# Was Schwarzenegger ever had any really touching, "emotional" lines in a movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2014, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978 "2014-07-13T05:13:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/1 "2014-07-13T05:13:30Z")
Let me be clear, I don’t begrudge Arnold Schwarzenegger for being an action star. He is a _wonderful_ action star, and should rightly _revel_ in it. But still, for an art project of mine, and my own curiosity…has Arnie ever actually had a good touchy-feely, emotional, or “tearjerker” lines in a role of his? (I’m pretty much abandoning all expectations of hearing about any heartwarming, gentle movie _roles_ he might have had. As noted above, the man’s not exactly “Field of Dreams” material.) The closest I can think of is, naturally, the “I know now why you cry…” scene from Terminator 2. Brief and robotically subdued, but if that doesn’t get you even a _little_, you have not even a heart of steel. Aside from that, and _maybe_ a couple of moments from the Conan films, I’m at a loss. But does anyone here more familiar with the Schwarzenegger oeuvre have any suggestions? ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/2 "2014-07-13T05:16:55Z")
I think he gets a little misty when his family is killed in _Collateral Damage_ but all I remember is the crazy-ass underground motorcycle chase. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/3 "2014-07-13T05:31:00Z")
I’m sure there’s a few scenes where he acted like a real person in True Lies, Kindergarten Cop, and Twins but it’s been too long since I’ve seen them to give an example. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/4 "2014-07-13T05:55:01Z")
The bits in Twins where he realizes how much his brother means to him, were somewhat moving. Not Old Yeller or Burnt By The Sun, but not bad. It’s been awhile though. True Lies, for me, like all Bond movies, didn’t affect me emotionally at all other than: this is really neat! The best Bond movie until Goldeneye, but really until the reboot, IMHO. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/5 "2014-07-13T06:13:57Z")
He gets pretty serious and has to act when he prays to God near the end of End of Days. He looks…like he is feeling something. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/6 "2014-07-13T14:12:18Z")
Dude… the look he gives Billy when they’re making the run to the chopper in Predator? Billy decides to face the Predator so Arnie and the chick have more time to “get to da’ choppa!” You can read the sorrow, respect, and gratitude in Arnie’s head nod. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/7 "2014-07-13T14:18:34Z")
There is no greater display of sincerity imaginable than “Yah, but dey vere all _bad_.” In all seriousness, he does a passable gamut of emotions in KINDERGARTEN COP. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/8 "2014-07-13T14:37:02Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > There is no greater display of sincerity imaginable than “Yah, but dey vere all _bad_.” > > In all seriousness, he does a passable gamut of emotions in KINDERGARTEN COP. _collapses in bed_ Dey vere _horrible…_ ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/9 "2014-07-13T14:38:04Z")
He falls in love with Emma Thompson in “Junior” It’s a really weird movie. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/10 "2014-07-13T14:48:13Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > There is no greater display of sincerity imaginable than “Yah, but dey vere all _bad_.” > > In all seriousness, he does a passable gamut of emotions in KINDERGARTEN COP. [It’s not a toomah!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaTO8_KNcuo) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/11 "2014-07-13T14:56:49Z")
There’s that one scene in Jingle All the Way where… Umm… No… Well, in Twins he, uh… I’m gonna go out on a limb and say when you’re an Austrian bodybuilder who’s basically gargling his own testosterone, your emotional well might not be all that deep or close to the surface. So, that’s a ‘no’ from me. ---
**Author:** ![Hermione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cdc98d/32.png) [@Hermione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/12 "2014-07-13T15:02:10Z")
I, being among the minority who actually rather liked The Last Action Hero, was rather struck by the moment when Jack Slater realized he was a fictional movie hero. (In one of his movies, there was a rare Downer Ending when Jack failed to save his young son’s life.) He says something along the lines of, “How would you feel if you found out someone had made you up? Push your kid off a building, give you nightmares the rest of your life, but it doesn’t count, you’re only fictional?” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/13 "2014-07-13T15:05:41Z")
Heh. I was thinking more of his ‘roughing up the child abuser’ scenes, and his ‘bleeding out while being menaced by the villain at the end’ scene, is all. (Uh, in response to **zoid**.) ---
