# Men: Movie scenes that seriously choke you up. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 20, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911 "2014-10-20T13:34:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/81 "2014-10-22T04:23:43Z")
I’m 56, so here goes: “Saving Private Ryan” when Tom Hanks whispers in Matt Damon’s ear. “Field of Dreams” when Kevin Costner sees his dad, Ray Liotta. “Schindler’s List” at the stones on the grave. “Old Yeller” because no human can watch the movie without crying. “Tender Mercies” when Robert Duvall said good-bye to Ellen Barkin by singing “On the Wings of a Dove.” And when he played pass with Allan Hubbard at the end of the movie. “Toy Story 2,” and “The Iron Giant,” “Gallipoli,” “We Are Marshall” and “Remember the Titans.” Is there a theme here? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/82 "2014-10-22T04:42:49Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > That’ll do, Pig - that’ll do. Don’t forget the sequel: “Thank the pig.” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/83 "2014-10-22T05:10:24Z")
58 y.o. GER 3 irl; 7 in a movie theater I try to primarily watch movies that are there to give me a laugh. So I don’t go in for action flicks, or war movies much. Therefore, a lot of the movies listed in this thread I have not seen. Saw _Babe_, though. Even more than Farmer Hoggett’s final line, I began to leak when he did his dance for the sick pig. And again, when the skeptical official at the sheepdog competition held up Babe’s score of 10. In _Edward Scissorhands_, when the grandmother is telling the little girl why she can never go back to the inventor’s house, Edward is shown working on ice sculptures in the attic. When the camera pulls back to show that he’s making one of Kim dancing, I lose it. In _Franco Zeffirelli’s The Champ_, the waterworks never _STOP_, but nothing tops Little Detective Danny Sorenson saying “Wake up, Champ!” Another vote for the prologue of _Up_, of course. In _Instructions Not Included_, we hear Maggie saying the magic resurrection spell that always brings Valentín back to normal after a stunt freaks him out. The scene where Valentín says the spell, though, is unbearable. _Leaving Normal_ is one of my favorite movies. When Darly Peters goes back to the hospital a second time, and asks for the paperwork she needs to submit to MAYBE have a chance at being reconnected with her daughter, and the nurse who had treated her with such contempt on her first visit offers to help her fill them out – well. ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/84 "2014-10-22T11:08:13Z")
Not really a movie, but the whole second half of the Band of Brothers episode “Why we fight” gets me every time. It’s the episode where they happen to bump into a small concentration camp. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/85 "2014-10-22T12:31:47Z")
I can’t watch the scene in Pet Cemetery where the kid runs out into the road, nah man I can’t watch that. ---
**Author:** ![Donegal\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Donegal\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donegal_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/86 "2014-10-22T13:02:13Z")
I am 60 and movies can really get to me except when they are blatantly trying for tears with little other story telling ( as in Love Story) That being said **What Dreams May Come** is almost painful to watch for me ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/87 "2014-10-22T13:58:38Z")
My GER seems to be increasing over time, maybe up to about 7-8 now. I visit my elderly parents a few times a year (1000+ miles away), and cry when we part company. Several of the already-mentioned movies get to me, so I’ll stick with new ones. **First Blood:** Stallone’s monologue at the end, when he reveals the horrible, horrible emotional baggage he’s been carrying ever since Vietnam. **Under the Tuscan Sun:** Diane Lane hires a crew of Polish immigrants to renovate her home in Tuscany. She’s leery of one of them, a middle-aged fellow whom she suspects harbors lecherous intent because of the way he stares. But when the renovation work is finally finished and it’s time for the crew to leave, his tears reveal that his attraction was something much deeper and more emotional; seeing his anguish really got to me. Scenes of elderly people confronting their mortality or dealing with demons from their past are difficult for me to watch. The most wrenching scenes of **Saving Private Ryan** for me were the very beginning and very end, when we see an elderly Private Ryan on the edge of an emotional train wreck, wondering whether he’s lived up to the sacrifice that the others made for him so long ago. **Cocoon** wrecked me for the same reason, particularly the scenes where they’re arguing about whether to use the rejuvenating power of the pool, and then later when they’re trying to decide whether to leave with the Antareans or not. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/88 "2014-10-22T14:37:38Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Another scene that gets me is the brief snippet showing an elderly couple in bed, fully clothed and dressed to the nines, facing each other and holding hands, as the water fills their state room. That was Isidor and Ida Strauss, who owned Macy’s department store. She could have left in a lifeboat, but decided to stay with him, as they’d been married for so long. She didn’t want to leave him. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/89 "2014-10-22T19:30:16Z")
