I was watching Fort Apache a few nights ago on TCM. I enjoyed the good face slap that John Wayne gave someone selling liquor and guns to the Apaches. Delivered with a crisp wallop of his gloves, and a beautifully-judged stumble by the recipient. Made me think of how a good face slapping used to be much more prevalent in movies. And often backed by a sudden exclamation from the music. Just found this excellent one on YouTube... do you have a particular favorite?
In The Heat Of The Night '67. The plantation owner slaps Sidney Poitier &...Poitier slaps him right back, & the guys whole world collapses, he just can't believe it. It's been a while since I've seen it, but I think he says something like, a few years ago I could have had you shot for that.
Just thought of another great slap in the same film. Talking to a gang of punks, Rod Steiger pulls one of them towards him, slaps his face a few times & pushes him away, all in the one fluid movment & using just one arm.
Not quite the same thing but an honourable mention goes to the back-of-the-head smacks that Mark Harmon gives Di Nozzo in NCIS!! makes me laugh.
I agree, the Poitier one is special because it had so many more undertones. Not just a slap.
I like the backhanded slap that Strother Martin gives Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke when Newman mimics his: "What we got here is a failure to communicate" and Strother loses it and slaps him so hard Luke falls down the slope.
And when Lee Van Cleef (Angel Eyes) slaps er... Bill Carson's girlfriend about in The Good the Bad and The Ugly to find out his whereabouts!!
I watched this with the sound off in deference to Mrs TG who was watching the telly. It was surprising how unconvincing many of the punches were without the foley stuff.
