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

[CFC__VRWC]

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.

But it was clear in the book that Keith had no intention of keeping his commission and making the Navy his career. For that matter, neither did Kiefer, who was an author and had nothing but contempt for the Navy and the people in the Navy who did believe in its mission. The real tragic story was that of LT Steve Maryk, the XO under Queeg, who was a fisherman before the war and did want to make a career of the Navy. Kiefer pushed Maryk into leading the mutiny against Queeg, using him as a means of expressing his hatred of Queeg. Queeg's instability was merely the excuse Kiefer seized upon. Of course, it goes without saying that Maryk's naval career was completely destroyed along with Kieth's.

Thanks for the post reminding me of one my all time favorite novels.