Some movies have the power to not only captivate but to grab hold of something inside, curl up, and stay there forever. These stories and the way they are told become a part of us and even alter how we see the world. Maybe it’s because there is something about them that speaks to some secret fear or maybe we recognize and resonate with some part of a character’s personality and journey. Whatever it is about these lingering stories we become a part of through the screen, they seem to know us…what makes us laugh, how we love, our innermost desires, the dreams we hope to build, and what brings out the deepest of emotion in us.
The following list is 10 of the most beautifully performed moments from movies. They are a highlighted countdown of filmed poignancy, where the direction, dialogue, and amazing on-screen talents converge into one beautiful poetic moment of connection with the audience. When the lines are spoken, the intensity and realism of each scene is so heartfelt and breathtaking that it becomes a part of you always.
Please note: This post contains spoilers.
Also: All movie related links in this post are pointed to IMDB for your reference.
10.
Movie:
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Director:
Writers:
- Brian Aldiss, Ian Watson, Steven Spielberg
- (story credits to Stanley Kubrick)
Who Said It:
Teddy voiced by Jack Angel
What Was Said:
“I’ll break, David.”
What Made it Memorable:
As with many futuristic sci-fi dramas, the audience is faced with questions and concerns of a moral and spiritual nature. In particular, we are carried on a journey from the perspective of a robotic boy. In this story’s reality artificial intelligence has grown to such a degree that artificial humans are a common fixture throughout society. Though, their existence is not wholly accepted.
The movie explores themes of human bias and evolution of consciousness. We become painfully aware of the sickness within the human culture as we follow a young boy robotic that has been programmed to love. Using a child really illustrates these prejudices in a heavy way because instinctively we recognize what being a child means and we can easily draw parallels to the overall youth of a conscious artificial intelligence. The boy represents a futuristic model of Pinocchio – he seeks to be a real boy and live happily as any other, with love.
Although David (played by Haley Joel Osment) is the center of the story here, the character of his “Super Toy” companion, named Teddy, is in some ways even more concerning. Perhaps it’s because from the moment he is turned on, we (the audience) are able to pick up on his living consciousness as well – even though nobody in the film ever seems to notice. He is the forgotten character that the audience cannot forget. In this scene, David is holding onto him through a net being carried across the sky. Teddy is dangling and looking directly at David as he says this just before he falls. There are many rather disturbing scenes in this movie, but this one really sticks. The most heart-breaking scene that exemplifies Teddy’s forgotten state is the final scene in which he appears, but there he is silent.
9.
Movie:
The Neverending Story (1984)
Director:
Writers:
Who Said It:
The Childlike Empress played by Tami Stronach
What Was Said:
“Bastian. Why don’t you do what you dreamed Bastian? Call my name! Bastian…Please! Save us… “
What Makes It Memorable:
In this beloved 80’s classic tale of fantasy, we come to understand the importance of dreaming and storytelling in the human collective. We follow a boy in his struggles with life; his relationship with his father, the grief he feels over his mother’s death, and the way he is taunted by his peers – presumably because of his withdrawn nature. Our journey with the character of Bastian (played by Barret Oliver) is paralleled by his journey with the characters of the book he reads as an escape from the lesser feelings he has grown accustomed to in his own reality.
In a very moving scene near the end of the movie, secrets are revealed and we come to know the beauty of following a story in a whole new way. When the child empress speaks this line, she turns to the camera, tears flowing, and speaks directly to the audience. In that moment, we are Bastian and her pleading – her wish- swells in our heart, bursting through our own tears with the same sense of urgency and desperation. Bastian, save them! Save us! The actress performed this moment just brilliantly. And, although there are several scenes in this movie that capture the audience’s sense of poignancy in much the same way, this particular scene is a culmination of all that has come before it, leading us to this one pivotal choice.
8.
