Spoiler alert: I’m going to talk about the endings of two movies: It’s a Wonderful Life and The Lorax.
I just watched The Lorax with my niece and nephew. I read the original book to them a few months ago and while I love Dr. Seuss, the ending made me very sad. The end shows environmental decimation and desolation due to the greed and carelessness of — er, Dr. Seuss characters who resemble humans. There is a single seed of hope, but to me it does not seem terribly optimistic.
The movie version of The Lorax takes it to a happier outcome. The Truffula tree seed is planted, it grows, the Onesler is forgiven by the Lorax and the forest critters return. Catharsis. Hope. Hugging.
I was reminded of how Saturday Night Live did something similar with the classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life. If you haven’t seen the movie in a while or ever, the plot centers around George Bailey, played by James (Jimmy) Stewart, and he contemplates suicide because his building and loan company has lost eight grand (way more money then than now) due mainly to George’s absent-minded (drunk) Uncle Billy. An angel steps in, hijinx ensue that were clearly inspired by A Christmas Carol (minus two ghosts), and George returns home to find that the townspeople have taken up a collection to help him out because he was always so good to them. All his money is made up for; warmth and holiday cheer abound. The End.
Only the audience knows that Mr. Potter, the evil majority shareholder of Bailey Building and Loan, had quietly and knowingly pocketed the money when Uncle Billy unwittingly handed it over to him, thinking he was just giving him a newspaper.
This loose end was never resolved. Until 1986.
The 80s gang at Saturday Night Live created a short, black and white “lost footage” film in which Uncle Billy interrupts the final festivities, suddenly realizing what had happened to the money, and George and his wife Mary lead the townspeople to Bailey’s house, and beat the crap out of him.
It’s cathartic, especially if you’ve just watched It’s a Wonderful Life. You just want to see that rotten Potter get his (the venerable Lionel Barrymore made him a man you love to hate). Too bad Jimmy Stewart didn’t do the “new ending” himself — he was still around in 1986, but of course didn’t look like his 1940s self anymore. Dana Carvey did a superb and funny impression of him, but Jimmy Stewart’s absolute likability — come on, you LOVE that guy, you have to! — is a huge reason why you want to see Potter get punched.
Pollyanna-ism on one side, vigilantism on the other — the all-American way to wrap slightly complicated stories up into a neat little package.
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It’s a Wonderful Life – clips:
George Bailey begs Mr. Potter for help — in vain
Great quality, nine-minute clip of the ending (the real one)
The SNL ending (after the commercial, humph)
Some Lorax links:
Fun e-book video, using the original book
The Lorax – book available for purchase on the “Seussville” website
Official movie trailer (you can skip the ad in three to five seconds, humph)
rachel saves the day! 