Top 10 Saddest Moments in Classic Hollywood Movies
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the biggest tearjerker moments from the Old Hollywood Era. If these tearful classic Hollywood moments didn’t bring back all the feels, tell us which ones do! Let us know in the comments below.
#10: Vicki’s Monologue
“A Star is Born” (1954)
Some of the greatest actresses of their generation have played the leading role in “A Star is Born,” the rags-to-riches melodrama about the perils of fame. Judy Garland’s incredible dressing-room monologue about her husband’s alcohol use might just be the most devastating moment in any of the remakes. Anyone who’s watched a loved one go through similar experiences knows exactly the kind of heartbreak she’s expressing. It’s doubly sad when you know the tragic meta-narrative of Garland herself, who had substance use disorder for most of her career. It’s a simple scene, but it’s a testament to her abilities as a dramatic actor.
#9: Wilma Refuses to Leave Homer
“The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946)
This homecoming drama captivated American audiences who were, at the time, dealing with the emotional and physical trauma of World War II. First-time actor and real-life veteran Harold Russell played a returning hero who lost his hands in the war - a real-life injury that Russell sustained in a training accident. Homer fears that his childhood sweetheart, Wilma, will no longer want to marry him. However, in one of the movie’s most profound and heart-tugging scenes, Wilma shows Homer she’s more than ready to be his partner in all things. It’s a quiet moment, but so touching.
#8: Last Meeting
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“Brief Encounter” (1945)
In David Lean’s romantic drama about two people from different worlds who are constantly being pulled apart, not even their farewell is a private moment. As the married lovers try to say goodbye, their last moments together are interrupted by a casual acquaintance. They can do nothing more than exchange a few pleasantries as if they hardly know each other. Laura’s devastating inner thoughts grow more dangerous as she realizes her lover is about to disappear forever. Just as she’s on the verge of a desperate act, she decides to return to her husband. The way the movie teases the characters with a passionate goodbye only to rob them, and us, of it in the last scene, makes for a deeply poignant cap to their brief love affair.
#7: Annie’s Funeral
“Imitation of Life” (1959)
Douglas Sirk’s classic melodrama hits an emotional crescendo at the funeral of Annie Johnson, a Black housekeeper whose selflessness and love for her daughter verges on saintly. The scene turns the drama up to ten as the tearful Lora and the crowd listen to Mahalia Jackson’s soaring gospel vocals. But it’s the climax of the moment that really gets the tears flowing. Sarah Jane, Annie’s fair-skinned daughter, who rejected her own heritage, throws herself against the casket and begs her dead mother’s forgiveness. Losing a parent is sad enough, but that so much remains unspoken between the two is the real tragedy.
#6: “The Richest Man in Town”
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“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)
Although widely remembered as a feel-good Christmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is based on some pretty heavy themes. George Bailey’s encounter with Clarence the Angel comes about after a ruinous series of events leads George to consider ending it all. In the end though, all the personal sacrifices he’s made throughout his life are repaid, as the entire town comes together to pay off his debts. It may be a happy ending, but what it takes to get there is enough to take out a whole box of tissues.
#5: Stella’s Sacrifice
“Stella Dallas” (1937)
There’s nothing quite like a mother’s love. In this 1937 classic, Barbara Stanwyck plays Stella Dallas, a working-class woman who goes without so that her daughter has a chance at a respectable life. But when Stella’s own humble background turns out to be the biggest hurdle to that goal, she decides the best thing to do is to leave her daughter’s life forever. If you don’t weep along with Stella in those final moments as she secretly watches her daughter’s wedding from outside in the pouring rain, you have no heart.
#4: The Discovery
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“The Diary of Anne Frank” (1959)
The legendary story of Anne Frank and her family hiding from Nazi soldiers during the Holocaust was adapted for the screen in 1959. Watching as the Franks and their neighbors hear the approaching siren and resign themselves to their fate is a stunning and deeply upsetting moment. The entire cast is frozen in a hopeless tableau as the German officers break down the door. Despite their circumstances, Anne’s almost naive optimism in humanity is what lingers as the movie ends. Talk about a gut punch.
#3: The Flower Girl
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“City Lights” (1931)
Charlie Chaplin took his Little Tramp character to new emotional depths with this late-period silent film. In “City Lights,” the dusty and disheveled Chaplin character befriends a blind girl selling flowers. After securing the money for surgery to restore her sight, the Tramp is wrongfully imprisoned before the Flower Girl can learn who her mysterious patron is. It’s only months later, when she recognizes the touch of his hand, that she sees and knows him for the first time. Their overwhelming gratitude, hers for his generosity and his for her acceptance, is absolutely beautiful. And not a single word is spoken.
#2: Taking the Dog Out Back
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“Old Yeller” (1959)
Even if you’ve never read the book or seen the movie, you know about “Old Yeller.” It’s a classic coming-of-age story about a boy and his dog. But it’s the movie’s final scenes, which find young Travis Coates realizing his beloved canine is rabid and must be put down, that everyone remembers. It’s not just the death of the dog that’s so painful, but also the teary-eyed Travis’ realization that he should be the one to put him out of his misery. It only makes the story’s lessons about maturity and responsibility hit that much harder.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Kay’s Despair, “Stage Door” (1937)
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The Butterfly, “All Quiet on the Western Front” (1930)
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Tony’s Last Moments, “West Side Story” (1961)
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Maria Comforts Tony After He is Gunned Down by a Rival Gang
Saying Goodbye, “The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
Dorothy Prepares to Leave Oz & Her Newfound Friends Behind
The Nearest Thing to Heaven, “An Affair to Remember” (1957)
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#1: Bambi’s Mom
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“Bambi” (1942)
The best children’s stories are the ones that teach young audiences how to endure hardships in life. Disney has a knack for teaching us all about the loss of a parent (or both). It doesn’t help that in the classic “Bambi” movie, Walt Disney’s talented artists went out of their way to make the animated deer look incredibly cute! In an iconic scene that we all know and dread, a hunter descends on the forest where Bambi and his mother live, and they make a run for safety. We never see Bambi’s mother again, although we know what happens after we hear a gunshot and see Bambi running solo on screen. It’s easily the most heartbreaking moment in any classic movie.