Movie:
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Director:
Writer:
Who said it:
Frances “Baby” Houseman played by Jennifer Grey
What Was Said:
“I told you I was telling the truth, Daddy. I’m sorry I lied to you, but you lied too. You told me everyone was alike and deserved a fair break. But you meant everyone who was like you. You told me you wanted me to change the world, to make it better. But you meant by becoming a lawyer or a Doctor and marrying someone from Harvard. I’m not proud of myself, but I’m in this family too. You can’t keep giving me the silent treatment. There are a lot of things about me that aren’t what you thought. But if you love me, you have to love all the things about me, and I love you. I’m sorry I let you down; I’m so sorry, Daddy. But you let me down too.”
What Makes it Memorable :
The story is one of an American girl in a bygone time, coming of age through her experiences and realizations about the world around her while spending her summer at a resort with her family. Though on its surface, it’s a love story, underneath it is really about the relationships that are forged through family bonds and the inner struggle to become something more than what people see. The main character is young and inexperienced, but at the same time quite intelligent and brave hearted. Her given name is Frances, but everyone calls her “Baby” and that is representative of the growth she seeks to achieve as well as the ties that bind her to a childhood identity.
When her father (played by Jerry Orbach)becomes disheartened by the reveal of his baby’s recent exploits with camp employees, he takes to ignoring her as a way to show that disappointment and to also avoid having to face the fact that his daughter is growing up in ways he hadn’t wanted her to… or perhaps just wasn’t ready for. The scene that shows just how much she’s grown is the one where she confronts her father.
It’s a scene that exemplifies how we all eventually learn to own our voice in life and I think this is what makes it resonate so deeply. Jennifer Grey is outstanding here and her performance is incredibly moving. It takes place on a gazebo in the evening, the leaves are falling and he sits overlooking a still lake. All that is heard is the wind of the changing season and the loon calls over the water. Incidentally, the loon represents hopes and wishes, as well as an awakening of self. Baby approaches her father as he is looking out at the horizon, which further illustrates his holding on to something that’s gone and her moving toward her own adult identity.
7.
Movie:
The Green Mile (1999)
Director:
Writers:
Who Said It:
John Coffee played by Michael Clarke Duncan
What Was Said:
“You tell God the Father it was a kindness you done. I know you hurtin’ and worryin’, I can feel it on you, but you oughta quit on it now. Because I want it over and done. I do. I’m tired, boss. Tired of bein’ on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. I’m tired of never having me a buddy to be with, to tell me where we’s going to or coming from, or why. Mostly, I’m tired of people being ugly to each other. I’m tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world every day. There’s too much of it — it’s like pieces of glass in my head, all the time. Can you understand?”
What Makes it Memorable:
This movie demonstrates ideas of corruption and evil along with those of compassion and healing. The story centers on a character who is caring, timid, and unable to fully express himself – but he seems to some in 1930’s America to be scary due to his size, simple mind, and race. The fact that he ends up on death row is not a surprise, nor is why (when it is revealed), but what is a surprise is the very unique capacity he has for reading and healing others – and for setting things right.
Paul Edgecomb, the corrections officer played by Tom Hanks, asks John Coffey “On the day of my judgment, when I stand before God, and He asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I gonna say? That it was my job? My job?” And it’s in response to this that the John Coffee character absolves him and the other guards from any guilt they may have over his upcoming execution. He goes on to explain why he’s ready to move on from this world. And, though he may speak in a simple way, with a few words he makes some really deep and clear points – remarks on his experience, alone in a society that doesn’t understand him or even seem to care about one another. We see just how much John understands about the world he lives in and we empathize with his wanting to be rid of the pain he feels from that understanding.
6.
Movie:
The Color Purple (1985)
Director:
Writers:
Who Said It:
Sofia played by Oprah Winfrey
What Was Said:
“Sat in that jail, I sat in that jail till near about done rot to death. I know what it’s like who wanna go somewhere and can’t. I know what it’s like who wanna sing… and have ’em beat outta ya. I wanna thank you, Miss Celie, for everything you’ve done for me. I remember that day in the store with Miss Millie – I’m feelin’ real down, I’m feelin’ mighty bad. And when I see you – I know that there is a God. I know that there is a God.”
