# The Saddest Movie Ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2002, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515 "2002-12-23T10:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/121 "2015-09-01T20:46:21Z")
Mortal Storm - 1940 - [The Mortal Storm (1940) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032811/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_51) I can’t believe this film was made in 1940 - given that it was such an amazing precursor of the events in European politicks. This film had an amazing take on events in WW2 - really amazing! Black & White film made in 1940 - precursor of the Nazi takeover of Europe. The Roth family lead a quiet life in a small village in the German Alps during the early 1930’s. When the Nazi’s come to power, the family is divided and Martin Brietner, a family friend is caught up in the turmoil. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/122 "2015-09-01T20:49:24Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Can you tell me why? It seems to me that film was not even particularly well done. > > I figured that Old Yeller would appear about 2nd or 3rd on the list. It was 6th. But, at least I checked before I posted it. I will try to find one that has not already been posted. I sure can. My grandparents’ farm was just south of Dyersville, where they filmed Field of Dreams. The farm has been out of the family for quite some time now, but it was the site of many happy childhood summers. The highway scene at the end where the cars are lined up for miles along the highway, showed the highway that led to the family farm. So it has nothing to do with the movie, really, and everything to do with my personal memories, but the (really quite sappy) line “It’s not heaven, it’s Iowa”. just gets the tears of happy, but long lost, memories flowing every time. I suppose I’m stretching the terms of the post a bit, but for me, it’s the saddest movie of all. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/123 "2015-09-02T01:09:17Z")
Another vote for Grave of the Fireflies, which is an absolute kick to the guts. Writer/director Isao Takahata’s recently-released final film, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, is also a three-hankie film. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/124 "2015-09-02T02:47:37Z")
Since **Grave of the Fireflies** has already been well established as the saddest movie of all time… **Wit** from 2008. The movie opens with the line, “You have stage IV metastatic ovarian cancer,” and is all downhill from there. It’s a movie about a woman who formed very few connections in life, facing a solitary death armed with nothing but her love of poetry and her, well, wit. There’s a point near the end where the woman, Vivian, has a rare visiter, and…Jesus, I can’t even think of it without tearing up. It breaks me. Emma Thompson is my goddess. Mentioned on page one, but I watched **Midnight Cowboy** a couple weeks ago (as a previous thread of mine stated), and I didn’t cry at the end, because I knew what was going to happen. But later, it struck me just how dehumanized those characters were, how they’d grown so used to being abused and outcast that they even saw themselves as objects and vermin, and (to some extent) chose to live their lives that way because they didn’t think of themselves as people until they met each other. The dark psychology of that film, particularly dumb, smiling Joe, who’s dream is to relive his sexual abuse again and again, is still unsettling me two weeks later. No mention in twelve years of **The Fox and the Hound**? Disney has never been that upsetting in all its 80 years. Just thinking of the song that the old widow sings to herself as she leaves her beloved pet fox out in the forest makes me want to climb under the blankets and sob. And the ending! “Copper, you’re my very best friend.” “And you’re mine too, Todd.” _cries_ That movie is just to harshly realistic for kids, damnit! Pretty much anything by Pixar is going to be worth a tear or two. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/125 "2015-09-02T03:17:55Z")
I feel like [Leaving Las Vegas](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113627/)is one of the most uniformly sad and depressing moving I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/126 "2015-09-02T03:45:41Z")
Up Of Mice and Men Awakenings Elephant Man Steele Magnolias E. T. What Dreams May Come Planes Trains and Automobiles - the whole last 30 minutes. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2015, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/127 "2015-09-02T04:40:13Z")
Truly, Madly, Deeply ---
