"I don't want to die in Texas. Chicago. Maybe." then just got in the car and left. He was such a cool character it was lame to see him go out that way. Smith wouldn't be the Last Man Standing but that's no big deal.
shareIt's a very big deal because it's the title of the film and the whole point of the story (specifically based on Yojimbo, a loose adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest and/or The Glass Key). For the title to be true Hickey had to go down.
"People should know when they're conquered" - Quintus
Well not necessarily, if Hickey really did surrender and never came back then Smith would have won. Smith didn't even look like he was going to shoot him until Hickey decided to pull that stunt at the last minute.
Yeah they did foreshadow it earlier on, but I think it would have been a decent twist if the second time he used that line he got to walk away and actually be surprised that Smith let him go.
I think it would have been a decent twist if the second time he used that line he got to walk away and actually be surprised that Smith let him go.
Agreed.
shareI think Hickey just had the urge to see who was the best man.
shareAgreed. He wanted to see who was the best shot.
Why am I Mr. Pink?
I'm not a fan of how the ending was done. It is easily the worst part of the movie.
Hickey was supposed to be smart for 99% of the film. Then at the end, for no reason he suddenly becomes retarded.
By Hickey turning his back to Smith and thus requiring himself to take the time out to turn around again in order to face Smith before he could fire, Hickey gave Smith a huge advantage in the duel. Hickey pretty much guaranteed his own death by using that idiotic move against Smith.