We’ve all seen them – the movies that make our eyes well up with tears whether we want them to or not. It may be for a good reason or for a sad reason, but here are my top 10 tearjerkers:
10. Leaving Las Vegas
No, this is not a conventional tearjerker and as far as I know, I am the only one in the world to openly sob when I saw this at the theater (with a date no less!). But, Nicolas Cage’s Ben is such a sad, lonely, and destructive character. When Sera comes to find him dying at the end and the two finally consummate their love affair, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. We stayed through the credits so I could compose myself.
9. Love Story
Boy, if this one doesn’t get you, nothing will! There is nothing like being young, in love, beautiful, poor, and dying to make you cry. Ali MacGraw’s middle class Jennifer is in love with Ryan O’Neal’s rich Oliver and his family doesn’t approve. At least not until she gets sick and dies in Oliver’s arms. Yeah, I was jello for about half an hour after seeing this one.
8. Glory
This one just works you up from the minute it opens. The true story of the first African American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts volunteers, you see them kicked around – fighting for proper clothing and pay. Then, they are led to their deaths at Fort Wagner, bravely fighting for their county and freedom. And, just in case you missed some of the battle, in death, the black soldiers are shown being thrown into a shared grave with their white leader, Colonel Robert Shaw – in slow motion!
7. Ghost
Nothing makes you cry like a love story that death can’t even destroy. Patrick Swayze is killed by a paid assassin – which his best friend hired! But he loves Demi Moore so much, he comes back to protect her, in the process making friends with psychic Whoopee Goldberg and killing off both the assassin and evil best friend before telling Demi goodbye.
Tomorrow, more of my favorite tearjerkers!