MovieChat Forums > Fatal Attraction (1987) Discussion > Alternate ending question *spoilers*

Alternate ending question spoilers

posted 13 years ago by saint_sophie
18 replies | jump to latest

Do you prefer the alternate ending (Alex comitting suicide/Dan being blamed for her murder) or the proper ending (Alex being shot by Beth). To me the suicide ending seemed a lot more realistic, and would have left much more of a cliffhanger with Dan and his family. The proper ending, while very tense and dramatic, seemed a little... I dunno the word/phrase... BANG! Dead. Baddie finished, etc. Abrupt is probably the word. I did like it though and it did leave a resolution.

Alex committing suicide seemed more true to the character, as some people who suffer with this form psychosis succumb to such an end anyway. It may also have evoked a level of sympathy from the audience towards Alex in spite of everything (even though she was an evil b***h, she was still pretty pitiful) and made it all the more powerful. It would also have been interesting to see Dan's reaction to this. I think I would have preferred the suicide ending.

What does everyone else think?

[–] anne2719 9 years ago

I've always thought the original (suicide) ending was better, and I felt that it could've been improved even more by Beth NOT noticing the tape after we, the audience, did hear it playing after Dan took off his headphones or something. So we would know that it could save him but Beth could accidentally knock it into the wastebasket while looking for the attorney's phone number. Now that would be ironic and Dan would be sent to prison for killing Alex, even though innocent. He would really be paying a high price for his marital indiscretion. Wouldn't that have made husbands all over the world think twice?

[–] tpcorless 9 years ago

^I agree.

The original ending only works UNTIL Beth finds the tapes and then it becomes pointless.

I like your idea. Maybe they could have replayed her voiceover and the tapes get lost or thrown out.

By having Dan go to prison makes the ending more sinister.

As a previous poster stated, it resolved itself too quickly. So even the original ending is somewhat unsatisfying.

[–] Drooch 9 years ago

Wouldn't that have made husbands all over the world think twice?

Or, indeed, adulterous wives. But no, going to prison for murder isn't a deterrent to cheating. What is effective is showing how Douglas is emotionally tormented by his unfaithfulness, which the film portrays very effectively.