Film critics from authoritative global publications never tire of repeating that the most important part of a film is it's opening scenes, but the ending can also play a significant role in the phenomenal success or complete failure of a movie. In this selection, we discuss 5 films whose endings turned out exactly as they should have.
Whiplash (2014)
Damien Chazelle's breakthrough film, Whiplash, is literally infused with intense emotional tension from the very first scenes. The plot centers around young drummer Andrew, who is determined to achieve fame and success in his craft at any cost, but his already difficult journey becomes nearly unbearable under the mentorship of Terence Fletcher. The unspoken rivalry between the characters and their toxic relationship reaches it's peak in the finale — where literally everything is at stake.
Schindler's List (1993)
The hit drama by Steven Spielberg pays tribute to Oskar Schindler — a German industrialist who used his own acquired wealth to save over 1,000 Jews from death in concentration camps — almost 50 years after the end of World War II. The film's ending, where Schindler, in despair, blames himself for not saving even more people, can evoke a poignant feeling in any viewer. However, it is the epilogue, when the survivors honor Schindler's memory at his grave, that truly serves as a tribute to the main character of the story.
Cinema Paradiso (1988)
The film itself is a love letter to cinema as an art form capable of forever changing someone's life, and the ending of Cinema Paradiso is precisely about that. The main character, whose life is observed throughout the film, receives a gift from his late mentor — a reel of film containing all the scenes that were once cut from movies at the request of the priest. The ending of Cinema Paradiso is a perfect blend of joy and sadness, experienced during the realization that the best moments of life can never be reclaimed.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
"The Dollar Trilogy" remains one of the best Western franchises to this day, and for good reason. In the finale of the last film of the trilogy, everything is perfect: the slow build-up, the tense atmosphere, the palpable sense of danger, the epic music, and the plot twists that reveal that Clint Eastwood's character has not been who he seemed all along. The ending of the film will take the viewer on an emotional rollercoaster several times — all of this in less than 10 minutes.
Casablanca (1942)
Perhaps Casablanca's status as an immortal classic is largely due to it's ending — where the most conflicting emotions are skillfully blended, and the dialogues will linger in the viewer's mind for a long time. While some scenery may not appear very realistic, this can be easily overlooked — few films of that era managed to create such a powerful finale.
