# Best scenes in the best movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610 "2011-03-05T19:41:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/21 "2011-03-06T03:27:11Z")
The scar comparing scene and Quint’s speech in Jaws. ---
**Author:** ![superslug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@superslug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superslug)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/22 "2011-03-06T03:39:55Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > The scar comparing scene and Quint’s speech in Jaws. Yes. the silence was deafening… ---
**Author:** ![superslug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@superslug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superslug)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/23 "2011-03-06T03:41:03Z")
I know I’ll catch flac for this… The closing scene in _Vanilla Sky_ is fantastic. When it finally all comes together… ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/24 "2011-03-06T03:57:05Z")
The _Big Lebowski_ dream sequence. The Baldwin ‘motivational speech’ in _Glengarry Glen Ross_, and also arguably the “you stupid fuckin’ cunt” dressing-down of Williamson near the end. “I am the motherfucking shore patrol, motherfucker! I AM THE MOTHER FUCKING SHORE PATROL!” in _The Last Detail_. Similarly, the “hold the chicken” scene in _5 Easy Pieces_. The beat-down of Lord Bullingdon at the music recital in _Barry Lyndon._ “You will kindly remove your mask” when Dr. Bill is exposed as an trespasser at the party in _Eyes Wide Shut._ (The guy in the red cloak and mask is Leon Vitali, the same guy who played Lord Bullingdon.) R. Lee Ermey’s opening monologue in _Full Metal Jacket._ ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/25 "2011-03-06T04:00:26Z")
[Let’s go home, Debbie.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci3a4zc-40I&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/26 "2011-03-06T04:02:19Z")
Reading these is reminding me of some more. I’ll add in when Al Pacino drove was driving the sports car in Scent of a Woman and scattering the ashes in The Big Lebowski. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/27 "2011-03-06T04:02:54Z")
Getting the diapers in _Raising Arizona_. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/28 "2011-03-06T04:03:28Z")
Business card comparison in _American Psycho._ The opening of _Withnail and I_ with the _Whiter Shade of Pale_ organ instrumental. “I’m Finished!” in _There Will Be Blood._ The first coin toss scene at the gas station in _No Country for Old Men._ The first encounter with the bandit gang in _The Road_ and the following dialog between Garret Dillahunt and Viggo Mortensen’s characters. Tom Stall’s son finally beating up the high school bully in _A History of Violence_. The audience in the theater went _nuts_ when this happened, cheering and applauding - I’ve never seen anything like it before or since. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/29 "2011-03-06T04:13:27Z")
The armoured car robbery in _Heat._ Final confrontation with Dolarhyde in _Manhunter._ (The remake, _Red Dragon,_ is not worth watching.) [Marching Band title credits](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGxHBjVc4Rw&feature=related) in _Angus._ The Campbell’s Soup scene in _The Great Santini._ “Chow down on me, hogs!” The identity of Yuri in _No Way Out_ - to this day one of the best twist endings of all time. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/30 "2011-03-06T04:21:12Z")
Children of Men - The final battle, seamlessly edited together as a single shot. When the soldiers temporarily stop fighting, I always tear up. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/31 "2011-03-06T04:28:27Z")
From Keaton’s “The General”: the steam locomotive bringing down the bridge. From Lloyd’s “Safety Last”: Harold climbing the building and hanging from the clock. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/32 "2011-03-06T06:44:05Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > The Baldwin ‘motivational speech’ in _Glengarry Glen Ross_ Absolutely. The opening tracking shot in “The Player.” The scene in the remake of Ocean’s 11, where Andy Garcia is realizing exactly what just happened in his casino. Joe ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/33 "2011-03-06T06:49:43Z")
best scenes, best movies? Not sure. Here are some favorites? The various apparently-one-shot scenes from Children of Men. The dream sequence from The Big Blue with the hotel room filling up with water, also the scene with the print out of his heart beat Zoe on the car hood in Grindhouse The strawberry scene in Across the Universe The chase scene ending at the beach in Apocalypto The learning to fly scene in Avatar The dancing scene in Beautiful Thing John Malcovitch entering his own head in Being John Malcovitch The Color Purple - so many - being taught pleasure, the Sister song, standing up for herself at dinner, and sisters reunited Contact - pan through the universe all happening inside the mirror Delicatessen - everything happening to the same rhythm Drawing Restraint - chopping off each others body parts Electric Dreams - The Duel, you have a dog, fixing the cello, crystallization of tears Fight Club - watching the world end Fried Green Tomatoes - the biblical passage invitation Galaxy Quest - I knew it!, whoever wrote this episode should die!, taking out the garbage Gattaca - the second swim Get Real - coffee or tea? Groundhog Day - letting the groundhog win Love Actually - wedding orchestra, placards Memento - the end is the beginning Mission to Mars - holographic slide show Pleasantville - the burning bush Rescuers Down Under - flight of the eagle Serenity - River’s last stand, the calvary arrives Shortbus - our national anthem, blackout Tank Girl - musical number, strip show, what worked? Eternal Sunshine - the race through memory lane The Fall - the plea The Matrix - seeing green The Pillow Book - silence Y Tu Mama Tambien - last gleaming Watchmen - 35 minutes ago Children of Dune - Inama Nushif X-Files - bublebee kiss ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/34 "2011-03-06T11:40:17Z")
Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken in _True Romance_, also the scene with Patricia Arquette and James Gandolfini in the same movie. ---
**Author:** ![Canyon\_Surfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Canyon\_Surfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canyon_Surfer)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/35 "2011-03-06T12:17:41Z")
That wonderful sequence in [The Driver](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077474/) where Ryan O’Neal trashes the Mercedes is priceless ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/36 "2011-03-06T12:26:41Z")
_The Godfather Part 2_ - [the murder of Don Fanucci](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTCDTksSiOE) _Apocalypse Now_ - [Ride Of The Valkyries](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx7XNb3Q9Ek) _Alexander Nevsky_ - [Battle on the Ice](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXr0m7SaGvs) ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/37 "2011-03-06T13:10:44Z")
The D Day Landing Opening Sequence in _Saving Private Ryan_. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/38 "2011-03-06T16:29:00Z")
A lot of good ones listed. I always loved the [Matrix Lobby Shooting Spree](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpc1SpDgUIA) ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/39 "2011-03-06T16:43:57Z")
My two top nominees are already taken: > [@Proudest\_Monkey](#): > > Rick tells Ilsa to get on the frigging plane already Rick: I’m saying it because it’s true. Inside of us, we both know you belong with Victor. You’re part of his work, the thing that keeps him going. If that plane leaves the ground and you’re not with him, you’ll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life. Ilsa: But what about us? Rick: We’ll always have Paris. We didn’t have, we, we lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night. Ilsa: When I said I would never leave you. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > T.E. Lawrence riding out of the desert with Gasim, who is ultimately fated to be executed by Lawrence to keep the peace in _Lawrence of Arabia_. Here’s one no one else mentioned: In _Jezebel_ Bette Davis’ character, wearing a red dress, goes to the Olympus Ball with Henry Fonda’s character. That dress is said to be the reddest dress ever of any movie, despite that _Jezebel_ was filmed solely in black and white! ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610/40 "2011-03-06T17:35:10Z")
Inglorius Basterds: Scene with Jews hiding under the floor. Scene at the restaurant where she is not sure if he recognizes her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenes-in-the-best-movies/573610.md?page=3)