Tim Ellsworth

Movies that make men cry

June 12th, 2008

Came across a great blog post on The Sporting News with one guy’s listing of 25 movies that make men cry. Here are his top 10:

1. Field of Dreams
2. Old Yeller
3. Brian’s Song
4. Braveheart
5. Rudy
6. Pride of the Yankees
7. Saving Private Ryan
8. The Green Mile
9. E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial
10. The Passion of the Christ

Does he get it right? Time to swallow your pride and fess up. I don’t know if I can rank the movies in any kind of definitive order, but Hoosiers, Remember the Titans, The Rookie and We Are Marshall would probably have to be on my list, and they are absent from his.

26 Responses to “Movies that make men cry”

  1. Cineaste says:

    The only one that made me cry, when I was younger, was “Old Yeller.” The movies that made me cry are not on the list since they are more obscure. I admit “Breaking the Waves” made me cry. It’s a Christian film that I don’t think many Christians have seen, unfortunately.

  2. Cineaste says:

    I forgot to mention, warning: spoilers in the review I linked.

  3. Peter R says:

    I think I’m the only person I know who didn’t like The Passion. I’d get rid of E.T. also. I would put Remember the Titans and Miracle in the top ten.

  4. Mark G. says:

    I cried after watching My Dog Skip. If you had a dog growing up and then had to leave him when you got older, you’d understand.

  5. Mark G. says:

    Oh, and I think Glory could be added to that list.


  6. Even though the acting was not great, and the movie bordered on a propserity gospel mentality because EVERYTHING turned out right, FACING THE GIANTS (the one the Baptist church down south somewhere did) had some moments that made me fight back the tears, especially the struggle the one couple had to have a baby.


  7. Gettysburg.

  8. The Zoner says:

    “Even though the acting was not great, and the movie bordered on a propserity gospel mentality because EVERYTHING turned out right,”– I still liked the movie but that was kind of ridiculous.

  9. Verne says:

    I agree with Steve on Facing the Giants I had tears that day.
    The top of my list would be Something for Joey.
    I would also include We are Marshall.
    The only one on the list I agree with would be Old Yeller.
    I would also include The Notebook. I am pretty soft when it comes to senitmental stuff so I tear up real easy. My kids tease me when we watch movies as a family.

  10. Laz says:

    The 2006 Rose Bowl

  11. Russ says:

    I watched “August Rush” last night and was a mess at the end.

  12. Verne says:

    OK I missed Brians song on the list I agree with that one.
    Field of Dreams was a great movie but not a tear jerker.


  13. I’m not a big movie fan. So whenever my wife talks me into going, I usually cry.

    I cry because of how much it costs. And I cry because 2 hours of my life just flashed by and I’ll never get them back.

    I’m crying a little now just thinking about it.

  14. Brett says:

    Schindler’s List is the only movie that made me cry like a baby when it was over. The cruelty and reality were just too much.

  15. Luke says:

    Good list, Tim. I’d also add “Where the Red Fern Grows”, “The Natural”, and “Chariots of Fire”. Also, I know it’s not a film, but everytime I see Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech, I lose it.

  16. Jeremy says:

    I laughed so hard that I cried in ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail.’ Does that count?

  17. Leland says:

    No particular order

    8 Seconds, particularly the end.
    Saving Private Ryan
    Big Fish
    It’s a Wonderful Life
    Band of Brothers miniseries
    The Kid

    I’m sure there are others, but they don’t come to mind right now.

  18. Craig says:

    An old acquaintance of mine used to always cry during “Brian’s Song,” not when Brian Piccolo dies, but when Gale Sayers blows out his knee. He was a Bears fan.

  19. KC says:

    I concur with Brian’s Song and Old Yeller. Others I would add are “Where the Red Fern Grows,” “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” (The last Christmas that my Grandfather was alive, we watched this together in his hospital room on Christmas Day.)


  20. I would definitely put Remember the Titans in the top ten and take E.T. out. I never cried during Old Yeller… It wasn’t really that sad to me… I know.. I’m a terrible person, but Where the Red Fern Grows is a good choice.

  21. Nick Fox says:

    Glory was the first one I thought of.

  22. Mark says:

    Facing the Giants was definitely a tear-jerker. I would have to add, The Last Samurai and Tears of the Sun. The ending of both films got to me…

  23. David Wooten says:

    C’mon y’all! Haven’t any of you Southern gentlemen seen “Gods and Generals?”


  24. The movie “Antwone Fisher” gets me every time.

  25. misawa says:

    Saving Private Ryan are the two in recent memory that got me all choked up.

  26. misawa says:

    Errr… Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers…