Strange ending
Leg-rubbing and multiplying rabbits. WTF?
She wasn't actually rubbing Anne's leg, just so you know.
shareI'll forever have a new association with Queen anne's table legs now.
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MovieChat Forums > The Favourite (2018) Discussion > Strange ending
Actually one thing comes to mind. We are shown Abigail putting her foot on a rabbit and smiling as if she really IS the queen.. however Queen Anne calls her to rub her leg, letting Abigail know that she still is nevertheless a servant.
Maybe that's why Sarah asks Abigail what she thinks she's "won"
I am agree with your interpretation. What's bother me about the ending is why the director feel the need to added the multiplying rabbits at the end?
He think we don't smart enough to do the connection between the rabbits and the Leg-rubbing scene by ourselves so he give us clear (and strange) hint.
It's been a while, but I recall making a connection between the final emphasis on the rabbits to the film's title. You go into the movie thinking "The Favourite" implies some sort of competition between Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz for the Queen's affection. In fact, however, neither woman ever had a shot at that title. To the queen, the rabbits were always going to be her favorite, regardless of any ploy or trickery either of the girls could cook up.
In my experience, this realization, combined with the vivid imagery of the rabbits, created a uniquely haunting conclusion to the film.
If you think he's the kind of director he takes his audience for idiots, you must not be familiar with his work and missed the point of the juxtaposition.
shareI understand that the rabbits represent her deceased children; still, I believe the director could have been less blunt in conveying his message. The meaning can be grasped through self-analysis or a brief discussion with friends. Even during the movie, the role of the rabbits could becomes evident. We didn't need to be spoon-fed by the director.
I seen two of his films. I wait for Poor Things.
The rubbing/dominance seemed to be a call back to when she said that when her dad sold her, the rapes were the worst. The queen is essentially telling her she is right back where she started.
The rabbits represented her unborn kids... but I can't figure it out. Someone please explain.
I'm thinking her leg rubbing as well as eating, sleeping was her way of soothing her losses and pain away. Not just the 17 children, but also Sarah, her illnesses and apparent stroke, lost husband etc. But also putting Abigail in her place, esp after messing with her rabbit. Maternal instinct, dominance etc.
shareI did blink a few times in disbelief after realising that the movie was over.
Then I thought a bit more about it and it may have meant that the rabbits were the only ones who had any honest feelings for Anne, everybody else was using her / being used by her.
Or maybe it's all about the stepping-on-chain? It's like the food chain, except the ones higher up don't eat the lower creatures (on the contrary... *end of dirty joke*), they just step on them.
But I'd still have prefered a different ending (and a shorter movie).
That shot of Anne pressing down on Abigail's head felt like the director was doing a weird fetish thing. Being familiar with Lanthimos' work, I wouldn't be surprised.
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