> [@oliversarmy](#): > > “Old Yeller” because no human can watch the movie without crying. I beg to differ. I was 6 when Disney first inflicted OY on us, saw it at a Saturday morning Kid’s Day in a huge old-fashioned movie palace (Orpheum Theater, downtown San Diego). I was with the 8 year-old girl from next door. I have no real memories of the event, but Betty’s report got a lot of retelling for a few years. Paraphrasing the report: Onscreen, the Disney Kid has just taken aim at OY; in the theater, every living person has tears running down their cheeks. Almost. Betty looks to her right to see how I’m doing, and sees little me watching the movie, absolutely calm and relaxed, scarfing down my popcorn with conveyor belt speed and rhythm. That was then, this is now. I’m 64, with a GER of 8+. My wife says I’m the only thing worse than a Hopeless Romantic- I’m a Hopeful Romantic. Because I trust you all, I reveal the one movie scene that kills me every time, which takes courage because it’s Robin Williams “smiling through tears.” In my defense I can only point out that it was the first time I’d ever seen him play a scene like that; I had no way of knowing such scenes by him would become a tiresome cliché. ================ **The Fisher King** Parry: \*(whispers) I had this dream, Jack. \* Jack remains asleep. Parry: _(continuing) I was married. I was married to this beautiful woman… (pause) I really miss her, Jack. Is that okay? Can I miss her now?_ Jack, his eyes closed, only pretends to be asleep, but in truth he hears every word. A tear rolls down his cheek. ================= Go ahead, laugh. I’ll fight you all! ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/90 "2014-10-22T20:09:45Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > My GER seems to be increasing over time, maybe up to about 7-8 now. I visit my elderly parents a few times a year (1000+ miles away), and cry when we part company. > > **Cocoon** wrecked me for the same reason, particularly the scenes where they’re arguing about whether to use the rejuvenating power of the pool, and then later when they’re trying to decide whether to leave with the Antareans or not. Cocoon reminded of…well…BOTH Heaven Can Waits. Both make me tear up at the end even though nothing sad is happening. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/91 "2014-10-22T20:24:42Z")
The first Rocky, when he’s lost his fight but won his woman. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/92 "2014-10-22T20:28:42Z")
Agree very much with Up and Toy Story 3. But “That’ll do, pig, that’ll do,” is what we say in my family when we eat some especially delicious bacon or BBQ, so the line doesn’t choke me up so much as it cracks me up. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/93 "2014-10-22T20:43:59Z")
**Armegeddon** - a two-fer. “That’s my father up there!” and “I’m leavin’ on a jet plane…” **My Girl** - the girl’s speech at the funeral. **Rikki Tiki Tavi** - the Chuck Jones cartoon - Rikki’s dead in the snake hole? Yoink, sucka! **Meerkat Manor** - Death of Flower. Probably traumatic echoes from Rikki Tiki. **Tsui Hark’s Blade** - When the protagonist’s cabin is burned leaving him innefectually flailing in the mud. **Enter the Dragon** - When Bruce has to reluctantly break Chuck’s neck. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/94 "2014-10-22T21:03:40Z")
44, GER about 6.5. I have to say, for me, none of the films mentioned in this thread, with the possible exception of “Gallipoli”, have made me tear up. A couple that have are “Make Way For Tomorrow” and “Bicycle Thieves”. More recently, “Boyhood” did it, but not really out of sadness. Oh, and “Dear Zachary”, a documentary, definitely did it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/95 "2014-10-22T21:12:13Z")
> [@oliversarmy](#): > > I’m 56, so here goes: > > “Saving Private Ryan” when Tom Hanks whispers in Matt Damon’s ear. > > “Field of Dreams” when Kevin Costner sees his dad, Ray Liotta. Ray Liotta plays Shoeless Joe Jackson not Ray’s father. Of course Field of Dreams has a couple of set up pitches before the out pitch. Doc sacrficing his dream of playing to say the child, then a little chin music with James Earl Jones going into the corn. Then bam, Ray’s father. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/96 "2014-10-22T23:27:29Z")
I’m 39, GRE about 4.5-5 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (reading or watching the movie!) The scene where he walks into the forest, whispers “I’m about to die” to the snitch, finds the stone and his dead family and friends come. I usually start crying as the scene starts. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/97 "2014-10-23T01:53:11Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Oh, and “Dear Zachary”, a documentary, definitely did it. I considered mentioning this film, but I didn’t want to ruin the rest of my day. Merely typing out its title sets off a cascade of emotion and grief in me. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/98 "2014-10-23T03:42:16Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > ================ > > **The Fisher King** > > Parry: \*(whispers) I had this dream, Jack. > \* > Jack remains asleep. > > Parry: _(continuing) I was married. I was married to this beautiful woman… (pause) > I really miss her, Jack. Is that okay? Can I miss her now?_ > > Jack, his eyes closed, only pretends to be asleep, but in truth he hears every word. A tear rolls down his cheek. > > ================= > > Go ahead, laugh. I’ll fight you all! No laughing here. That movie gets me with a few scenes. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/99 "2014-10-23T04:14:01Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > That was Isidor and Ida Strauss, who owned Macy’s department store. She could have left in a lifeboat, but decided to stay with him, as they’d been married for so long. She didn’t want to leave him. Wow. Now _ **that’s** _ commitment, that’s marriage, that’s devotion. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911/100 "2014-10-23T12:43:10Z")
52, GER 7 and rising with age–many of those mentioned, but slightly different moments: **ET** –the look on Elliot’s mom’s face when ET & Elliot say goodbye…hell, the whole goodbye scene. **Field of Dreams** –when Archie Griffin crosses the line and leaves his dream behind. Both **Home Alone** s–Kevin and mom reunion scenes. **It’s a Wonderful Life** –“The richest man in town!” **Homeward Bound** –when Shadow limps up over the hill. [shit damn it…I can’t even type that one out!] **Muppet Christmas Carol** –“Bless us all” aaannnd, channeling my inner Disney princess… **Enchanted** , the true love’s kiss. :o [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-movie-scenes-that-seriously-choke-you-up/701911.md?page=6)