Best Last Scene in a Movie?
And there are a lot of great ones. But the other night I was reminded of one of my favorites. In the last scene in BIG NIGHT, a movie about two brothers trying to get a restaurant going, the brother who is the lesser cook but more the manager, (Stanley Tucchi) makes an omelette for his brother (Tony Shaloub) and a waiter.
And then they sit down and eat it. This occurs after a particularly trying night for the brothers.
There is absolutely no dialog in the scene but it perfectly encapsulates the brothers' relationship and what their life is about.
What is your favorite last scene?
Patti, a problem of too many but I liked the endings of Charlton Heston's PLANET OF THE APES, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and, before someone beats me to it, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.
ReplyDeleteYes to all of these. I chose THE BIG NIGHT for its perfectly quiet summary of the movies's themes.
ReplyDeletePatti, I will try and see THE BIG NIGHT. Stanley Tucci is a fine actor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Prashant about the last scene of Planet of the Apes - fabulous!
ReplyDeleteYou will love it. Prashant.
ReplyDeleteThe final scene of DIRTY HARRY when Clint Eastwood says, "Did I fire five bullets...or was it six?" I counted the bullets so I knew the answer.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the most memorable at the moment is the ending to the Mist, which was utterly horrific.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes think that the hardest thing to do is end a comedy. Even Shakespeare blew it as often as he nailed it.
ReplyDeleteBut I think TIN MEN has a perfect ending, when you realize that the two rival salesmen are going to go into business selling the new Volkswagen and make a killing together.
Forgotten that one, Al. A good movie.
ReplyDeleteYes, The Mist--awful... I'll always hate SEVEN for its ending.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to think of a happy ending one, but coming up blank.
The ending to EDWARD SCISSORHANDS made me cry, and then 25 years later, it made my kids cry, too. It's melancholy but beautiful.
ReplyDeleteTruffauts freeze frame, at the end of The 400 Blows.
ReplyDeleteGreat movie Patti - as for great last scenes, well, "Always look at the Bright Side of Life" from LIFE OF BRIAN gets me every time, as does the final handshake between Steiger and Poitier at the end of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT - and for sheer joy, hard to beat the dance number from the end of THE ARTIST - but if you want to see me get choked up, the end of FABULOUS BAKER BOYS will do it even more than FIELD OF DREAMS!
ReplyDeleteSome Like It Hot: not just a great last scene, but one of the greatest last lines too!
ReplyDeleteThese are such great ones. The ones that make you cry seem to resonate the most.
ReplyDeleteThe Third Man, Valli walks past Joseph Cotton.
ReplyDeleteThe end of "Electra Glide in Blue" (1973), quite simply THE greatest ending of all-time.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen ELeCTA GLIDE. have to look for it.
ReplyDeleteYes. Great scene, David. I love so much about that film.
ReplyDelete"I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang", hands down.
ReplyDeleteFor comedy, it has to be "Duck Soup".
Also have never seen CHAIN GANG.
ReplyDeleteCASABLANCA
ReplyDeleteTHE THIRD MAN
Jeff M.
Yes, CHAIN GANG's final scene is haunting.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE but I do like the end.
Jeff M.
How could I forget - the ending of THE LADYKILLERS (1955 version) is perfect. In fact, everything about that movie perfect.
ReplyDeleteRealizing that I don't always remember the last scene in a movie. Casablanca yes. A WONDEFUL LIFE, yes. but lots of these, which I have seen I don't remember the last scene specifically.
ReplyDelete