The Ding
My favorite last scene in a movie: Lloyd and Diane on the plane in Say Anything (1989, written and directed by Cameron Crowe, starring John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney). Diane is terrified of flying. Lloyd is accompanying her to England for her Oxford scholarship. The best-known scene in Say Anything is the one where Lloyd stands outside Diane’s window holding up a boombox playing In Your Eyes (Alright, who stole my Peter Gabriel album?). This is the one that kills me.
INT. PLANE – DAY. Close-up of Lloyd and Diane’s hands, clasped together. There is a sound.
LLOYD. Wing adjustment. (The plane takes off.) It’s like a big rollercoaster. Everybody likes rollercoasters, right? Blink twice if you’re fine.
DIANE. I’m fine.
LLOYD. Okay, good, this is all very normal. (There is another noise, and the plane shakes slightly.) Very standard for a seven forty-seven.
DIANE. Okay.
LLOYD. Alright, high level air safety tips. If anything happens, it’ll usually be in the first five minutes of the flight, right?
DIANE. Okay.
LLOYD. So when you hear the smoking sign go ‘ding’, you know everything’s going to be okay.
DIANE. Good to know.
LLOYD. Right, I’m just going to keep talking until that ding happens, which is going to be soon.
DIANE. Okay.
LLOYD. Alright, personalised flight care from Corey. Books, cassettes, magazines, anything?
DIANE. Not right now, thanks. (She kisses Lloyd. An old woman stares at them.)
LLOYD. How’s it going?
DIANE. Nobody thought we’d do this. Nobody really thinks it’s going to work, do they?
LLOYD. No. You just described every great success story. Alright, it’s alright.
DIANE. I know. (They look at the smoking sign.) Where’s the ding?
LLOYD. It’s coming… any second now… any second now.
The ding sounds.
BLACKOUT. CREDITS ROLL.
Need a dvd of Say Anything. Please post to arrange drop. Last time I looked for a dvd—Fingers, the first film by James Toback—someone actually sent it to me (which reminds me that I have to write about it), and it’s fairly hard to find, so I’m optimistic.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
November 21st, 2007 at 14:45
My favorite last scene in a movie — Julie Delpy doing her little jig to Nina Simone and Ethan Hawke giving a knowing smile at the end of Before Sunset.
November 22nd, 2007 at 01:04
While watching this movie on cable the other day with my brother, he turned to me during this scene going, “Don’t you think the plane actually crashed after that ding was heard?” I responded, “Yeah, that would be an ending that Morrissey would write…something similar to There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’s lyrics. I can see that happening.”
November 22nd, 2007 at 05:17
Why does it kill you, if you dont me asking.
my heart-wrenching scenes – Before Sunrise – when they’re both on the train going their separate ways…and that harpsichord plays
My Best Friend’s Wedding – they were dancing on the ferry, and guy says ‘if you love someone, you have to tell them, or the moment will pass you by’..and she still doesn’t say how she really feels
Some Kind of Wonderful – everytime Mary Stuart Masterson looked longingly at Eric Stoltz
Brokeback Mountain – when middle aged Heath breaks down after Jake pours his heart out about their ‘what could’ve been’s’
November 23rd, 2007 at 09:27
Bought Say Anything DVD in Vietnam a couple of years ago. Love the movie, but boyfriend and I are implementing a 5S program on our DVDs. You can have it if you want. Maybe I’ll try giving it to Danton. Tingnan ko lang kung same pa rin phone number nya.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:10
try torrents. found some really cool ones there. in fact, i just finished downloading james clavell’s “shogun.” the miniseries, of course. took me almost three weeks.
November 30th, 2007 at 15:19
Birdy’s ending. Watch it. It’s one crazy ending.