Top 5: American Moments
by John NolteMore like my top five available American moments on YouTube but still entertaining and not from the Golden Era. A reminder that the Hollywood we’re stuck with today can still throw a bone our way.
–
1. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) – A beautifully crafted uniquely American movie where, for once, the antagonist isn’t “the system” or “the racist system.” Chris Gardner (a superb Will Smith) wants something from life. He believes in this country and understands the key to achieving the dream is simple: never, ever give up. A superb script, based on a true story (the real Gardner has a touching cameo in the closing scene) never once takes the grinding pressure off, but aided by genuinely decent people (white Wall Streeters, no less) and driven by a love for his son, rather than play victim, Gardner keeps moving forward long after most of us would’ve surrendered to self pity. Movies don’t get much more conservative than this.
–
2. Rocky Balboa (2006) – The second great patriotic/conservative movie of 2006 and the most pleasant surprise of that year. This movie should’ve sucked but after fifteen years in the wilderness (five of them in the straight-to-DVD bin) writer/director Sylvester Stallone went back to the basics of character, plot, the universal theme of what drives the human spirit, and crafted a movie that only gets better with each new viewing. There’s a second great moment in “Rocky Balboa,” this essential truism: “It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
–
3. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) – The scene’s closing line sums up the theme of this under-rated, very entertaining bio of The Mighty Bruce Lee. Driven to achieve great success, Lee understands that only in America can his dreams come true. So deep is his love for this country that the film’s crisis point comes when he loses faith in the American Dream after a number of setbacks (thanks mainly to racist Hollywood). But of course, Lee became and remains an American Icon, unfortunately he didn’t live to see it. Though there’s rumors he’s not dead: “They got him frozen in carbonite down under Chatsworth. They’re gonna melt him down as soon as the economy gets better.”
–
4. Rudy (1993) – This movie has never made me cry. Not once. Ever. Really. I don’t lie about such things.
–
5. Superman II (1980) – Just a little something to prime my blazing hatred for Bryan Singer’s despicable Truth, justice and all that stuff… “Superman Returns” (2006), which stripped our hero of both his masculinity and Americanism. Not only that, “Returns” is supposed to pick up where part two left off, but again Singer displays only contempt for what Superman is about: his valor. As you can see in this scene, the second chapter closes with Superman promising to never let us down again, but Singer’s sucktacular sequel opens after Superman’s abandoned us for a few years, off trying to find his meterosexual self.
And with that, Happy Birthday, America! Thank you for everything, especially our best; those fine men and women guarding the wall today.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Tips & Feedback
47 Comments
PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS is a great film.
There is a moment when he is walking into the building and the camera pans up to the American flag.
Good list John. I'm right with you on 'Rudy'. My favorite of all those mentioned. Every single time, I just lovingly lose it and find myself with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. Beautiful film, great story.
Happy 4th of July!
I'd like to add the scene where "Born-on-the-4th-of-July" George M. Cohan (Cagney) meets FDR: “Where else in the world could a plain guy like me come in and talk things over with the head man?”
It is a good list.. "RUDY" and the "Pursuit of Happyness" both great movies…. but from there, it could be a debatable issue……mine is simple…. "Caddyshack" would have to be on there!!!
that was a great scene!
Awesome list, John.
Others that come to mind:
- Seabiscuit
- October Sky
- The Fountainhead
Excellent piece, John. If anybody can come back from the dead (besides Jesus Christ, of course), it would be Bruce Lee! Your comment on racism in Hollywood is spot on, as I am sure you are aware that the series "Kung Fu" was actually written with Bruce in mind in the lead role.As well as the series turned out, think of how much better it would have been with Bruce as "Kwai Chang Cain", instead of the late David Carridine, who did an admirable job, its just that David was no Bruce Lee!!HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO ALL!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
I worked on ROCKY BALBOA as a stand-in for one of he leads and was about three fet out of camera range durign the filming of that scene. I just stood there and watched Stallone, and Burt Yung as well, trying to get some of what they h ave to rub off. They shot about 6 versions of that scene, I was lucky enough to be there for all of them.
I never cried at "Rudy", neither. Nope, not at that clip, and never at that moment when Sean Astin is carried off the field, and from the stands, Jon Favreau shouts, "Who's the wild man now??!"
In fact, I am not crying now.
One of my most prized DVD is 'The Fountainhead' and that speech made by Roark at the end was unforgettable.
I start to lose it when his team mates, one by one, walk into Coach Devine's office and lay their jerseys on his desk. Shortly after, when Rudy comes out of the tunnel and Fortune (Charles S. Dutton) is there just waiting for him with that look on his face…I'm gone.
The Bruce Lee scene reminds me of a time long ago in college, when in a boxing class there was a guy about 6'4" and a pretty good loud mouth. He was better than anyone at anything; you just had to ask him. Or he'd tell you anyway.
Our boxing coach was this Egyptian guy – I think Jamal was his name. He had to have been all of about 5'6" – if that but sturdy and muscular.
So one day Jamal invites loud mouthed 6'4" guy for a lesson after hours.
]
Next day and after, the loud mouth was as quite as can be. He was polite and listened. Never did learn what transpired at that "private session" but I think we can guess…
[...] original here: Top 5: American Moments This entry is filed under America – Blogs, Big Hollywood. You can follow any responses to this [...]
Have never seen the movie, loved this scene. WOW. These are the people in charge. Now wonder we are where we are.
