# Anyone else remember the alternate ending to "Big"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [April 16, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864 "2002-04-16T02:03:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Killing\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/76d3ee/32.png) [@Killing\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Killing_Time)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/341 "2014-09-09T19:22:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What evidence would convince you? If you can conceive of evidence that would make you change your mind please post it. Why do you keep trying to trap me? Post your evidence and I promise I will look at it. I’ve looked at all the evidence so far, have I not? I really am open to the possibility that all the people who remember this are wrong. Stranger things have happened. Have I unfairly dismissed any evidence out of hand, without considering it? Please tell me specifically which piece of evidence you consider absolutely valid, that I unfairly criticized. Despite what you guys are saying, the recollections of the scene are pretty consistent. Josh is in class - a female teacher announces a new student will be joining the class - new student is Susan as a child - new student takes a seat and makes eye contact with Josh. Hair color? Bah - who cares? I don’t generally remember ANYONE’S hair color in a movie. Trivial details tend to get lost, but the substance tends to get remembered. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/342 "2014-09-09T19:23:20Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > That is cool, but it’s rather a bad analogy to the “Big” question. That would be more along the lines of you always thought they were rabbits and then discovered they were bears all along. > > I mean, if thousands of people swore the sign at the toy store said FAO Schwartz rather than FAO Schwarz, I would find it mildly interesting at best. But thousands of people swearing there was an entire scene that basically changes the entire outcome of the movie, that’s another thing altogether. Thousands? I count about a dozen. ---
**Author:** ![Killing\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/76d3ee/32.png) [@Killing\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Killing_Time)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/343 "2014-09-09T19:25:30Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Because it reduces the impact and lesson her time with Josh teaches her into “there’s a magic fix to have childhood back!” > > The entire plot of Big is build around the classic “be careful what you wish for” scenario – Josh has fun being an adult, but ultimately it hurts more than helps and he needs to become a kid again to fix things. But the movie ISN’T a complete downer, because the impact he has on Susan will give her a new chance to really live life. > > If she just gets to turn magically into a kid at the end, it drastically undermines one of the major themes (and folklore underpinnings) of the story. Fair enough. And since I haven’t seen an answer to my question earlier, let me ask you: Don’t you think it’s at least _possible_ that there was a different ending, and it was poorly received by viewers for precisely those reasons, and that it got dropped from subsequent releases of the film? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/344 "2014-09-09T19:26:52Z")
Fine, KT. Let’s say, for giggles and shits, that absolutely no alternative version of the ending exists, ever existed or was ever planned to exist. None. Nada. Barring minor changes such as where Susan kisses Josh or a line here or there, the ending of the movie as now seen on DVD and streaming is the only one that ever existed. Describe, in your own words, what would prove that lack of existence for you. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/345 "2014-09-09T19:27:46Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > Yeah, like the people who saw the “in the ass” line on The Newlywed Game. A lot of them thought the guy was black, when he was actually middle eastern. And many thought he said “butt” when he actually said “ass”. > > So I guess we can conclude from this that the incident never happened. Except that it DID happen. It was a white woman. Guess we now know how valuable your memory is. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/346 "2014-09-09T19:29:54Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > Despite what you guys are saying, the recollections of the scene are pretty consistent. Josh is in class - a female teacher announces a new student will be joining the class - new student is Susan as a child - new student takes a seat and makes eye contact with Josh. Hair color? Bah - who cares? I don’t generally remember ANYONE’S hair color in a movie. Trivial details tend to get lost, but the substance tends to get remembered. Except when those details are given as specific reasons why the person discounts the 14 Going on 40 ending. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/347 "2014-09-09T19:31:54Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > Yeah, like the people who saw the “in the ass” line on The Newlywed Game. A lot of them thought the guy was black, when he was actually middle eastern. And many thought he said “butt” when he actually said “ass”. > > So I guess we can conclude from this that the incident never happened. Except that it DID happen. Yes, because someone dug up a clip from _the late 1970_s, which you can now find on Youtube. However people claim that these VHS and DVD tapes exists right now (in NZ, Germany and UK) and no one has videotaped the scene while playing the DVD/VHS on their TV, held up a case and videotaped themselves saying “This is it!”, posted a still shot, provided a transcript… from one of these so called available tapes. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/348 "2014-09-09T19:42:54Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > But thousands of people swearing there was an entire scene that basically changes the entire outcome of the movie, that’s another thing altogether. I’d like to see a cite, or any shred of evidence, for your claim of “thousands.” ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/349 "2014-09-09T20:11:26Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > It was a white woman. So DAT’S wheah dey keep dem! ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/350 "2014-09-09T21:50:15Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > Fair enough. And since I haven’t seen an answer to my question earlier, let me ask you: Don’t you think it’s at least _possible_ that there was a different ending, and it was poorly received by viewers for precisely those reasons, and that it got dropped from subsequent releases of the film? Is it possible? Yes. But, truthfully, I really doubt the ending was even written. I think it would be a poor enough ending to an otherwise well-written (and pretty tightly-built) film that I struggle to imagine a scene that cloyingly wink-and-nod hitting the page. But, seriously, prove me wrong. It would be _fascinating_. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/351 "2014-09-09T22:03:05Z")
