MovieChat Forums > Pocketful of Miracles (1962) Discussion > the ending

the ending

posted 18 years ago by armau
6 replies | jump to latest

When the Dude goes to the police, I imagined that he would reveal Darcy's location in exchange for immunity, and it seems that he does eventually do that. It's the only action that would have produced such miraculous results. But it's not really made clear whether that in fact happens. There are some vague questions in the car from Joy Boy, along the lines of "I wonder what he gave them," and at the very end we see the Dude look at Little Switzerland just sitting there, undisturbed I think. Did the cops get Darcy or not? If we are meant to infer this sequence of events, then why show us Little Switzerland undisturbed at the end?

[–] jrangers19 18 years ago

Just saw this tonight, and came in somewhere toward the middle, but I got the impression that the reason the mayor and governor did what they did was because they were moved by Annie's plight. Why else would they be so kind and gracious to her? It seems that Dude did what Queenie told him to do - tell them the truth. I think that's why everyone seemed to have a change of heart at the end, because they were so moved by Annie's love for her daughter. But then again, maybe I'm just a romantic!

[–] flavia18 18 years ago

How funny that you & I should have both seen the movie tonight and then come to IMDb! But yes, you are correct about how the ending is achieved, and that's the entire point of the movie: that to just do good for others (which in this instance includes telling the truth about it) can only bring about good for everyone, including yourself.

[–] pknowles1 17 years ago

I suggest the ending was deliberately left ambiguous, so that viewers can believe what they will about how Dude secured the cooperation of the governor and the mayor. Those who conclude that Dude must have made a deal, giving Darcy's location to the governor, the mayor, and the police in exchange for their cooperation at the reception can be confident that that is what happened. Those who conclude that the governor and mayor helped at the reception purely out of human kindness as the result of Dude telling them the truth can be just as confident. The film doesn't tell us one way or the other.

[–] Jgatewood1440 16 years ago

Keep in mind that at the end of the movie where all of the main cast members are at the ship yard to see Annie's daughter off, one of the Dude's hinchmen tells the Dude that Darcy is in the trailor of the moving van and that the deal is on if the Dude is willing to accept. So that tells me that no the Dude did not rat out Darcy.

[–] Scab16 16 years ago

I concur. The Dude tells Queenie that he will move to Maryland with her, then looks at Little Swiss in a "what could have been" moment. He told the truth for Queenie and Annie and it made him a better person. I never got the impression that he ratted out Darcy.

[–] maestro7PL 8 years ago

Well I thought that just before this reception scene, the 3 reporters were missing, Dave the Dude knew where they were, and released this information to the cops, and then the Mayor and Governor and guests showed up as a "quid pro quo."