Great clip from Dragon: the Bruce Lee Story. One of my favorite movies. When I saw this clip, I remembered why.
Great call. I rented the film on Netflix, and loved it. I've resisted buying the DVD in hopes a Blu-ray gets made.
Meterosexual! HAHA!
Don't feel ashamed of crying at a good movie. I cry watching Field of Dreams.
Thanks for the link! I never thought I'd want to watch Leo in a movie, but I actually want to see this now.
I have one Honorable Mention:
Howard Hughes sticking it to a socialist Hepburn family:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ky-lQ0jSP8
The only baseball movie that should make you cry is "Bang the Drum Slowly" — and maybe "Pride of the Yankees." Those two always do it for me (as does Game 7 of the 2001 World Series).
[...] Top 5: American Moments by John Nolte [...]
Great list.
I'd also add "Apollo 13".
The Bruce Lee scene reminds me of a time long ago in college, when in a boxing class there was a guy about 6'4" and a pretty good loud mouth. He was better than anyone at anything; you just had to ask him. Or he'd tell you anyway.
Our boxing coach was this Egyptian guy – I think Jamal was his name. He had to have been all of about 5'6" – if that but wiry and muscular. If he were boxing he'd probably have been a lightweight as opposed to the "heavyweight".
So one day in class Jamal invites loud mouthed 6'4" guy for a lesson after hours.
Next day and after, the loud mouth was as quiet as can be. He was polite and listened. Never did learn what transpired at that "private session" but I think we can guess…
BTW John – I have ordered more videos at amazon from the recommendations at BH – including this one just now…
Work the problem!
I´m not exactly a fan of Leo and one can debate whether he has the looks to play Hughes. But he is very good in this role and the movie has some grand moments. But then I´ll watch anything with old airplanes in it.
I don't care for Leo that much, but he is excellent in this movie.
IMO, the best American scene was the beginning of Patton and the speech in front of the huge flag.
Good list. By the way, Rudy has never made me cry either. I don't lie about that kind of stuff as well.
Different Will Smith Movie…..Independance Day
The Bruce Lee line reminded me of a similar line from—of all movies–The Deer Hunter. Christopher Walken is being treated in an army hospital, and a doctor askes him for his name. He gives it. It's very Russian-sounding. The doctor asks, "Is that Russian?" Walken answers, "No. American." That's the best line of the whole movie.
I was never going to see the Rocky Balboa movie (and even forgot it existed), but maybe will have to rethink. Whoever wrote the screenplay of Pursuit of Happyness has to have at least a hint of conservative leanings. I love that movie and couldn't believe it came out of Hollywood. Not that I know what he might have said in other situations, but Will Smith often comes off as a conservative in his choice of roles. Perhaps he is in the closet on that. Hopefully I am not proven wrong, although his son played in that enviro-turd Earth Day movie.
"…this could be the worst disaster in the history of NASA.."
"…Excuse me sir, but I DO believe it will be our finest hour!"
What about the scene in Remember The Titans where Denzel Washington makes the team go jogging at night and takes them to the battlefield at Gettysburg? And then he tells the players, black and white, that unless they set aside their differences and become a team, they'll destroy each other like the soldiers on that old battlefield? I get all choked up just remembering that one.
Oh, wait…here's a link to the scene…http://tinyurl.com/c9yccp
Good choice!
Okay, ignore the sound track (music and applause), and concentrate on the speech and its content, well delivered by the shamefully under-appreciated Ron Ely:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RL6FZj0GWo
Doc Savage rules!
[...] Day I enjoyed, I saved this collection of movie clips which made me more than a bit misty. Five top American Moments None of the clips are more than a couple minutes long, but they are classics. You’ll enjoy [...]
I fondly remember the scene between Will Smith and his son where Smith, as Chris Gardner, tells his son, "Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something. They don't know who you are." (Sorry if that"s not verbatim.) What made it stand out even more for me was the fact that , during the previous week in one of my advanced classes I spoke the exact quote. I literally started blubbering in that darkened theatre. To this day, and for the foreseeable future, I refer back to it and recommend the kids to get the DVD. For me, this is an example of how you grow and cultivate character,a strong work ethic and excellence in results, in short the American Dream.
Well, I think Smith's work ethic is conservative. For example, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, a reporter asked Smith why few Black actors make money overseas. From the tone of the question, the reporter likely expected Smith (a known Democrat) to blame racism for this disparity.
Surprisingly, Smith replied that any actor no matter his race can succeed overseas, but it takes a WHOLE lot of time and marketing. Many actors with families find it difficult though not impossible to engage in such intense self-promotion outside America.
So, at least on economic issues, I think Smith is as conservative as Gardner whom who portrayed in "Happyness." However, unlike Gardner, I don't think Smith realizes how right-leaning he is.
"This movie has never made me cry. Not once. Ever. Really. I don’t lie about such things."
Glory was on yesterday, I caught the last half hour of it. It's a pretty moving scene at the end, when, after everything slavery had done to the troops, they still muster the courage to charge a fortified position under withering fire.
It certainly says something to me about being an American.
How much fun was that??
Let us now bow our heads for the omission of Red Dawn
Kurt Russell's pre-game speech in Miracle.
Thanks, Herb.
I like the scene in "Beautiful Loser" where the coach is talking about archery class. Hey, John. It's Paul Bass (coach). I am thrilled to find you here. I am your newest fan.
[...] Check it out here. What great clips! [...]
I mean tilt
You must be logged in to post a comment.