How a Dodgy Alternate Ending Saved Arlington Road
A director’s risky plan to film a deliberately bad ending for Jeff Bridges’ thriller Arlington Road forced the studio to keep its original, much darker finale. The gamble paid off, preserving the film’s bold vision.
In the world of big-budget filmmaking, directors often find themselves at odds with studio execs, especially when it comes to how a story should wrap up. For one particular Jeff Bridges thriller, this clash led to a rather gutsy move behind the scenes—one that could have backfired in spectacular fashion.
Studio Pressure and a Risky Solution
It’s not unusual for studios to demand alternate endings, either to keep the real one under wraps or to make things more palatable for punters. In this case, the suits weren’t too keen on the bleak conclusion the director had in mind. The film in question, Arlington Road, saw Bridges playing Michael Faraday, a uni lecturer who becomes obsessed with his neighbours, played by Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack, suspecting them of plotting something sinister. The story, inspired by the paranoid thrillers of the ‘70s, takes a grim turn when Michael is killed in a bombing and set up as the fall guy for terrorism. Not exactly the feel-good ending Hollywood usually goes for.
The studio, worried the ending was too much of a downer, pushed for a change. Director Mark Pellington wasn’t having a bar of it. Instead of caving in, he came up with a plan that was as risky as it was clever: shoot an alternate ending so shoddy that the studio would have no choice but to stick with the original.
Deliberately Bad, But a Close Call
Bridges later recalled the moment Pellington broke the news.
“I remember when the director, Mark Pellington, came to me with a drab look on his face and said that the ‘suits’ were unhappy with the ending and wanted my character to live, so they asked to change the ending.”
The director’s workaround was simple—make the alternative so unappealing that it couldn’t possibly be used. But there was always the risk the studio might actually prefer it, which would have been a disaster for the film’s tone.
Bridges fought back, arguing that changing the ending would gut the whole point of the story. Still, the demand for a new ending stood.
“He had the balls to shoot a terrible alternate ending, so bad that they weren’t able to use it, which was dangerous because, as bad as it intentionally was made, they still could’ve used it and really ruined the film. It was a ballsy move that paid off for a very unusual movie.”
Legacy and a Possible New Life
While Arlington Road didn’t exactly set the box office alight, it did earn a fair bit of respect for its boldness. The film’s dark, cynical finish stuck with viewers, and its reputation has grown over time. There’s even talk of a telly series adaptation in the works, so the story might be getting a second wind yet.