**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 2, 2015, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/128 "2015-09-02T04:46:04Z")
Probably not the saddest film ever, but \*Harry and Tonto \*has it’s moments… ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/129 "2015-09-02T09:57:18Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > I can’t believe this film was made in 1940 - given that it was such an amazing precursor of the events in European politicks. This film had an amazing take on events in WW2 - really amazing! > > Black & White film made in 1940 - precursor of the Nazi takeover of Europe. The Germans annexed the Sudetenland in 1938, invaded Poland in 1939, Czechoslovakia ditto, and points West not long after: by 1940 they were installed in France, Holland and Belgium, and the British were beating feet at Dunkirk. Anyone unsure of German intentions by then _really_ wasn’t paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/130 "2015-09-02T12:53:19Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > I sure can. My grandparents’ farm was just south of Dyersville, where they filmed Field of Dreams. The farm has been out of the family for quite some time now, but it was the site of many happy childhood summers. The highway scene at the end where the cars are lined up for miles along the highway, showed the highway that led to the family farm. > > So it has nothing to do with the movie, really, and everything to do with my personal memories, but the (really quite sappy) line “It’s not heaven, it’s Iowa”. just gets the tears of happy, but long lost, memories flowing every time. > > I suppose I’m stretching the terms of the post a bit, but for me, it’s the saddest movie of all. Thank you for explaining that and I’m sorry if I brought back any unhappy memories for you. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/131 "2015-09-02T12:55:50Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > The Germans annexed the Sudetenland in 1938, invaded Poland in 1939, Czechoslovakia ditto, and points West not long after: by 1940 they were installed in France, Holland and Belgium, and the British were beating feet at Dunkirk. Anyone unsure of German intentions by then _really_ wasn’t paying attention. You are completely correct. I don’t know what I could have been thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/132 "2015-09-02T13:12:23Z")
I think music has a lot to do with it. While **Serpico** has its sad parts, it’s not a weepie. But the violin theme does drive home his isolation. There’s also an Australian movie, **The Highest Honor,** which is a low-budget actioner, but has a pretty bleak scene where the condemned commandos sing “Waltzing Matilda” as they resign themselves to their fate. Several movies have been made about the Carmelite nuns guillotined by Robespierre. As it actually happened, they started singing their initiation vows as they were lined up, which, with a “you can’t write stuff this powerful” quality, one by one the song was reduced to the last voice until everything was silent. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/133 "2015-09-02T14:22:00Z")
A third for **Requiem for a Dream** , the acting and cinematography evoke true despair. > [@SillyGirl](#): > > Did anyone mention Magnolia yet? That movie haunted me for about a month. I bought it, but can’t bring myself to watch it. It wrecked me. I get teared up just thinking about it. There are more ways than one to see that movie. I always am uplifted by the way the characters overcome their individual, but loosely linked, personal hurdles. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/134 "2015-09-02T14:24:34Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > You are completely correct. I don’t know what I could have been thinking. Probably that the war didn’t begin until 8 December 41… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/135 "2015-09-02T15:00:55Z")
Cinderella Man, for me. I agree it’s not as sad as something like Grave of the Fireflies, but as a father it hits closer to home. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/136 "2015-09-02T16:11:55Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Cinderella Man, for me. I agree it’s not as sad as something like Grave of the Fireflies, but as a father it hits closer to home. I’d forgotten that one. Probably because it was so gut wrenching that I put it out of my mind entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Mann\_Slaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@Mann\_Slaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mann_Slaughter)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/137 "2015-09-02T17:04:10Z")
Project Nim (2011) Awakenings (1990) Days Of Wine And Roses (1962) There are many others… And some that aren’t necessarily sad films, but have sad scenes that turn me to jelly. (The Incredibles) But when I think of sad films these are the first to pop into my head. ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/138 "2015-09-02T17:18:45Z")
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Platoon ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/139 "2015-09-02T18:58:30Z")
**Grave of the Fireflies** I’ve seen the following, of those which have been suggested: Awakenings Bambi Dancer in the Dark - I only remember it as a poorly done musical… **Das Boot** **Elephant Man** E. T. Field of Dreams Forrest Gump **Leaving Las Vegas** My Girl - Been too long since I’ve seen it to say for certain Of Mice and Men - Might have been ruined for me by having had read the book before I saw it **One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest** Planes Trains and Automobiles Platoon Saving Private Ryan **Schindler’s List** Up What Dreams May Come - It’s certainly trying for it, but the movie never quite gels enough to be taken seriously I’ve bolded the ones that I think are contenders. And I’ll throw in: **My Life Without Me** **Ran** ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515/140 "2015-09-03T06:43:17Z")
Don’t people watch old movies anymore? Or am I the only one to see “From Here To Eternity” and “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-movie-ever/144515.md?page=8)