What Makes it Memorable:
This movie represents a dual struggle for a black girl growing up in the southern states in the early 1900’s. First, there is the struggle within a society that doesn’t accept those of African decent, looks down on those of color, and leaves them psychologically oppressed, shunned, and isolated. Then, there is the female struggle within a society that doesn’t respect a woman’s rights, abilities, or contributions and a culture that does not actively seek to protect girls of color or poverty growing up in isolation.
Though the movie follows the life of Celie (played by Whoopi Goldberg), in particular, in its broader scope it highlights the various feminine roles and attitudes that she encounters on her journey through life. Within each of these observances, we catch a glimpse of how these common struggles affect the women in Celie’s life as well. The entire movie is rather emotional, heart-wrenching, and overall just extraordinary.
But the character of Sofia is particularly noteworthy because she is so strong and fierce, which we can see is a necessary reaction to a cruel world and a way to protect what she holds dear in her life. She has been hardened but is loving; she exemplifies the struggle of all women, attempting to gain some real autonomy over her own life. We see society break her down eventually and it tears at our very soul – we mourn with her for her losses in life but also for women everywhere who have been repressed and mentally broken. When she speaks these words, it’s like a ray of sunlight poking through a darkened sky. It’s one of the most powerful scenes ever put to film.
5.
Movie:
Steel Magnolias (1989)
Director:
Writers:
Who Said It:
M’Lynn Eatenton played by Sally Field
What Was Said:
“No. I couldn’t leave my Shelby. It’s interesting. Both the boys were very difficult births. I almost died when Jonathan was born. Very difficult births. Shelby was a breeze. I could’ve gone home that afternoon I had her. I was thinking about that as I sat next to Shelby while she was in the coma. I would work her legs and arms to keep the circulation going. I told the ICU nurse we were doing our Jane Fonda. I stayed there. I kept on pushing . . . just like I always have where Shelby was concerned . . . hoping she’d sit up and argue with me. But finally we all realized there was no hope. At that point I panicked.
I was very afraid that I would not survive the next few minutes while they turned off the machines. Drum couldn’t take it. He left. Jackson couldn’t take it. He left. It struck me as amusing. Men are supposed to be made of steel or something. But I could not leave. I just sat there . . . holding Shelby’s hand while the sounds got softer and the beeps got farther apart until all was quiet. There was no noise, no tremble . . . just peace. I realized as a woman how lucky I was. I was there when this wonderful person drifted into my world and I was there when she drifted out. It was the most precious moment of my life […]
I feel fine. I feel great. I could jog to Texas and back, but my daughter can’t! She never could… I am so mad I don’t know what to do. I want to know why! I want to know why Shelby’s life is over. How is that baby ever going to understand how wonderful his mother was? Will he ever understand what she went through for him? I don’t understand. Lord I wish I could. It is not supposed to happen this way. I’m supposed to go first. I’ve always been ready to go first. I can’t stand this. I just want to hit somebody until they feel as bad as I do. I . . . just want to hit something . . . and hit it hard.”
What Makes it Memorable:
This is a story of mother and daughter, of friendship and support, and of the cycles of life. Its focus is on the bonds of family and of friends, with a particular lean toward a group of southern women and how they are there for one another during the highs and lows of adult life. Through each of them we are introduced to individual female perspectives and the fears and dreams they each hold.
M’Lynn is mother of Shelby (played by Julia Roberts) who is her oldest child and only daughter. She’s very protective of her because she’s a diabetic with serious health limitations. She’s cared for these special health needs for the entirety of her daughter’s life and her concerns that Shelby and her new husband won’t heed medical advice prove to be valid. She continues to do everything she can to prolong her daughter’s life, but learns that with some things in life we simply have no control.
The monologue is delivered to her circle of close friends while standing in the cemetery where she has just buried her daughter. It shows the roller-coaster of emotion that fills a mother’s spirit when she’s lost a child. Through her words we know the grief and the gratitude, the anger and the regret, the wondering at how life could possibly proceed. Sally Field is terrific here as she takes us through that scattered emotion.
