Greatest Tearjerkers Films - Scenes and Moments

Greatest Tearjerker Films, Scenes and Movie Moments
of All-Time

Introduction: There are many names for tearjerker films - 'women's pictures', 'weepies' or weepers, melodramas, soap operas (or soapers), and more recently, 'chick flicks'. There are many kinds of touching, emotionally stirring films and dramas that bring a tear to the eye, and cause a swelling in the heart. Pathos-filled tales of doomed or short-lived romance, tragic deaths or losses (loss of life, loss of love, loss of dignity, etc.), recovery (recovery of life, recovery of love, recovery of dignity, etc.), or difficult domestic situations are common plot themes in these kinds of films.
Many sites and film books have attempted to compile listings of the most tearjerking moments, scenes and films throughout cinematic history. See various choices of great tearjerkers in Entertainment Weekly's choices for the Top 50 Greatest Tearjerkers, UK's Channel 4 website of 100 Greatest Tearjerkers (see below), and O Magazine's compilation of 50 Greatest Chick Flicks. The following sources are indicated by icons in this site's compilation:

- UK's Channel 4 website of the 100 Greatest Tearjerkers

- Entertainment Weekly's November 28, 2003 issue of the 50 Greatest Tearjerkers

Note: The films that are marked with a yellow star are the films that "The Greatest Films" site has selected as the 100 Greatest Films.

Greatest Film Tearjerkers, Moments and Scenes
(alphabetical by film title) - Part 19
Intro | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10
Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30

Movie Title
Brief Scene Description Example

The Notebook (2004)

The scene in which young, privileged and pretty Southern debutante Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) shared a passionate rain-soaked kiss after an idyllic afternoon rowboating through a spectacular duck-filled setting with earthy mill worker Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling), as she learned for the first time that he had written her 365 love letters (one each day for a year) - although her domineering mother had intercepted them, and when Noah professed on the dock: ("It wasn't over. It still isn't over!"); also the scene of the moment that Allie finally made a choice between Noah and her parent-approved fiancee Lon Hammond, Jr. (James Marsden) - and drove to Noah's fixed-up mansion to move in and be with him; and the final scenes after it was revealed that nursing home patient Allie Hamilton/Calhoun (Gena Rowlands) had severe Alzheimer's Disease and could only remember the story of their love for a few minutes - of how she and frail heart patient Noah or "Duke" Calhoun (James Garner) met and fell in love when in their teens - Noah had to repeatedly rekindle their love by re-reading from her old faded notebook diary (written by Allie as a present to Noah years earlier, with the handwritten dedication: "Read this to me, and I'll come back to you"); also the scene of Noah's and Allie's briefly-remembered love during a special candlelight dinner in the nursing home when they shared a dance together - and Allie requested: "Do you think I can be her tonight?"; in the end, she remembered him as they held hands, fell asleep in the same bed, and passed away together.

Now, Voyager (1942)
#41
#93

The final famous tearjerking scene between Jerry Durrance (Paul Heinreid) and Charlotte Vale (Bette Davis), in which Jerry asked once more: "Shall we just have a cigarette on it?" to which she responded breathlessly: "Yes, sir," holding out an opened cigarette box. He took two cigarettes and put them in his mouth, lit them both, and then handed one over to Charlotte; the film ended with Charlotte's most memorable line on the balcony - although she knew Jerry would never leave his wife, they found something far more enduring and happy: "And just think, it won't be for this time only. That is, if you'll help keep what we have. If we both try hard to, to protect that little strip of territory that's ours...Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars." As the music swelled, the camera moved between them and ascended above the trees to a starry night sky.

Of Mice and Men (1939)

The mercy-killing of child-like brute Lennie (Lon Chaney, Jr.) by his best friend and guardian George (Burgess Meredith) after Lennie had accidentally killed Mae (Betty Field), the wife of the ranch boss' son Curley (Bob Steele), to spare Lennie from Curley's wrath. [Memorably remade in 1992.]

An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

The tough training of drill instructor Sgt. Emil Foley (Louis Gossett, Jr.) - notably of trainee Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) who is powerfully determined to not quit his recruit training: (Foley: "You can forget it! You're out!" Mayo: "Don't you do it! Don't! You... I got nowhere else to go! I got nowhere else to g... I got nothin' else"); and the rousing romantic finale (often considered cheesy) in which Zack carries a surprised paper factory worker Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) away from her job in his arms: ("Way to go, Paula! Way to go!") - to the sounds of "Up Where We Belong."

The Old Maid (1935)

The tearjerker sequences of selfless old maid Aunt Charlotte Lovell (Bette Davis) 'almost' telling her unknowing illegitimate daughter / love child Clementina "Tina" (Jane Bryan) the truth of her parentage on the eve of her wedding day to handsome Lanning Halsey (William Lundigan); and the final scene of the new bride's last kiss given to her aunt.

