Great subtle moments in movies

[MicroBob]

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Near the end of Glengarry Glen Ross, Jack Lemmon comes in all psyched and happy, saying "Put me on the Cadillac Board!" after making a big sale.

As Kevin Spacey tells him that the customers are flakes, you can actually see Lemmon deflate. He doesn't say anything, but he actually appears to shrink as the realization sets in.

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This is a great example.

Jack Lemmon is so good at that moment, you can just see that his life is essentially over.

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I would have to see it again to be sure but Dids summed up my thoughts on this scene with:
"I'm pretty sure that obvious non-verbal acting isn't really that subtle."

Seriously...Jack Lemmon's character is all happy. He gets informed that his sale is likely no good. Jack Lemmon's charcater is now unhappy.
This does not strike me as particularly subtle.

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No, but that doesn't detract from how good it is.

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Didn't say it wasn't good.
That still doesn't make it subtle though imo.

[SmokeyRidesAgain]

Bale's fear of his cigarette lighter in The Machinist.

[Patton4]

The definition of a "subtle moment" is at question here. Does the moment have to have some deeper significance to the movie that some people may not notice or just any moment that people may not catch on initial viewings?

I'll defend my Major League post... not that it is the focus of the argument but as to guage what people believe is subtle in a movie.

Sheen is off to the side of the shot when Berrenger and Snipes look at him after his comment. The scene is still focused on Berrenger and Sheen's head shake is very quick and by no means the focus of the shot.

His reaction is subtle as it isn't the focus of the shot nor does Sheen exaggerate his movements. It is, in fact, a very real looking reaction.

Just as a starting point... do you all consider this Major League scene a "subtle moment"?

[FlyWf]

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Oh also, Dead Poets Society when the kids stand up on the desk.

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[Johnny Slippy]

I always liked the scene in "Sid And Nancy" where Nancy tells Sid that they've been in America for days, and he goes out on the fire escape to check it out...

the camera pans around and you can see the sign for the Chelsea Hotel behind Sid. If you know the story, then this is a pretty cool way to introduce the hotel into the movie.

So, anyways, is this subtle or not? It was bugging me at work today.

- Slippy

[JuntMonkey]

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Oh also, Dead Poets Society when the kids stand up on the desk.

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Yea whatever you probably think it isn't subtle when the plastic bag flies around in American Beauty lol.

[MortalWombat]

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I'm not sure if this is actually subtle, but in The Godfather when Michael realizes his hand does not shake.

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Another great moment is when Michael is in the hospital and is reassuring his father, "I'm with you now," and later it turns out to mean so much more.

[/ QUOTE ]You can see a tear on his father's face when he says that. I took it to mean that he realizes that Michael is not going down the path that he wanted for him.

[FlyWf]

Maybe this whole thread is all people trolling me. That would make a lot more sense than that dude who thought "Let the Wookie win" was subtle.

[J.A.K.]

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I think that Peter Sarsgaard has a pretty good knack for emoting a lot just with his eyes. If you watch Shattered Glass, he's really good at revealing a lot about his character through very subtle facial expressions.

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I was going to say the same about Benicio del Toro. I first remember seeing him in Traffic and loved the end where he's just sitting in the crowd at the ball park as the lights come on...good stuff.

Also, in Sling Blade when Karl was a guest in Woolridge's home, after sitting up all night on the edge of the still made bed, gets up to leave and smoothes the bedspread out with his hand...poetry. Several moments in this film.

[metsandfinsfan]

Brady Bunch Movie, Alice bends over and gets hit in the ass with a newspaper.
Comes in the house and mike brady asks her whats wrong
alice says, "you better be careful when you bend over, you never know what you'll get"