20 Movies You Weren't Expecting To Make You Cry

Gladiator is fondly remembered as a manly action classic, and sure, it does fit that description. It's also, however, a massive tear-jerker.

The story of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) is a bleak one. Early in the story, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), one of the most hateful villains ever, is overcome with petty jealousy because his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), seems to favour Maximus over him. And so, he kills his father, takes over as Emperor, and tries to kill Maximus. 

Maximus escapes and flees home... to find the burned bodies of his beloved wife and son, who have been cruelly killed at Commodus' hands. Maximus is then sold into slavery and becomes a gladiator. It's a sad tale, all right, and one that hits especially hard because it's happening to such a likable character who audiences will deeply care for. 

Gladiator does conclude with Maximus killing Commodus and freeing Rome from his tyranny, but he does so at the cost of his own life. Maximus' death - which is intercut with him reuniting with his family in the afterlife and is buoyed by Hans Zimmer's hauntingly beautiful score- is almost unbearably moving, and it left entire cinema crowds weeping into their popcorn. 

That is why Gladiator is a classic. It's not just because of the fights and badass quotes, it's because it combines those things with a powerful, dramatic story that'll make audiences cry like a bowl of diced onions.