Top 20 Best Final Scenes in Movies
There's nothing better than a satisfying ending! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most successful scenes that end a film. This list features lots of spoilers!
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00:00 "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things.
00:04 And no good thing ever dies."
00:07 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most successful scenes
00:12 that end a film.
00:13 This list doesn't include animated movies, but it does feature lots of spoilers.
00:18 "So long, partner."
00:20 Number 20.
00:26 'Chief's Escape'
00:27 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'
00:29 "Now we can make it back.
00:30 I feel big as a damn mountain."
00:34 After attacking Nurse Ratched, Randall McMurphy receives a lobotomy.
00:37 The hero's fellow patient Chief Bromden then makes a dramatic choice.
00:41 McMurphy doesn't survive the film, but he does empower his friend to escape.
00:46 The scene goes from heartbreaking to triumphant in just a few short minutes.
00:50 In a key moment, Bromden uses his incredible strength to throw a piece of heavy equipment
00:55 out a window.
00:56 The reactions from the others and the impressive score might just move you to tears.
01:01 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest ends by creating a glimmer of hope in a dark world, showing
01:06 that there's always a way to break free.
01:09 Number 19.
01:10 'Norma's Close-Up'
01:11 'Sunset Boulevard'
01:12 "Cameras.
01:13 What does it make?"
01:18 Silent film star Norma Desmond's world starts to crumble around her, causing her to lash
01:23 out in a violent way.
01:25 In the final scene, the police arrive to arrest the deluded actress in a devastating conclusion.
01:30 With her mind still stuck in the past, Desmond believes she has an opportunity to pose for
01:35 the camera.
01:36 "Down below, they're waiting for the princess.
01:40 I'm ready."
01:43 Her butler, Max, turns the moment into one last chance for her to relive her glory days.
01:48 It's unsettling, heartbreaking, and compelling in one breath.
01:52 Creating some classic dialogue, Gloria Swanson's performance blends complex emotions into a
01:57 career-defining moment, bringing Billy Wilder's twisted vision of Hollywood to a close in
02:02 spectacular fashion.
02:03 "Alright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."
02:06 Number 18.
02:07 'Waiting for Something to Happen'
02:09 'The Thing'
02:10 "You're the only one who made it."
02:13 "I'm not the only one."
02:15 John Carpenter's terrifying remake of a 1950s horror classic comes to a close with a stunning
02:20 cliffhanger.
02:21 J.J. MacReady and Childs are the last men standing, having barely survived a creature
02:25 that can infect a person's blood and assume new forms.
02:29 But how can MacReady and Childs, or the audience, know if either of these men is human or an
02:33 alien copy?
02:34 "If you're worried about me…"
02:35 "If we've got any surprises for each other, I don't think we're in much shape to do anything
02:42 about it."
02:44 Both characters stick to their stories before hunkering down, deciding to await their fates
02:48 over some scotch.
02:50 Kurt Russell and Keith David play it cool here, never letting on as to which might be
02:54 infected.
02:55 The paranoia of the entire movie bubbles up here in a frightening end, thanks to Carpenter's
03:00 expert and skillful storytelling.
03:02 Number 17.
03:03 Revisiting 'The Diner Robbery'
03:05 Pulp Fiction
03:06 "Everybody be cool, this is a robbery!"
03:09 Through the unorthodox sequencing of this movie, Quentin Tarantino returns us to the
03:13 beginning with a completely different perspective.
03:15 Jules and Vincent think that they're home free until they find themselves in the middle
03:19 of a robbery.
03:20 The tense confrontation features some of Tarantino's finest dialogue, and one of Samuel L. Jackson's
03:25 definitive performances.
03:28 Making the writer's dialogue sing, Jackson becomes a hitman with a heart of gold in this
03:32 killer monologue.
03:33 "The truth is, you're the weak, and I'm the tyranny of evil men.
03:43 But I'm trying, Ringo.
03:47 I'm trying real hard to be the shepherd."
03:53 The scene includes dark humor, philosophy, and eventually a little bit of heart.
03:58 You couldn't ask for a better way to end this crime classic.
04:00 "I think we should be leaving now."
04:02 "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."
04:06 Number 16.
04:07 Forget It, Jake - Chinatown
04:09 "You're under arrest, Jake."
04:12 "Good news."
04:15 As befits one of the best film noirs ever, Chinatown has an incredible ending.
04:20 Private investigator Jake Gittis tries to save Evelyn Mulray from her evil father.
04:25 Not only does the hero fail, he watches as the police shoot and kill Evelyn.
04:29 Robert Towne's script weaves a convoluted narrative into a serious gut punch, and the
04:34 chaos of this moment encapsulates the moral drama at the center of the movie.
