The Top 50 Movie Endings of All Time

Filmcritic.com ^ | July 30, 2006 | Christopher Null, et. al.

[MotleyGirl70]

I've seen Chinatown a dozen times, and while it's a great movie, two specific things about it stick in my mind: Jack Nicholson's bandaged nose and the final line of dialogue. Acting, directing, a great script… these are essential to any film. But a classic ending, now that can really make a movie.

We spent literally months brainstorming and corralling the 50 films with the absolute best endings we've ever seen. We're not talking about the last half hour. We mean the last minute of movie. You know, the ending.

Needless to say you can consider this entire article one monster SPOILER ALERT. Most of the films here are classics that you've probably seen several times over. But if not, skip past the ones you haven't seen and put 'em in your rental queue, otherwise you're going to ruin a whole lot of good films. Check out the flicks and we promise you won't be disappointed when the credits roll. As always, apologies in advance for the ones we stupidly forgot (and we know you'll be writing to let us know -- yes, Jaws, The Sixth Sense, Seven, Carrie, we're sorry!).

- Christopher Null, Editor-in-Chief

[RandallFlagg]

I'm probably one of two of the quarter-million FReepers who has seen this movie.

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris
Gamera's right arm blown off with his own
fire breath, gaping wound in the center of his chest. He marches off to defend humanity from swarms of hundreds of lethal, man-eating Gyaos converging on Japan.
Standing alone in the firey rubble of a mangled Japanese city once called Kyoto, howling in pain, he waits in the the battlefield for the oncoming assault.
He knows that he might not survive, but if he fails, the Gyaos will devour humanity.
Flames fill the screen.
The end credits roll.

[uncitizen]

I agree. It's a great ending in its amibiguity.

The ambiguity is what made the ending great. Although the movie ended, we couldn't be sure if the story was really over. Yes, Rhett left Scarlett, but then Scarlett said "i'll find a way to get him back". Knowing her character by the end, it wasn't a stretch to believe that she could find a way. OTOH, knowing him the way we did, we could guess it was over for good.

[pa_dweller]

It isn't often mentioned but Music Box (1989, Costa-Gavras, Jessica Lange, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Frederic Forrest, Donald Moffat, Lukas Haas, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Mari Törõcsik, et al.) kept me twisting right up to the end.

A good movie.

[Vigilanteman]

What gives YOU the right to define Christianity and condemn anyone to hell who doesn't accept your narrow worldview? Did somebody make YOU God while Choose Ye This Day and I weren't looking? If so, could you destroy Islamofacism and I'll believe you are right?

I've studied a little of Mormonism and most of what they teach makes a lot more sense than some of you self- appointed guardians of what constitutes real Christianity. Hell, I might even have joined them if their church didn't demand so damn much.

I get real sick of your kind that finds a need to twist every thread topic into an excuse to bash Mormons, Jews or anyone else who doesn't accept your narrow little worldview. So either prove you are God or STFU!

Oh, and one more thing, don't even imply that you love Mormons. You use the word in the same sense that molestors say they love children. I'm not sure which particular Christian sect is 100% right, but your perversion of the word makes me 100% sure it isn't yours whatever it is. So kiss my royal Indian arse and take a hike. And do Christ a big favor and quit professing to be a Christian.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I recently saw "The Notebook". The ending was good.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That was good:)

Becky

[freedumb2003]

"SOYLENT GREEN IS MADE OF PEOPLE!!!"

[freedumb2003]

And of course, the best ending was from:

It was good to see "Carrie" got an honerable mention.

[9999lakes]

Braveheart!!!

NO!

Wrong list entirely -- That's on the WORST ENDINGS of all times! So sad i won't even re-watch the movie -- EVER!

[fredhead]

What ever happened to the line "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!"???

[fredhead]

The Caine Mutiny. José Ferrer coming into the party after the court martial, confronting the officers of the Caine, and throwing the drink in Fred MacMurray's face. Classic!!

