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Even people who dont much care for Leos CaraxsAnnettegenerally admit that it ends well.
Its a powerful, incredibly well-acted scene.
But what the hell does itmean?
The child has Anns heavenly singing voice, which emerges whenever Annette sees the light of the moon.
(Throughout the film, Carax has visually associated Ann with the moon.)
Though he denies it halfheartedly, Henry knows that hes exploiting Annette.
(In Baby Annettes world, Henry is represented by a pet stuffed monkey she carries everywhere.
His stand-up nickname was, after all, the Ape of God.)
Henry has, by his own admission, been seduced by the abyss of rage and contempt.
Stepping back in time, I would stand aside, not allow my rage to be magnified.
(Thats the one where we saw Driver singing while performingcunnilingus.)
Which brings us to the final scene.
Now, Henry is stuck in prison and confronting the child whose life he ruined.
But Annette is no longer a Puppet Baby.
/ Ill never sing again / Smashing every lamp I see!
/ Ill never sing again / Living in full darkness!
/ Ill never sing again / A vampire forever!
Henry tries to stick up for Ann finally!
and tells Annette not to blame her mother for whats happened to her.
It is here that Sparks fondness for wordplay really starts to show itself.
But forgiving also means forgetting.
And now, she twists the knife one last time.
Now you have nothing to love, she sings.
Cant I love you?
her father asks, looking into his childs eyes.
Not really, Daddy.
Its sad but its true, she sings.
Then she repeats the line Now you have nothing to love.
In fact, she seems to be singing, Now you have nothing toloathe.
Its a slight difference.
Its a startling turning of the tables.
And even if the wordplay is merely a trick of the ear, it makes emotional sense.
Hes been cruel and dismissive toward Ann and her art and been rewarded with her devotion.
But Annette undoes all that, and in doing so, she undoeshim.
But this is also a liberation.
When we see him alone in his cell, hes wandering slowly, trying to evade the camera.
Dont look at me, he mutters.
Both puppet and father have ceased to exist.
With one twist of the tongue, Henrys own child has both liberated him and obliterated him through song.
