Hal (Christopher Plummer) finds out his cancer is incurable. No clip, unfortunately, but here's the trailer: http://movieclips.com/b9A3Q-beginners-movie-trailer-1/ Beginners (2010) INT. DOCTORS' OFFICE - DAY Inside a small doctor's office, Hal, Oliver and Dr. Long have a meeting. DR. LONG: Hal, you don't need to come in for any more treatments. Stoic and irreverent, Hal feigns surprise. HAL: Have I done something wrong? DR. FLASTER: It's best that you stay home. Hospice can help you more now, any more treatments would just -- cause more pain. HAL: I see. DR. LONG: I'm sorry, I wish we could do more. HAL: You did an excellent job Dr. Long. Thank you... for... For coming to the party.

One of my favourite lines on film. In some ways, the epitome of gallows humor, in that the Germans have captured Rose and Charlie and are about to hang them--even if the humor comes from the screenwriter and not from the characters. Captain of Louisa: By the authority vested in me by Kaiser William II, I pronounce you man and wife. Proceed with the execution. The African Queen (1957); directed by John Huston; writers C.S. Forester (novel "The African Queen"), James Agee (adapted for the screen by) & John Huston (adapted for the screen by), Peter Viertel (uncredited) & John Collier (uncredited). Peter Bull as Captain of Louisa, Humphrey Bogart as Charlie Allnut, & Katharine Hepburn as Rose Sayer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tZcsM_DW_U Trivia: This is the role that won Humphrey Bogart the only Oscar of his career. The film was also nominated for, but did not win, 3 other Academy Awards: Best Actress (Hepburn), Best Director (Huston), and Best Writing, Screenplay (Agee & Huston). [Via IMDB] C.S. Forester wrote two different final scenes for his book; one was published in England, the other in America. In the more widely published American version, Rose Sayer and Charlie Allnut are turned over to British officers, who then blow up the Louisa. In the British version, the African Queen hits the Louisa and destroys it, after which Rose and Charlie walk down the beach to inform the British Army that the way is now clear. In a modern interview, Peter Viertel said that since he and John Huston wanted Rose and Charlie to be together at the final scene, and invented a way for them to be married on the German ship to avoid censorship. [via IMDB] PS Thanks for the history of the Daily Dialogue feature, Scott, and congratulations on such a long winning streak. :)

And here is some non-verbal gallows humor courtesy of Roberto Benigni in Life Is Beautiful (1997): http://movieclips.com/3rfQ-life-is-beautiful-movie-the-final-game/ Yeah, Daily Dialogue rocks! It's my favorite feature here on the GITS.

From "Die Hard"... John McClane: [huddled in an air vent, recalls his wife's invitation] "Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkvgX_UiEqY

GOODFELLAS (1990) directed by Martin Scorsese, screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese, based on the book "Wiseguys" by Pileggi [Henry, Jimmy and Tommy are digging up Billy Batts' decomposed corpse. Henry is coughing from the stench, while the others don't appear to be bothered] Tommy DeVito: Hey, Henry, Henry, hurry up, will ya? My mother's gonna make some fried peppers and sausage for us. [Jimmy and Tommy laugh while Henry coughs] Jimmy Conway: Oh, hey, Henry, Henry! Here's an arm! Henry Hill: Very funny, guys. Jimmy Conway: Here's a leg! Tommy DeVito: Here's a wing! [laughs] Tommy DeVito: Hey, what do you like, the leg or the wing, Henry? Or ya still go for the old hearts and lungs? Henry Hill: [Vomiting] Oh, that's so bad! couldn't find the scene online, part of it features in the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo5jJpHtI1Y

"Breaker Morant" (1980) Harry Morant: Shoot straight, you bastards. Don't make a mess of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUPAwQPcPHM (3:58 minute mark of clip) Takeaway: Watch more Australian films.

I should mention that Harry is facing a firing squad made up of his own countrymen.

Analyze This (1999) http://youtu.be/WLIjVACABW4 EXT. HOTEL COURTYARD - DAY The ceremony is in progress. JUSTICE If any man here knows why these two people should not be joined in holy matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace. A beat, then a SCREAM is heard from above, then Tino crashes into a buffet table in the b.g. Wedding guests react in horror. INT. VITTI'S SUITE - LATER Jimmy and Jelly are hastily throwing clothes into suitcases. Vitti comes out of the bedroom hurriedly buttoning up his shirt. VITTI (urgently, to Jelly) Tell Mikey to take Marie and the kids right to the airport. (to Jimmy) You get the car, bring it around to the back and wait for me. Ben bursts into the room. BEN That's it. I've had it with you! VITTI What happened? BEN What happened? I just saw a man fall seven stories into a platter of poached salmon! That's what happened. VITTI Did he break anything? BEN Yes. Everything! They're still picking the capers out of his forehead. VITTI Hey, people get depressed, they jump. It's a human tragedy, but it's not my fault. BEN You're telling me it was suicide? VITTI (to Jelly) I think he left a note. Jelly, did they find that note? JELLY No, but they will in a minute. BEN Oh, yeah, here it is. (picks up a slip of paper, pretends to read) 'Life is bullshit. I can't fuckin' take it no more. Tino.'

Dialogue takeaway: I've read that cops, emergency room doctors and other people engaged in jobs where they encounter some amount of mayhem engage in black humor as a defense mechanism. The same might be true of criminals - or maybe Tommy and Jimmy are just unfeeling psychopaths. Maybe both.