04:38 Jack Nicholson's stunned face brings it all home, but the last line still stings to this
04:43 day and sums up the whole film beautifully.
04:46 "Forget it, Jake.
04:47 It's Chinatown."
04:48 Number 15.
04:49 Okay - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
04:50 "My name is Clementine Krasinski.
04:51 I'm here to erase Joel Barish."
04:52 "What is this?"
04:53 By the end of this sci-fi romance, Joel and Clementine both realize that they've erased
05:06 each other from their memories.
05:07 Their last confrontation is unlike anything we've seen in a romantic film before.
05:12 The main characters try to work through their feelings and start to go their separate ways,
05:16 but they eventually decide to try again.
05:19 This could easily have veered into sappy sentimentality, but the writing carefully avoids this, and
05:24 both Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet play the scene with just the right amount of feeling.
05:28 "I can't see anything that I don't like about you."
05:30 "But you will!"
05:31 "Right now I can't."
05:32 "But you will.
05:33 You know, you will think of things, and I'll get bored with you and feel trapped because
05:37 that's what happens with me."
05:39 "Okay."
05:40 "Okay."
05:48 They then spend time at the beach in a soulful final shot.
05:51 Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind gracefully makes you believe in love while reconsidering
05:56 the classic rom-com format.
05:58 14.
05:59 Nobody's Perfect, Some Like It Hot
06:01 On the lam from Gangsters, musicians Joe and Jerry spend most of this film pretending to
06:06 be women, but they eventually have to come clean.
06:09 The former reveals his ruse to Marilyn Monroe's sugar in a memorable way.
06:14 Things don't end up going as smoothly for Jerry, with the bass player trying to avoid
06:18 marrying Osgood Fielding III without revealing his true identity.
06:21 "Osgood, I can't get married in your mother's dress.
06:24 She and I, we are not built the same way."
06:29 Jack Lemmon's beautifully modulated performance finally results in the wig coming off, but
06:34 Fielding's response is simple yet hilarious.
06:37 Billy Wilder's crazy comedy delivers a surprising yet inevitable ending that cements its status
06:42 as a classic.
06:43 "Oh, I'm a man.
06:46 Well, nobody's perfect."
06:49 13.
06:51 Inception, Inception
06:52 For this trippy sci-fi adventure, Christopher Nolan sets up hundreds of dominoes before
06:57 letting them fall.
06:58 The cerebral heist that forms the backbone of the film comes to a close as a multi-level
07:03 dream collapses, and the final montage follows Dom Cobb as he makes a triumphant return to
07:08 the United States.
07:09 He's also reunited with his family in an emotional scene.
07:12 This doesn't stop Nolan from having a little fun at our expense, with the director leaving
07:17 us on a high note.
07:18 "Daddy!
07:19 Daddy!
07:20 Eww!
07:21 That's what I did to you!"
07:25 Cobb's spinning top, which is intended to indicate whether he's in a dream state or
07:29 not, never falls, but it seems to wobble just before a cut to black.
07:34 It's one more striking visual in an incredible end sequence.
07:40 12.
07:44 Solo - Whiplash
07:45 Andrew Neiman spends the whole movie trying to be the best drummer he can be.
07:49 The final scene showcases everything that he's gained and lost in that pursuit.
07:54 "I'm guessing most of you folks have heard of..."
07:59 As Neiman is preparing for his abusive teacher, Terrence Fletcher, the musician defies the
08:02 rules in order to show off.
08:04 This compelling sequence features stunning editing and direction as the action plays
08:07 out.
08:08 Fletcher can't control his student, but he then tries to work with him.
08:11 The performance turns into an endless solo that needs to be seen to be believed.
08:23 In the end, Neiman seems to have fallen under the influence of his master.
08:27 The strong conclusion operates in a gray area that allows for multiple interpretations.
08:35 11.
08:39 Catch with Dad - Field of Dreams
08:41 "Oh my God."
08:42 "What?
08:43 What is it?"
08:44 "It's my father."
08:50 After everything he's been through, Ray Kinsella is angry that he doesn't get to follow Shoeless
08:55 Joe into the cornfield.
08:56 His consolation prize makes for one of the most heartwarming moments in film history.
09:01 Kinsella spots his father on the field, and so has the chance to play catch with him.
09:06 "Hey, Dad?
09:07 You wanna have a catch?"
09:10 "I'd like that."
09:18 The scene brings together the power of baseball and father-son relationships in a powerfully
09:22 moving way.
09:23 Kevin Costner's natural performance brings out the beauty in this emotional climax.
09:27 The last shot revealing the row of cars harkens back to the film's "if you build it, he will
09:32 come" message in an uplifting way.
09:34 10.
09:35 The Greatest Trick the Devil Ever Pulled - The Usual Suspects
09:38 "After that, my guess is you'll never hear from him again."
