MovieChat Forums > Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) Discussion > Two Different Endings??? ***Spoilers***

Two Different Endings??? Spoilers

posted 11 years ago by MrScary
10 replies | jump to latest

I have seen this movie at least 5 times. I haven't seen it in a few years, so when I saw it was on Encore I DVR'd it. I'm watching near the end, Streep gets in the elevator, it closes, credits roll. WTF???

What happened to the ending in the park where Streep realizes she can't take her son away from Hoffman, the kid runs back to him, they hug, and everything ends happily ever after???

That's the ending I've seen 5 other times. Never heard of an alternative ending before. And this one sucks.

[–] MrScary 11 years ago

I knew I wasn't crazy.

http://www.chacha.com/question/what-happens-at-the-end-of-the-movie-kramer-vs.-kramer

[–] suegrantmayaseth 11 years ago

I've seen the movie at least a dozen times, including its initial release in theaters, and it has ended the same way each time I've seen it... with the closing of the elevator door and then the credits. I just saw it this weekend on Starz, and it ended that way again.

[–] MrScary 11 years ago

That's when I saw it recently too. But there is another post in this forum that states/discusses the same scene I'm talking about; so yes, it does exist.

[–] suegrantmayaseth 11 years ago

I highly doubt this. The scene you explain sounds very much like the scene when Billy comes running to his mother in Central Park, which occurs in the middle of the movie. I think that if this scene exists, there would be some evidence of it somewhere. I think it's just a case of mis-remembering.

[–] jrs-8 11 years ago

In its original theatricl release it ends with the closing of the elevator. I think the above poster is correct in that you are mis-remembering the scene when Billy does run to her in the park. That happens before they even go to court.

[–] robertwincott 11 years ago

The jury is still out on whether you're crazy as the elevator scene is the only ending. The link you presented does not support your case. In answer to the question "what happens at the end of Kramer vs Kramer," the link shows:
"The judge awards custody to the mother, which is no real surprise to anybody. However, Joanna realizes that she can't rip her son from the only home he's ever known and from a father who's the most important person in his life."

[–] InfidelDog 11 years ago

Mr Scary,
You are not crazy because I thought the ending you described was the ending I saw on TV a few years back. I did not know about the original elevator ending until I came here to this tread. Now I wish I did not know about this elevator ending since I believe that the ending we saw puts Meryl's character in a better, more sympathetic light.
Now from what I can gather from this thread, Meryl wins custody and the credits roll? What a bitch, she abandons her son to get "sorted out" in California, has her epiphany, gets all better and wins custody and then the credits roll after she gets on the elevator?

[–] johnston.scot 11 years ago

The only version I've seen ends with her going away in the elevator.

It is, however, preceded by a scene between her and Ted in his apartment (kid not participating), in which she explains to Ted that she's not going to take Billy away because she has realized that it's best for him to stay with Ted.

The may have shot an alternate ending, though. Interestingly, the script apparently contains a final scene in the park that I've never seen in the actual movie. It's not quite what you describe, though: it's just Ted and Billy (no Joanne) running in the park.

[–] universaldennis 11 years ago

I'm sympathetic to your perspective, because I've gone through something similar with the film "Cat's Eye," but having seen "Kramer vs. Kramer" many, many times over the years, the elevator ending is the only one I've ever seen.

And, really, an ending in the park as you describe really would have been out of place. It would have been very cheesy, I think.

[–] westal_sage 10 years ago

Yeah I think you're confused. Regardless, the elevator ending would be, by far, the better of those 2 endings. It's the only ending to the film I've ever seen.