It’s happy endings that make me cry, especially in films.
I can remember one of the very first films I cried at – an
old film about the San Francisco
earthquake (with Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Jeannette Macdonald). At the
end, when they’re all camped out above the burning city, a boy runs up the hill
shouting ‘The fires are out!’ and they march to the top of the hill, look out
over the ruined, smouldering city and sing San Francisco, open your Golden
Gate … well, I’m in floods of tears!
Another film which ALWAYS makes me cry, even though I’ve
seen it many times, is Apollo 13. The astronauts, after an agonising wait,
finally break the radio silence. Years ago, I watched it actually happening on
TV and fisted the air when we knew the astronauts were safe. In the film, it’s the reactions of all the families and the
Houston crew
that make me fill up, every single time!
I cried at the end of The Incredible Journey when Shadow,
the golden retriever, eventually appeared. I cried when Hugh Jackman found
Nicole Kidman after Darwin had been bombed in Australia . For
heaven's sake, I even cried at the end of Toy Story 3 when the toys found a
happy new home!
I cry at the end of Carousel when Billy makes his peace
with Julie, I cry when the family escape to safety over the mountains in The Sound
of Music, I cry when Emile re-appears at the end of South Pacific – in fact,
a lot of musicals make me cry, because the endings are happy.
.
If a reader tells me that the happy ending of any of my
books has made them cry, then I know I've got it right.
What movie or book has made you cry?
The first time I remembering crying over a book was in Little Women when Beth dies. I was in fourth or fifth grade, and I remember to this day how the emotion just overcoming me. It was such an odd sensation to be crying over something that wasn't real. It was then I first realized the power of the written word and how evocative it could be.
ReplyDeleteNot a happy ending...although those make me cry, too.
I must be kind of weird, because I don't usually cry at sad things, only at happy ones! I remember crying when Jane Eyre finally came back to Mr. Rochester - which was sad because he had been blinded in the fire - but it was still a happy reunion for them both.
DeleteAt this point, I cry over almost everything, so I don't think I'm a good judge. But I know exactly what you mean.
ReplyDeleteI've been through periods like that too, Jen.
DeleteI remember crying over ET! That scene at the end gets me every time. I also practically sobbed at the end of that book The Fault in Our Stars. Happy endings definitely get me :)
ReplyDeleteI'd forgotten about ET - but yes, that gets me too! Not read that book - will take a look. Thanks for visiting my blog, Nicole :-)
Delete