Perhaps the “alternate ending” was really a misremembered Monty Python sketch, because this thread has certainly become one. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/352 "2014-09-09T22:21:18Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Is it possible? Yes. But, truthfully, I really doubt the ending was even written. I think it would be a poor enough ending to an otherwise well-written (and pretty tightly-built) film that I struggle to imagine a scene that cloyingly wink-and-nod hitting the page. > > But, seriously, prove me wrong. It would be _fascinating_. Well, just for the hell of it, let me add [fuel to the fire](http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/2097/big.html): > [@](#): > > Spielberg and Ross do discuss interesting changes made to the story and characters (the script went through many drafts) including a more downbeat alternate ending that was audience-tested but dropped. Given that it’s called a “more downbeat alternate ending,” I doubt they’re referring to the one people remember here. That said [this review](http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/27946/big-extended-edition/) says of the commentary: > [@](#): > > Still, it’s a unique idea that explores how “Big” came to be, while also discussing some plot points and ideas that never made it into the final draft - one of them a passing mention of the alternate ending that was reportedly tested and discarded, featuring Susan going back to Zoltar and wishing she could be a kid again to remain with Josh. So the DVD commentary does seem to talk of an alternate ending, but it doesn’t sound to be the one we’re talking about here. But, hey, just throwing it out there to keep things interesting. (My own opinion is that it is by far most likely to be misremembering/conflated memories.) ---
**Author:** ![Killing\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/76d3ee/32.png) [@Killing\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Killing_Time)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/353 "2014-09-09T23:07:18Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > It was a white woman. > > Guess we now know how valuable your memory is. Nice nitpick. Yes, the wife actually was the one who said it. The husband had a beard and olive-colored skin. Neither one was black, which was the point - a point that went completely over your head. People remembered the INCIDENT even if they didn’t remember all the trivial details exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/354 "2014-09-09T23:13:43Z")
No, it didn’t go over my head. You just chose to see a different relevance in your faulty memory. You don’t even remember who said the line in question. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/355 "2014-09-09T23:13:51Z")
Here’s an interview with Penny Marshall that talks about the ending of Big [How Tom Hanks got ‘Big’ 25 years ago](http://nypost.com/2013/12/07/how-tom-hanks-got-big-25-years-ago/) - apparently there was a version of the script in which Susan kisses Josh on the lips just before dropping him off at home, but she insisted on a kiss on the forehead, because of her sensitivity about the idea of any intimate affection between an adult woman and a child (earlier in the interview she makes it clear that she felt the same way about Susan and Josh-as-adult, resulting in the way their sleepover scene was filmed). I’ll let you know if I find any other relevant reminisces. ---
**Author:** ![Killing\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/76d3ee/32.png) [@Killing\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Killing_Time)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/356 "2014-09-09T23:19:26Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Yes, because someone dug up a clip from _the late 1970_s, which you can now find on Youtube. > > However people claim that these VHS and DVD tapes exists right now (in NZ, Germany and UK) and no one has videotaped the scene while playing the DVD/VHS on their TV, held up a case and videotaped themselves saying “This is it!”, posted a still shot, provided a transcript… from one of these so called available tapes. Can you point me to the person who claims to have the tape? Maybe I can try to contact him and ask him to post it online. ---
**Author:** ![Killing\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/76d3ee/32.png) [@Killing\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Killing_Time)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/357 "2014-09-09T23:22:39Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > No, it didn’t go over my head. You just chose to see a different relevance in your faulty memory. > > You don’t even remember who said the line in question. No, you’re still missing the point. You are claiming that mixing up small details proves that the incident never happened. This incident DID happen. Therefore, mixing up small details does not prove an incident didn’t happen. It’s pretty clear, I don’t know why you’re having so much trouble understanding. Also, when you mentioned it was the wife, it jogged my memory, and I clearly remembered, “Oh yeah, it was the wife saying it”. The Disney clip of the end of that movie doesn’t jog my memory at all. It just looks like a completely different movie that I have never seen before. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/358 "2014-09-09T23:27:16Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > Can you point me to the person who claims to have the tape? Maybe I can try to contact him and ask him to post it online. There’s not a single person. If you want more info, do your own research. > **[Big (1988) - Alternate versions - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094737/alternateversions/)** > > Big (1988) - Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... > [@Killing\_Time](#): > > No, you’re still missing the point. You are claiming that mixing up small details proves that the incident never happened. This incident DID happen. Therefore, mixing up small details does not prove an incident didn’t happen. It’s pretty clear, I don’t know why you’re having so much trouble understanding. > > Also, when you mentioned it was the wife, it jogged my memory, and I clearly remembered, “Oh yeah, it was the wife saying it”. The Disney clip of the end of that movie doesn’t jog my memory at all. It just looks like a completely different movie that I have never seen before. However, the theory that people are conflating memories is supported by the conflicting details, since everyone’s conflated memories would be slightly different. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/359 "2014-09-09T23:40:42Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > Can you point me to the person who claims to have the tape? Maybe I can try to contact him and ask him to post it online. The point, which has been reiterated to the point of tears, is that many people claim they saw this alternate ending on a video copy or TV, maybe in some other country… which means that there are somewhere between many thousands and perhaps millions who should have also seen it… and not one has produced a VCR tape or even a still shot of the screen (commonly done in those old days) to substantiate that claim. If you don’t find the disparity odd - that many people claim something that many, many more must have seen but no one has ever produced a record of it, in any form - then I guess I have to applaud your intellectual equanimity. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/360 "2014-09-09T23:44:46Z")
It’s been forever since I saw the movie. How much of young Josh was there at the beginning? Is there possibly a classroom scene at the start of the film that people are conflating as being the end? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864.md?page=19)