Favorite Endings

maestrowork · Jul 15, 2005

A thread in Novel Writing prompted me to ask...

What are your favorite endings (books, movies, etc.)? State the ending and also the reason why you love it.

rtilryarms · Jul 15, 2005

William Haskins · Jul 15, 2005

He loved Big Brother.

maestrowork · Jul 15, 2005

KTC said:
"He stared gratefully at the back of Myrna's head, at the pigtail that swung innocently at his knee. Gratefully. How ironic, Ignatius thought. Taking the pigtail in one of his paws, he pressed it warmly to his wet moustache."

These are the last lines from A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. I had tears in my eyes when I read them for the first time. This wreck of a human being was driving away from his beloved prison--New Orleans, and as I reader I had a hope that his life would now be just beginning. I was so filled with hope for Ignatius when I put the book down that I felt that he was a real person. That was definitely my favourite literary ending of all time!

]

Except there are four "ly" words.

What would the purists say about that?

robeiae · Jul 15, 2005

As far as movies go, there are two that come to mind right away:

"The Usual Suspects"-I knew it was coming, but it blew me away, nonetheless!

"Goodfellas"-Just another shmuck eating egg noodles and tomato sauce!

Rob

maestrowork · Jul 15, 2005

I am a sap. I love the ending of Cinema Paradiso. My all time favorite ending. Perfect.

aadams73 · Jul 15, 2005

Ohhh tricky, but I would have to go with the ending of "An Affair to Remember" where Cary Grant realizes that Deborah Kerr is crippled. <sniff>

And now for something completely different, the ending of "Seven"or "7even" or however you want to spell it.

maestrowork · Jul 15, 2005

Oh, yes, I loved the ending of Se7en.

rtilryarms · Jul 15, 2005

"The Brotherhood", Kirk Douglas

I you haven't seen it I won't say the ending but I was only 9 when I saw it in a drive in and it spooked me forever.

robeiae · Jul 15, 2005

I still remember the first time I saw "Planet of the Apes," the original. That was a pretty good ending, though it only works once, finding SoL mostly buried on the beach. ("On the Beach"! Another quality ending!)

Rob

wardmclark · Jul 15, 2005

In books, I could never pick just one - or even just five. But in movies? No contest.

"Ready boys? Let's go get 'em." - Glenne Headly as Janet Colgate, aka The Jackal, in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

aadams73 · Jul 15, 2005

Ohhh just thought of another excellent ending--and indeed the whole film was quite brilliant: "The Ruling Class" with the wonderful Peter O'Toole.

three seven · Jul 18, 2005

Memento.

poetinahat · Jul 18, 2005

Il faut cultiver notre jardin.
-- Candide

poetinahat · Jul 28, 2005

Okay, maybe I can un-kill this thread:

"Y'know, this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
-- Casablanca

Action, hope, heartbreak, redemption: Bogart and Claude Rains walking away. Not what you hope for, but the way it has to be. And it's good.

rowriter · Jul 29, 2005

The ending of the novel A Widow for One Year by John Irving.

Why? At the time I read it, there was no other sentence in the world that fit more than the sentence on the page. I was utterly and completely satisfied. can't tell you exactly why that was, it just was. (but maybe I'll read it again someday and tell you!)

JoeEkaitis · Jul 29, 2005

[font=&quot] So they set off up the hill arm-in-arm, the Saint, the Dragon, and the Boy. The lights in the little village began to go out; but there were stars, and a late moon, as they climbed to the Downs together. And, as they turned the last corner and disappeared from view, snatches of an old song were borne back on the night-breeze. I can't be certain which of them was singing, but I think it was the Dragon!

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Wouldn't make it past the first reader today.

::sigh::

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zcooper · Jul 29, 2005

Endings:

The end of the Dark Towre series. Mr. King hit it.

ANNIE · Jul 29, 2005

The Dead Poet's society.

when they all stand on the desks saying 'captian my captain.' in solute to Robin Williams character

Writer2011 · Jul 29, 2005

Probably the ending of "The Usual Suspects" I had NO idea it was him all along...

Very good ending by the way... Also, there is an original ending to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" the 2003 version where the main character is sitting in a mental hospital and she's been telling her story... wish they could have used it in the movie, but it's on the DVD!!...

rhymegirl · Jul 29, 2005

"I'm having an old friend for dinner." (Silence of the Lambs)

Then Hannibal walks off following Chilton down that long street.

Love this ending because you know what's going to happen, yet you don't get to see it happen.

On a happier note, I love the ending to The Wizard of Oz.

"And oh, Auntie Em, there's no place like home."

Girl is back in Kansas surrounded by everyone she loves.

maestrowork · Jul 30, 2005

The ending of a Japanese movie, "Love Letter." At the end the girl has a revelation which explains EVERYTHING about the movie, bringing a very satisfying end to a rather somber story.

PattiTheWicked · Aug 1, 2005

The ending of the movie Glory, where the Massachussetts 54th gets wiped out after storming battery Wagner, and the white guys and the black guys all end up buried in the same mass grave.

The end of The Stand, where we learn that Randall Flagg has merely moved on....

poetinahat · Aug 1, 2005

The ending of my movie-going career, when I discovered this thread and realised I needn't actually see any films to find out the ending...

PattiTheWicked · Aug 2, 2005

poetinahat said:
The ending of my movie-going career, when I discovered this thread and realised I needn't actually see any films to find out the ending...

Think of the money we've saved you on tickets, popcorn, and babysitters!

Favorite Endings

Fear the Death Ray

Crossbows and Handgonnes

poet

Fear the Death Ray

Touch and go

Fear the Death Ray

A Work in Progress

Fear the Death Ray

Crossbows and Handgonnes

Touch and go

Woods bum

A Work in Progress

(Graeme Cameron)

say it loud

say it loud

Bibliophile

Certified Gray Haired Geek

zcooper

It's a New Year!

Fear the Death Ray

Unleashing Hell.

say it loud

Unleashing Hell.