MovieChat Forums > Suspicion (1941) Discussion > I liked the ending

I liked the ending

posted 19 years ago by kenneglds
52 replies | jump to latest

I might be one of the few, but I actually liked the ending. And it's not because I didn't want to see Cary Grant be a murderer. If it ended with Grant as a killer it somehow would have felt a little pat. (either he was a killer or he wasn't, and now we would know that he was. It would be an ending that would do nothing but answer that question) By having an ending (and motorivation for why Grant was acting like he was) that probably nobody saw coming they made both Grant's character and the movie more complex and nuanced then it would have been if Grant had just turned out to be a killer. Alot of people might think that the movie wimps out, but to me this is one of the classic twist endings in Hollywood history.

[–] roghache 18 years ago

I love Joan Fontaine and appreciated this Hitchcock classic, but was disappointed with the ending. I'm not sure whether the novel's murdering husband finale was altered because of production codes or whether it was reluctance to cast the charming Cary Grant so villainously. Whatever the case, there's confusion as to whether the audience is expected to buy Johnnie's unlikely planned suicide story or whether we're intended to remain fearful he would later murder his now unsuspecting wife. Sometimes ambiguous endings can be quite intriguing but not in this case, IMO, merely unsatisfying and far too rushed.

[–] rexshard93 18 years ago

Well, the ending was supposed to be rushed. You see they actually changed because the evidences weren't clear enough to prove that Cary Grant is a murderer. This led to the current ending which I love.

As for evidences, Here is an evidence - Joan Fontaine (Lina) clearly this in the beginning to Johnnie - "Oh I know you didn't marry me for money. You could have done much better elsewhere".

If Johnnie was after the money, then he could have married somebody who is far more rich. But he didn't.

What Johnnie actually wanted was assistance from somebody who can love and care. That is why he married Lina.

And the suspicion only happens after Lina's marriage. But Johnnie and Beaky were friends since they were at school. So we see that they have a very long relationship.

As for the Murder, Lina spelled "Murder" while playing Anagram. And she bought the book "Murder on the Front". Not Johnnie.

Not only that, the whole movie except the ending is in Lina's point of view.

[–] mrplankton 17 years ago

i was a bit releived to know johnny was not the killer. but i dont think its really a happy ending. johnny sounds like he still has quite a lot of problems. his wife will most likely suffer with the marriage. i dont see johnny changing his ways.

cheers.

[–] rexshard93 17 years ago

Johnnie still has to pay the 2000 pounds to Captain Melbeck. But this time Lina is there to support him. She can actually understand him. Johnnie was betting at the races, because he had to pay his raising debts.

Beaky says that in the beginning of the film.

But in the end, Lina understands Johnnie. So they can start a new life.

[–] annmason1 17 years ago

The ending was lame, they just drove off into the sunset, having agreed it was all the wife's fault for not understanding her husband (who was, after all, a charming rat). Nonetheless, the female had to apologize and beg to be forgiven.

A modern ending would have had the wife kill Cary, anticipating (logically) that he was going to get her. Then, she would have returned and discovered a suicide letter from him telling her how much he loved her, blah blah blah.

Now THAT would have been a Hitchcock ending, and preserved the career and persona of Grant, and kept all the women happy. I vote somebody reshoots the ending!

[–] rexshard93 17 years ago

Hitchcock's ending wasn't used, because audience refused to approve Cary Grant as a murderer.

One of the reviewers said If Johnnie killed Beaky, then he wouldn't have applied for a loan out of Lina's life insurance policy. If Johnnie was the murderer, then he would have been after the profits that he will get through corporation. The corporation is still in place, because Beaky wasn't able to sink the corporation, due to his sudden death.

I find it very interesting. That is why I liked the current ending.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] rexshard93 17 years ago

Only the ending was changed from the film.

There is no evidence in the past to prove that Johnnie was a murderer. Beaky was a friend of Johnnie since Johnnie's childhood.

Beaky calls Johnnie "a wonderful chap." Beaky knows that Johnnie lies. But he still hanged around with Johnnie. This is possibly because Johnnie was a really good friend to Beaky. And Johnnie was broken all of his life.

Lina even says this "Oh I know you didn't marry me for my money. you could have done much better elsewhere."

If we take it psychologically, then we will understand more about Lina.

Lina started suspecting Johnnie as a murderer only after her father's death. If Johnnie was the murderer of Beaky, then he wouldn't have applied loan out of Lina' life insurance policy. If Johnnie was the murderer, then he would have been waiting for the profits from the corporation Beaky established.

[–] jamasian_man 17 years ago

annmason1's ending would have crazy good. i liked that ending. That would have been way better than by the way, i'm suicidal a terrible husband and am going to explain everything. then lets get back together and be happy. its ok.

that just doesn't seem right.

what if he were to drive the car straight instead of turning, then kicked her out of the car? that would have been hitchcock right there.

[–] kenneglds 17 years ago

>>> Now that would have been a Hitchcock ending, and preserved the career and persona of Grant

So you are saying that Grant's persona hasn't been preserved? And his career was a failure after "Suspicion"?

[–] rexshard93 17 years ago

Cary Grant's career only went better after Suspicion (1941). I am glad Hitchcock's ending wasn't used. Its true that Cary Grant always wanted to play a villain. But the audience refused.

[–] giverny98 17 years ago

I agree with you -- I liked the ending too. I don't think it was too pat. At the end, Grant could be still be lying to Lina just wanting to get her home to do her in. Or get her home to rebuild their lives. You really don't know, which is why I think it works so well.

[–] rexshard93 17 years ago

Hitchcock wrote the current ending with Samson Raphaelson and Joan Harrison.

I agree that Its an open ending.

[–] kenneglds 17 years ago

Some people who want Hitchcock's orginal ending, wonder how David o'selznick could have the "nerve" to interfere in the artistic vision of a brillant filmmaker like Hitchcock. They forget that O'Selznick was also a great filmmaker. 2 of his movies (among other notable ones) were "Gone with the Wind" and "Rebecca".

[–] rexshard93 17 years ago

Actually, Hitchcock made this film for R.K.O Studio. Not Selznick Studio.

Its true that Selznick was a great film maker. But I think Rebecca is a great film, because of Hitchcock.

Selznick originally wanted Rebecca in color. But Hitchcock insisted David O. Selznick that the film be shot in black and white.

As for the ending, David O. Selznick wanted the smoke from the burning Manderley to spell out a huge R. Alfred Hitchcock thought the touch lacked any subtlety. When Selznick was preoccupied by _Gone With the Wind (1939)_ , Hitchcock was able to replace the smoky R with the burning of a monogrammed lingerie case. Hitchcock also edited the picture in the camera, a method of filmmaking that didn't allow David O. Selznick to reedit the picture.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Krista2882 17 years ago

I liked the ending, too! I don't think it was a cop-out at all. I was sort of suspecting that it would end up that Johnnie wasn't a killer, but I was still suprised at the way the ending played out. It made me appreciate the movie more.

[–] kylebryant50 16 years ago

I liked the ending, I don't like that hitchcock wanted it to be different. But when I saw it i thought it was good. The whole time i thought he was the killer and was shocked that he wasn't. They did rush the ending and threw it all together real quick they could have showed her come to the relization a little slower that he wasn't the killer. But I thought that it was right way to go, the opposite of Shadow of a Doubt.

[–] hiddenagenda1 11 years ago

I liked the ending too. It was different.

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