The Time Traveler's Wife
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Was the ending of the book or the movie better? SPOILER ALERT!!
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Donna
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rated it 5 stars
Dec 07, 2011 02:40AM
I recently read The Time Traveler's Wife and adored it, then I re-watched the movie, and I'm torn between the two endings. Although one of my favorite passages in the book was Henry's letter, I'm not sure that I liked that he told her he would see her again and exactly when, although I like the element of hope that it gave her. In the movie however, she hopes without being told and is rewarded with seeing him again, which I felt was somehow much more romantic. I feel the ending in the movie gave Clare better closure than the ending in the book, where I got a sense that she waited for that one moment all her life and really didn't move on. What do you think?
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I think I have to agree with you. I liked the ending of the movie MUCH better than the ending of the book. Partially because she got to see Henry sooner, I think. I know he was trying to give her a grain of hope for her future after he died, but I really feel like it was a little bit of a downer because she was so old and had to wait so long. 45 years without someone you adore and are soul mates with is WAY too long! I don't think I'm torn. The movie ending, for me was better :)
The ending of the book is more touching!!
How can you go on after losing the love of your life? (and what a love)...knowing, for sure, that you will see him again. I liked the movie, but the book blew my mind.
I was dissapointed in the movie to be honest. So I prefer the book.
I believe I enjoying the ending better with the book, I did not really like the movie.
The movie was great and the book was great. But I love love how it ended in the movie. It ended very enchanted. Lol
i prefer the movie ending.
I like the movie ending but the book's ending is so much more touching.
I agree with those who love the end of the book better. I found the movie ending a little too pat. For me, the book was more interesting. I loved the last scene in the book. It was hopeful without being "kitschy." Christa
the book is way more touching and more romantic
I always try to think of a book and its film adaptation as separate entities. So, with that in mind, both endings suit me. Both make me cry (though, I will admit, the movie makes me cry more). The book has many elements that are missing in the movie, like Henry's drug use and love for punk music, but the movie also carries an element that the book doesn't carry as strongly--the poignancy of every moment. I liked how the movie focused on tiny things--like making sure that a color stood out in a scene, the symbolic color palettes for Clare, etc. In the book, I liked how Niffenegger focused on Clare's art and how it channeled her emotions.The ending in the book, however, seemed to resonate strongly more for Henry, and the ending in the movie for Clare. I liked how Henry takes in Clare as an old woman. I liked the desperation in Clare when she's running through the meadow to try to get to Henry in time, and how she patiently gathers the shoes in clothing after he leaves.
So, both endings ended well enough for me.
Andrea wrote: "I always try to think of a book and its film adaptation as separate entities. So, with that in mind, both endings suit me. Both make me cry (though, I will admit, the movie makes me cry more). The ..."Yeh, Andrea, I agree with you. I try to separate the movie and the book which is often why I can really enjoy movies based on books unless they go off on a totally different tangent. I think I'm more drawn to the movie ending, because as Stephanie said, she got to see him sooner. The part in the book where she was running to him at the museum and missed him killed me! Ultimately, BOTH endings were good and conveyed the message that their love was eternal, crossing even the boundary of death.
Ahh, wanna go read it again!!
I didn't like the movie ending as much cause it lacked the certainty that Claire got a change to see Henry again. She was left to wait. With the certain date Clare knew she didn't have to be ready to quickly run and try to catch Henry. It's more easy to wait for a certain thing than to wait for something that might happen.
The book everytime, so much better than the film.....
The ending of the movie made me cry so I have to go with that one, plus I don't really remember the book's ending so my opinion doesn't really matter...sooo..yeah.
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Dave Perlmutter
Ending of the book was so strong, sometimes I interweave the scenes that is formed after book in my head and the movie's.I don't wanna say end of the movie is worse. Because, the handprint on the window was great! And Claire's run for seeing again Henry one more time in the last scene was awesome.
I don't have clear thaughts.
Definitely the book.
The book, in the movie it made it seem like he wasn't really gone when he came, so she wouldn't get closure and move on, whereas the book she knew he'd come one day but she didn't have to hang around waiting and if she wanted to she could move on.
the movie depicted henrys death really dramatically and i quite liked that. (thats not the very end but yea) but still overall the book is way better than movie as usual. though i still enjoyed the movie but it could never compare to a 500 page book in terms of detail and plot.
