# I cry at the movies more than anyone who isn't mentally ill. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 3, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734 "2008-08-03T20:07:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/1 "2008-08-03T20:07:46Z")
Seriously. I had a movie cry from childhood that was the gold standard for “Are you kidding me?” when it came to crying, but I may have outdone myself. The childhood film was “Son of Godzilla”. (If you’ve ever seen it, it’s very sad when the baby godzilla is crying for his mommy in the snow…) But recently I was sitting here sobbing as I watched…wait for it…the Adam Sandler movie “Click!” If you’ve seen it, you know my tears were not entirely unwarranted, it’s not like I was crying at…I dunno, 'Caddyshack", but still. Last night I was watching the last episode of “The Civil War”, you know, the Ken Burns documentary. And I started to cry at the point where Lincoln’s assassination is GOING to happen, and I just cried harder all the way through, including Ken Burns’ post-film comments. Wait a minute…maybe I AM mentally ill… :eek: (It’s all about my feelings about life and death, which have always been very close to the surface but I find are even closer as I age and I experience more loss. I’m also just a very unfiltered, emotionally available person in every way, and films tap that very, very easily. When I get into a hard core cry around a film, it stops being about hte film itself and morphs into tears over a larger thing… with “Platoon” I kept crying for an hour because war itself is so incredibly sad and fucked up, with “Amistad” I wept for an hour afterward thinking about the horrors of slavery. If it’s not attached to some Big Issue, I just think about my father who is aging, my mother who died last year, my friend who killed himself, my dog who died, my sister… whomever. Loss, death, separation…add some music and I’m toast. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/2 "2008-08-03T21:56:55Z")
[QUOTE=Stoid] Wait a minute…maybe I AM mentally ill… :eek: [/QUOTE] One of the major elements of mental illness is not knowing you’re suffering from it, so I’d so no. 🙂 I cry quite easily at movies and TV too, but not excessively. I don’t get why crying at things that are supposed to be moving is bad. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/3 "2008-08-03T22:07:15Z")
I bawled my way through _Revenge of the Sith_-does that count? Especially during the Obi-Wan/Anakin duel. Oh, and at the end of _Return of the Jedi_. Or during _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_, when: Hermione comes running back into the room, and her and Harry start hugging, and then she and Ron just kind of look at each other, blush, and then shake hands. Hell, I can’t even listen to the freaking soundtrack, without crying. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/4 "2008-08-03T22:24:55Z")
OK, Stoid…don’t watch The Bucket List then. I saw it Friday night, it’s a fantastic film, and both me and my boyfriend cried (although he will tell you he was choking on a piece of watermelon). ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/5 "2008-08-03T22:48:21Z")
[QUOTE=Stoid] Last night I was watching the last episode of “The Civil War”, you know, the Ken Burns documentary. And I started to cry at the point where Lincoln’s assassination is GOING to happen, and I just cried harder all the way through, including Ken Burns’ post-film comments. [/QUOTE] I also cried during _The Civil War_, the first time I saw [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIe1nf38KkU). I the last two times I remember crying were during musical numbers: “Wise Up” from _Magnolia_ and “By a Waterfall” from _Footlight Parade_ (the first time I’d seen it on a big screen). ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/6 "2008-08-03T22:59:04Z")
Heh, my wife and I cried at the end of Hancock. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/7 "2008-08-03T23:00:51Z")
\<— cried at the end of the South Park movie. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/8 "2008-08-03T23:17:30Z")
::tries hard to think of a movie that hasn’t made me at least tear up:: Nope, I’m comin’ up dry. 😛 (I lie. We watched \*Rope \* with Jimmy Stewart last night and I didn’t cry.) ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/9 "2008-08-03T23:29:29Z")
Have once cried at a Cheech and Chong movie… In Born in East L.A., there’s a little boy who steals a piece of fruit from a fruitstand, and his mom makes him give it back. It was awfully sad at the time. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/10 "2008-08-04T00:06:07Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] I also cried during _The Civil War_, the first time I saw [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIe1nf38KkU). [/QUOTE] This sounds very interesting but for the life of me I can’t understand what she is saying enough to follow the story in the poem. About all I could glean was that some soldier died. Can someone summarize? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/11 "2008-08-04T00:19:59Z")
[QUOTE=Hockey Monkey] OK, Stoid…don’t watch The Bucket List then. I saw it Friday night, it’s a fantastic film, and both me and my boyfriend cried (although he will tell you he was choking on a piece of watermelon). [/QUOTE] I just read the wikipedia page about it and it mentioned this as one of the list items: “and going on lion safari in Africa”… it sounds like a movie I’d like to see, but I want to know ahead of time: do they hunt lions or just go to see them? Is a lion killed? Because if so then I don’t want to see the movie–otherwise I will probably add it to my Netflix queue. (I have such an emotional reaction to animal cruelty/animal death/the concept of hunting that I will be crying for days, and generally try to avoid going through that. Same goes for children being hurt or dying in movies.) ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/12 "2008-08-04T00:27:54Z")
Don’t feel bad. My emotions are _waaaaay_ too close to the surface. I LOL at things other people merely smile distractedly at. And I cry. When other people are crying, I cry. When a child gets hurt, I cry. When it’s been a sucky day, I cry. When I’m getting all hormonal (granted, I’ve had a hysterectomy now, so that’s less common), I cry. When I sympathize or empathize with someone, I cry. When I’m angry, I cry. I don’t open threads where parents or other close relatives have died, when my own kids are around. Why? I know I’ll cry. Hell, I cry at long stop lights. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/13 "2008-08-04T01:13:53Z")
