How would you rewrite the ending?
I have laughed good and long with this film, I loved it, but the ending is such a cop-out it let's the entire film down. What would you do?
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MovieChat Forums > In & Out (1997) Discussion > How would you rewrite the ending?
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Well, but then Greenleaf would never have had to deal with their homophobia, and could go on thinking that it was something scary that could never happen in a close community. I don't think the point is that you can't like musicals and be straight; I think the point is that good, decent people who are good teachers and friends can be gay. The stereotypes were just there on the side, to be funny, but I don't think they were meant to be the main point.
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I agree. I would've had Howard help Peter up after he punched him at the end and kiss him, and have the camera man film it. The next scene I would've shown would've been a shot of a sign saying "HoneyMoon Suite" then Cameron and Elizabeth inside lounging in bed with Champange watching the report of Peter and Howard kissing. They clink glasses happily. Cuts to next scene, of Howard and Peter in bed at Howards watching the same news report, a kiss. And the placement of a ring on a finger. Then Peter and Howard dancing at their own Wedding.
shareStrongly disagree. I don't like the thought of Howard and Peter ending up together. I mean, can you imagine the introductions to Peter's friends?
"Oh, Elliot, come meet my partner Howard. How did we meet? Oh, I basically upended his life for a story. You know, the usual stuff."
Peter is the kind of person who views other people in terms of what he can get out of them; that's why he works in television. Howard is the kind of person who views people in terms of what he can give them; that's why he's a teacher. I can't imagine those two personalities ever finding a happy (to say nothing of healthy) medium between them.
I thought the movie was self-defeating. All of the points it made were invalidated by the fact that he was "actually" gay. In other words, there was justification for the stereotypes.
However, this is just my recollection of a movie I haven't seen since the theater...eight years ago. That was just my initial impression. From what I remember.
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Howard and Peter should have moved to San Fran’ where Howard gets a job at a private school and Peter gets a job at a big news station. Peter’s job takes him to different parts of the country for ever increasing time periods, to pass the time, Howard spends his nights cruising the local gay bars, and eventually falls into the leather scene, and gets hooked on crystal, he soon quits his job and becomes a full time tina addict, trawling bars for meaningless sex with strangers, and racking up a huge debt (unbeknown to Peter) eventually Peter starts to notice a huge deficit in their spending, and Howard gets more and more paranoid that Peter’s going to find out. Eventually, unable to reconcile his small town upbringing with his current lifestyle of sex and drugs, Howard kills himself, leaving a huge cash hole for Peter.
That would have been cool.
Originally posted by nichiko:
"Howard and Peter should have moved to San Fran’ where Howard gets a job at a private school and Peter gets a job at a big news station. Peter’s job takes him to different parts of the country for ever increasing time periods, to pass the time, Howard spends his nights cruising the local gay bars, and eventually falls into the leather scene, and gets hooked on crystal, he soon quits his job and becomes a full time tina addict, trawling bars for meaningless sex with strangers, and racking up a huge debt (unbeknown to Peter) eventually Peter starts to notice a huge deficit in their spending, and Howard gets more and more paranoid that Peter’s going to find out. Eventually, unable to reconcile his small town upbringing with his current lifestyle of sex and drugs, Howard kills himself, leaving a huge cash hole for Peter."
Queer as Folk season three anybody?
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The ending is suitable for the film. The fact is it's just a reference back to Spartacus, and a humorous idea. Imagine if Spartacus was "gay" and the Roman Legions were out to get him on that basis - cue everybody at the end standing up and saying "I'm Gay!....and so is my wife!".
Unsubtle. Patently obvious. Utterly suitable.
Koncorde on Sun Nov 6 2005 16:37:27
That is NOT the ending of the film. The film ends with the remarriage of his parents. It ends when he is alone. It ends when his brother has a chance with the model, it ends when his one time finance is now being courted by a new admirer.All of this takes place at the wedding but our lead hero seemingly has no romantic chances when the love he's been searching for is there all along.
“When a man gets too fancy, his luck runs out.” Raymond Chandler.