I'm definitely with you, Gloria. Overall, the movie cannot compete with with the intricacies and emotions of the book (although I thought it was well done.)Okay, here's another question. Do you think Claire actually dies in the end of the book? I got that impression - that Henry actually comes to get her. What do you all think?
The movie is only good if you have not read the book.
I tend to like books over their movies, but when I'm going to watch the movie and I haven't read the book, I try not read the book. Especially if I ended up liking the movie.I liked the movie, even if I think that the whole thing was a sad tear jerker that tossed in a few happy moments to keep it from being labeled the saddest story in history and betting out the movie Titanic.
But I'm sure some people would say that it did beat Titanic. You went in knowing it won't end well. In this one, once you hadn't read the book, you had hoped that somehow, someway, it would at least end decently since about half way in we all knew there couldn't be a real happy ending.
With all that said, I can only vote for the only ending I know about. :)
Yeah, all that to say that. :D
Jhoy! You have to read the book!! You're missing out on so many great books if you only watch the movies. :)
If this was years ago I would so agree with you, and I still do really, but I can't seem to read a book that isn't required for class these days. :) But I'll put it on my 'bucket list'. :) Thanks.
Andrea wrote: "I always try to think of a book and its film adaptation as separate entities. So, with that in mind, both endings suit me. Both make me cry (though, I will admit, the movie makes me cry more). The ..."I agree, Andrea. Keeping the book and movie separate works best for me. The book ending was great for the book, it was all leading up to that moment. It worked.
The movie ending was well done and again it worked for the movie. So, I think both were successful in telling the stories they were telling.
Both made me cry, so I consider them both well done because I connected to them both.
I really like both endings but I think the ending of the book was way better. But I always say they and they both did make me cry.
Donna wrote: "I recently read The Time Traveler's Wife and adored it, then I re-watched the movie, and I'm torn between the two endings. Although one of my favorite passages in the book was Henry's letter, I'm ..."I agree that the book put an emphasis on Clare waiting all those years for the one day (or hour) that the traveler would come back. I kind of feel like they implied the same thing with the movie. He didn't want her to wait but she did and would probubly continue to afterwards. At least in the book Clare knew when to wait and where.
i like the book's ending better, it emphasized the bond Henry and Clare had. i was really sad that they didn't include it in the movie
I just saw the movie for about the sixth or seventh time this past weekend. It is one of those love stories--like Brokeback Mountain, the Bridges of Madison County and the Notebook--that I can watch over and over again. I am such a sap. I like the movie because I thought the acting was strong and I thought it captured the relationship between Henry and Clare well (and I love looking at the actor who plays Henry, whose name escapes me at the moment..Eric Banna? Who wouldn't be in love with him?) But the ending in the book was perfect. Perfectly imperfect. Yes, it was perhaps more satisfying to see Clare meet Henry sooner in her life in the film, but it was more poignant for it to happen at then end of her life. I read that book ages ago, but I still remember sobbing when that happened. Niffenegger handled the ending beautifully. BTW, the beginning of her book Her Fearful Symmetry also had me teary-eyed and that's before I really knew anything about the characters!
Nelly wrote: "I just saw the movie for about the sixth or seventh time this past weekend. It is one of those love stories--like Brokeback Mountain, the Bridges of Madison County and the Notebook--that I can watc..."What romantic doesn't like watching great movies over and over? I love being a sap! :). And, yeh, I thought the actors were the perfect Henry and Clare. Did you like Her Fearful Symmetry? I'm afraid it's going to be a letdown after TTW, so I haven't really pushed myself to read it.
Well, I seing as I hated the book but liked the movie, I guess my answer's pretty clear.
Donna wrote: "Nelly wrote: "I just saw the movie for about the sixth or seventh time this past weekend. It is one of those love stories--like Brokeback Mountain, the Bridges of Madison County and the Notebook--t..."Her Fearful Symmetry is very different. It's a bit twisted which I really liked and it's about ghosts which I also liked. I think it's a great book, very provocative. I won't say why because of spoilers. There were moments in the book I thought were weaker than others, specifically in the development of the plot towards the end, but the writing was just as strong as Time Traveler's Wife and the story was original, engaging and stayed with me long after I finished the book.