[QUOTE=Stoid] But recently I was sitting here sobbing as I watched…wait for it…the Adam Sandler movie “Click!” If you’ve seen it, you know my tears were not entirely unwarranted, it’s not like I was crying at…I dunno, 'Caddyshack", but still./QUOTE] Oh, Stoid, honey, I cried myself into a sinus infection the first time I saw that movie. My son bought it and likes to put it on and laugh at me. Meanwhile, why should you feel bad about crying at “Click”? It’s a really sad movie, what with Sandler not caring about the Fonz and all. I cried loud, loud sobs in the movie theater at “I Am Legend”. When Forest Gump met his son, little Haley Joel Osmont , and asked if he was smart I almost had to go to the hospital each time I saw it. And one time, when I was a grown woman, I watched the episode where Pebbles is born and Fred is so proud and happy and cried my eyes out. I had seen it a number of times before, but still cried, and, no I wasn’t pregnant or a new mom myself. ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/14 "2008-08-04T01:16:05Z")
_doesn’t remember changing her name to **norinew** _ ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/15 "2008-08-04T01:16:05Z")
I bawled like a loser at the end of _La Bamba_ where Lou Diamond Phillips’s mother found out he died in the plane crash. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/16 "2008-08-04T01:24:27Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] I just read the wikipedia page about it and it mentioned this as one of the list items: “and going on lion safari in Africa”… it sounds like a movie I’d like to see, but I want to know ahead of time: do they hunt lions or just go to see them? Is a lion killed? Because if so then I don’t want to see the movie–otherwise I will probably add it to my Netflix queue. (I have such an emotional reaction to animal cruelty/animal death/the concept of hunting that I will be crying for days, and generally try to avoid going through that. Same goes for children being hurt or dying in movies.) [/QUOTE] I get teary at the most stupid of reasons at movies and it is damn embarrassing. I haven’t seen _Bucket List_, but I’d hazard to guess that the safari is a photo safari, which is probably what 98% of safaris are these days. We passed through game parks where it was possible to shoot an animal, but I never met a person who actually did it. It’s really expensive to go and shoot animals, and lions in particular are an endangered species. Here’s an [article](http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/courses/geog100/EndSp-Africa.htm) on costs for shooting animals. When I was in Namibia, the ranch we stayed on you could sign up and kill a zebra, but it was damn expensive (the logistics are pretty difficult). ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/17 "2008-08-04T01:37:40Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] This sounds very interesting but for the life of me I can’t understand what she is saying enough to follow the story in the poem. About all I could glean was that some soldier died. Can someone summarize? [/QUOTE] She is reciting the poem ‘Dear Madam.’ I have posted it below since the author is unknown and out of copywrite… > [@](#): > > ``` > I am a soldier and my speech is rough and plain > I'm not much used to writing and I hate to give you pain > But I promised I would do it and he thought it might be so > If it came from one who loved him perhaps it would ease the blow > By this time you must have guessed the truth I fain will hide > And you'll pardon me for rough soldier words while I tell you how he died > > It was in the mortal battle, it rained the shot and shell > I was standing close beside him and I saw him when he fell > So I took him in my arms and laid him on the grass > It was going against orders but they thought to let it pass > 'Twas a minie ball that struck him, it entered at his side > But we didn't think it fatal till this morning when he died > > "Last night I wanted so to live, I seemed so young to go. > This week I passed my birthday. I was just nineteen, you know. > When I thought of all I planned to do it seemed so hard to die > But now I pray to God for grace and all my cares gone by." > And here his voice grew weaker as he partly raised his head > And whispered "Goodbye, mother," and your soldier boy was dead > > I carved another headboard as skillful as I could > And if you wish to find it I can tell you where it stood > I send you back his hymn book and the cap he used to wear > The lock I cut the night before of his bright, curly hair > I send you back his Bible. The night before he died > I turned its leaves together and read it by his side > I'll keep the belt he was wearing, he told me so to do > It had a hole upon the side just where the ball went through > > So now I've done his bidding, there's nothing more to tell > But I shall always mourn with you the boy we loved so well > > ``` I love the \*Civil War \* documentary - I always start sobbing during the reading of Sullivan Ballou’s last letter to his wife. ---
**Author:** ![MizTina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MizTina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizTina)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/18 "2008-08-04T01:38:59Z")
[[article](http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/courses/geog100/EndSp-Africa.htm) on costs for shooting animals. When I was in Namibia, the ranch we stayed on you could sign up and kill a zebra, but it was damn expensive (the logistics are pretty difficult). [/QUOTE] Jesus H. Christ, don’t read it if you are a weeper and a nightmare haver! I think the intent was good, but not for those of us that can’t sleep after reading sad, dreadful things we can’t fix. And heaven knows, I have enough animals without worrying about taking in lions. Hell, I’m still mad at Walt Disney for Ol’ Yeller. I cried for a year after watching it. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/19 "2008-08-04T02:06:02Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] I just read the wikipedia page about it and it mentioned this as one of the list items: “and going on lion safari in Africa”… it sounds like a movie I’d like to see, but I want to know ahead of time: do they hunt lions or just go to see them? Is a lion killed? Because if so then I don’t want to see the movie–otherwise I will probably add it to my Netflix queue. (I have such an emotional reaction to animal cruelty/animal death/the concept of hunting that I will be crying for days, and generally try to avoid going through that. Same goes for children being hurt or dying in movies.) [/QUOTE] It’s not plot killing in any way to say that no animals were harmed. You’ll be crying for lots of other reasons though. You’ve been warned. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734/20 "2008-08-04T02:51:42Z")
[QUOTE=Skara\_Brae] She is reciting the poem ‘Dear Madam.’ I have posted it below since the author is unknown and out of copywrite… [/QUOTE] Thank you so much! That is a really touching poem. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cry-at-the-movies-more-than-anyone-who-isnt-mentally-ill/458734.md?page=2)