Two Friends Ending Explained: What Happened and Why?

What Happens at the End of Two Friends?

The story closes in Paris in January 1871, at the height of the siege, and introduces the main character, Monsieur Morissot, a watchmaker who has enrolled in the National Guard. Morissot, who is bored, hungry, and depressed, is walking along the boulevard when by chance he bumps into an old friend, Monsieur Sauvage, with whom he used to go fishing before the war. The two old friends reminisce over several glasses of absinthe in a café;, talking wistfully of the pleasant Sunday afternoons they used to spend fishing on the banks of the Seine before the war. Tipsy from the absinthe, the friends, for want of anything else to do, decide to go fishing in their old spot, and having obtained a laissez-passer from their officer, walk along the river to Argenteuil, a few miles west of the city, in the no man's land between the French and Prussian lines.

Dimitri Kirsanoff's narrative builds toward a resolution centered on Richard Francœur (Prussian Officer)'s journey. Morissot, who is bored, hungry, and depressed, is walking along the boulevard when by chance he bumps into an old friend, Monsieur Sauvage, with whom he used to go fishing before the war.

How Does Richard Francœur (Prussian Officer)'s Story End?

• Richard Francœur: Richard Francœur's arc reaches a definitive conclusion by the final act, with Dimitri Kirsanoff delivering a resolution that feels earned after the film's 0h 28m runtime.
• Henri Villemur (M. Sauvage): Henri Villemur's role in the climax proves pivotal to how the central conflict resolves.

What Does the Ending of Two Friends Mean?

The ending of Two Friends ties together the narrative threads involving Richard Francœur. Dimitri Kirsanoff chooses a conclusion that prioritizes thematic consistency over surprise, resulting in an ending that rewards viewers who engaged with the story's central themes.