10 Movies Where The Last Scene Is The Best
4. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
It might sound like a bit of a cheat, but given that the final cemetery showdown at the end of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is effectively one long 20-minute sequence, it counts.
Sergio Leone's Western masterpiece ends with Blondie (Clint Eastwood), Tuco (Eli Wallach), and Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef) converging at the gravesite where the cache of Confederate gold is allegedly buried.
The Mexican standoff to end all Mexican standoffs ensues, with Ennio Morricone's mesmerising "The Trio" scoring a superbly elongated, expertly edited sequence that continually cuts between the trio as they prepare to draw.
The standoff culminates in Blondie shooting and killing Angel Eyes, while Tuco's gun fails to fire as Blondie unloaded it the night prior.
Before Tuco can claim his share of the gold and get away, though, Blondie forces him into a noose as he takes his own half of the gold and rides off.
But as Tuco screams at an escaping Blondie, Blondie shoots the rope suspending Tuco, leaving him alive to fight another day, while Morricone's iconic title track plays us out.
It's an ending that makes no missteps: the direction, performances, score, cinematography, and overall atmosphere are all pitch perfect, ensuring it popularised the very concept of the Mexican standoff among viewers.