20 Things You Didn’t Know About Midnight Express
16. It Should Have Been Longer
Just hitting the two-hour mark, Midnight Express concludes with Billy Hayes finally escaping from the barbaric Sagmalcilar Prison. As he walks into the dusty Istanbul sunset, the American begins to run towards freedom. Just before the film goes to the credits, a montage of stills plays, filling in the audience as to how Hayes made it back to America. Sneaking into Greece and making his way back to New York three weeks later, this journey doesn’t sound the easiest.
In the source material, a biographical account by the real William Hayes of the same name, there is more to the story during his time outside of the prison. A big part of the book’s ending details Billy rowing almost 20 miles in a dinghy through a storm.
The original screenplay contained scenes of Billy’s ongoing escape attempt. However, Alan Parker decided to conclude with Hayes’ escape from the main prison, feeling that the character’s main emotional motivation had been met.