# The manly weepers - What films are OK for men to cry while watching? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2006, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484 "2006-12-17T06:50:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/61 "2006-12-18T03:35:20Z")
:: **AHunter3** notices thread’s persistence on the New Posts list and with a :rolleyes: comes in to make sure that…:: [QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird, from the first page] As a man, I want to say that I’ll cry at whatever film I damn well feel like. [/QUOTE] OK, what needed sayin’ has been said. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/62 "2006-12-18T03:51:09Z")
[QUOTE=Operation Ripper] [Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_II:_The_Wrath_of_Khan) is aboot the only one I can think of. 🙂 Spock: I… I have been… and always shall be… your friend. [holds up his hand in the Vulcan salute] Live long… and prosper. ☹ [/QUOTE] I found Kirk’s eulogy for Spock very moving, “Of my friend, I can only say this. Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most human.” And for me, the teariest part of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was, “My friends, you bow to no one,” as the king and the entire kingdom bow before the four hobbits. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/63 "2006-12-18T04:12:23Z")
For me, these are the films I have cried while watching: - Return of the Jedi - Stand By Me - My Life (with Michael Keaton) - Schindler’s List - Au Revoir Les Enfants - Forrest Gump - Letters from Iwo Jima ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/64 "2006-12-18T04:18:21Z")
I was crying when King Theoden died in _Return of the King_. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/65 "2006-12-18T07:47:31Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Carrot] I absolutely second _Life is Beautiful_. [/QUOTE] Oh yes. I work tech support on the night shift and we always have a TV running as there’s usually few calls coming in. I watched _Life is Beautiful_ at work and was in a call during the final scene. That wasn’t easy at all. ---
**Author:** ![footbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c5a1d2/32.png) [@footbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footbag)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/66 "2006-12-18T11:32:11Z")
That bit at the end of ‘Cool Runnings’ where they carry the bobsleigh over the finish line. DAMN YOU DISNEY! Chaplins ‘City Lights’ gets to me too. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/67 "2006-12-18T20:37:17Z")
[QUOTE=Tangent] And he asks Jenny, “Is he smart? Or is he…” and he puts his hand to his chest. I’m tearing up just thinking about it. [/QUOTE] That’s when I knew that Hanks was going to win the Oscar. It wasn’t the words he said. The whole story as he heard what Jenny said, realized what she meant, understood what it meant to him, felt the joy and pride immediately followed by worry. Then he says “Is he smart…” He took us through all those emotions just through his eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/68 "2006-12-18T20:49:34Z")
For me, the thing about _Finding Nemo_ was the occassion. The summer that came out, we had just lost our son (stillbirth). About a month later, we decided to go to a movie to get our minds on happier things. Damn. The bit when the dad says “I’ll never let anything happen to you.” just about forced me to leave the theater. Those words just screamed in my ears, and even now, three years later, tears well-up in my eyes. The movie, however, is fantastic. Ellen DeGeneress simply makes the movie. “I wish I could speak whale” floors me every time. Still, it will never be in my DVD collection. It reminds me how I’ll never share a cute Disney movie with my little Hayden. My wife and I had a similar problem with the beginning of \*Happy Feet{/I] when… …the egg doesn’t hatch and the daddy penquin is told “Sometimes that happens…” She was so afraid that damn egg wasn’t going to hatch. I haven’t seen the movie though. I’ve just heard about it. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/69 "2006-12-18T21:20:16Z")
The scene that always gets me from ROTK is: > [@](#): > > SAM: Do you remember the Shire, Mister Frodo? It’ll be spring soon, and the Orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket and they’ll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields. And eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries? > > FRODO: No, Sam, I can’t recall the taste of food. Nor the sound of water. Or the touch of grass. I’m naked in the dark. There’s nothing…no veil between me and the wheel of fire. I can see him with my waking eyes! > > SAM: Then let us be rid of it, once and for all! Come on, Mister Frodo. I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you! Come on! Yeah, i think im getting a touch of allergies right now. The “you bow to no one” scene really doesn’t do it for me because i always thought it should have just been Frodo and Sam. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/70 "2006-12-18T21:33:47Z")
