Today’s scene that I love comes from Peter Weir’s 1985 film, Witness. In this scene, the Amish come together and raise a barn. This scene celebrates community and also gives Harrison Ford a chance to show off his real-life carpentry skills.
Category Archives: Scenes I Love
Scenes That I Love: Amy Adams In Arrival
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to my fellow redhead, Amy Adams!
Amy gave one of the best performances to not be nominated for an Oscar in 2016’s Arrival. Today, my scene that I love is the poignant and thought-provoking ending of that film.
Scenes I Love: L.Q. Jones In Casino
Today would have been the birthday of the great character actor L.Q. Jones.
Though he was probably best known for the films that he did with Sam Peckinpah and for directing the darkly humorous sci-fi film, A Boy And His Dog, Jones also appeared in Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film, Casino. Playing the role of county commissioner Pat Webb, Jones went toe-to-toe with Robert De Niro and more than held his own. Reportedly, Scorsese asked Jones to rewrite much of his dialogue, in order to give it a western authenticity,
From Casino, here is a scene that I love:
Scenes That I Love: Patrick Swayze in Road House
Today would have been Patrick Swayze’s 73rd birthday. This scene that I love comes from Swayze’s greatest film, 1989’s Road House.
Here, Swayze explains how to be a bouncer.
A Scene That I Love: Kneel Before Zod from Superman II
The great British actor Terence Stamp passed away today. He was 87 years old.
Stamp appeared in many great films and gave several noteworthy performances. However, for those of us of a certain age, he will always be General Zod, the villain who nearly defeated Superman and who ordered the President to kneel before him. From 1980’s Superman II:
Terence Stamp, RIP.
Brad’s “Scene of the Day” – Angela Bassett is sick of Ralph Fiennes’ crap in STRANGE DAYS (1995)!
I have a tendency to develop crushes on the beautiful women in cinema. In 1995, I watched STRANGE DAYS in the theater because of Ralph Fiennes, but when I left I was in love with Angela Bassett. Her tough, but vulnerable character of Lornette “Mace” Mason grabbed me right by the heart! In honor of Angela’s 67th birthday, here’s a scene from the STRANGE DAYS. Just be careful, because she’s a crush waiting to happen!
Scenes That I Love: Steve Carell in Foxcatcher
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to actor Steve Carell. This scene that I love is from Foxcatcher and it features Carell cast against type, as the sociopathic John du Pont. (Carell received his first and — to date — last Oscar nomination for his performance as Du Pont.) In this scene, Du Pont corrupts a young wrestler played by Channing Tatum.
Scene That I Love: Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to one of the best actresses of her generation, Jennifer Lawrence. This scene that I love comes from 2009’s Winter’s Bone. I still think this is Lawrence’s best performance.
Brad’s “Scene of the Day” – Brenda Benet watches Joe Don Baker swing his big stick!
Today would have been the 80th birthday of actress Brenda Benet, a beautiful and talented woman whose life was cut short with tragedy. Born Brenda Ann Nelson in Los Angeles, California on August 14th, 1945, Benet had a career spanning over 16 years, mostly on TV. She’s probably best known for playing the character of Lee DuMonde in 298 episodes of Days Of Our Lives, but she appeared in episodes of many other classic TV series, and even in the Elvis Presley movie HARUM SCARUM (1965). In her personal life, she was married to actor Bill Bixby from 1971 to 1980, and they had one child, Christopher Sean Bixby. Tragically, Christopher died in 1981 during a ski vacation in California. Devastated and in the grip of depression after her son’s death, Brenda took her own life on April 7th, 1982. A very sad end for a very beautiful woman.
Today, I choose to celebrate her beauty and talent in this scene from WALKING TALL (1973). This is not her character’s most revealing scene in the film, but her exotic beauty at the beginning is quite the contrast to a situation that’s about to get real ugly. Rest in peace, Brenda.
Brad’s “Scene of the Day” – Cary Grant & Eva Marie Saint hang out on Mt. Rushmore!
Have y’all been to Mt. Rushmore? My wife and I stopped by in 2023 on the way home from Yellowstone. It was pretty cool stuff!
I remember as I was driving up to Mt. Rushmore, I saw a sign that mentioned the Alfred Hitchcock movie NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) being filmed there. I hadn’t seen the movie in many years, so I decided to watch it again when I got home to celebrate the trip. I enjoyed seeing Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint hanging out near the giant rock faces of some of America’s great presidents. In celebration of Hitchcock’s 126th birthday in cinema heaven, I thought I would share that scene with all of you!
Through the Shattered Lens 