"That is NOT the ending of the film. The film ends with the remarriage of his parents. It ends when he is alone. It ends when his brother has a chance with the model, it ends when his one time finance is now being courted by a new admirer.All of this takes place at the wedding but our lead hero seemingly has no romantic chances when the love he's been searching for is there all along."
So?!? Why is this such a bad thing?? So it can't be a satisfying ending unless the lead hero has a romantic chance?? He's just come to a pretty big realisation about himself and I think the fact that he'd seem to be at peace with that was a more than satisfying ending for me, romantic chance or not.
Out of all the posts on here for "In & Out" (not being able to read deleted ones, which I assume are ... well not suitable) is the one I find the best at describing the ending. This film is not just about "HOWARD", it is about his family, students, co-workers and the town of Greenleef (sorry if I spelled wrong). This film was inspired by an event by Tom Hanks Oscar speech, But not on any actual person. The ending, in my opinion, agrees with other posts. I am a gay man, and I have put myself in the position of Howard. Do I think howard made the right decision to come out at the wedding? No, but, I can see why he waited, he was scared. Like many other gay women and men, he was trying to make his family, friends and town happy. Although his timing was wrong (wedding), he did the right thing. Now, for the ending of the film.....it should appear attractive to many str8 people as the OP stated...brother gets model, fiance ends up with movies star...etc....yet Howard alone. But, Howard is not alone. His family accepted him before this point of film. They (family), the town, and his students, all accepted him during the assembly at the school. The way the film ended was perfect.....weather Howard ends up with (Tom Selleck) character is not what we want to see (well yes in some ways we would as they have chemistry), but what we want to see is EVERYONE else happy, and ok. The way Howard handled everything was not right, YES, he should of been honest, but (coming from a gay man in a small town), it is scary how people will react....many times not supportive. And as the film shows. The gay man (Howard) takes a step back so everyone else is happy, which I would of done.
shareThe ending was the corniest part of the film and was aiming simply for blockbuster feel-good movie success. There's the Spartacus-like support from the town, everyone's cheering, and he accepts AN OSCAR!!! It's possibly the stupidest ending ever. "Cop-out" is an understatement. After he gets fired from his job I would have Howard and that TV guy run off to start a new life in Austria free from small-town bigotry and Hollywood phoniness. Then at the graduation I would have Cameron make a huge scene where he beats the living *beep* out of the Bob Newhart for firing Howard in front of half the town. Newhart sues Cameron for assault; Howard's family sues Newhart for discrimination. The rulings are both in Newharts' favor and a civil war breaks out. The entire country divides and gay's demand equal rights including marriage. The war goes on for years and by 2033 the Bracketeers have won and an ancient Howard returns to his homeland and is elected Kaiser. Then they all dance in tuxedos to the village peoples’ “Macho Man.” That's how it should've ended!
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Col-Keg 6 hours ago (Sun Nov 13 2005 22:21:51)
This finale is SO super! It's mad, bad and delicious. I'm still laughing.
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A) Howard marries his fiance and they have 13 kids. Peter goes on to seduce the actor, who was trying to stay in the closet.
or
B) The actor reveals that the reason he knew Howard was gay was because Howard hit on him in High School. Howard faces charges of indecency with a minor.
Not fun, but much more realistic. As someone who grew up with everyone thinking (and saying) that I was a lesbian (all the while jonesing for a "good, deep dicking"), I was really hoping for Ending A. Sensitive men are no more automatically gay than are strong-willed women!
I'd change the middle, making him a bit less clichee gay.
Also I'd like to emphasize the question "What's clichee straight?" a bit more than just having the scene with the tape. (great scene btw.. :))
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This is really 'smart', I like it.
Especially "Peter goes on to seduce the actor, who was trying to stay in the closet."
I am convinced that their should have been something 'Queer' (as in gender discourses on lesbian and gay identity politics and preference) in this text but it did an about-face backdown that left me annoyed.
“When a man gets too fancy, his luck runs out.” Raymond Chandler.