History Main / FingerForcedSmile

* ''VisualNovel/{{Grisaia No Kajitsu}}'': Though we doesn't get to see it, protagonist Yuuji does this to himself in Michiru's route when Yumiko questions him about the frightening expression on his face. Since he was just lost in tought he tries to reassure her this way.

* In an episode of The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, titled "New Guinea Pig", Pumbaa is unhappy with his tusks, and, seeing his best friend unhappy, Timon uses his fingers to prop up Pumbaa's cheeks in an effort to get him to cheer up.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gaston_forced_smile.jpg]]]]

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gastonsmile.jpg]]]]

* ''VideoGame/EnsembleStars'': In ''1001 Arabian Nights'', Kaoru encourages [[TheStoic Adonis]] to smile more often, causing him to [[https://enstars.info/card/671 self-consciously try to push his lips into a smile]]. Kaoru notes that, as usual for CluelessChickMagnet Adonis, his awkward efforts somehow only make him [[{{Adorkable}} even more appealing.]]

* ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' In the 1981 version Jane asks Tarzan, who doesn't understand English, to smile and very tentatively reaches for his face. He grabs her hands at first but gradually lets her touch him and gently force the corners of his mouth up in a smile. He tolerates this.

[[quoteright:350:[[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gastonsmile.jpg]]]]

* ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'': During the song "Gaston", [=LeFou=] tries to make Gaston smile with his fingers and gets PunchedAcrossTheRoom.

* ''Film/Joker2019'': In the first scene, [[NamedByTheAdaptation Arthur Fleck]] is shown forcing himself to smile in this manner. Later, he tries the same thing on a young Bruce Wayne.

* An optional cutscene in PokemonSwordAndShield shows AloofDarkHairedGirl Marnie practicing a "proper" smile this way in order to show her appreciation to her fans.

* In one ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon, Sylvester comes face to face with an angry bulldog. Sylvester pushes up the corners of his mouth ''and'' his eyebrows to make him happy, but the dog just pushes them back down.

** An '''''extremely''''' dark variation of this occurs in the 2003 commercial for [[Ride/UniversalStudios Universal's]] Theatre/HalloweenHorrorNights. In the commercial, the icon of that year, The Director, forces a terrified jester to smile by ''impaling two hooks into each of his cheeks'' and then pulling said hooks upwards. The jester's real emotions are made very clear when a close-up shot shows a single tear coming out of his eye. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkpeYCbYpJU Here's]] the link to the commercial for anyone that's feeling up to watching it.

Compare and contrast HappinessIsMandatory when smiles are forced in an industrialized way with much darker intentions. RubberFace is when a character stretches out another's face comically, not necessarily into a smile.

* While not always used in this manner, the illegal holds known as "fish hooks" can be used this way, and they can cause permanent damage, meaning that smile might last the rest of your life if unlucky.(not to be confused with a fisherman's hook, which a completely different, legal maneuver)

* WesternAnimation/OsmosisJones does it repeatedly to DaChief after he gives him a second chance to redeem himself.

* In an episode of ''Series/{{The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody}}'', London accidentally loses Maddie's broach and then buys her a new one. When Maddie reacts with a {{Disaproving Look}}, London simply says "Let's turn that frown upside down" and then moves Maddie's mouth with her hands to make it look like a smile. However, Maddie simply grabs her own mouth and positions it back to its frowny place.

* In an episode of ''Series/{{The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody}}'', London accidentally loses Maddie's broach and then buys her a new one. When Maddie reacts with a {{Disaproving Glare}}, London simply says "Let's turn that frown upside down" and then moves Maddie's mouth with her hands to make it look like a smile. However, Maddie simply grabs her own mouth and positions it back to its frowny place.

* In an episode of ''Series/{{The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody}}'', London accidentally loses Maddie's broach and then buys her a new one. When Maddie reacts with a {{Disapproving Glare}}, London simply says "Let's turn that frown upside down" and then moves Maddie's mouth with her hands to make it look like a smile. However, Maddie simply grabs her own mouth and positions it back to its frowny place.