Los Olvidados (1950, Mex.)

The travails of a young gang member named Pedro (Alfonso Mejía) who prostituted himself to survive; the poignant image of a bloody-nosed, battered Pedro looking forlornly through a dirty window; and the heart-breaking, graceless disposal of slain Pedro's body -- put in a sack and carried out of town on a donkey -- while Pedro's mother passed in the street, ironically not knowing her son was dead.

Old Yeller (1957)
#11

The devastating scene in which young Travis (Tommy Kirk) had to kill his faithful companion Ol' Yeller with a rifle when the dog contracted rabies.

On Golden Pond (1981)
#29

Estranged daughter Chelsea Thayer's (Jane Fonda) complaint about dealing with her father Norman (76 year-old Henry Fonda): "I act like a big person everywhere else. I'm in charge of Los Angeles, and I come here, I feel like a little fat girl"; the teary confrontation and ultimate reconciliation between Norman and daughter Chelsea at the dock (Chelsea: "It just seems that you and me have been mad at each other for so long..." Norman: "I didn't think we were mad; I thought we just didn't like each other" - ending with "I want to be your friend"), culminating with Chelsea eagerly doing "a real g-ddamned back-flip" off the diving board for an appreciative Norman; and the final scene in which Ethel (Katharine Hepburn) prayed when aging husband Norman collapsed due to angina: ("Dear God, don't take him now. You don't want him. He's just an old poop"), with Ethel's beaming, reassuring line to Norman: "You are my knight in shining armor!", and the final line by Norman, using slang he had learned from 13 year-old Billy (Doug McKeon): ''Wanna dance or would you rather just suck face?''

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
#41

The famous ending in which just-married James Bond (George Lazenby) lost his new wife Tracy Di Vicenzo (Diane Rigg), when Blofeld (Telly Savalas) strafed their limousine with machine-gun fire - missing Bond but killing Tracy - this heart-breaking scene was punctuated by Louis Armstrong singing: "We Have All the Time In the World".

Created in 1996-2008 © by Tim Dirks. All rights reserved.