And right there, as the group of women have gathered to support their friend in this most difficult of times, as they each had done for one another in so many moments before, we see the strength of that bond and how it carries them through. We are inspired by their mutual support and believe that it will continue to carry them through, because we know that these southern flowers are indeed strong – they’re steel magnolias. The scenes that follow are further proof of the bond that carries on.
4.
Movie:
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Director:
Writers:
Who said it:
Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding played by Morgan Freeman
What Was Said:
“Sometimes it makes me sad, though… Andy being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren’t meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they’re gone. I guess I just miss my friend.”
What makes it Memorable:
This is a story about the struggle to overcome the most insane and unfair circumstances that could befall a person. It’s also a story of true friendship, loyalty, truth, and hope. Sometimes all it takes is one wrong choice, one episode of bad timing, one personality quirk, to alter a life forever. In the case of Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins ), it’s a combination of these that alter his life beyond measure. We follow his transition from living in the free world as a top-notch banker into the brutal realities of prison life, experienced as an innocent man wrongly convicted for back to back life sentences.
In an utterly hopeless and near unimaginable situation, we see how this mild-mannered, intelligent man faces each new hurdle and we marvel at how he’s able to retain his composure during the worst of times. Part of what draws us to his character is his non-abrasive manner within a very abrasive environment. It’s what “Red” sees in him from the start and, as he is the narrator of Andy’s story, we are able to connect with him through those observations and interactions. We come to depend on their friendship as it is the singular saving grace amidst a mound of unthinkable occurrences in a life that’s been stolen away.
Red’s reflection on how he misses his friend and the way he describes his being gone marks the heaviness that weighs on his soul from that loss even though he realizes it’s as it should be. It speaks to that part of us that knows how rare and fleeting such true friendship is in life. The authentic human connection that these two men share is how we are able to maintain some semblance of hope, so when they are separated we feel as Red does – we delight in Andy’s newfound life but we also feel the void that is created from his absence in Red’s life. Then, we cling to the transformation that the loss sparks inside Red as he also reflects on the profoundness of experience that this connection brought to his own life.
3.
Movie:
Forrest Gump (1994)
Director:
Writers:
Who Said It:
Forest Gump played by Tom Hanks
What Was Said:
“You died on a Saturday morning and I had you placed here under our tree. And I had that house of your father’s bulldozed to the ground. Momma always said dyin’ was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn’t. Little Forrest, he’s doing just fine. About to start school again soon. I make his breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. I make sure he combs his hair and brushes his teeth every day. Teaching him how to play ping-pong. He’s really good. We fish a lot. And every night, we read a book. [begins to cry]He’s so smart, Jenny. You’d be so proud of him. I am. He, uh, wrote a letter, and he says I can’t read it. I’m not supposed to, so I’ll just leave it here for you. [puts letter at foot of tombstone]Jenny, I don’t know if Momma was right or if, if it’s Lieutenant Dan. I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it’s both. Maybe both is happening at the same time. [voice shakes] I miss you, Jenny. If there’s anything you need, I won’t be far away.”
What Makes it Memorable:
This story follows the amazing journey of a person deemed less than average by most everyone. He has a mother who believes in him relentlessly and does everything within her power to make sure he has every opportunity in life. A string of supposed coincidences leads Forrest down a path of varied experiences and great triumphs. Though he’s simple minded, he has a profound outlook on life, allowing the wind to carry him where it will. He has a deep understanding of things and this isn’t readily apparent to people who don’t know him well. A beauty of character is seen through his observations and honesty. His ability to love beyond measure and without conditions is what makes him all the more special and rare.
The love he feels for his childhood friend Jenny (played by Robin Wright) is an ongoing presence along his grand journeys. Throughout the movie his life is contrasted by hers and we see how different a life spent running away from past traumas is to one spent allowing transitions as they occur. Though their individual hurdles in life are very different, there is a commonality of hard knocks too. She has to overcome a horrible abuse while he has to overcome physical and mental challenges in a society that believes him to be handicapped. This is what draws them together as children in the first place and allows them to forge a lifelong connection. Their outlooks, attitudes, and reactions along their respective paths are sharply divergent, which leads them to make vastly different life decisions.
