i take it to mean that the world is a foul, pestilent, murderous, sh*t-hole and you can either sink into the murk or fight to crawl out.
Not to be facetious but, I thought the meaning of the ending was pretty clear.
“Ernest Hemingway once wrote the world is a great place and worth fighting for, I agree with the second part.”
The “second part” being: the world is worth fighting for.
The “first part” being: the world is a great place.
It’s a pessimistic worldview, which I also agree with.
Just for the sake of accuracy, it’s actually:
‘Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “the world is a fine place and worth fighting for.”’
The actual Hemingway (from For Whom the Bells Tolls) is “The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for and I hate very much to leave it..”
Yeah, Somerset is saying that the world is worth fighting for even though it isn’t that great a place (and, therefore, he’s going to stay on the force rather than retire).
But Hemingway isn’t quoted accurately in Seven is he?
I think Calvert’s quote was correct (at least as far as the film goes).
Pessimistic—maybe. The fact that he thinks it’s worth fighting for says there is some glimmer of hope there, despite the world being what it is. Robert Jordan knew this. Man, I love that book.
A pessimistic idealist then, ha.
-I think Calvert’s quote was correct (at least as far as the film goes).-
Nope. . It’s “fine,” not “great.”
It’s ‘Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “the world is a fine place and worth fighting for. I agree with the second part.”’
not
“Ernest Hemingway once wrote the world is a great place and worth fighting for, I agree with the second part.”
Good to know.
EDIT: I mean, fine. ha!
^ funny
Couldn’t resist.
EDIT: Like Pitt’s character in Seven.
I thought you were going to ask what is in the box.
I walked out of the film with an entirely different – and much more twisted – opinion of its contents than most of my friends.
I don’t care for the quote at the end. It seems the filmmakers could have found either a better quote or a better way to end the film. I think it’s a terrific film, maybe even Fincher’s masterpiece.
Quote aside, tis quite engaging to hear Bowie’s “The Hearts’ Filthy Lesson” at the end. Maybe you all could sink your teeth into the relationship of this song to the rest of the film.
The ending quote is perfect for me and yes, this is Fincher’s masterpiece. An absolutely brilliant neo-noir with one of the most powerful and emotional conclusions I’ve seen in any film.
What are people’s thoughts on Fincher’s original intention on just cut to black and credits with the gunshot?
My immediate response is that I prefer ^ that ending to the one in the film. I think maybe show Sommerset’s facial expression when the shot goes off, and then cut to black?
@Charles
I’ll try to check out the song and lyrics later.
@Bobby
I don’t think the quote is the best fit for the meaning of the film.
It’s still a Hollywood movie though Jazzaloha, so there is going to be a certain amount of uplifting at the end of the movie. The cut to black is the better ending though.
I’m not sure of the details anymore but it was a single shot and the shot was synced to the cut to black. It might’ve even been seen from the point of view from the chopper. It’s all on the DVD and now bluray. I’ll have another look again if anyone’s interested in me finding out the specific details of the alternate ending. How exactly it cut etc.
Kindof a copout to pass of Se7en as, still a hollywood movie. It’s an exception and a wonderful one at that even though it came up through the machine.
I think this makes perfect sense.
Bwwaahahahaha, that was a great parody.
I think it would be better if Pitt’s character killed himself after killing John. After all everyone who commited a deadly sin ended up dead, it makes sense, but I’m not complaining, the film is pretty great as it is.
And my understanding of the end quote is what House of Leaves said, it’s a shitty place but he still has a little hope for the human race. Sommerset lets us know of his worldview pretty much throughout the whole film but the hope comes from people like Mills who refuse to stop fighting (they had a conversation about it in the scene at the bar)
Smokey, I don’t mean to sound dimissive about it as I am a fan of each party involved in Seven and the movie by itself. Just a feeling that someone may have whispered in his ear to add something that was a tad more uplifting.
Fair enough, I understand now.
-I’m not sure of the details anymore but it was a single shot and the shot was synced to the cut to black. It might’ve even been seen from the point of view from the chopper.-
That’s what it is, yeah.
-I don’t think the quote is the best fit for the meaning of the film.-
What meaning?
@Matt
For the “meaning”—or purpose or “aboutness”—of the film involves the apathy, particularly towards virtue, that both Somerset and Doe talk about. In a bizarre and disturbing way, the intention behind Doe’s murders is also the point of the film, I think—namely, to get us to question our notions of virtue and morality and to shock us out of indifference to these issues.
The Hemingway line doesn’t fit so well with this, imo, and it’s sort of clumsy and heavy-handed. I don’t think we need dialogue at the end of the film. Maybe a reaction from Somerset expressing dismay, confusion, sadness, etc. would be more appropriate. Or maybe just a shot of his silhouetted figure. ?
Um … why can’t I post quotes?
Anyway, the cut to black and credits after the gunshot would’ve been better. The quote was typical Hollywood “blah.”
@Deck
Something is screwy on the site. Other people have been having problems, too.
@ Deck—something’s up with the site.
So you think the point of the killings in the film and the film itself was just to show sin? I don’t get that. I think it’s clearly about Somerset—something along the lines of No Country For Old Men . . . or, to put it in terms of Lethal Weapon, it’s about whether Somerset is finally “too old for this shit.”
Matt Calvert
Just saw the film “Seven” and the ending blew my mind. The final lines of the film spoken by Morgan Freeman read as follows,
“Ernest Hemingway once wrote the world is a great place and worth fighting for, I agree with the second part.”
Does anyone understand what this means? Can’t wait to read your thoughts.