MovieChat Forums > Cabaret (1972) Discussion > Final scene question....

Final scene question....

posted 8 years ago by amdew717
5 replies | jump to latest

I've seen this film many times and have always had this question about the final scene, and hoping to find an answer here.

When we look through the distorted glass and into the audience, seeing the clear presence of brown-shirts with swastika arm bands, I could swear that the first one we see is Max. Did anyone else pick up on that? To me it might explain the sudden break-down of the relationships between him and Sally & Brian.

I think the scene is brilliant nonetheless....one of most chilling ever!

[–] jaysea2 8 years ago

I just watched the very end on TCM...and paid attention to the faces behind the distorted glass. No, I don't think Max was in that final scene. All the men who were clear enough to view either had dark hair or no hair at all. Strange, because most of the men in the film were so fair haired. I didn't see Max. Good movie! I've seen it before...and still enjoy watching it again.

[–] xdayton 8 years ago

Definitely no Max in that scene. That wouldn't make sense - Max was already in Argentina.

[–] bthrock 8 years ago

Max SAID he was going to Argentina, That doesn't mean he's in Argentina.

[–] moosefeather 7 years ago

I see Sally amongst the Nazi soldiers.

[–] IMDBRefugee1SD (139) 7 years ago

No, Sally was not in the audience.

The ending was brilliant. It completed the mirror frame. The film opens with a drum roll and
cymbal crash and the distorted image of the Emcee. And it ends with a drum roll and the camera
panning the distorted mirror image of the audience with many Swastika armbands and freezing
(cymbal crash) with one of the Nazis in the center of the image.