[fredhead]

I like comedies. Especially Mel Brooks comedies. How about the ending of Blazing Saddles where the final fight scene spills out all over the Warner Brothers studio lot?

[finnman69]

Obviously missing, should be in the top 3. The original ending on an ending movie in what may be the most intense movie ending of all time.

[finnman69]

True, the ending of United 93 will physically destroy you and leave you physically spent.

[Cecily]

Yes, that is a classic. Dom Deluise and his dancing "girls." Too funny.

[WhiteGuy]

How could this list have left of the ending of the movie Dragnet (1987 starring Dan Akroid)

The entire movie was made to feature one sight gag.......


Friday refers to the movie's female lead as "The virgin Connie Swail" for 104.5 minutes

in the final sceen, Friday's partner (tom hanks) Pep Streebeck asks about Friday's date with Swail.......

When Akroid responds he leaves of the "virgin" part followed shortly by a close up Akroid with an evil grin.

Classic

[MattinNJ]

There is a Peckinpah film festival in NY and a brief review of "Cross of Iron" caught my eye. As you probably know, it's the German soldiers point of view about the Eastern front. Obviously, the Nazi's were despicable, but I hold the Soviets in equal contempt. Is the movie typical Hollywood, where the Nazi's are evil personified and the Soviets the heroes of Western Civilization?

I know Peckinpah left the U.S when Nixon was elected (that's why the Wild bunch was made in Mexico) so I assume he is a devout leftist. As long as he is even handed in portraying both sides as evil, or even both sides as 18 year olds caught up by something bigger than they could resist, I'd like to see the film. I'd appreciate any input.

[opus86]

IMO The Shootist should've made this list. The Sixth Sense and The Others were great endings. Rear Window had a pretty good ending too.

[Richard Kimball]

I liked the Caine Mutiny, but couldn't include it on my list because of the silly Hollywood ending they tacked on. At the end of the movie, the original Captain returns, much to the chagrin of Willie. In the book, Keefer, who has the drink thrown in his face, becomes Captain. When the Caine is hit by a Kamikaze, Keefer panics and abandons ship. Keith asks for, and receives permission to try and save the ship. Keefer gives it, then jumps overboard. Keith and the crew who elected to stay behind, save the ship, and rescue Keefer and the sailers who abandoned ship. There is an important discussion between Keefer and Keith, where Keefer talks about the one moment, when you face the choice of bravery and cowardice, and how it only comes once, and how he'll live for the rest of his life with the knowledge of his choice. Keith becomes the last Captain of the Caine. He receives a commendation from the Navy for saving the ship. The same day, he receives a formal reprimand from the Navy. A review board overturned the findings of the original board of inquiry. Although no formal action was taken, the reprimand effectively ends Keith's military career, as the Navy will not allow an officer with a formal reprimand to re-enlist.

If the movie, the Caine Mutiny, had ended with the party scene, I would agree with you. There were, IMHO, two flaws that kept the movie from being great. The first was the hackneyed return of the original captain, which ruined the end of the movie. The second was the choice of Donna Lee Hickey as May Wynn. The actress adopted May Wynn as her stage name for the rest of her pathetic career. In the text, May Wynn was a beautiful, poor Catholic girl, who lived with her parents and worked in a shop, while trying to build a singing career. Donna Lee Hickey was supposedly selected for the part because she was dating one of the film's financers. Her May Wynn was a good ten years older than the actor playing Keith, and her poor acting and sad appearance made her as appropriate for the part as Joan Crawford would have been playing Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

The scenes on board ship, and Bogart's destruction on the witness stand were brilliant, as was the scene with Jose Ferrar and Fred MacMurray.

By the way, in the movie, it was never really explained why Keefer hated Queeg so much. There are quite a few other incidents in the book that indicate Queeg is not only unbalanced, but cruel and dishonest. In the book, Keefer has a brother, who is stationed on another ship. When the ships are docked close to each other, Queeg refuses permission for Keefer to visit his brother. His brother was later killed in action, so Queeg made Keefer miss his last chance to see his brother.

[MotleyGirl70]

What movie is that? You stumped me.