The Game Is Over (1966) Ending Explained
TL;DR:
The Game Is Over (1966), directed by Roger Vadim, is a French drama based on Émile Zola's novel La Curée. The film follows a young woman, Renée, trapped in a loveless marriage to an older man, who begins a passionate affair with her stepson, Maxime. The ending sees Renée's life spiral into tragedy as her forbidden love leads to her emotional and physical demise. The film concludes with Maxime abandoning her, leaving Renée broken and alone, symbolizing the destructive consequences of obsession and societal constraints. The ambiguous final shots suggest her fate is left open to interpretation, blending themes of freedom, despair, and the cyclical nature of her suffering.
Detailed Explanation of the Ending
The climax of The Game Is Over culminates in Renée's complete emotional unraveling. After a torrid affair with Maxime, she becomes increasingly desperate to escape her gilded cage. Her husband, Alexandre, represents the oppressive bourgeoisie, while Maxime embodies fleeting passion without commitment. In the final act, Renée's attempts to secure a future with Maxime fail spectacularly. He ultimately rejects her, unable to defy societal norms or his father's influence. The film's closing scenes depict Renée wandering through a misty forest, her fate ambiguous but heavily implied to be tragic. Some interpretations suggest she commits suicide, while others argue she simply vanishes into obscurity, a ghost of her former self.
Symbolism and Themes
The ending reinforces the film's central themes of entrapment and the futility of rebellion. Renée's journey mirrors the decadence and moral decay of the upper class, as Vadim critiques the emptiness of wealth without fulfillment. The misty forest in the final scene symbolizes her lost identity-once a vibrant woman, she is now a shadow. The title itself, The Game Is Over, reflects the inevitability of her downfall; she was always playing a rigged game where women had no real agency. The cyclical structure of the film (beginning and ending with nature imagery) suggests her suffering is eternal, a commentary on the repetitive nature of patriarchal oppression.
Unresolved Questions & Possible Answers
- Does Renée die at the end?
- Possibility 1: Yes, her disappearance implies suicide, a final act of defiance.
- Possibility 2: No, she simply walks away, but her spirit is broken beyond repair.
- Why does Maxime abandon her?
- Possibility 1: He never loved her deeply-she was just a rebellion against his father.
- Possibility 2: Fear of societal punishment overrides his passion.
- What does the forest represent?
- Possibility 1: A return to primal freedom, contrasting her artificial life.
- Possibility 2: A metaphorical purgatory for lost souls like Renée.
Personal Opinion on the Ending & Film
I find the ending hauntingly effective, though deeply frustrating. Renée's tragedy feels inevitable, yet Vadim's direction makes her suffering poignant rather than melodramatic. Jane Fonda's performance is mesmerizing, capturing Renée's desperation with raw vulnerability. However, the film's fatalism can be exhausting-it offers no hope, only a bleak commentary on gender and class. The ambiguous finale works in its favor, leaving room for interpretation, but I wish Renée had been granted even a sliver of redemption. Ultimately, The Game Is Over is a visually lush but emotionally brutal experience, a product of its time that remains relevant in its critique of systemic oppression.
Final Thoughts
The Game Is Over is a film that lingers, its ending a masterclass in unresolved tension. Whether Renée lives or dies is less important than the fact that her spirit is irrevocably shattered. The movie's strength lies in its unflinching portrayal of a woman crushed by the very world that glamorized her. While not a conventionally satisfying conclusion, it's a powerful one, ensuring the audience leaves with a sense of unease-exactly as Vadim intended.