The ‘Bolivian Army Ending’ Trope, Explained
A quick search on Reddit will reveal people in Bolivia’s actual country subreddit marvel at how their landlocked nation became forever immortalized in cinema thanks to what’s come to be known as the Bolivian Army Ending trope.
While the name may sound odd, it’s one of the action genre’s most frequently used storytelling resources, whether it’s to tease the tragic death of a character, to show the full might of an overpowered protagonist, or as a cliffhanger ending that’s led to some of Hollywood’s more recognizable final shots. The premise is rather simple: take the protagonist and pit him against some type of insurmountable odds (usually enemy forces), and cut to credits so the audience is left wondering what really happened when their hero faced all but certain doom.
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As to where this movie trope finds its origins, it really dates back to 1969’sButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford as the titular characters. The film follows the two wild west outlaws as they wreak havoc across the American midwest until the tightening grip of the police prompts them to go to Bolivia after careful, or rather not so careful consideration.
After Cassidy and Harry the “Sundance Kid” Longabaugh find South America has proven to be a tougher palace for business than expected, the two see themselves facing a do-or-die moment when the Bolivian Army is called to gun them down. The movie’s final scene features the two criminals planning their escape outside the building they’re trapped in, but as they come out guns blazing the camera freezes to the sound of the Bolivians firing back. And scene.
Simplicity in the midst of the extraordinary is the key behind this
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