**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:** [July 13, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/14 "2014-07-13T16:08:29Z")
> [@Hermione](#): > > I, being among the minority who actually rather liked The Last Action Hero, was rather struck by the moment when Jack Slater realized he was a fictional movie hero. (In one of his movies, there was a rare Downer Ending when Jack failed to save his young son’s life.) > > He says something along the lines of, “How would you feel if you found out someone had made you up? Push your kid off a building, give you nightmares the rest of your life, but it doesn’t count, you’re only fictional?” That movie had a lot of _potential_ and some very funny bits about the absurdity of the action-movie premise. Personally, I think it was undermined by Austin O’Brien - spunky kid characters almost always gets on my nerves. I think if that character had himself been less of a cliché, the movie would have worked a lot better. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/15 "2014-07-13T17:34:42Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > That movie had a lot of _potential_ and some very funny bits about the absurdity of the action-movie premise. Personally, I think it was undermined by Austin O’Brien - spunky kid characters almost always gets on my nerves. I think if that character had himself been less of a cliché, the movie would have worked a lot better. Yeah, this. It was an amazingly fertile idea, and having Arnold himself in it was an amazing opportunity, but it was mostly squandered. One problem, I think, is that it was trying to parody the action hero genre, but seemed to shy away from parodying Schwartzenegger himself. Imagine if, at the end, the villain mistakes “real” Arnold for the movie character and goes after him - and Real Life Arnold just completely comes apart. On his knees, begging and blubbering. “Take my wife intead!” he says, shoving Maria in front of him, “She’s almost as pretty as I am!” Or, what if the premiere of Arnold’s new Jack Slater movie was preceded by a short clip package showing all his iconic roles, and somehow the magic ticket gets loose in the theater then. As each Arnold role comes up on the screen, it steps out into the theater, and you end up with Jack, Arnold, Conan, and the Terminator all running around together at the film’s climax. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/16 "2014-07-13T17:47:54Z")
I enjoyed Last Action Hero and found it to be a pretty good tongue-in-cheek action movie (wouldn’t go so far as to call it a parody). His line about realizing that he’s just a fictional character was actually pretty moving, and I remember how it impressed me when I saw it. His delivery of the line was pretty believable too. I don’t know if it works as a standalone moment taken out of the context of the movie, but it probably does. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/17 "2014-07-13T18:13:31Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I think if that character had himself been less of a cliché, the movie would have worked a lot better. Still, the moment when he realizes the difference between “good guy” and “comic relief” is one of the funniest parts of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/18 "2014-07-13T18:22:58Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > He falls in love with Emma Thompson in “Junior” > > It’s a really weird movie. I think he cries in it too. But it’s ok because he’s pregnant. Yeah, it’s a weird movie. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/19 "2014-07-13T18:25:43Z")
I vote for Twins. The movie’s main point was the bonding of two brothers that had been raised separately. From what I recall Danny Devito was the hustler/con man? Arnold was the dim-witted, very strong, and trusting brother. Granted, neither actor was exactly stretching that much. From what I recall, the two brothers bonded throughout the movie and it was convincing. It says a lot that a broad comedy is the most emotion we’ve seen from Arnold. Danny Devito deserves a lot of credit for making it work. His strong acting gave Arnold something to connect with. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978/20 "2014-07-13T18:29:51Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I vote for Twins. The movie’s main point was the bonding of two brothers that had been raised separately. From what I recall Danny Devito was the hustler/con man? Arnold was the dim-witted, very strong, and trusting brother. Arnold’s character had a genius-level IQ. The joke was that Arnold was genetically designed to be superior in every way, having the best of the genetics of all of his multiple parents. DeVito got what was left over. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-schwarzenegger-ever-had-any-really-touching-emotional-lines-in-a-movie/692978.md?page=2)