# movies where the bad guy wins **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2002, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471 "2002-12-13T08:43:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/21 "2002-12-13T14:14:57Z")
_Thomas Crowne Affair_, kinda. And–had they not completely pussied out on adapting the book to the movie _Cujo_. Death wins all around in that one. ---
**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 13, 2002, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/22 "2002-12-13T14:19:15Z")
Fellowship of the Ring. ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/23 "2002-12-13T14:19:36Z")
_Arlington Road_ I was totally suprised by that. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/24 "2002-12-13T14:20:14Z")
The Omen and Omen II And Lego mancer I’d love to hear that argument… Sounds like a possible hijack but that is one of my favorites ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/25 "2002-12-13T14:25:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silentgoldfish \* > \*\*A lot of 80’s horror movies had the bad guy win as a last shock to end the movie. \*\* The first thing that popped into my mind upon reading the thread title was in Phantasm (II or the original, I forget) when the guy and girl have just escaped and jumped into the back of the hearse and are getting away. The guy says something to comfort the girl like, “It’s ok, we’re fine, it’s all over now.” The back of the hearse is suddenly thrown open by the Tall Man who replies, “No, it’s not.” :eek: The end. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/26 "2002-12-13T14:31:47Z")
“Easy Rider” The bad guys win AND lose at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/27 "2002-12-13T14:52:21Z")
Not strictly as the OP says, but how about **To Live and Die in L.A.**. The “good guy”, and main character (William Petrson) aint so good to begin with, and gets killed before the movie is over! I don’t recall who gets offed first- him or Willem Dafoe? Seeing as how even the good guys were somewhat bad, I guess it’s on topic… sort of ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/28 "2002-12-13T15:08:10Z")
I’ll second _Arlington Road_ (a real suprise the first time), and offer up _Ocean’s 11_, where the bad guys were the good guys, and the good guy was the bad guy. Good movie overall, but I felt bad for the bad, good-guy (casino owner) who hadn’t even done anything wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/29 "2002-12-13T15:10:53Z")
One of the most notorious was **Red-Headed Woman** (1932), in which husband-stealer, adultress and attempted murderess Jean Harlow enjoys a happy ending, with a millionaire husband and a randy chauffeur. This was one of the movies which instigated the cracking down of the Production Code. ---
**Author:** ![Firebat023](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Firebat023](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firebat023)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/30 "2002-12-13T15:14:12Z")
Don’t forget Seven. Fight Club also counts, I suppose, depending on your philosophy. And Reservior Dogs. Kinda. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/31 "2002-12-13T15:16:08Z")
As mentioned earlier, the bad guy almost ALWAYS wins in horror movies. After all, there are sequels to be made, so Jason & Freddie and Michael Myers HAVE to get away at the end of every movie. Other examples that come to mind: 1. “The Vanishing” (not the lame American remake, but the Dutch original) 2. “Chinatown” 3. “The Wicker Man” 4. “Basic Instinct” ---
**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 13, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/32 "2002-12-13T15:22:12Z")
Well, **astorian,** by your reason, let’s include the first three Alien movies. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/33 "2002-12-13T15:24:15Z")
It seems like a lot of movies have the BAD guy winning in the end. But, somehow they have been able to convince you that he is the GOOD guy. ie: UNFORGIVEN (Eastwood & Hackman) btw…it works the other way around too HEAT (DeNiro & Pacino) I don’t know when it comes to PULP FICTION…😕 ---
**Author:** ![ravage2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@ravage2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ravage2)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/34 "2002-12-13T15:24:53Z")
Ocean’s Eleven (funny how you forget that Clooney et al are actually THIEVES committing a crime against the casino guy) ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/35 "2002-12-13T15:25:57Z")
_The Dorm That Dripped Blood_. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/36 "2002-12-13T17:12:43Z")
In the original “Rocky” movie, Apollo Creed does in fact beat Rocky Balboa on points in a split decision and so Apollo keeps the heavyweight boxing championship. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/37 "2002-12-13T17:19:12Z")
The “bad guys” had won by the end of _Tora! Tora! Tora!_ ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/38 "2002-12-13T17:26:04Z")
Would “The Empire Strikes Back” count? ---
**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 13, 2002, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/39 "2002-12-13T17:28:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Burnt Toast \* > **In \*\* Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels** , a bad guy won in the end. \*\* That’s debatable. If he was truly bad, he would have probably tried to get the rifles in the end instead of letting the boys keep them. ---
**Author:** ![CaptEgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@CaptEgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptEgo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471/40 "2002-12-13T17:52:28Z")
Heck, In Lock, Stock ‘Chris’ seemed to be the moral center of the film. All the other characters simply did whatever it was that chance dictated while Chris followed his ‘rules’ (it seemed to me) to a T. Hm…‘Bad guy’ wins…Despite the message in the story ‘The man’ kills Paul Newman in ‘Cool Hand Luke’… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-the-bad-guy-wins/142471.md?page=3)