Just before his incredibly moving monologue by her grave, he sits at her bedside. She asks him if he was scared in Vietnam and he replies with a simple yes, but then he goes on to share with her imagery of peace and beauty that he experienced there and across a number of landscapes – illustrating the commonalities of nature everywhere and his perspective of gratitude for having witnessed it. To that she wishes aloud that she could’ve been there with him. He replies, “you were.” The beauty captured in this transitioning scene mirrors the transition of her passing and of the passing time. We feel the totality of it all and it brings with it a resonating force that aligns the character’s deep sense of loss and metaphysical reflection with that which we know is ours as well.
2.
Movie:
Cast Away (2000)
Director:
Writer:
Who Said It:
Chuck Noland played by Tom Hanks
What Was Said:
“We both have done the math. Kelly added it all up and… knew she had to let me go. I added it up, and knew that I had… lost her. Because I was never going to get off that island. I was going to die there, totally alone. I was going to get sick, or get injured or something. The only choice I had, the only thing I could control was when, and how and where it was going to happen. So… I made a rope and I went up to the summit, to hang myself. I had to test it, you know? Of course, you know me. And the weight of the log, snapped the limb of the tree, so I-I – , I couldn’t even kill myself the way I wanted to. I had power over *nothing*. And that’s when this feeling came over me like a warm blanket. I knew, somehow that I had to stay alive. Somehow. I had to keep breathing. Even though there was no reason to hope. And all my logic said that I would never see this place again. So that’s what I did. I stayed alive. I kept breathing. And one day, my logic was proven all wrong because the tide came in, and gave me a sail. And now, here I am. I’m back in Memphis, talking to you. I have ice in my glass… And I’ve lost her all over again. I’m so sad that I don’t have Kelly. But I’m so grateful that she was with me on that island. And I know what I have to do now. I got to keep breathing. Because tomorrow, the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?”
What Makes it Memorable:
This story follows a FedEx employee who lives a very busy and hectic lifestyle in a top position of the company he works for. As a systems engineer for a company whose focus and success relies on strict time management, Chuck is dedicated to the idea that keeping a schedule and always working to beat the clock is a condition worth striving for – presumably in life as well as business, as this is something that transfers into his personal experiences with friends and family as well.
Life takes a drastic turn for Chuck when he becomes the lone survivor of a plane crash into the ocean. He finds himself stranded on an uninhabited island with no means of escape or hope for rescue. He stays alive by learning to “manage” his surroundings and what’s available to him. He stays focused on survival by keeping thoughts of his fiance, Kelly (played by Helen Hunt), close in his mind. For just over four years he lives life completely alone with only a picture of Kelly and a volleyball named Wilson to talk to. When the tide washes up a portion of a broken wall from a portable toilet, it occurs to him that he can use it for a sail and so he sets out planning a strategy for building a raft and escaping the island.
His journey home is wrought with loneliness, fear, despair, heartbreak, and regret. Once he is rescued, he faces life in the world with people as an odd distant memory. The experience of striving to stay alive and living with only memories and hope has altered his perspective in a number of significant ways. He’s disappointed that Kelly will no longer be a part of his story from this point on, but at the same time he’s grateful for what their relationship brought to him on that island.
He’s lost something of great importance in his life through the experience, but he’s also gained a more graceful outlook toward life as a journey. The collision of emotion he feels when talking about the pain of losing alongside the joy of being alive is one that we all can relate to on some level. These thoughts are expressed in a darkened and quiet room, as he talks to a live friend, next to a fire he didn’t have to build, holding a glass with ice in it. Within that contrast of experience he finds the common intersection of hope. Through his recognition of the larger lesson or gift he’s been given, he reveals an optimism regardless of despair, and there we find that hope too.
1.
