Great Scene: “Thelma & Louise”
The memorable ending of the 1991 movie.
A great ending to a movie is the only ending it should have. Oh, a movie could have multiple endings, but a well-constructed plot should lead to the story’s only authentic ending. When that ending is both logical and shocking, then you have the makings of a great scene — like the climax of Thelma & Louise (1991), written by Callie Khouri.
Think about it: What other ending could these two characters have? Turn themselves in? That would have been a false choice, going against everything these two women had been doing and saying for the bulk of the movie. Clearly, that possibility sparks through their minds as they look at “each other really hard,” but both know they can’t turn back now. They’ve gone too far and learned too much — about each other, themselves, and life.
The movie’s ending was a critical component, too, in the movie’s box office success because everybody talked about it when it was released.
Here’s the scripted version of the ending to Thelma & Louise:
Here is the movie version sans B.B. King and with slightly different dialogue between Thelma and Louise:
Great scene. Great ending.
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