The ending


Can someone who has read the book and seen the movie tell me in what particular way the endings were different. A number of critics have mentioned vaguely that there was a 'cop-out' change to the ending, but did not specify what it was. I'd like to know.

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(Spoilers)

Both movie endings are almost identical, even down to the crucifix shot. However, Greene's original ending had Rose possibly pregnant and actually hearing the full recording Pinkie made - a very downbeat ending.

Greene was allegedly pressured by the censors of the time to provide a more ambiguous ending, which I think works very well. We see Rose almost sinking into mental illness as she comforts herself with the words "I love you...I love you..." repeated to infinity.





Awight we're The Daamned we're a punk baand and this is called Carn't Be Appy T'day!

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What I dont get, is why was Rose in what I presume was a home for unwed mothers, when Pinky had married her, making her baby 'legitimate'.

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I didn't read the book and from where I came from it might be difficult to find one, but despite not familiar with the book I found the ending of this movie so compelling and melancholy in a way that I can't help but to feel pity for Rose. And although I didn't watch many of those British movies but I guess it's only fair to say that this must be the best British movie I watch since Trainspotting. And that was long time ago.

Some movies you just watch and forget by the end of the day. This one definitely not.

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I presumed Rose was destitute and homeless. Her father would not have taken her back and perhaps she refused the help of Ida.

my vessel is magnificent and large and huge-ish

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I ddn't care for the ending. It was too florid - the soaring music, that miracles might happen and then the record getting stuck.

my vessel is magnificent and large and huge-ish

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Alas, inevitably Rose would one day reposition the stylus after the scratch and hear the rest of Pinkie's message anyway. Impending doom. Du-Du-Duuuurrrggghhhh!!!! I saw this film last night and was shocked that it seemed to try and convey some kind of genuine (if twisted) love from Pinkie to Rose. How very subversive. How very missing the proper point of the story.

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I've not read the book but didn't believe the ending either. Ramuna one thing puzzling me you indicate you might not be able to get hold of the book where do you live or where where you born if you don't mind me asking that is.

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Well, I guess the record being jammed is the least miracle can happen to Rose.

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I rented this from Blockbuster a month ago, so maybe my memory is not keen. Yes, in the version I saw the record did stick on I love you, but there was no "florid" music and no crucifix shot.

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It's not a happy ending just because the record got stuck. I mean sooner or later someone will play the whole recording for her and she will realize the truth. Or maybe she will still be in denial or become more and more mentally ill or whatever. Anyway, that was NOT a happy ending in the movie. The only part after the protagonists death that I didn't like was Mirren & Hurt having their little romantic moment in the end. That should have been cut from the film.

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I didn't appreciate the ending tied up neatly to protect Rose's heart and/or delusions. The original ending would have been fine or it would have been more interesting if we had a hint that she heard it before and altered the the record before entering the sanitarium. she surely had enough forethought and ingenuity to smuggle it to her bed. She was already prone to perpetuate the lie, it would have been the ultimate act of hopelessness.

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Greene's ending had already been changed to the broken record one in the 1947 movie. Thar was because of some censorship problems. I like it. It's actually more ambiguous and less pleasing than you might think: fate deceiving the naive Rose once more is even more cynical in some ways. Depends on how you look at it.

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