MovieChat Forums > Gunga Din (1939) Discussion > One thing about RKO, they never give you...

One thing about RKO, they never give you a dull ending.

posted 16 years ago by Skye_Reynolds
3 replies | jump to latest

Whether it's King Kong's last stand atop the Empire State Building, the revelation behind Citizen Kane's last words, or the climactic struggle between the British Army and the Thuggee, RKO studios sure knew how to give a climactic ending. I love the trivia about how they added the battle after the original ending was deemed too dull.

"You know, I like the emotional ending with Gunga Din's eulogy, but... It's a little anticlimactic. You think maybe we could add a scene with 600 extras going at it in armed combat?"
"Sure, sounds great."

It's such a pity that they're no longer around, save for when a remake (The Cat People, Mighty Joe Young) is needed.

[–] telegonus 9 years ago

You can throw in The Most Dangerous Game, Flying Down To Rio (and all the subsequent RKO musicals featuring Fred and Ginger), The Lost Patrol, The Informer, Bringing Up Baby, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, The Devil and Daniel Webster, most of the Val Lewton horrors, Murder, My Sweet,The Spiral Staircase, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, The Window, and one of the best RKO endings, The Thing From Another World, till Howard Hughes finally wrecked the studio.

[–] filmklassik 8 years ago

God they turned out a lotta great stuff in the 30s and 40s didn't they? And Hawks' original THE THING is wonderful too. Damn.

And youre right, then Hughes came in and ****ed up a wet dream.

[–] filmklassik 8 years ago

And of course, let's not omit OUT OF THE PAST from that great list of yours. Terrific film, with a wonderful (if bittersweet) ending.