# Best closing scenes in movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917 "2015-06-30T23:21:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/41 "2015-07-01T16:54:15Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Best ever might be **Life of Brian**. This is what I came in here to say. It is both incredibly hilarious and subversive all at the same time. It slays me every time I even think about it. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/42 "2015-07-01T17:39:47Z")
_Ladyhawke_. Isabeau walks silently up to the Bishop, who had cursed her and her lover to live as animals, and drops her jesses in his hand, breaking the curse, just before Navarre runs the Bishop through. Oh, and _Wizards…_ “Oh, one more thing… I’m glad you changed your last name, you son of a bitch.” Bang. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/43 "2015-07-01T17:50:21Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > The ending of _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_ was really good. Very, very hard to beat that one!! ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/44 "2015-07-01T17:56:56Z")
What could have been the greatest closing scene ever: “Oh, Rhett, What will I do?” “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” As Rhett Butler slowly walks away, the credits roll and the house lights come up… ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/45 "2015-07-01T18:36:30Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > _“Louis, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”_ Sorry…but you’re close! “Louis, _I think_ this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/46 "2015-07-01T18:39:02Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > The Godfather, Part II > > Michael’s flashback to the time he told his family that he joined the Marines. A young idealistic man, refusing to follow what was to be expected of him. Then we’re bought back to a lonely Michael, still wearing his wedding ring, sitting by himself outside. The juxtaposed scenes show how much he’s changed. Not only that, but in the flashback, the only person in the family who is proud of him for joining the Marines is Fredo; it’s such a sad scene. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/47 "2015-07-01T18:43:11Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > The ending of _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_ was really good. A fine one, as was [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=lynyrd+skynyrd+confederate+flag&biw=978&bih=705&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=tR2UVbTbIIf7tQWV_Y64Cg&sqi=2&ved=0CB0QsAQ#tbm=isch&q=final+scene+jeremiah+johnson+raised+hand+peace&imgrc=H7l70lKFcxNE_M%3A), Jeremiah Johnson. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/48 "2015-07-01T19:45:17Z")
The last line of _Memento_ never fails to thrill me. All that, and then… “Now… where was I?” And I’m not sure anything, anywhere, any time has had the sheer mindblowing power of the ending of _The Quiet Earth_. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/49 "2015-07-01T20:11:41Z")
_The Palm Beach Story_: “You’re a twin? _I’m_ a twin!” Just off-the-wall goofiness. _Raising Arizona_: The sweetest-natured ending of a Coen Brothers movie. But they have so many good ones, and such a variety of last-moment effects: Fargo and A Serious Man, for example. _Dr. Strangelove_: best ironic use of a popular song (at the very least). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/50 "2015-07-01T20:20:34Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > What could have been the greatest closing scene ever: > > “Oh, Rhett, What will I do?” > > “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” > > As Rhett Butler slowly walks away, the credits roll and the house lights come up… Actually, the movie goes on a bit. Scarlett collapses, wondering what to do, then finally resolving, out loud: > [@](#): > > [last lines] > > Scarlett: Tara! Home. I’ll go home. And I’ll think of some way to get him back. After all… tomorrow is another day. > **[Gone with the Wind (1939) - Quotes - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031381/quotes/)** > > Gone with the Wind: Directed by Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood. With Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil, Vivien Leigh, Evelyn Keyes. A sheltered and manipulative Southern belle and a roguish profiteer face off in a turbulent romance as the... Everyone seems to think it ends with Rhett and his line, but it ain’t so: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/R-OoIvgtuzs/maxresdefault.jpg "After all tomorrow is another day - Vivien Leigh - Gone with the Wind") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-OoIvgtuzs) ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/51 "2015-07-01T20:33:14Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > **Big Night**. Secondo wordlessly makes an omelette for his brother Primo. Not an omelette, just scrambled eggs. After all the amazing cooking. Yeah, great ending. ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/52 "2015-07-01T20:40:47Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > The remake of the Thing. > > McReedy and the other fellow sitting around the fire with their camp around them destroyed. Neither know if the other might be the/a thing. Just waiting for the cold to come take them. Oh, yeah. I always loved the ending of **Witness** , with Harrison Ford, after the affair and all, he gets in his car and drives away. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/53 "2015-07-01T21:26:21Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > A fine one, as was [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=lynyrd+skynyrd+confederate+flag&biw=978&bih=705&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=tR2UVbTbIIf7tQWV_Y64Cg&sqi=2&ved=0CB0QsAQ#tbm=isch&q=final+scene+jeremiah+johnson+raised+hand+peace&imgrc=H7l70lKFcxNE_M%3A), Jeremiah Johnson. Another favorite movie of mine. Jeremiah Johnson sees his old enemy, Paints His Shirt Red, and doesn’t know if this is another fight to the death or not. They both had a certain amount of respect for each other earlier, although JJ fished poorly. Jeremiah starts to draw his Hawken rifle and then stops. Red Shirt just stays on his horse with his hand raised. JJ could have taken a shot, but instead raises his hand in response. That is when JJ becomes a mountain spirit and rides off into the snowy hills. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/54 "2015-07-01T21:34:59Z")
_Cop Hater_, the 1958 film of the first 87th Precinct novel. It’s not over, we’re just done watching. They all go on about their business and we go home. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/55 "2015-07-01T21:55:56Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Actually, the movie goes on a bit. Scarlett collapses, wondering what to do, then finally resolving, out loud: > > [Gone with the Wind (1939) - Quotes - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031381/quotes) > > Everyone seems to think it ends with Rhett and his line, but it ain’t so: > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-OoIvgtuzs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-OoIvgtuzs) Friend Calmeacham, That was my point: the movie should have ended right there. The Tara sequence was unnecessary ---
**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:** [July 1, 2015, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/56 "2015-07-01T22:39:50Z")
> [@tullsterx](#): > > I always loved the ending of **Witness** , with Harrison Ford, after the affair and all, he gets in his car and drives away. +1. He’s made his choice, he’s following it, but in passing Daniel, he realizes there’s absolutely no chance of changing his mind if he drives over the hill. And Daniel’s jaunty little wave says it all. One of the most elegant and wrenching scenes in all of film. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/57 "2015-07-01T23:11:54Z")
The ending of [The Ghost Writer](https://youtu.be/AaibDdBhSAQ)had me leaning back in my seat and saying “Damn.” ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/58 "2015-07-01T23:21:07Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > +1. > > He’s made his choice, he’s following it, but in passing Daniel, he realizes there’s absolutely no chance of changing his mind if he drives over the hill. > > And Daniel’s jaunty little wave says it all. > > One of the most elegant and wrenching scenes in all of film. Yep. I know I was thinking “wait, he’s gonna stop, and run back. . . and. . . well I guess not (tear).” ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/59 "2015-07-02T02:21:04Z")
> [@tullsterx](#): > > Oh, yeah. > > I always loved the ending of **Witness** , with Harrison Ford, after the affair and all, he gets in his car and drives away. There was no affair. They never got further than making goo-goo eyes at each other, did they? Harrison Ford resisted temptation when he saw her topless (even though she was evidently willing…and disappointed when he didn’t consummate their mutual attraction). You’re right about it being a great ending, though. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917/60 "2015-07-02T02:28:15Z")
The last scene in _Field of Dreams_. Night is falling, the camera pulls away and up, and for as far as you can see there are headlights of cars, on their way to the ball field. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-closing-scenes-in-movies/723917.md?page=4)