Six Degrees of Separation (1993) Ending Explained
TL;DR:
Six Degrees of Separation (1993), directed by Fred Schepisi and based on John Guare's play, ends with Ouisa Kittredge (Stockard Channing) reflecting on the profound impact of Paul (Will Smith), a young con artist who infiltrated her wealthy New York social circle by pretending to be Sidney Poitier's son. The film concludes ambiguously, leaving Ouisa emotionally transformed but Paul's fate uncertain. The finale underscores themes of human connection, privilege, and the elusive nature of truth, as Ouisa realizes Paul, despite his deception, exposed the emptiness of her world. The movie closes with her staring into a Kandinsky painting, symbolizing her search for meaning in chaos.
The Ending Explained
The final scenes of Six Degrees of Separation focus on Ouisa's emotional reckoning after Paul's con unravels. After Paul is exposed and arrested, Ouisa and her husband Flan (Donald Sutherland) return to their privileged lives, but Ouisa is irrevocably changed. She becomes obsessed with understanding Paul's motives and the fleeting sense of authenticity he brought into their sterile, art-filled apartment. The film's climax isn't a dramatic confrontation but a quiet epiphany: Ouisa realizes Paul, though a liar, was the most "real" person she'd encountered. His stories-however fabricated-forced her to confront the performative nature of her own life and relationships.
The movie's penultimate scene shows Ouisa visiting Paul in jail, where he coldly dismisses her, revealing his manipulation was entirely calculated. This moment shatters any lingering hope of redemption for Paul, but it also solidifies Ouisa's transformation. She doesn't vilify him; instead, she mourns the loss of the connection she thought they shared. The final shot lingers on Ouisa gazing at a Kandinsky painting, a recurring motif symbolizing the chaos and beauty of human relationships. Her stare suggests a newfound willingness to embrace life's messiness, contrasting with her earlier obsession with order and status.
Unresolved Questions & Possible Answers
- Was Paul's affection for Ouisa genuine, or entirely a con?
- Possible Answer: The film leans toward Paul being a pure manipulator, but his vulnerability in moments (e.g., quoting Catcher in the Rye) hints at a deeper loneliness.
- Why does Ouisa fixate on Paul after the betrayal?
- Possible Answer: Paul held up a mirror to her life's superficiality; her obsession is less about him and more about her own existential crisis.
- What does the Kandinsky painting symbolize?
- Possible Answer: It represents the "six degrees" theory-interconnectedness—and the chaos/artistry of human bonds, which Ouisa now sees clearly.
Themes Reinforced in the Ending
The finale underscores the film's central themes: the illusion of connection and the fragility of identity. Paul's cons relied on his targets' willingness to believe in him because he reflected their desires-whether for sophistication (the Kittredges) or validation (the Utah couple). Ouisa's breakdown in the final act reveals how Paul's lies exposed deeper truths about her marriage, her parenting, and her complicity in a hollow social system. The title's "six degrees" concept becomes ironic: while everyone is technically connected, true understanding remains elusive.
Personal Opinion
Six Degrees of Separation's ending is haunting because it rejects tidy resolution. Ouisa's transformation is subtle but profound-she doesn't abandon her wealth but loses her innocence about it. Will Smith's breakout performance as Paul is chilling in its charm, making his eventual cruelty land like a gut punch. The film's refusal to villainize Paul entirely (he's a product of the same system he exploits) adds layers to its critique of privilege. The Kandinsky metaphor is heavy-handed but effective, and Stockard Channing's delivery of the final monologue ("I read somewhere that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people...") lingers long after the credits. A flawed but brilliant exploration of performance and desire.
Legacy of the Ending
The ambiguous ending ensures Six Degrees of Separation endures as a cultural touchstone. Unlike con-man stories where the mark is humiliated or the trickster punished, this film leaves both parties in limbo - Paul in jail but emotionally impenetrable, Ouisa freed but disillusioned. It's a critique of 1980s excess and a precursor to modern tales of grifters (The Talented Mr. Ripley, Inventing Anna). The film's refusal to moralize feels ahead of its time, and Ouisa's final gaze into the Kandinsky leaves viewers wondering: Is she seeing the painting, or herself, for the first time?