Original ending ?!

I've read the novel, so I'll try and sum this up as best I can:

At various points in the book, El Rey is mentioned as this possible criminal hideout paradise where those tired of life on the run can settle down. There are no real police or true authority. It's not somewhere Doc plans on going any time soon, but circumstance eventually forces him and Carol there. However, it turns out to be terrible place.

When they arrive they find that a sizable percentage of their money as new arrivals must be given as a down payment for living there. What money is left is all they will ever have in El Rey. This is how it goes for anybody who lives there. Everything is imported in El Rey, and everything is of the finest quality. Thus, living is extremely expensive and money dries up fast.

As the town is full of criminals, most people store their money in the El Rey "bank" to prevent theft. However, keeping money in the bank causes it to gain interest that has to be paid by the account holder, instead of vice-versa, for having the bank hold their money. Thus, money is lost even faster. Doc and Carol start a joint account which provides them each equal access. This is not uncommon in El Ray, as many people arrive in pairs.

When money does run low, it proves almost impossible to leave. The terrain around the town can prove rough and insurmountable, and even if one were to make it through, many of those in El Rey have nowhere they can go. However, those who cannot afford the El Rey lifestyle are not allowed to stay there. Doc soon discovers that those who run out of money are forced into servitude in a small nearby village. Here they do labor in exchange for shelter and food. Doc then discovers that those who finally die (and many people live long, long lives due to the excellent climate, it seems) or simply outlive their usefulness are butchered and turned into meat provided for the laborers.

Thus, people in El Rey try to stay in the money for as long as possible. There are never any murders or muggings, but many patrons simply die from grisly "accidents" or seemingly take their own lives. Sometimes these are caused by the overlords of the town or, in the case of those with joint bank accounts, one partner looking to eliminate another in order to survive. Due to the high rate of these "accidents," El Rey has essentially no social gatherings. Nobody fishes, swims, boats, or goes hiking due to fear of death.

Doc and Carol both still claim to love one another, but both show signs that they are willing to kill the other in order to survive a little longer. The novel ends with them sitting, depressed and resigned to their fate.

Well, that was lengthy. Sorry if I got to rambling. It's a lot to take in and really surreal when it shows up in the book. I still loved it, though, but I'm a huge Jim Thompson fan and tend to always love his work. And even though the movie's quite different, it's a still a hell of a flick.