Meme of tears
Sandra wants to know what books, movies and TV makes us cry.
***
The single most tear jerker scene ever in the history of anything ever comes at the end of the episode of Homicide where Crosetti committed suicide. Specifically when Lewis breaks down in the squad room after the toxicology report has came in. It’s raw, crushing and it hurts. But the sublime moment comes when it’s Bolander who jumps in without hesitation to hold him. Actually the whole final quarter of the episode (embedded below) is exquisite.
From everyone in the squad giving Frank shit because he won’t go to a church to the jazz funeral to that final iconic moment this one gets me every time.
Here’s one that I have never forgotten. Will Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air when is father has just walked out on him again.
How about an oddball choice. Jimmy Stewart on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson reading a poem about his dog named Bo that had died recently. What’s interesting about the clip is the that poem is SO elementary (if not downright bad) that we (the viewer at home, the in studio audience and Carson) almost think that its a bit, or the ramblings of an old man whom we humor because we love him. But at some point there is a shift and the heart felt nature and raw emotional honesty of it win all of us over and we listen to the rest in rapt, teary-eyed silence. This is exactly the kind of thing that Carson would have cracked a joke about but even he is visibly moved by the poem.
The West Wing has more tear up scenes for me then any other show. From Leo’s death, to the kidnapping, to the discovery of Josh who has been shot, to the funeral of the homeless vet to the death of Mrs. Landingham there are dozens of moments in The West Wing. But in choosing only one my choice would be a very quiet moment. When Toby shows Andy the house and she gives him the reason that she won’t marry him again. It cuts him deep.
I couldn’t find a clip.
Movies are a bit tougher to narrow down because there have been SO MANY moving scenes over the years. Bus I also tend to have less emotional responses to TV shows ( and books) then I do movies. So rather then bog this down with a futile search for the one that gets me the most, here are a couple off the top of my head (from a variety of types of movies).
Gayle Sayers speech
Ricky getting shot in Boyz in the Hood
The troubled pregnancy scene in She’s Having a Baby
There is also a really great moment in The Dawn of the Dead remake from 2004. The survivors in the mall are having a dinner and Michael (who has been extremely competent and a leader so far) is talking about all of the jobs that he has had. Everyone is surprised at the menial nature of them. He says jokingly that he was never any good at his jobs. He says he was only ever good at one job, another character asks him what it was and in a somber voice that cracks at the right moment he says “a dad”.
As for books that’s easy. There is only one book that makes me tear up and cry EVERY time I read it. It’s Darkness Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane. At the end, when a certain character dies, using only six words Lehane cut my heart out and showed it to me.