09:43 Throughout the film, agent Dave Kuian interviews conman Verbal Kint in an effort to solve the
09:47 mystery surrounding Kaiser Soze, an elusive crime lord.
09:51 It isn't until the last scene that Kuian finally realizes the truth.
09:56 After Kint's tearful goodbye, his interviewer turns to examine all of the evidence on his
10:00 bulletin board.
10:01 The reveal slowly builds with dramatic intensity, until the case breaks wide open.
10:06 "It's all there.
10:07 And I'm telling it straight, I swear."
10:10 Pulling the rug out from under the audience as well as Kuian, this movie breaks conventions
10:14 by making viewers question the entire plot.
10:17 Kuian tries to find his suspect, but he's much too late.
10:21 We feel almost as stunned as he does, making this one of the most effective cinematic conclusions
10:26 of the 1990s.
10:28 "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
10:35 And like that, he's gone."
10:40 9.
10:41 Truman Escapes - The Truman Show
10:43 When Truman Burbank sails into the unknown, he reaches the end of the fake world he's
10:47 always called home.
10:49 The striking images show the hero reaching the barrier between him and reality.
10:53 At the key moment, Truman finally hears from the show's creator and engages in an amazing
10:58 existential conversation.
10:59 "I know you better than you know yourself."
11:02 "You never had a camera in my head."
11:04 It's a moving scene, featuring some of Jim Carrey's best serious acting, complemented
11:09 by Ed Harris' excellent work as the obsessive Kristoff.
11:12 It all leads to Burbank's final sign-off, which feels like a brilliant mic drop moment.
11:17 "In case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night."
11:23 With evocative music adding to the intensity, this unique movie builds to an impressive
11:27 finish.
11:28 8.
11:29 The Sound of Silence - The Graduate
11:31 After leaving college behind, Benjamin Braddock finds himself at sea and eventually falls
11:36 into an affair with his neighbor Mrs. Robinson.
11:39 However, he later comes to realize that it's really her daughter Elaine that he wants to
11:43 be with.
11:44 Of course, the fact that she's getting married complicates things.
11:48 Braddock takes great pains to reach the church, interrupt the wedding, and steal the bride.
11:55 "Elaine!
11:58 Elaine!"
12:00 Elaine decides to run away with Benjamin, giving the sequence a romantic exit like no
12:05 other.
12:06 This could've been a great ending on its own, but director Mike Nichols goes one step further.
12:10 He shows the pair sitting awkwardly as they contemplate their life together, sending viewers
12:15 away with some food for thought about happily ever after endings.
12:18 "And the vision that was planted in my brain."
12:25 7.
12:26 Goodbye - E.T.
12:27 The Extra-Terrestrial
12:28 In the conclusion of this sci-fi tale, Elliot Taylor and his friends bid farewell to their
12:33 otherworldly buddy.
12:34 They first get some help from the title character to fly into the sky and eventually reach his
12:39 ship.
12:40 But their journeys must come to an end, with this one being particularly sad.
12:44 Taylor struggles to say goodbye before E.T. gives him one last line to remember.
12:55 The music of John Williams makes this ending soar, and the skillful direction of Steven
13:00 Spielberg exerts just the right amount of tugging at the heartstrings.
13:04 We're sad to see the creature leave, but we're just as grateful as Elliot that we got to
13:08 spend time with him.
13:16 6.
13:23 An Angel Gets His Wings - It's a Wonderful Life
13:26 After being shown that his life has made a huge difference to others, the desperate and
13:30 depressed George Bailey has a change of heart.
13:33 After so much goes wrong for him, the hero reunites with his family in a classic ending
13:37 that is a true celebration.
13:39 Not only does Bailey settle his debts, he finds the entire town rallying around him.
13:44 His brother also comes by for a toast that feels like the best way to bring this hopeful
13:48 movie home.
13:49 "To my big brother George, the richest man in town."
13:54 This is a feel-good sequence that never ceases to inspire or warm the hearts of viewers,
13:59 no matter how many times they see it.
14:01 Among the essential holiday films, It's a Wonderful Life's ending inspires us all to
14:06 appreciate what we have.
14:08 "Look Daddy, teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings."
14:18 "That's right.
14:19 That's right.
14:20 That a boy climb."
14:22 5.
14:23 Reunion - The Shawshank Redemption
14:25 After Andy Dufresne escapes the titular prison, there's still the question of Red's fate.
14:30 He gets paroled and struggles to fit into society.
14:33 A moving montage and Morgan Freeman's expert narration take us through his dramatic journey.
14:37 "All I want is to be back where things make sense.
14:41 Where I won't have to be afraid all the time."
