Spoilers · the ending
Rashomon: the ending, explained
Akira Kurosawa · 1950
This page gives the ending away. Not seen the film yet? Its spoiler-free guide is here.
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Spoilers · the ending
Akira Kurosawa · 1950
This page gives the ending away. Not seen the film yet? Its spoiler-free guide is here.
What happens
The woodcutter admits he saw the killing and has left out the stolen dagger, so even he is lying. Then a baby cries at the gate. The commoner robs it, but the woodcutter takes the child home, restoring some of the priest's faith.
The last image
The rain stops, and the woodcutter walks out from under the ruined gate carrying the abandoned baby.
What it says
The film suggests everyone distorts the truth to protect their self-image. It ends on a moral choice rather than a verdict: after so many lies, one small act of kindness is what lets the priest keep believing in people.