The greatest tear-jerk movies of all time?

August 17, 2002 | self / vanity

[The Other Harry]

In a completely unrelated thread, I recently got into a brief discussion with someone about tear-jerk movies.

I'm an absolute sucker for animal movies myself. _Where the Red Fern Grows_, Homeward Bound_ etc. Someone recommended _The Dog from Flanders_, but I'm not sure I could stand to watch it.

Anyway, my daughter's 22nd b'day is coming up. She has an intereset in film, and I've been thinking about getting her a selection of tear-jerk movies. Last year I got her a Leatherman, so this would seem to offset. Send her a box of those along with some Kleenex.

Any suggestions?

[Commander8]

The Honky Tonk Man starring Clint Eastwood.

[Future Snake Eater]

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn

Yeah, that's a really sad ending to that movie. One that really hit me when I was younger was "Awakenings" with Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro. I don't even remember what it was that got me, but it was the first movie ever to jerk my tears, so to speak.

[Future Snake Eater]

For that matter, Casa Blanca wouldn't be so bad. You can't really watch one of these with a dry eye.

Casablanca? Maybe I'm too jaded, but that didn't seem like a tear jerker to me at all. It was an excellent movie, but not real sad...

[Future Snake Eater]

"The Iron Giant"

EXCELLENT movie! For those who haven't seen it, definitely get it. One of the best movies I've seen in a while (even though it takes a jab at guns as being evil).

[Tribune7]

Ahhhhh, Kiiiirk!. That's my choice tooo.

[Tribune7]

Actually, Red Dawn is probably the best tear-jerker of all time.

[Future Snake Eater]

At about the time Jennaaaay! told Forrest that he was a father, the gentleman next to me not only cried, he also put his head in his lap and sobbed uncontrollably.

Yeah, Tom Hanks' body language and his emotion in that scene made it REAL powerful. Excellent job by an excellent actor.

[Future Snake Eater]

Well, since it hasn't been mentioned yet, "Life is Beautiful" is one powerful movie. A very sad/happy movie. Will definitely make even the hard-hearted cry (and yet, I didn't...what does that say about me?).

[christine]

i haven't seen this one, but ANY movie with animals gets me. i think i cried the most with 'free willy' from the very beginning when you can hear the whales in the sea outside of the aquarium where willy is being kept, to the very end when he is set free. my jaws hurt from trying to contain my sobs.

i know, what a sap! ;)

[christine]

how about 'old yeller'? omigosh!

what is 'the human comedy' about?

[operation clinton cleanup]

i know, what a sap! ;)

Did you ever get up the courage to see Free Willy II?

[Savage Beast]

The Human Comedy is a novel by William Saroyan, made into a movie starring Van Johnson, back in the '40's I think.

It is a very bittersweet story, set in California (Monterey or Salinas, I think) during World War II, about a telegraph operator, no doubt modeled after Saroyan himself, who is the first to receive news of war casualties, and his delivery boy, whose job it is to take the telegrams to the families. Neither the man nor the boy can handle the job.

The story rises above morbidity as it involves life after death and ways in which those who have died influence those still on this earth, and it blurs the distinction between this world and the next.

It is a beautiful, lovely, ethereal, and unforgettable story--but be sure to have several crates of hankies on hand. In fact, just thinking about it...

Sorry. I've gotta run grab a hankie.

[Savage Beast]

And whatever you do, for the sake of the hardwood floors and the silk sofa--don't watch The Yearling without several crates of hankies and a bucket handy.

[John Locke]

"Grave of the Fireflies" (Hotaru no Haka), one of the most harrowing animated movies ever made.

[InvisibleChurch]

it's a wonderful life

[connectthedots]

Actually, Red Dawn is probably the best tear-jerker of all time.

It is a tear-jerker alright. Another real tear-jerker is:

Mr. Holland's Opus

[nopardons]

I'm so glad that someone else, here, has seen and also loves this movie. :-)

Thanks for the review !

[christine]

you made me laugh :P

i'm gonna put that movie on my list of rentals ;)

[Auntie Mame]

Our local theater was playing the 1943 movie "Lassie Come Home" so I decided to take my little brother to see it. He was eight at the time. My little brother stoically sat through the movie, I wiped tears from my eyes unselfconsciously, and we rose from our seats and went out to the car whereupon he broke down and bawled uncontrollably for about 10 minutes. He could not be comforted. "Lassie Come Home" is a wonderful, but very sad movie. I felt so bad for taking baby brother, I had no idea he was so sensitive.

It was the "Lassie Come Home" episode and the two times I put beer in his baby bottle that make me wonder if I deserve the blame for some of the problems he's faced in his life.

[D.P.Roberts]

Of course, it's "Old Yeller." That movie is so sad, I
used to threaten my kids with it. ("If you don't behave, we're watching 'Old Yeller.'") They're 18 and 16 and never have seen it.

D.P.Roberts