Why A Darker Ending Was Scrapped, According To Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep may have never thrown each other down a flight of stairs in real life, but that doesn't mean the two always had the same viewpoint. This was especially the case when it came to the alternate ending to "Death Becomes Her." While the more light-hearted ending was far from a satisfying conclusion for Hawn, Streep saw the finale in a very different light. 

In a July 1992 interview with Bobbie Wygant, Streep admittedly had some nice things to say about the original resolution, commenting, "We had one ending for this movie that was sort of ruminative, very thoughtful, moralistic, and we junked it. We went back ... and shot another complete ending which is the one you see." However, unlike Hawn, the three-time Oscar winner was fond of the reshot scene, believing it placed the audience in a better place by the film's end and was more in line with its zany nature. "I love this ending," she continues. "It's exactly where you want to take this insane fairytale of vanity. You know, you just want to blast it apart." 

"Death Becomes Her" is a treasure trove of lost scenes, with rewrites and audience reactions prompting major changes throughout its production, including the omission of up to seven speaking roles. Whether you see these changes as a hindrance or an enhancement, they do little to take away from the quirky charm of this beloved cult classic.