There are movie in which food is used more as a prop than anything and quite honestly it reminds you that apart from nourishment that food can offer a great deal of amusement as well, as a pie can be SO much more than just a baked good. Of course the innuendo is always bound to be there thanks to certain movies, TV shows, and even characters such as The Rock when he coined the phrase, “Do you like….PIE?” on the WWE. But since we’re sticking to movies here there are some truly memorable scenes that have been passed down throughout the years that are both hilarious and in some ways stomach-churning as those with a weak stomach might never look at a pie the same way again. That being said though if you get a good laugh out of it and can go back for another slice this Thanksgiving then you’re among the many that can see the humor and agree that food can be humorous as well as enjoyable.
Here are five of the best pie scenes from the movies.
5. American Pie
Admittedly I had to put in a couple of scenes that when taken in real life might be kind of controversial and even a bit sick, but seeing as how they’re meant to be funny and help to move the story forward in some way I couldn’t just leave them out. Jim is just, well, hopeless. He’s the guy in the group that has the least amount of confidence, has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to women, and when it comes to sex he’s like a blind man wandering around in a brothel. Of course when his friends start talking and trying to give him advice his mind wanders down the strangest roads and this is the result of just one meandering path. One can only be grateful that the pie wasn’t just out of the oven when he tried this, but still, ew. Ilana Kaplan of The New York Times has a few more things to say on the matter.
4. Life
Given a life sentence for a crime they didn’t commit, Claude and Ray had to adjust to life in a prison camp that was for some reason this close to civilization and yet was guarded tightly by a group of sentries that were taught to shoot to kill if anyone crossed the line. After so many years of imprisonment Claude just kind of snapped and the one thing to do it was the smell of a freshly-baked pie that sparked a memory from his younger days. The only problem, besides bullets whizzing every which way around him, was that in his haste to get the ‘whites only’ pies, Claude forgot that the dang thing was still molten beneath the crust and ended up burning his tongue. It’s a price to pay for a taste of delicious freedom, but whether it’s worth it or not is hard to say.
3. Hook
So yes there was more than just pie filling to this meal but the fact that it was the first thing that got tossed, or one of the first things, is worth noting since this version of the classic tale of Peter Pan was made great by Robin Williams in a way that made us all feel okay about being childish sometimes. Plus, it kind of highlights the importance and scope of imagination that goes into this movie and the tale itself. Some folks actually didn’t like this version of the story, shocking I know, but in a big way it reminded a lot of us that acting like a kid when you’re an adult is okay at times, as it helps to remind us that life doesn’t stop being fun when we grow up.
2. The Help
This almost seems like it would be an offense that might warrant incarceration or at least a misdemeanor since the nature of it is kind of horrid really. But given the way it happened and the circumstances, if you didn’t laugh or somehow feel that Minny was vindicated in this bit of nastiness then you might need to check your sense of right and wrong. What’s interesting is that Minny did admit that it was a terrible wrong, but it’s still hilarious and justified in a very big way no matter that it might make your throat clench. Worse yet, you can’t really call it being impulsive given how long it takes to make a pie and really think about what’s going to go in it. Carolyn L. Todd of Refinery29 has more to say on this subject.
1. Stand By Me
It’s kind of funny to think that the crowd in this scene is composed at least in part of heavier people who are still getting down on poor Davey for his weight, but it’s actually better to focus on the whole revenge aspect since Davey played this one out beautifully. Imagine downing a bottle of castor oil and a few eggs before going in to a pie-eating contest, and then imagining, as Gordie stated, that you were eating cow pies instead. Yeah, that rumbling gurgle was just the beginning of the end, and the smile on Davey’s face was well-earned by the time it was all said and done. Joe McGovern of Entertainment Weekly has more to say about this iconic moment.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and bon appetit.
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