at some point. For me, it's either the scene when Will overhears Maggie ardently defending his character to the mother of Will's former fiance, or the final confrontation between Will, Maggie, and Maggie's blustery, drunken father Henry (and you don't even need Celine Dion in the background singing "Because You Loved Me").

*The Miracle Worker (1962) - I remember hearing an interview with Patty Duke in which she stated that, after the final scene between her character Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan (Anne Bancroft) at the water pump, she never realized that there were tears on her own face. I'm sure a lot of people cry during the water pump scene because Anne's long, grueling ordeal has finally paid off, but that final scene is so filled with tenderness and triumph on so many levels that it's hard to process all of it at once. This woman who was sent to a filthy, grotesque asylum, simply because society didn't want to be bothered with helping her, was going to make damn sure that Helen wasn't shipped away because her parents didn't have the patience to educate her. And even if you manage to keep a dry eye during the scene when Helen finally understands what Annie's been trying to teach her all this time, you have to be moved when Helen takes the key to the house away from her parents and gives it to Anne.

*A Star is Born (1954) - There's just something about Judy Garland in the lead as Esther/Vicki that adds a extra layer of pathos to this whole story of her and washed-up Norman Maine. Maybe it's because I have to believe part of the emotion behind Judy's performance came from an understanding and sympathy of the battles Norman faced. The final line is the one everyone quotes, but I tear up at "You know how good you are. You just needed someone to tell you."

*My Man Godfrey (1936) - The first time I viewed it, I have to admit that after spending an hour watching the arrogant and class-conscious Cornelia Bullock treat those around her like rubbish - especially lovable, tolerant playboy-turned-servant Godfrey - I wanted to see her get what was coming to her. And I've watched this flick with others who also hope to see the wicked witch get her bucket of water at the end. But, thankfully, that's not really what happens, and I think the surprise is what moved me the first time I saw this otherwise hilarious movie. Danny Peary faults this film for what he believes is its timidity about social criticism, and yet I find so much significance in the scene when Godfrey returns Cornelia's pearls (and ironically adding a level of warmth to the scene is Alice Brady's clueless, scatterbrained Angelica injecting herself into Godfrey and Cornelia's tender moment). If we all cared enough about our fellowman - even those who hate us - to look out for them instead of pursuing meaningless, outrageous luxuries, the world would be a much better place.

*The Nutty Professor (1963) - which has to strike a chord in people who view themselves as altogether horrible (Sherman is a wallflower on a scale that is impossible to fathom - does the film say something about individuals who see themselves as uglier and more awkward than they actually are?) and who desperately wish that they could be someone - anyone - else. Whatever you think of the film or Lewis, if you really watch the movie and stick with it to the ending, it's hard not to be touched by - above all else - Lewis's yearning to connect with his audience on such a personal level.

And two films that made me cry, but which I must address on a different level:

*The Shop on Main Street (1965) and Shoah (1985) - I was an emotional wreck for weeks after I saw both of these films.

[Mr. Arkadin]

And two films that made me cry, but which I must address on a different level:

*The Shop on Main Street (1965) and Shoah (1985) - I was an emotional wreck for weeks after I saw both of these films.

Both incredible films. There are so many moments in Shoah where I just lost it completely. The segment where the barber cutting hair breaks down crying is just devastating.