James Gandolfini: His 10 Most Intense Scenes

By Johny D Thrasher /

James Gandolfini. By now we've heard all of the great things said about the man they called Jimmy. Handsome, beautiful, selfless, generous, caring, loving, loyal, friendly, great, and charismatic. We could stare back into those eyes above and listen to those words repeated over and over and over again. We could. But we won't. Not here at least. Here we are going to take some time reviewing a list that is as deep as it is simple. We are going to recognize his life's work and by extension his talents. In doing so, maybe, just maybe we can find a stronger appreciation of what we were left with. What we will analyze will not be labeled as the top James Gandolfini scenes. It will be a bit more specific than that. It is the ten most "intense" scenes as portrayed by James Gandolfini. Intense, as it is defined by Merriam-Webster, means "deeply felt". It is not uncommon to primarily associate the word "intense" with anger or screaming. Don't get me wrong. You and I both know Tony Soprano knew how to display some intense anger, but in this case it is important to remember that anger isn't the only emotion that can become intensified. Emotions are what draw us into a character. Emotions, when portrayed correctly, can sometimes go unnoticed. That's what we want right? To watch a movie or tv show and become lost somewhere between our reality and that of the character. To temporarily suspend disbelief. Well today I want to recognize the talent that is necessary to make that happen. This is what James Gandolfini loved doing, and he was good at doing it. Perhaps in doing so we can find a greater appreciation for the adjectives used above to describe the man, or perhaps in reviewing those adjectives we can gain a greater appreciation for the acting skills required to display such contradicting characteristics. Enjoy...