# The single most played-out scene in movies is . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876 "2008-03-02T20:18:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/1 "2008-03-02T20:18:41Z")
Kill me. Do it. DO IT!!! Extra points if there is a gun involved and the speaker leans into it or puts it in his mouth. How can writers still write this scene? How can actors still play it with a straight face? Who approves it? Can we compile a list of offenders? Most recent offense: Beowulf ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/2 "2008-03-02T20:36:38Z")
“You’ll never get away with this.” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/3 "2008-03-02T20:43:50Z")
As soon as the car crashes, it bursts into flames. :rolleyes: (I really thought US car manufacturers had solved this problem, but apparently not.) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/4 "2008-03-02T20:59:56Z")
[Syndrome:](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/quotes) Oh, ho ho! You sly dog! You got me monologuing! I can’t believe it… ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/5 "2008-03-02T21:10:12Z")
Sorry, you’re all wrong. It’s ‘Kill me. Do it. Do it now. Go ahead and do it. Do it. Kill me.’ ---
**Author:** ![abbeytxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@abbeytxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abbeytxs)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/6 "2008-03-02T21:16:39Z")
The bad guy appears to be dead, but no. Just when everyone has let their guard down, BAM, he jumps back up, only to be dispatched yet again by the good guy, the good guy’s love interest, the grudging respect guy, etc. Please don’t make me list cites, I don’t think I have that kind of time. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/7 "2008-03-02T21:20:49Z")
“Let’s get outta here!” ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/8 "2008-03-02T21:32:28Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] “Let’s get outta here!” [/QUOTE] Or the reverse: “I think I’ll explore this mysterious dark corner alone, where my screams cannot be heard.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/9 "2008-03-02T21:35:11Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Or the reverse: “I think I’ll explore this mysterious dark corner alone, where my screams cannot be heard.” [/QUOTE] Yeah, and we can search faster if we split up! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/10 "2008-03-02T21:35:48Z")
Go! I’ll hold them off!! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/11 "2008-03-02T21:37:33Z")
Some of the stuff you guys are listing are just effects (car blows up) or plot devices (“let’s split up.”) I really wanted to discuss _do it do it kill me_; what movies it has been in, why writers still think it’s ok to include it, how anyone can take it seriously, etc. Another recent (though minor) offender: _American Gangster_ ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/12 "2008-03-02T21:53:28Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] I really wanted to discuss _do it do it kill me_; what movies it has been in, why writers still think it’s ok to include it, how anyone can take it seriously, etc. [/quote] Okay, but you may have to abandon the notion that it’s “the single most played-out scene in movies”. It has a great deal of competition on that front, and I suspect it’s not nearly as hackneyed as other ideas mentioned in this thread. Movie I can think of offhand that include a “kill me” moment: _Platoon_ _Predator_ _Alien 2, 3, 4_ ..ummmmmmm… _Johnny Got His Gun_ ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/13 "2008-03-02T22:02:11Z")
The Good Guy has the Bad Guy at his mercy but elects not to kill him, just banish him from the kingdom/turn him over to the police/whatever. Seconds later, the Bad Guy will try once again try to kill the Good Guy, fail and end up dying by his own hand(usually by falling from a height). The Lion King and a relatively recent Harrison Ford movie come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/14 "2008-03-02T22:23:21Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Okay, but you may have to abandon the notion that it’s “the single most played-out scene in movies”. It has a great deal of competition on that front, and I suspect it’s not nearly as hackneyed as other ideas mentioned in this thread. [/QUOTE] I suppose we can discuss others if they are actual _scenes_, but lines, effects, and plot devices don’t count. **Rysto** ’s example is a good one, and very common, but not as common as kill me, do it now. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/15 "2008-03-02T22:46:16Z")
John Malkovich put Clint Eastwoods gun in his mouth in “In The Line of Fire.” But it did have the twist of making it tantamount to suicide for Eastwood since Malkovich was holding on to him to prevent him from falling to his death. Let the Freudian jokes commence. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/16 "2008-03-02T22:50:14Z")
Ooh, good one. Gun in the mouth is bonus points. If the guy saying kill me kills the other guy, bonus points. Triple score if he calls him a pussy for not doing it. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/17 "2008-03-03T01:10:14Z")
Doesn’t Mel Gibson do the “Kill me” bit during one of the Lethal Weapon movies? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/18 "2008-03-03T01:16:04Z")
Boy kisses girl. Girl pushes boy away, and makes some cutting remark. Boy pulls girl in and kisses her again. Girl kisses back, starts caressing him. Fade to black, or both tumble into bed, haystack, floor, dirt, choose one. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/19 "2008-03-03T01:17:23Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] Doesn’t Mel Gibson do the “Kill me” bit during one of the Lethal Weapon movies? [/QUOTE] Sounds right. That might be one of the earliest examples. If anyone can come up with the **first** example you win my everlasting admiration. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876/20 "2008-03-03T01:20:08Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] Doesn’t Mel Gibson do the “Kill me” bit during one of the Lethal Weapon movies? [/QUOTE] Yes, but then he grabs the gun and nearly pulls the trigger himself, before Danny Glover pulls it away. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-most-played-out-scene-in-movies-is/439876.md?page=2)