Introduction: There are many names for tearjerker films - 'women's pictures', 'weepies' or weepers, melodramas, soap operas (or soapers), and more recently, 'chick flicks'. There are many kinds of touching, emotionally stirring films and dramas that bring a tear to the eye, and cause a swelling in the heart. Pathos-filled tales of doomed or short-lived romance, tragic deaths or losses (loss of life, loss of love, loss of dignity, etc.), recovery (recovery of life, recovery of love, recovery of dignity, etc.), or difficult domestic situations are common plot themes in these kinds of films. Many sites and film books have attempted to compile listings of the most tearjerking moments, scenes and films throughout cinematic history. See various choices of great tearjerkers in Entertainment Weekly's choices for the Top 50 Greatest Tearjerkers, UK's Channel 4 website of 100 Greatest Tearjerkers (see below), and O Magazine's compilation of 50 Greatest Chick Flicks. The following sources are indicated by icons in this site's compilation: - UK's Channel 4 website of the 100 Greatest Tearjerkers - Entertainment Weekly's November 28, 2003 issue of the 50 Greatest Tearjerkers Note: The films that are marked with a yellow star are the films that "The Greatest Films" site has selected as the 100 Greatest Films.
Greatest Film Tearjerkers, Moments and Scenes (alphabetical by film title) - Part 19 Intro \| Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3 \| Part 4 \| Part 5 \| Part 6 \| Part 7 \| Part 8 \| Part 9 \| Part 10 Part 11 \| Part 12 \| Part 13 \| Part 14 \| Part 15 \| Part 16 \| Part 17 \| Part 18 \| Part 19 \| Part 20 Part 21 \| Part 22 \| Part 23 \| Part 24 \| Part 25 \| Part 26 \| Part 27 \| Part 28 \| Part 29 \| Part 30
Movie Title	Brief Scene Description	Example
The Notebook (2004)	The scene in which young, privileged and pretty Southern debutante Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) shared a passionate rain-soaked kiss after an idyllic afternoon rowboating through a spectacular duck-filled setting with earthy mill worker Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling), as she learned for the first time that he had written her 365 love letters (one each day for a year) - although her domineering mother had intercepted them, and when Noah professed on the dock: ("It wasn't over. It still isn't over!"); also the scene of the moment that Allie finally made a choice between Noah and her parent-approved fiancee Lon Hammond, Jr. (James Marsden) - and drove to Noah's fixed-up mansion to move in and be with him; and the final scenes after it was revealed that nursing home patient Allie Hamilton/Calhoun (Gena Rowlands) had severe Alzheimer's Disease and could only remember the story of their love for a few minutes - of how she and frail heart patient Noah or "Duke" Calhoun (James Garner) met and fell in love when in their teens - Noah had to repeatedly rekindle their love by re-reading from her old faded notebook diary (written by Allie as a present to Noah years earlier, with the handwritten dedication: "Read this to me, and I'll come back to you"); also the scene of Noah's and Allie's briefly-remembered love during a special candlelight dinner in the nursing home when they shared a dance together - and Allie requested: "Do you think I can be her tonight?"; in the end, she remembered him as they held hands, fell asleep in the same bed, and passed away together.
Now, Voyager (1942) #41 #93	The final famous tearjerking scene between Jerry Durrance (Paul Heinreid) and Charlotte Vale (Bette Davis), in which Jerry asked once more: "Shall we just have a cigarette on it?" to which she responded breathlessly: "Yes, sir," holding out an opened cigarette box. He took two cigarettes and put them in his mouth, lit them both, and then handed one over to Charlotte; the film ended with Charlotte's most memorable line on the balcony - although she knew Jerry would never leave his wife, they found something far more enduring and happy: "And just think, it won't be for this time only. That is, if you'll help keep what we have. If we both try hard to, to protect that little strip of territory that's ours...Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars." As the music swelled, the camera moved between them and ascended above the trees to a starry night sky.
Of Mice and Men (1939)	The mercy-killing of child-like brute Lennie (Lon Chaney, Jr.) by his best friend and guardian George (Burgess Meredith) after Lennie had accidentally killed Mae (Betty Field), the wife of the ranch boss' son Curley (Bob Steele), to spare Lennie from Curley's wrath. [Memorably remade in 1992.]
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)	The tough training of drill instructor Sgt. Emil Foley (Louis Gossett, Jr.) - notably of trainee Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) who is powerfully determined to not quit his recruit training: (Foley: "You can forget it! You're out!" Mayo: "Don't you do it! Don't! You... I got nowhere else to go! I got nowhere else to g... I got nothin' else"); and the rousing romantic finale (often considered cheesy) in which Zack carries a surprised paper factory worker Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) away from her job in his arms: ("Way to go, Paula! Way to go!") - to the sounds of "Up Where We Belong."
The Old Maid (1935)	The tearjerker sequences of selfless old maid Aunt Charlotte Lovell (Bette Davis) 'almost' telling her unknowing illegitimate daughter / love child Clementina "Tina" (Jane Bryan) the truth of her parentage on the eve of her wedding day to handsome Lanning Halsey (William Lundigan); and the final scene of the new bride's last kiss given to her aunt.
Los Olvidados (1950, Mex.)	The travails of a young gang member named Pedro (Alfonso Mejía) who prostituted himself to survive; the poignant image of a bloody-nosed, battered Pedro looking forlornly through a dirty window; and the heart-breaking, graceless disposal of slain Pedro's body -- put in a sack and carried out of town on a donkey -- while Pedro's mother passed in the street, ironically not knowing her son was dead.
Old Yeller (1957) #11	The devastating scene in which young Travis (Tommy Kirk) had to kill his faithful companion Ol' Yeller with a rifle when the dog contracted rabies.
On Golden Pond (1981) #29	Estranged daughter Chelsea Thayer's (Jane Fonda) complaint about dealing with her father Norman (76 year-old Henry Fonda): "I act like a big person everywhere else. I'm in charge of Los Angeles, and I come here, I feel like a little fat girl"; the teary confrontation and ultimate reconciliation between Norman and daughter Chelsea at the dock (Chelsea: "It just seems that you and me have been mad at each other for so long..." Norman: "I didn't think we were mad; I thought we just didn't like each other" - ending with "I want to be your friend"), culminating with Chelsea eagerly doing "a real g-ddamned back-flip" off the diving board for an appreciative Norman; and the final scene in which Ethel (Katharine Hepburn) prayed when aging husband Norman collapsed due to angina: ("Dear God, don't take him now. You don't want him. He's just an old poop"), with Ethel's beaming, reassuring line to Norman: "You are my knight in shining armor!", and the final line by Norman, using slang he had learned from 13 year-old Billy (Doug McKeon): ''Wanna dance or would you rather just suck face?''
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) #41	The famous ending in which just-married James Bond (George Lazenby) lost his new wife Tracy Di Vicenzo (Diane Rigg), when Blofeld (Telly Savalas) strafed their limousine with machine-gun fire - missing Bond but killing Tracy - this heart-breaking scene was punctuated by Louis Armstrong singing: "We Have All the Time In the World".