# Best ending to a movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827 "2002-12-01T21:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/41 "2002-12-02T16:00:39Z")
Number Six, I guess where we disagree is about the bit about the Raines character continuing to love his wife after he discovers she is a spy. My impression was that he is quite ready to go along with the plan to kill her; for instance in the great coffee poisoning scene there is no hint of sympathy or inner conflict in his expression. The reason he doesn’t kill her in the staircase scene appeared ,to me, to be a case of self-preservation only; ie if he shoots her the Nazis will know something is wrong and kill him. So when Cary Grant refuses to take him he realizes that the game is up and he will die anyway. I suppose, theoretically, he could have tried to resist but he is outnumbered not to mention the fact that it wouldn’t have worked movie-wise. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/42 "2002-12-02T16:04:37Z")
I loved the lost ending of “It’s A Wonderful Life” that was found and presented by Saturday Night Live. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/43 "2002-12-02T16:22:29Z")
“Louie, Louie, Louie…Still whining after all these years?” ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/44 "2002-12-02T16:32:48Z")
**Dr. Strangelove** _We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when…_ ---
**Author:** ![flood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@flood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flood)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/45 "2002-12-02T17:43:26Z")
WOW! I cant believe nobody mentioned SE7EN. That movie kicked major @$$. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/46 "2002-12-02T18:25:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flood \* > \*\*WOW! I cant believe nobody mentioned SE7EN. That movie kicked major @$$. 🙂 \*\* Flood, are you sure that you read all the posts? ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/47 "2002-12-02T18:39:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ranger \* > \*\*I loved the lost ending of “It’s A Wonderful Life” that was found and presented by Saturday Night Live. \*\* Amen to that. I actually got up and cheered when they started beating the crap out of the bank guy. I would go so far as to say the original is the WORST ending in history. I refuse to watch that movie because of it. I’m going to be pedestrian and say **Thelma & Louise** just because it was so “non-hollywood.” I have to confess I’ve never made it to the end of **Casablanca**. Cary Grant is in 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:** [December 2, 2002, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/48 "2002-12-02T18:46:17Z")
Sleeping with the Enemy: “Officer, could you send a car around to my house? I’ve just shot an intruder.” Click. Fade to black. Bang. Wizards: “I’m glad you changed your last name, you son of a bitch.” Bang. Cinderelle: “But your excellency, _I_ have the other glass slipper…” ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/49 "2002-12-02T18:55:00Z")
Has \*\* Jacob’s Ladder \*\* charted yet? Shurely shome mishtake? ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/50 "2002-12-02T19:44:22Z")
Monty Python’s _The Holy Grail_, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/51 "2002-12-02T19:47:30Z")
Another great ending that hasn’t been mentioned: **The Last of the Mohicans**. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/52 "2002-12-02T21:23:03Z")
Angel Heart. > [@](#): > > “You know, you’re going to burn for this.” > > “I know. In Hell.” And the elevator - going down. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/53 "2002-12-02T21:33:46Z")
SNATCH After the entire movie, the diamond that the jewel dealers have been going apeshit trying to get, winds up getting swallowed by a dog. Its new owners take it to Doug the Head, and ask him if he thinks anybody would be interested in it. He puts down his jeweller’s monocle, attempts to look as calm as possible, and says, “I can probably think of someone.” Next scene: WOOOSH! SLAM! CLICK! WOOOSH! Avi immediately grabs the next jet to London. Cue closing credits and the HA HA HA HA song. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/54 "2002-12-02T22:09:36Z")
I really liked the ending of **Exotica**. I remember thinking if ever there was a non-Hollywood ending for a film that would be it. Also, a lot of good ones already mentioned. I also loved the end of Wizards (in contrast with my nomination above). ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/55 "2002-12-02T23:02:58Z")
**Big Night** , ending with the two brothers (played by Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci) making breakfast silently in the kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![UWmite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UWmite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UWmite)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/56 "2002-12-02T23:31:32Z")
[hijack] How did they blow the ending in Shawshank? I haven’t read the book.[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![MrO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@MrO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrO)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/57 "2002-12-02T23:39:43Z")
I nominate **McCabe and Mrs. Miller**. Something about a guy dying alone in the snow while the church burns and his prostitute ladyfriend is oblivious in the opium den, all to the sound of a Leonard Cohen song, really appeals to me. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/58 "2002-12-02T23:43:24Z")
Hey Shibboleth, want to spoil the ending of Exotica for me? I love Don McKellar and have seen bits and pieces, so I’m sure I’ll get around to seeing it, but I want to know now. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/59 "2002-12-02T23:49:07Z")
Telemark: Yes, come to think of it, Big Night had a good ending. I saw it with my mom, she didn’t see the ending coming, but I wasn’t surprised. I just saw “At Play in the Field of the Lord” and damn—that had a sad (but powerful) ending. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827/60 "2002-12-03T00:15:39Z")
I’ll second _Shawshank Redemption_, _Usual Suspects_, and _The Conversation_. All great endings to great films. Two people have mentioned _Se7en_, and while I love that movie in general, I felt the ending misfired. Fincher agrees with this; he says (in the DVD commentary) that the ending was foisted on him by the studio, and Freeman talks about how his last bit of narration was an add-on, and unnecessary. I think if they had ended it as Fincher intended to end it originally, it would have been better. Great movie for the most part, though. I’ll add _Fearless_ to the list. The last 10 minutes constitute one of the finest endings ever committed to film, IMHO. No major plot revelation (a la _Usual Suspects_ or _Sixth Sense_), except for the idea that we finally experience what the main character experienced before the movie, and it’s presented with the full emotional wallop that the character is meant to be going through. The ending leaves me breathless and weepy every time. Just awesome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-movie/139827.md?page=4)