Explaining the ending of ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’
By and large, any movie that comes carrying a variation of “versus” in the title often tends to be entirely forgettable. However, cinephiles will always have Kramer vs. Kramer as one of the very few exceptions that prove the rule.
Of course, an intensely emotional and powerfully acted courtroom drama about a fractured family unit has absolutely nothing in common with the video game histrionics of Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever. It has no associations with the sombre superhero stylings of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the blood-soaked slasher showdown of Freddy vs. Jason, or the kaiju carnage of Godzilla vs. Kong. However, it technically fits into the bespoke subgenre regardless.
The top-earning film of 1979 in the United States that would bring in over $170million at the global box office, Kramer vs. Kramer was also an awards season juggernaut. It left the Academy Awards with trophies for ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Actor’, ‘Best Supporting Actress’ and ‘Best Screenplay’ under its belt, in addition to securing a status as one of the most impactful dramas of the entire decade.
Echoing the sentiments of the time when views on the respective roles each parent held in the upbringings of their children were in the midst of a seismic societal shift was just one of the many aspects that saw Kramer vs. Kramer positively drowning in adulation. The success of the project was despite the fact that the two stars, Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep, had a working relationship that could generously be described as frosty.
The ending wasn’t quite as rapturously received as the movie itself, though, an understandable reaction considering how many interpreted the climax as flying directly in the face of everything that had unfolded up until that point. The custody battle between Ted and Joanna had them and their lawyers launching an all-out war on each other, which would have no doubt racked up substantial legal fees amongst the brutal attempts at character assassination.
Joanna emerges victorious in the courtroom, with Ted wisely deciding that putting their young son Billy on the stand could have a potentially catastrophic effect on his emotional well-being. However, Joanna ultimately decides to withdraw her claim altogether after coming to the conclusion that as much as she loves her son, Ted makes for the most suitable – and ultimately superior – single parent.
The narrative arc displays the emotional growth of the main characters compared to their first introductions at the beginning of Kramer vs. Kramer. Going through the trials and tribulations of a heated custody battle only to simply relent and allow Ted to obtain the position of being Billy’s guardian ruffled many feathers at the time and continues to do so today.
The final shot finds Joanna asking Ted how she looks, and he responds with a simple “terrific”. It indicates that fences have been mended, and the pair will approach their roles as parents in as cordial a fashion as possible. However, the entire thrust of the narrative revolves around the increasingly desperate and borderline barbaric lengths they would go to in order to emerge victorious, being undercut by Joanna. The realisation soon dawns that she’s not the better equipped of the two to take on the position she’d spent the entire running time actively seeking to obtain, leaving a bitter taste in more than a few mouths.
On the other hand, the ending of Kramer vs. Kramer also highlights the complex, ever-evolving nature of parenthood and the necessary sacrifices required for the benefit of the child. It’s difficult and bittersweet for Joanna, without a doubt, after everything she’s been through. However, at the end of the day, her custody claim has nothing to do with either her or Ted. It’s all about Billy.