Movie:
What Dreams May Come (1998)
Director:
Writers:
Who Said It:
Chris Nielson played by Robin Williams
What Was Said:
“I’m sorry, babe, but there’s some things I have to say. I’ve only got a few moments left. I’m sorry for all the things I’ll never give you. I’ll never buy you another meatball sub with extra sauce — that was a big one! I’ll never make you smile. I just wanted us to be old together, just two old farts laughin’ at each other as our bodies fell apart, together at the end by that lake in your painting. That was our Heaven, see? There’s lots of things to miss: books, naps, kisses, and fights! God, we had some great ones. Thank you for those. Thank you for every kindness. Thank you for our children. For the first time I saw them. Thank you for being someone I was always proud to be with. For your guts. For your sweetness.For how you always looked, for how I always wanted to touch you. You were my life. I apologize for every time I failed you. Especially this one.”
What Makes it Memorable:
This story takes us on a journey of two soulmates finding one another and living a joyful yet tragic life together. They meet, they marry, they have two kids, and busy themselves in careers they love. In many ways what they create together is perfect, though they disagree about things involving their children sometimes and in that way what they have is quite normal. But their real trials begin when they lose their children in a car accident. From there, we go through the grief along with them.
At first they experience a wedge in their relationship because of their differing responses to that grief. But they find a way to support each other through it and maintain a pieced together life. Then, Chris also dies in a freak accident and Annie (played by Annabella Sciorra) is left all alone. We see mostly from Chris’ perspective as he hangs around. Soon it becomes clear to him that his presence is not helping her anymore so he crosses over. From there we experience Heaven through Chris’ point of view. We are also shown Annie’s perspective from the living world and how they’re worlds are still connected.
Eventually, Annie takes her own life and Chris is informed that he will never see her again because she will not allow herself to recognize another reality – essentially in a hell of her own making. Refusing to give up on her, Chris gets a tracker to guide him into the darkest regions of the afterlife so he can find her. When he does find her, he tries everything to reach her mind so that she’ll snap out of the guilt holding her there. The monologue he gives is his final goodbye. Then, he makes an ultimate sacrifice for true love, making this quite possibly the most romantic scene ever written. It demonstrates the kind of love and dedication – the kind of real and honest connection – we all seek instinctively.
The entire movie is cloaked in emotional symbolism as each scene is carefully crafted to reflect the thoughts, feelings, and trials of the characters – through various visual elements, colors, and textures. So, as he’s talking with her in this scene, we see the dark decay of their surroundings literally crumbling around them. We hear it too. And, when he asks her where they’re going we feel the devotion and we know it’s the right thing. Whereas once he wasn’t able to join her, now he knows it’s all he would ever want. It’s just beautiful.
Honorable Mentions:
I think a little piece of us dies each time we revisit these scenes. They are so powerful, they’re, arguably, more memorable (or perhaps, more mentioned) than those chosen for the list above. So, for those of you who were expecting to see them on the list — here they are…
The moment when Atreyu (played by Noah Hathaway) tries to save Artax who is sinking into the Swamp of Sadness.
“Fight against the Sadness, Artax. Please, you’re letting the Sadness of the Swamps get to you. You have to try. You have to care. For me. You’re my friend. I love you. Artax!”
That moment when Chuck wakes on his raft out at sea to realize his long time companion has come untied and drifted away.
“Wilson I’m coming….Wilson…Wilson… (struggles) I can’t …Wilson (goes under water, loses hold of rope) Wilson! Wilson! Wilson, I’m Sorry! I’m Sorry Wilson! (cries) Wilson.. I’m Sorry .. Wilson.. I can’t .. Wilson!”
What do you think about these incredible movie moments? What is one poignant movie scene that you would’ve included in this list? Tell me about it in the comments!
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4 comments
Interesting post. Green Mile was one of the movies that was very memorable to me. I think you hit the nail on the head on why that part was so memorable!
Thank you! I appreciate your comment. I had fun with this post and plan to do more like it.
My husband is a movie buff and he will really enjoy this post! I love Forrest Gump and thanks for memorable write up…quite interesting.
Thank you for reading, commenting, and sharing! Much appreciated.