I always thought it was the other way around. I thought that in the 1950s films still tended to almost always have the classic happy "Hollywood ending". But then again I did not grow up in the 50s and did not see too many films from that era, so it might just be a stereotype. Out of the 50s sci-fi/horror films whose endings I am familiar with, The Fly did not have a happy ending but War of the Worlds did (but that was the original ending from H.G. Wells's 19th century book). Maybe the happy ending practice was just prevalent back then with dramas, as they dealt with realistic issues and people wanted a "happy" resulution. However, most sci-fi/horror films did not deal with issues that were realistic (at least not in a direct way) so people did not find it that bad if such a film did not have a happy ending.
However, I do not believe The Incredible Shrinking Man would have been a worse film it were to have a happy ending. Scott being given an antidote that would have allowed him to return to normal size would not have ruined the film, and also would have, for some people myself included, made this film more enjoyable and not less. I do agree, however, with the posters who say that remaking this film as a comedy would ruin it, as this film was not intended as one. But the remake still could be given a happy ending.
reply
share