I nominate the first 40 feet of Midnight Cowboy.

In my limited experience, I would say the last forty feet of Hi Coroner.

This third and final pitch starts with unprotected easy-ish moves up to some fun, gently overhanging stemming moves (get in a bad cam, then a good cam). In the end I had to really commit to these moves and climb through without placing any additonal pro. Topped-out on slightly slopey, muddy ground while fighting a pump and trying not to think about a potential 25 foot fall. Kinda spicy, very exciting and fun.

I could say Honky Tonk woman but it's not really that exciting, only dangerous. What's that one that goes up a bit, then does a traverse where both the leader and second are in groundfall range, then has pumpy (more traversing) moves until a final hee-ya up and around a corner/roof? Browndog should know.

Hmm...two definitions of excitement. Excitement because the ground is perhaps too far away and excitement because the ground is perhaps too close.

Dawn, I believe you're talking about Commando Rave.

Yeah, that's it. That's 40 interesting feet.

How about the beginning of Maria Direct? I recall after the first good piece was in not far from the ground, it was pretty sustained & scarey until I could get a decent stance to put in my 2nd piece. My belayer was telling me to put something in soon because I was high enough above my last piece that it was groundfall, but I didn't have a stance and couldn't stop.

not that ive ever led it, but I'll agree with that.
especially with the "dude, you should get a piece in" part.

I'll second that. That lead for me was one of the first times I had to rely solely on my ability-not-to-fall to protect myself. Your pro is not going to do save you, your belayer is not going to help in any way, down-climbing probably would be more dangerous than continuing up.

I had to just know that I was going to make the moves, there was no other option. Once I mentally committed to climb through the scary section, it was not hard. It was a pretty intense moment though.

I've got to disagree, having protected that route and having caught that fall. You can fall doing the stand up move and the pin/piece you placed to back up the pin will catch you - barely, with an alert belayer, and with your toes perhaps touching down. Once you stand up you have to place again. This can be done and done well.

Anyway, Maria Direct is only about 20 feet of climbing, so I don't think it can qualify.