MovieChat Forums > Yanks (1979) Discussion > The Ending

The Ending

posted 18 years ago by spreme
12 replies | jump to latest

iT would be nice if the ending had the girls coming to america.

But I guess it would be too cheesey.....

Andthis is a great film, I saw this today on Comcast Digital Cable.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Jamesina_Bond_007 18 years ago

It would have been difficult to do a sequel or anything about the "GI Brides" going to America. As the previous poster said, some of the GI's would have been killed in the D-Day landings.

"You made me miss!I've never missed that board before".

[–] timmaninaz 18 years ago

I like the ending very much. It leaves you wondering and the train whistle right before the credits was a nice touch. Since Matt and Danny were cooks, it is likely that they were in the rear and probably not that close to the front lines. Strange things can happen in war and who knows what could have happened. I think that's why it ends like that. It's only a movie and their particular story fiction but I like to think that they went back to England after the war.

[–] bryanac625 17 years ago

One thing to remember that no one has talked about here- did Jeanie and Molly survive the war themselves, or were they killed in the V-1 and V-2 rocket attacks after D-Day?

[–] mark-knight 17 years ago

Unlikely that they were killed by V1s or V2s as the town portrayed was clearly up north and the V1s and V2s were mostly targeted on London and either fell there or in Kent and other parts of the South East.

[–] evegale-3 17 years ago

I remember reading a paperback tie-in (one of those cheesy books movies studios used to release with the film - basically the movie made into novel) and it clearly infers that Richard Gere's character does not survive the invasion of France. Sad, but strangely a better ending than the the lovers (Gere/Eichorn) reuniting and running off to America to build motels and produce baby boomers.

Schlesinger's film ending was just right, for this romantic view of WW II from the perspective of American GI's who have not yet seen combat and the citizenry of British Isles who have been living with the effects of War and imminent invasion for 3 years.

"Saving Private Ryan", made some 20 years hence, gave viewers a realistic picture of what Matt and Danny (Venera) will encounter in France. It is a great juxtaposition to "Yanks" and both films would benefit from being seen on a double bill.

[–] Lorilynn1028 17 years ago

Yep, I read the book, Danny survived but it's implied that Matt didn't since no one ever heard from him again.

[–] soulthinker 13 years ago

I like to read that book. I think I had read it before since I was trying to find the scene of the Black soldiers in the ballroom.

[–] Miinerva 13 years ago

I had never heard of the book. To not hear of Matt again --presume dead-- seems like a strange way to end a novel.

"Mr. Willoughby, you are not welcome here."

[–] the_expeditersd 12 years ago

I never read the book either, but, after watching this movie many times, (Lisa was just terrific, and easy on the eyes, too) thought the ending was positive. Being cooks, they would have been in the rear echelon, and altho Matt could have been killed, I believe he survived to return to Jeannie. Bill Devanes character, on the other hand...poor bastard!

[–] DC1977 10 years ago

The ending made me cringe a little...

I groaned when Mollie said to Jean 'It's now or never'

A nice film (although rather pointless) that was let down by a 'Hollywood' ending.

[–] jane_bront 8 years ago

I had the opposite reaction to the ending. This was a beautifully filmed wartime romance and well-acted character study. What other point did it need? And I don't have an aversion to so-called "Hollywood endings" if those endings and the overall films are as well-done as this film was.

Edited later to add: I'm glad I wasn't shown or told whether or not John, Matt and Danny survived the war. The movie was about their relationships with the women before having to leave. I'm fine with not knowing for sure that they died. I can pretend that, for sure, they lived!