I vote for the book. I actually didn't like the movie at all, so the book is the most obvious choice for me.
I actually was disappointed in the movie and didn't care for it all that much. The book brought me to tears -- something that's only happened to me a couple other times with a book. Can't replace that raw emotion.
Both endings were good. As a screenwriter, that book must have been hard to adapt. Movie scripts are to be more visual and Claire's run was visual, emotionally suspenseful and the movie ending left you with more hope. The book ending was sadder for her having to wait so long. I'm glad the movie changed what happened for the screen.
Terry wrote: "Both endings were good. As a screenwriter, that book must have been hard to adapt. Movie scripts are to be more visual and Claire's run was visual, emotionally suspenseful and the movie ending left..."This is good point, Terry. We often fail to appreciate the challenge of adapting the written word to something visual that is supposed to capture the feeling of the book and do it all in a limited amount of time. Not easy.
I agree with Donna, I too was torn between the book and the movie, but the ending of the book is what I preferred...I think the directors were really talented because of the difficulty in adapting the details from the book. But the book did make me slightly tearful...all in all both were good...at least it's not one of those movies that I hate
I haven't seen the movie yet but I can tell you that I was really disappointed with the book in general. I thought it was such a great idea for a story but she ruined it.
The movie was disappointing. I love the book. I'm over books to movies.
Michele wrote: "The movie was disappointing. I love the book. I'm over books to movies."Although I thought Brokeback Mountain was a beautiful adaptation of the book. I also thought The Bridges of Madison County was a terrible book with shallow characters and weak writing but that the movie was the complete opposite.
I thought the movie was a snorefest. I was really disappointed because I loved the book so very much!
I prefer the movie ending simply because the book ending ruined the characters. In both book and film, Henry claims to love Clare, and part of this love is wanting what is best for her. In both book and film, he says that he doesn't want her to wait for him. In the movie, he stands by his words. His appearance is unexpected, a happy bonus in Clare's busy, fulfilling life. And yes, she still misses him and loves him.In the book, he has scarcely finished telling Clare that he wants her to move on when he mentions that he will see her again when she is in her eighties. I see this as unbelievably selfish; it's as though he is unwilling to let her go, even when he is dying. He should know that telling her about the event before it happens will prevent her from moving on (not necessarily on to someone else, but at least on with her life in general). Especially given his own obsession with determinism and free will, he comes off as borderline hypocritical. He says he loves her, but instead of wanting the best for her, he goes against his practice of never telling the future, thus effectively trapping her. Clare, for her part, seems so sick and tired of waiting that she almost seems to resent Henry. She wastes her life waiting for him to come and get the visit over with, just so she will finally be free.
Plus, in the book, she has sex with Gomez. Seriously, what gives?
Elizabeth wrote: "I prefer the movie ending simply because the book ending ruined the characters. In both book and film, Henry claims to love Clare, and part of this love is wanting what is best for her. In both b..."Yeh, I didn't get the Gomez encounter either (both times as a matter of fact). It seemed out of character for Claire. And Gomez was a backstabbing, cheating jerk. Was he really Henry's friend or not? I usually don't approve of character changes in movies, but i was glad they gave Gomez a make-over in this one.
The ending in the movie was much better...and very sad at the same time. It gave me goose bumps...and I couldnt shake that feeling for a while. To think her husband, love of her life died and she was able to see him again..but heart breaking she couldnt hold onto him... WOW
I think the ending of the book had so much more depth and romance to it. The fact that she waits for him for all that time, and that he gets to see her as a child, teenager, adult and elderly woman was just so fitting.The movie was a bit more rosy, I'll give you that, but the point that was made in the book was that you never get over losing the love of your life. If she knew she was going to see him again, of course she would wait. Of COURSE she would. It's sad but it's just so moving and in keeping with the rest of the novel.
H wrote: "I think the ending of the book had so much more depth and romance to it. The fact that she waits for him for all that time, and that he gets to see her as a child, teenager, adult and elderly woman..."Hmmm. Thoughtful comment, H. The fact that he gets to see her at every stage of her life does add an extra element of romance. Never really thought about it that way. And I guess the entire novel, from Claire's perspective, was about waiting, wasn't it?
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