History Main / HangingByTheFingers

* In ''TheAdventuresOfSuperman'' episode "The Human Bomb", Jimmy ends up hanging from the ''Planet'' building's ledge by his fingers. The VillainOfTheWeek steps on his hand to speed up the process. Then a cop tries to grab him, but he falls and has to be caught by Superman.

* ''DeltoraQuest'' anime has Dain first stomp on Leif's fingers while he's hanging over the edge, then help him back up, only so he can taunt him and fight him some more.

* In ''DangerMouse'', there's an episode where DM, hanging from a branch, has his fingers attacked by a nest of hungry baby birds who mistake them for worms.

* Tested on ''Series/{{Mythbusters}}'', and was deemed plausible that you could support your weight by your fingertips for a short time, though Tory did smash his knee on a window ledge during the experiment and required stitches.

See also TakeMyHand, ChainOfPeople, LiteralCliffhanger.

* Disney/TheLionKing Mufasa, and later Simba are in this position.

* TheLionKing Mufasa, and later Simba are in this position.

* The losing grip variety happens in the movie version of ''ALittlePrincess''.

* In one of the climatic final episodes of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Toph is barely holding on to Sokka's hand when [[spoiler: Suki saves them by flying down with a stolen airship]]

* In one of the climatic final episodes of ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Toph is barely holding on to Sokka's hand when [[spoiler: Suki saves them by flying down with a stolen airship]]

* In one of the climatic final episodes of ''Avatar:TheLastAirbender", Toph is barely holding on to Sokka's hand when [[spoiler: Suki saves them by flying down with a stolen airship]]

* ''ResidentEvil4'', in the battle against Krauser. He prefers stomping on the fingers.
** Happens again in ''ResidentEvil6'', [[spoiler: Simmons]] enjoys stomping on fingers too.

* In Film/BladeRunner, Deckard is hanging from a rain-slick girder thingy, hundreds of feet above street level, with only his fingers (two of which were broken earlier by Roy).

* In /Film/BladeRunner, Deckard is hanging from a rain-slick girder thingy, hundreds of feet above street level, with only his fingers (two of which were broken earlier by Roy).

* In Bladerunner, Deckard is hanging from a rain-slick girder thingy, hundreds of feet above street level, with only his fingers (two of which were broken earlier by Roy).

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYZsJYZVt5g In the 2005]] ''KingKong'', Kong hangs briefly by his fingers off a cliff before being dragged down by the V-rex that grabbed his leg.

* ''PhineasAndFerb'': at the end of the episode about a traffic cam, Phineas and the disc both hover on the edge of a split bridge. Candace has to make a choice to grab either Phineas or the disc.

* ''FamilyGuy'': The Evil Monkey who lives in Chris's closet is thrown from the top of a skyscraper by an insane robot girl. He grabs onto a lege but his fingers lip off one by one. After the last one he falls, but is caught by Peter & Quagmire in a biplane [[NotTheFallThatKillsYou just before hitting the ground]].

* ''ResidentEvil 4'', in the battle against Krauser. He prefers stomping on the fingers.

* The ''LooneyTunes'' short "China Jones" has Daffy hanging over [[SharkPool crocodile pool]] after a trapdoor opened under him. The villain unhooks his fingers one by one.

* Creator/MelBrooks's ''HighAnxiety'' parodies this. In a climactic scene the protagonist (played by Brooks) has a slipping hold on a ledge until he is improbably hanging on by a single fingertip. Once he gets a morale boost from another character he manages to regain his hold and climb up.

* ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', where Tweety talks about pigs going to the market.

The trope is often paired with a villain at the ledge stomping on their hands ForTheEvulz or peeling the finger off. When there isn't a villain around, another hero will try to grasp their hands. If PlayedForComedy, the rescuer may themselves fall and have to be grabbed by an even stronger person.

* TheLionKing Mufasa, and later Simba are in this position.
* ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', where Tweety talks about pigs going to the market.

* MelBrooks's ''HighAnxiety'' parodies this. In a climactic scene the protagonist (played by Brooks) has a slipping hold on a ledge until he is improbably hanging on by a single fingertip. Once he gets a morale boost from another character he manages to regain his hold and climb up.

* ''HitmenForDestiny'' has one character grabbing hold of a ledge inside the invisible castle, and calling for help. The drop isn't lethal.

* ''PhineasAndFerb'': at the end of the episode about a traffic cam, Phineas and the disc both hover on the edge of a split bridge. Candace has to make a choice to grab either Phineas or the disc.

* The AnimatedAdaptation of ''Tintin in America'' has him lose his footing when moving from a window to another (to attack a bandit guarding his door). He manages to pull himself up. Note that in the comic, he just crossed the gap without incident.

* Parker in ''{{Leverage}}'' does this on occasion. She also points this fact out when someone tries to overpower her.
* Tested on ''{{Mythbusters}}'', and was deemed plausible that you could support your weight by your fingertips for a short time, though Tory did smash his knee on a window ledge during the experiment and required stitches.
* ''{{Castle}}'': Beckett was hanging by a thread, only to get saved in the last minute by the other cops. She's ''very happy'' to be alive, as she later shows Castle [[spoiler: with a rather passionate kiss scene]].