# Perfect scenes in movies/TV shows/plays **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326 "2010-05-22T01:26:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/1 "2010-05-22T01:26:02Z")
I was discussing **Freaks and Geeks** (one of my favorite TV shows, ever) with a friend of mine earlier today, and it got me to thinking about one of the most perfectly realized TV scenes I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching: the ending of the pilot episode, where Sam dances with Cindy Sanders. It’s gut-bustingly funny, yet so sweet and real at the same time. Another scene that I find achieves perfection (as regards to writing, direction, acting, and comedic timing) is the scene in **A Fish Called Wanda** where Otto takes Wanda to Archie’s house while his wife and daughter are presumably at an opera (a taste of which can be viewed [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfuEWbVUNUg)). So, what are some of yours? ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/2 "2010-05-22T03:13:14Z")
WKRP in Cincinnati. Thanksgiving episode. “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.” ---
**Author:** ![Haunted\_Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/94ad74/32.png) [@Haunted\_Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haunted_Pasta)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/3 "2010-05-22T03:47:45Z")
I’m not exactly aiming high here in terms of cinematic art and haven’t seen the movie in at least 20 years, but to this day I can make myself laugh recalling the climactic fistfight scene between Tom Hanks and the bad guy in _Bachelor Party_. It took place in front of a movie screen in some big shopping mall megaplex theater, on which some ridiculous 3-D sci-fi flick was playing. On the movie screen, the spaceman hero was on an alien planet fighting a completely cheesy evil robot that could have been straight out of bad 1950’s sci-fi. At some point you realize that the choreography of the Tom Hanks-bad guy fistfight in front of the screen was matching up perfectly with the spaceman-robot fistfight on it. Most of the comedy in the movie up to that point was juvenile or in bad taste (although often quite funny regardless), but I thought the fistfight scene was a brilliant little bit of intelligent, Python-esque humor that really worked. In this case, I am aiming high: the eulogy in _Waking Ned Devine_. Absolutely everyone should see this very funny movie about two thoroughly likable old codgers trying to claim their deceased friend’s prize in the Irish lottery. One of them is about to start the eulogy for their friend when the lottery official they’re trying to hoodwink steps into the church. The whole scam appears to be in jeopardy. The eulogist stammers for a moment, then stops. Suddenly he is smiling, and with a twinkle in his eye, he starts to speak… and what he says, and everyone’s reaction, is just perfect. Funny and touching, happy and melancholy at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/4 "2010-05-22T03:50:40Z")
The final duel in _The Princess Bride_. “Offer me money.” “Yes!” “Power, too. Promise me that.” “All that I have and more!” “Offer me anything that I want.” “Anything you want!” “I want my father back you son of a bitch.” ---
**Author:** ![boozilu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@boozilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boozilu)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/5 "2010-05-22T15:28:03Z")
For me, it’s got to be the Italian restaurant scene in The Godfather. You know what Michael’s thinking, you can see it in his face as he takes that final step to the dark side. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/6 "2010-05-22T15:42:08Z")
> [@boozilu](#): > > For me, it’s got to be the Italian restaurant scene in The Godfather. You know what Michael’s thinking, you can see it in his face as he takes that final step to the dark side. Love the sound of the train, seemingly about to go off the rails, too. Agreed: perfection. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/7 "2010-05-22T15:45:58Z")
[ul][li]The scene in _'Round Midnight_ when Dale returns to New York and you see him exchange glances with his connection[/li][li]The closing scene of _The Conversation_[/li][li]George and Grover meet in _Silver Streak_. (“You just drop me off anywhere along here, man. I don’t mess with the big M.”)[/li][li]The closing scene of _The Last of Sheila_.[/li][li]Sydney lying in wait in _Sydney_ (a.k.a. _Hard Eight_)[/li][li]Little Bill’s big exit in _Boogie Nights_[/li]Barry loses control in _Punch-Drunk Love_[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/8 "2010-05-22T15:50:27Z")
Good ones already mentioned, but the one that leapt to mind on seeing the title is the one from _True Romace_ between Dennis Hopper and Chris Walken – [True Romance - Sicilians](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqccyUpnZwA). Tops! ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/9 "2010-05-22T15:53:19Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > The final duel in _The Princess Bride_. > > “Offer me money.” > “Yes!” > “Power, too. Promise me that.” > “All that I have and more!” > “Offer me anything that I want.” > “Anything you want!” > “I want my father back you son of a bitch.” +1. Perfect. Also, in _The Shawshank Redemption_, there are several of them: Andy discovering the maggot in his (what? grits?) breakfast. Brooks (to Andy): Are you. . .are you going to. . .eat that? Andy: Hadn’t. . .hadn’t planned on it. Brooks: Can I have it? Andy watching carefully as he hands it over to what he’s convinced is some crazy old guy who’s gonna scarf a maggot. Brooks holds it over his pocket and a baby crow peeks his head out and eats it. Toward the end of the movie, when a guard discovers a prisoner is missing; the warden is in his office, opening his shoe box, sure that it’s filled with the highly polished shoes he ‘Ordered’ the previous night. The siren starts sounding just as the warden flips the lid of the box and discovers. . .Andy’s prison shoes. The WTF look on his face couldn’t be more perfect. Finally, when they are in Andy’s cell after the escape, and the warden begins throwing Andy’s chess piece collection around. Hurls one at the poster on the wall, and hears it go “clink, clink, clink, clink, splash”. Another WTF look that is just spot on. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/10 "2010-05-22T16:03:37Z")