14:45 Finding the gift Dufresne left for him, the former inmate finally decides to travel to
14:49 meet his friend in Mexico.
14:51 Their heartwarming reunion caps off an incredible ending sequence.
14:55 Seeing them together again, you can't help but feel better knowing that the two characters
14:59 have each other.
15:00 The Shawshank Redemption brings viewers to tears while also reminding them about the
15:04 power of friendship.
15:09 4.
15:13 Wouldn't Hurt a Fly - Psycho
15:15 At the end of the movie, Norman Bates is caught red-handed assuming the identity of his mother.
15:20 A psychiatrist explains that the villain is a case of multiple personality disorder.
15:25 "Norman Bates no longer exists.
15:28 He only half existed to begin with."
15:31 It all explains the surprising turn of events in the film, and how the disturbed young man
15:35 has lost grip with reality.
15:37 Alfred Hitchcock then gives viewers another look at Bates by himself.
15:41 His thoughts are narrated by his mother, adding yet another terrifying layer to this horror
15:46 film.
15:47 The talented Anthony Perkins even conveys the character's disturbed psyche without dialogue.
15:51 His last look at the camera says it all, scaring audiences with an iconic smile.
15:56 "They'll see and they'll know and they'll say, 'Why, she wouldn't even harm a fly.'"
16:05 3.
16:06 I'm Finished - There Will Be Blood
16:08 Daniel Plainview might have everything at the end of this movie, but there's still one
16:12 person left to face.
16:13 His rival Eli Sunday tries to do business and ends up getting swindled one last time.
16:18 When the antihero mentions milkshakes, he starts an iconic rant, which Daniel Day-Lewis
16:23 plays impeccably.
16:25 "I drink your milkshake.
16:31 I drink it up!"
16:33 The script lets the actor explore the darkest corners of humanity, but never stops being
16:38 entertaining.
16:39 It's the final destructive act of a character we love to hate.
16:42 After a vicious verbal assault, the oil man throws Sunday into a deadly game of bowling.
16:48 Paul Thomas Anderson's masterful epic concludes with equal parts intense violence and dark
16:54 comedy.
16:55 "I'm finished!"
16:56 2.
16:57 You Maniacs!
16:58 - Planet of the Apes
16:59 "Oh my God, I'm back.
17:00 I'm home."
17:01 At the end of this film, astronaut George Taylor and fellow human Nova leave behind the ruling
17:14 apes for greener pastures.
17:16 Their journey starts out as an escape, but the script has other plans for them.
17:20 The pair reaches a beach, where the main character finds a reason to freak out.
17:25 When Taylor sees the Statue of Liberty, the man realizes that he's not on a distant planet,
17:30 but still on Earth.
17:31 It's a shocking scene that's still devastating all these years later.
17:35 "You maniacs!
17:37 You blew it up!"
17:41 With Charlton Heston's acting, the crazy twist remains a highlight of 1960s sci-fi.
17:46 Few movies are bold enough to build up high hopes and then take them all away.
17:51 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
17:55 1.
17:56 Becoming Dawn - The Godfather
17:57 Michael continues his compelling descent into evil as the new head of the Corleone family.
18:03 "I'm Corleone."
18:09 Waking Up From a Dream - No Country for Old Men
18:12 Sheriff Bell describes a thought-provoking vision of his father before a sudden end.
18:16 "He's fixing to make a fire somewhere out there, and all that dark, and all that cold.
18:25 I knew that whenever I got there, he'd be there."
18:28 Where Is My Mind - Fight Club
18:29 The hero finally confronts his alter ego in a trippy and destructive conclusion.
18:34 "You met me at a very strange time in my life."
18:43 Say Hello to My Little Friend - Scarface
18:46 Tony Montana yells and shoots his way to the end of an entertaining death scene.
18:50 "You wanna play rough?
18:51 Okay.
18:52 Say hello to my little friend!"
18:55 Off the Cliff - Thelma & Louise
18:58 The titular partners take one last heartbreaking drive to avoid the authorities.
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19:24 1.
19:26 The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship - Casablanca
19:29 Do movies get any more romantic than this?
19:32 "He's looking at you, kid."
19:34 At the end of Casablanca, Rick Blaine knows that he has to let Elsa Lund go.
19:39 The two then share one final and heartfelt moment together.
19:42 Before the plane flies away, the hero takes down Major Strasser in order to save Lund
19:47 and her husband.
19:48 This selfless act makes us follow for the main character even more.
19:51 While walking off into the night, the remaining allies celebrate with a hopeful message and
19:56 an iconic quote.
19:57 We wish that every film could pack the same thrills, romance, and drama into one end scene.
20:02 "Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
20:07 Did we forget another amazing final scene?
20:10 Let us know in the comments below.
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