MovieChat Forums > Monkey Shines (1988) Discussion > Question about the 'happy' ending.

Question about the 'happy' ending.

posted 16 years ago by Mr_McLaurel
6 replies | jump to latest

Hi everybody. I just got finished watching George A. Romero's Monkey Shines, one of the few Hollywood movies (or perhaps movies in general) to deal with the topic of quadriplegia. It's a pretty good movie, if a little choppy. For instance, I would have liked to have seen more of Stephen Root's sadistic doctor character, or more detail about the precise relationship between the monkey and Allan.

Anyway, my question is about the ostensibly "happy" ending, with Allan regaining the use of his body and being able to, among other things, walk again. I wonder if this was studio imposed, because it seems to me a happier ending would be Allan accepting his condition and learning to live a new life as a quadriplegic, without the assistance of a domineering mother or a murderous telepathic monkey. I dunno, I just imagine an actual quadriplegic watching this movie and maybe being a little insulted by the ending - the implication is that it's impossible for someone who's paralyzed to have a "happy ending." Anybody else have thoughts on this?

What's the Spanish for drunken bum?

[–] Livana_Faolan 16 years ago

You make a good point. I'd imagine there are a few quadriplegic people who are insulted by the ending.

[–] glassrose385 16 years ago

I first watched this movie back in 2000. I thought the happy ending was dumb back then. Last year I watched this movie with a friend who had never seen it before. My friend is a respiratory therapist who works at a rehab hospital and he hated the ending. My friend works with a lot of quadriplegics and he said if his patients watched the movie they would have been really pissed by the happy ending of Allan walking. He said that there are incidents in which people become "temporary quads" because their spinal cord is bruised or there isn't enough damage to cause permanent paralysis. He said that the way Allan's injury portrayed earlier in the movie made it seem like a permanent disablitity. He said most spinal cord injuries cause permanent paralysis.

[–] DomsDad 14 years ago

Aside from insensitivity to quadriplegics, the feel-good ending was totally unnessecary, and was a let down for me. I would liked to have seen the ending be more horror-oriented; maybe after the death of Ella, a hot of one or more of the monkeys in the lab, starting to show increased intelligence and Stephen Root's character taking an interest.

[–] susan685 11 years ago

15 years ago I suffered internal decapitation (crushing C4-T1) after a car accident with an 18 wheeler. I was an incomplete quad. Because of the efforts of a brilliant team of ortho and neuro doctors, I am walking today, with about 95% functionality. So it can be done. In the movie, he had to show his incomplete quadriplegia by being able to move *anything* below the level of injury, which he did.

[–] Mulder-39 11 years ago

I'm so glad that you're OK now!

[–] robl0051 10 years ago

Your story is, honest to God, inspiring... but I can't help but wonder... did it also involve a genetically engineered, murderous monkey?

Because that seemed like that most unbelievable part of the film for me.

Plus, it was the doctor that screwed up and allowed him to be in that position for so long in the first place... then he banged his girlfriend. And whose surprised with how he walked in to surgery all jokey and crap. Do your job, Tucci!