Huh. I’m surprised nobody has mentioned: _Shane_ _The Cowboys_ _Old Yeller_ ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/71 "2006-12-18T22:17:44Z")
Big Fish. At the end when the son is at the funeral seeing all the people from his father’s life and he finally realizes that while his father’s stories may not have been completely true, they contained the essential truths of his life. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/72 "2006-12-18T22:27:29Z")
_The Perfect Storm_ ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/73 "2006-12-18T22:27:32Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Last time I saw Armageddon, I was at a buddy’s house. All the girls were sobbing at the end and my buddy and I looked at each other, laughed and waved stupidly to each other. [/QUOTE] What are you, a freakin’ cyborg? Who isn’t touched by Will Patton’s kid seeing the “salesman” who came by to visit earlier on the TV? (and I don’t care what anyone says about the ridiculous science, it’s a fun action film) Also **Terminator 2**. You would have to be a Terminator to not cry when the T800 told John Conner “he knows now why [humans] cry but it’s something he can’t do” and then has himself lowered into the steel. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/74 "2006-12-18T23:08:15Z")
[QUOTE=Drum God] For me, the thing about _Finding Nemo_ was the occassion. The summer that came out, we had just lost our son (stillbirth). About a month later, we decided to go to a movie to get our minds on happier things. Damn. The bit when the dad says “I’ll never let anything happen to you.” just about forced me to leave the theater. Those words just screamed in my ears, and even now, three years later, tears well-up in my eyes. The movie, however, is fantastic. Ellen DeGeneress simply makes the movie. “I wish I could speak whale” floors me every time. Still, it will never be in my DVD collection. It reminds me how I’ll never share a cute Disney movie with my little Hayden. [/QUOTE] More than **Nemo** , for me, it’s **Monsters, Inc.**. If you’re a big galoot, you understand. “Kitty!” ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/75 "2006-12-18T23:19:15Z")
16 Blocks Bang the Drum Slowly ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/76 "2006-12-18T23:56:28Z")
The new ones coming out are: The Pursuit of Happyness - Father/Son thing We are Marshall - Football tragedy ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/77 "2006-12-19T02:16:29Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] Who isn’t touched by Will Patton’s kid seeing the “salesman” who came by to visit earlier on the TV? [/QUOTE] Not just that one- how about when Harry tells AJ that he always thought of him as his son. AJ just loses it and screams “I love you, Harry!” Gah. Broke my damn heart. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/78 "2006-12-19T03:10:52Z")
[QUOTE=11811] …Bang the Drum Slowly [/QUOTE] Seconded (actually, thirded, if you count my post #20). 😉 The scene that always gets me: the last game catcher Pearson plays, where it’s clear to the audience that this is it. On the mound, Pearson’s friend Wiggen does his best to keep it from the rest how bad it is. With two out in the ninth, the batter hits a pop fly near the plate, which Pearson, in his enfeebled state, loses in the sun. Will it end in disgrace? No: the first baseman is covering the plate and snags the fly. At this point, a beautiful, tender rendition of the title song begins (two acoustic guitars, with the melody hummed wordlessly). In slow motion, the team on the right side of the screen celebrates the win. Gradually, the ones who know Pearson is dying look to the left side of the screen, and realize that he doesn’t know what’s going on, and is clearly near death. He can’t even bend down to pick up his mask and helmet. Wiggen and Joe Jaros walk over and retrieve them for him. The juxtaposition of celebration against the stark reality that their friend is now going home to die is a magnificent portrayal of how tragedy usually occurs alongside happiness IRL. IMO, it doesn’t get any better. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/79 "2006-12-19T12:59:53Z")
_The Pianist._ Especially the scene near the end with the Polish national anthem. I’m tearing up right now just thinking of it. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484/80 "2006-12-19T13:25:29Z")
I don’t think I could ever watch Life is Beautiful again. Damnit now I’m thinking about it, I’ve got to stop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-manly-weepers-what-films-are-ok-for-men-to-cry-while-watching/384484.md?page=5)