Posted on 01/15/2015 12:39:40 PM PST by DogByte6RER
Which Movies Make Grown Men Cry?
After an evening at Grassroots Tavern, some friends and I got into a heated argument about “Love Actually,” which I contend is a good movie. This eventually became a slightly less heated argument about which movies make people cry. The consensus was that everyone has at least one movie that gets them. The lone dissenter was my friend Alex Kaufman, who claimed he had never cried during a movie. After we listed approximately half the films on IMDb, he eventually recanted, saying that “Saving Private Ryan” had, at points, briefly broken his steely resolve. This leads us to this week’s question:
What movies make people cry the most?
I asked SurveyMonkey Audience, which conducts polls for us from time to time, to ask people what films — if any — had ever made them cry, or at least made them choke up a bit. Respondents could volunteer up to five films.
About 92 percent of the 665 respondents said a movie had made them cry. The dry-eyed 8 percent were asked whether a movie had ever at least gotten them misty-eyed or choked up. A little more than half of them conceded that yes, they had been close to crying before. Call this the “Alex Kaufman Group.”
Still, this leaves us with 4 percent of respondents — about 1 in 25 — who have never been moved even close to tears by any film. Such stoic souls are rare, but they do exist.
Here are the biggest tear-jerker films, with the number of times they were mentioned. In total, 596 films were mentioned 2,615 times.
But men and women don’t tear up at the same films. Looking at films with more than five mentions, there are several that stick out.
“Field of Dreams,” “Rudy,” “Brian’s Song” and “We Were Soldiers” were the most likely to be listed by men rather than women. On the other end of the spectrum, “Beaches,” “P.S. I Love You,” “Steel Magnolias” and “A Walk To Remember” skewed heavily female.
I also asked about the relative tear-jerker-ness of different genres. It’s somewhat interesting to zero in on the 523 respondents for whom we have gender data.
Finally, I inquired about television shows and novels to see whether those were any more likely to cry.
Only 29 percent of male respondents admitted they had ever been brought to tears by a novel, which probably means our civilization is in desperate need for more books about World War II. What’s more, 61 percent of dudes said they have never been brought to tears by a television show or miniseries.
A final note of a personal nature: To the single respondent who listed “Jurassic Park” as a film that has brought them to tears, I need you to contact me as soon as possible. I’m pretty sure you’re my soulmate.
At the end when Hamchunk is running from helicopter to helicopter calling for Sgt Peterson
I cry when there is a plausible, realistic scene where an every man, knowing full well the fate that awaits him, musters the courage to face it with dignity and honor. I believe this is actually ingrained in all Christian men, because it tugs at our heart from John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Galipoli
Braveheart
Although Hopkins is not laying his life down for another *directly*, his final scene in Meet Joe Black is also a picture of courage and redemption that brought tears to my eyes.
Also, movies where the focus character is exemplary, and death is so absolutely unjust that you spend the movie hoping that somehow it will be avoided, but it is not.
The Green Mile
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Seven Pounds
Immortal Beloved - final scene.
Ludwig’s true love reads a letter that was delivered, yet, never read. It is delivered to her after his death. She is seen reading it, through a window as his Piano Concerto # 5 is played.
gotta go. my screen is blurry..............
If crying due to laughter counts, that video clip would make most men admit to reaching for a kleenex box.
One of my favorite films.
And it's about GOLF! Great movie. I was really surprised by how much I really liked this movie.
LOL, hard to make golf exciting. Deep down it’s about class struggle and ridiculous notions of old Europe about “station” etc.
I start tearing up when his dad shows up at the end giving him his respect. Same with the “rich girl” (thank goodness they didn’t give us a love story). Her best line is when her dad sees her and says “aren’t you supossed to be at school” and she replies, “don’t be ridiculous father”.
It was directed by Bill Paxton.
Brian’s song.
It's not a tear-jerker for me (though Field of Dreams is, at several points), but it's a solid film that I enjoy. It's an example of Hollywood actually improving on a book, too. That doesn't happen very often.
Blazing Saddles...no doubt about it!
When Forrest Gumps girlfriend brings him his son.
Check out “Awakenings” some time.
Speaking of Jurassic Park, I and half the theater were cheering for the Velociraptors to get that annoying, screechy blonde. Almost did, too. Danged ceiling tiles.
The ending of Goodbye, Lenin!
Children of Heaven http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x20p4q9_children-of-heaven-1997-full-movie-part-1_shortfilms
Slum dog millionaire
“The Old Man and the Sea”......
When she cuddles him and cradles him on her trunk, I get leaky eyes every time. Baby Mine sniff sniff looking for a tissue.
me too. No question. There is also “Amazing Journey” (?) about the two dogs and a cat that find their way across a lot of territory and multiple dangers to find their way home. The old golden retriever Chance whose voice is done by an actor whose name escapes me now coaxes a lot of tears from me as he shows up last after his boy gives up hope and tells him he was always his favorite. Whew!
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