A deceptively simple question this week: What are the all-time great movie endings? But what makes a great ending?
I absolutely love the ending of 1998’s The Truman Show, because it’s so perfectly attuned to the themes of the film: Jim Carrey’s Truman escapes his fishbowl existence and we have no idea what happens to him after that, because it’s none of our business, as his life previously should not have been, either.
To continue the "riding into the sunset" trope a little further, the idea came to be used in cowboy films to imply that the hero was disappearing into darkness - as a metaphor for death. I loved the way Blazing Saddles parodied this by having the heroes get off their horses and into a car, driving off into the sunset at the end of the film.
For me, the ultimate (and now of course clichéic) ending was Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard walking off into the sunset in Modern Times. Very satisfying if seemingly a little illogical: sunset isn't really a good time to begin a journey, surely? Except it wasn't the sunset they walked off into, it was the dawn! Still a pretty good ending!
To continue the "riding into the sunset" trope a little further, the idea came to be used in cowboy films to imply that the hero was disappearing into darkness - as a metaphor for death. I loved the way Blazing Saddles parodied this by having the heroes get off their horses and into a car, driving off into the sunset at the end of the film.
For me, the ultimate (and now of course clichéic) ending was Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard walking off into the sunset in Modern Times. Very satisfying if seemingly a little illogical: sunset isn't really a good time to begin a journey, surely? Except it wasn't the sunset they walked off into, it was the dawn! Still a pretty good ending!
Here's my list, but I won't give away the endings.
The Usual Suspects
The Outlaw Josie Wales
Casablanca
There are classics: "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."
"The stuff that dreams are made of."
The closing of 2001.
A good closing often is crucial.