Just thought of another: One of many from the incomparable [**Deadwood**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtObLJ1yXvU). Well, okay. I just realized the person that made this clip edited several (great) scenes together for this clip. But I was referring to the “Who?”/“Wu?” scene (which is truncated in this clip; seriously, if you haven’t already, you owe it to yourself to watch **Deadwood** ). ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/11 "2010-05-22T16:03:52Z")
The scene in My Cousin Vinny with Marisa Tomei on the stand: “It’s trick question…”. Almost every scene in Casablanca ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/12 "2010-05-22T16:10:10Z")
In _Glory_, the night before the final battle when the men gather around the campfire. “Y’all’s the onliest family I got.” “Don’t matter what happens tomorrow 'cause we’re men ain’t we.” [The tango scene in Soldier of Orange.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iInpgnzUZws) The dancers: Two former college buddies, one fighting for the Germans, the other with the Allies. Perfect dialogue, nice choreography. At the very end of _Local Hero,_ Mac returns home to the States, walks into his nondescript apartment, and empties his pockets of the seashells he has brought back. Mark Knopfler’s evocative song begins, and slowly gathers power. Back at a coastal Scottish village, the phone in the red telephone box is ringing. The song Going Home coalesces, then explodes into a triumphant farewell. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/13 "2010-05-22T16:12:06Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > The scene in My Cousin Vinny with Marisa Tomei on the stand: “It’s trick question…”. > > Almost every scene in Casablanca Really? Because I thought **Casablanca** was a film that contained [“legendarily wooden acting”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12476005&postcount=19). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Theo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sri\_Theo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sri_Theo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/14 "2010-05-22T16:12:57Z")
In Dexter season 1 there’s a guy pretending to be a serial killer taunting Dexter. Dexter confront’s him in an interview room and there’s a moment when Dexter realises he’s faking - the look of relief that comes over him is amazing acting. Maybe someone else can describe it better but its really cool and the camera work is pretty intense as well. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/15 "2010-05-22T16:13:20Z")
The opening of Fellowship of the Ring. Like the whole movie or not, the final Darth Maul fight scene (yeah, maybe I am shallow) ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/16 "2010-05-22T16:35:42Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > Really? Because I thought **Casablanca** was a film that contained [“legendarily wooden acting”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12476005&postcount=19). 😉 Since we’re poaching from other threads, let me repeat [my own contribution](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KL76edqCKc) to that one. (Still pondering my own list.) ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/17 "2010-05-22T16:38:34Z")
I’ve always thought that one of the most brilliant scenes in the history of film (both for Tim Curry’s great performance and the humor by the whole cast) is the “okay, I know who did it” scene from **Clue** _Well, I had to stop her screaming!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/18 "2010-05-22T17:21:56Z")
-The lobby scene in **The Matrix** is pretty much a flawless by-the-numbers action scene without a single misstep. -The first big brawl with the xenos in **Aliens** where something like half the cast gets slaughtered. Does a perfect job of flipping the setting from “squad of ultimate badasses” to “holy shit we’re completely screwed” in a single scene. -The very final scene in **Invasion Of The Body Snatchers** (1978). Does a perfect job of staying ambigious right up to the end, and even on subsequent viewings never fails to make my skin crawl. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/19 "2010-05-22T17:31:30Z")
Not a film well thought of by people, however, the closing scene when Affleck is dancing with his little girl, and the world goes dark except for the spotlight that’s on the two of them… When you connect with your kids, especially when they’re still little and mostly sweet, _it’s just like that_. Nothing else matters. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326/20 "2010-05-22T22:40:38Z")
> [@Haunted\_Pasta](#): > > I’m not exactly aiming high here in terms of cinematic art and haven’t seen the movie in at least 20 years, but to this day I can make myself laugh recalling the climactic fistfight scene between Tom Hanks and the bad guy in _Bachelor Party_. It took place in front of a movie screen in some big shopping mall megaplex theater, on which some ridiculous 3-D sci-fi flick was playing. On the movie screen, the spaceman hero was on an alien planet fighting a completely cheesy evil robot that could have been straight out of bad 1950’s sci-fi. I found a clip for you: [Tom Hanks fight scene in Bachelor Party](http://www.movieweb.com/movie/bachelor-party/HUqINxvzjdJlur) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-scenes-in-movies-tv-shows-plays/540326.md?page=2)