Today’s question comes from mefinx, who writes:
Having been wowed by the death scene at the end of Les Mis, how about asking people to nominate their favourite movies celebrating dignity and independence towards the end of life? My list would include :
Ikiru (Living), director: Akira Kuwosawa (1952)
Gran Torino, director: Clint Eastwood (2009)
Up, directors: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson (2009)
The final scene of Les Misérables is indeed a heartbreaker for many reasons, and at the moment, that’s the one that looms in my mind when thinking about this.
What films best celebrate dignity at the end of life?
Have respectful and dignified fun…
(If you have a suggestion for a QOTD, feel free to email me. Responses to this QOTD sent by email will be ignored; please post your responses here.)
It’s obvious, but: I did very much enjoy RED, particularly Helen Mirren.
I recently watched ”On the Beach”, from the early 60s, for the first time, and would nominate that. It’s an extremely unusual film by today’s standards-not much actually happens in it, other than a group of disparate characters in the last nation unaffected by a nuclear war, Australia, gradually coming to terms with the fact that the fall-out is coming, and that they’re all doomed. It has a great cast, and a particularly good straight acting performance from Fred Astaire. It’s a beautifully made oddity, that seems to be mainly preoccupied with confronting a terrible reality with as much dignity as possible.
My very first thought.
God, yes. I saw that film over 30 years ago and still remember it vividly, particularly the haunting “Waltzing Matilda” in a gradually emptying urban landscape. And the suicidal car race. Wasn’t Fred Astaire in it?
Yes, Fred Astaire plays a washed up, heavy drinking scientist, who is almost a Cassandra figure at the start of the film, when the mainstream scientific opinion about Australia’s fate is still cautiously optimistic. He conveys a real sense of heart-break, and melancholic resignation. The starkly beautiful black and white photography, the performances, and, as you point out, the soundtrack combine to produce a film which is probably unique. The empty urban landscape of San Francisco-seen from a submarine, trying to find survivors-is a truly chilling reminder that the war in this story was fought with what we would now call ”the neutron bomb”- a device designed to be exploded above urban centres, that wipes out the population by irradiation, while leaving the buildings standing. It’s not a film for everyone, but if it connects with you, it’ll stay with you.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Gran Torino
I think Big Fish is a wonderful film for this topic. Our lives are stories we tell about ourselves, and when we die, our children must write their endings.
King of New York
I find it interesting that the death scene in Les Miz (movie) is what triggers asking the question, given that in the book, the vast majority of the deaths are unremarked upon. Specifically, the deaths of Eponine and the other Thedanier children (three are never referred to in the play and Gavroche is Thedanier’s son, but lives on the street to avoid his mother, who doesn’t like raising boys.)
Also in the book IIRC, Fantiene’s body is not dealt with respectfully once JVJ is rearrested. (Javert actually rearrests JVJ and he spends another three (I think) years on the chain gang before escaping to rescue Cosette. I know, the book has TONS more stuff happening. Some of which is alluded to in the movie, which was very interesting for me.)And again, the bodies of the students are simply hauled away by the soldiers.
But to answer the question, I would agree that Up showed wonderful dignity for end of life.
I’m reading the book now. Hugo’s grasp of character is awesome, and it’s interesting how faithful to the spirit of the work the musical and the film have been.
I’d agree with Up and Ikiru. On the other hand, I thought the ending of Les Miz was a case of a movie going on too long. It would have been a better film had it ended 10 or 15 minutes earlier.
Life of Brian. I always look on the bright side.
To be honest, the movie that first got me thinking about this was “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, but I wanted to make things a bit more topical. I did notice the contrast between the two deathbed scenes (Fantine and JVJ) in the concert and the movie versions, though. While the first follows the operatic convention of a woman dying of (presumably) consumption singing magnificently, I found the film versions more powerful simply because the characters really do sound fragile, exhausted and close to death. It’s refreshing – Hollywood has a tendency to sanitise messy sickness and death. And that’s what prompted the suggestion.
Tokyo Story: Never let me go before night falls, iron giant.
-Wit
you know, my first thought was ‘Cabin in the Woods’. I’m in that sort of mood today.
I also agree with Up and Ikiru. My addition to this list would be Grave of the Fireflies. Despite being just children, they face the end with stoicism and determination not to abandon one another.