# Movie trope - beaning someone at a distance with a thrown object **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675 "2021-09-30T18:30:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/1 "2021-09-30T18:30:22Z")
I was watching a recent movie where someone throws an object at someone, at some distance, and conks them perfectly on the head (side note: feel free to PM if you think you know the movie, but no spoilers please). It struck me as very familiar, comedic kind of trope despite its actual violence. And so I went looking on TV Tropes for this, and maybe I didn’t search exactly right, but didn’t find what I was looking for. Can you think of examples? I feel like it was used on the Simpsons for example. Here’s one I did think of, though the arc on the coconut isn’t quite long-distance. [Funny throw || Jack sparrow || coconut - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYJEcjegH6s) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/2 "2021-09-30T18:34:34Z")
It goes at least as far back as Krazy Kat. I’ve read Golden Age comics where a thrown brick is referred to as “Irish Confetti”. [![](https://doctorcomicsdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/kk_1937-10-17_det.jpg) ](https://doctorcomicsdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/kk_1937-10-17_det.jpg) [![](https://theirishmob.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/89546022_1515765208598781_2023890827276713984_n.jpg) ](https://theirishmob.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/89546022_1515765208598781_2023890827276713984_n.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/3 "2021-09-30T18:43:34Z")
The fact that was answered by Elmer Fudd just adds so much. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/4 "2021-09-30T18:56:24Z")
Animal House. Otter beans Neidermeyer with a golf ball, causes him to fall off his horse and get dragged. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/5 "2021-09-30T18:57:43Z")
Crocodile Dundee did it (with a tin of beans iirc) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/6 "2021-09-30T19:00:43Z")
In a not-very-comic version, [Ramsay Bolton shoots Rickon Stark](https://youtu.be/Pcda79JbzjM?t=116) with an arrow from an absurdly long range. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/7 "2021-09-30T19:14:35Z")
In the film CC And Company, Joe Namath throws a football at a guy riding away on a motorcycle and beans him, knocks him off. Or at least that’s what I remember - haven’t seen that film in 40 years. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/8 "2021-09-30T19:18:27Z")
Still my favorite since it’s so unexpected. Just as you’re waiting for him to get hit in the head: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kuFJtR60q0I/maxresdefault.jpg "Caddyshack \_ Fore!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuFJtR60q0I) ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/9 "2021-09-30T19:51:50Z")
There’s a pretty good beaning-by-chalkboard-eraser in The Meaning of Life (“What do we do once we’ve removed our clothes?” “Put them on a lower peg, sir?” WHIP). Back in uni I was showing friends a copy of Drunken Master 2, and there’s a scene right at the beginning where Andy Lau accidentally whacks one of Jackie Chan’s companions in the head with a baseball. One of the crowd in my living room lost it in hysterics at this. He said that to Filipinos (as he was) that kind of slapstick was hilarious. I haven’t watched many movies with my other Filipino pals, so I haven’t put this statement to experimental testing. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/10 "2021-09-30T20:00:09Z")
There’s the great [scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DLwMYOuRqQ) in Braveheart where Mel Gibson and Brendan Gleeson throw rocks at each other. Gleeson throws a head sized rock and misses. Gibson throws a golfball sized rock and hits him right in the forehead. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/11 "2021-09-30T20:10:30Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WMvR7dt6gn8/hqdefault.jpg "Drive by fruiting") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMvR7dt6gn8) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/12 "2021-09-30T20:51:34Z")
Tom Hanks beans an annoying child with a mitt: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1FUB8SrlQAE/hqdefault.jpg "You're Gonna Lose!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FUB8SrlQAE) ---
**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:** [September 30, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/13 "2021-09-30T21:06:48Z")
Extreme example, but this is what OP brings to mind for me: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MCYargRv-SM/hqdefault.jpg "Superman II Deleted Scene: Non Kills Boy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCYargRv-SM) ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/14 "2021-09-30T21:32:43Z")
The _Sherlock_ episode ‘Scandal in Belgravia’ has a subplot of the death of a man who was standing in a field. Without spoiling it, the object that killed him was thrown and travelled some considerable distance. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/15 "2021-09-30T21:39:35Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Animal House. > > Otter beans Neidermeyer with a golf ball, causes him to fall off his horse and get dragged. It’s a wonderful film. [Pedant ON] I should add that Otter first hits the horse, then the rider… [Pedant OFF] [Animal House - Classic Golf Lesson (BLOCKED) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNm5RZoL2Ro) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/16 "2021-09-30T21:40:03Z")
The snowball fight in _Elf_ ends in an absurdly long shot. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FylUXTdRzPE/maxresdefault.jpg "Elf: 10th Anniversary | Snowball Fight | Warner Bros. Entertainment") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FylUXTdRzPE) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/17 "2021-09-30T21:53:52Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TAEYivuOeeU/hqdefault.jpg "Mr Incredible Coconut Throw") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAEYivuOeeU) BTW: has anyone ever commented on the fact that Mr. Incredible just casually killed someone? ---
**Author:** ![steepone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@steepone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steepone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/18 "2021-09-30T22:04:07Z")
There’s an episode of Death In Paradise where Inspector Poole hits a fugitive with a fishing net float ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/19 "2021-09-30T22:05:09Z")
Hey! The Elf clip and the Incredibles clip were likely the exact ones lurking at the back of my mind, since I’ve watched both multiple times. Lots of other good clips in the thread too (the Superman deleted scene is, hmmm, exactly the right action, but wow what a dark finish!). ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675/20 "2021-09-30T22:09:38Z")
It was used on _The Simpsons_, when Homer throws a Grammy off his hotel balcony as a tip, and the recipient angrily throws it back at him. In “No Census No Feeling”, [Curly was hit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAcSFskC0aI&t=365s) with a census taker’s notebook. Twice. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trope-beaning-someone-at-a-distance-with-a-thrown-object/951675.md?page=2)