The song was “This Womans Work” by Kate Bush. It is on her Hounds Of Love album. The song was written specificly for that scene. I still get a little choked up when I hear it.
I thought that read Malcolm X, which sure made me cry as a kid.
There must be something about singing in the face of death that appeals to me. In The Burmese Harp, when the Japanese know that the English are waiting to open fire so they start singing “Home Sweet Home,” but instead of killing them the English join in singing. (not as all as corny as I’ve described it)
Or Zulu, with this memorable song:
“Hitting your knees” is idiom for “kneeling to pray.” Usually, the form it takes is “It’s time to hit your knees,” meaning prayer is indicated, like before a crucial event, or something.
Shortly before Brian Piccolo died of cancer, one of his teammates (played by Billy Dee Williams in the movie) won Most Courageous Player. In his “acceptance” speech, he said that it wasn’t meant for him, and that he’d only accept it on Brian’s behalf. He said “I love Brian Piccolo, and I hope you all love him. When you hit your knees tonight, ask God to love him, too.” I don’t know a cussed thing about football, but that’s something that sticks to you. And yeah, it makes me teary, too.)
I was flipping around cable channels late one night and came upon Kurosawa’s Rhapsody in August partway through. I didn’t watch very much because I missed most of it, but one scene was incredibly powerful. There was a schoolyard with a strange misshapen pile of rusty bars. A group of old people came and began laying fresh flowers around the pile. Richard Gere asked his guide what they were doing, and he explained that the people were some of the few schoolchildren from that school who survived the nuclear attack on Nagasaki. No other explanation was offered. The camera lingered on the twisted mess, and suddenly it hit me that it must have been a set of monkeybars.
The funeral scene from <b>Four Weddings and a Funeral</b>. I think it’s the reading of <i>Funeral Blues</i> by W.H. Auden. Every guy I’ve seen that movie with got a bit teary at this part.
Another vote for most of the father/son scenes in <b>Big Fish</b>.
Deary me, how absolutely embarrassing. :o
Rutger Hauer’s death scene and the dove flying off in Blade Runner which I must have seen 10 times. Cry every time.
Reading the list of movies brought tears to my eyes. I am so ashamed. sniff sniff
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Once Were Warriors yet. In fact, I had to register just to correct this terrible injustice. Shame on you.
The scene in The Patriot (Mel Gibson) where his daughter comes running behind her father who is leaving for battle. She says, “I’ll say anything, just please don’t go” yet he must go…
First of all, funeste, welcome.
Second, I haven’t seen the movie.
Another came to mind. In the chick fick Hope Floats, there’s a scene where Sandra Bullock’s husband (soon to be ex) walks towards his car, and his daughter (who’s maybe 6-7) follows after him, screaming that she loves him and wants to come with him. He just gets in the car and drives away.
The look on her face and the tears following just ripped me open. Mostly because I was the product of a divorce myself (hence the father issues).
Pablum, pure and simple. The special effects were cool, but I was entirely unmoved by that cheezy, overdone scene.
Chalk up another vote for Iron Giant.
Forgot to add one.
At the end of “Deliverance,” when the survivors of the canoeing trip are having dinner with a kindly older couple. The lady asks one of the survivors (the Burt Reynolds character?) if he wants any mashed potatoes. He is so touched by her simply kindness, after the hell they’ve just been through, that he starts crying… and so did I.