Clue is a classic murder mystery caper, but it was released with three different endings, only one of which is the best. Clue follows Mr. Boddy and his Butler as they host a dinner party for several dinner guests, all of whom work in or around government jobs, and none of whom completely know each other. They all have something in common, however: they're being blackmailed by Mr. Boddy, as he knows their darkest secrets. When the lights go out, and he's murdered, every guest becomes a suspect, as it was advantageous to any one of them if he was dead. What follows is a lot more murder and betrayal.
Clue was originally released theatrically with a gimmick: each print of the film offered one of three endings. The version found on home video today includes all the endings played in a row. They follow the title cards "How It Might Have Happened," "How About This," and "Here's What Really Happened." The three Clue endings are vastly different in of their quality and their plausibility, and one stands out as the best.
The Ending Where Miss Scarlet Is The Murderer
In the first Clue ending, the murderer is Miss Scarlet, who had Mr. Boddy killed because he knew about her underground brothel in Washington D.C. She killed almost every victim herself, but she also had an accomplice, Yvette, who killed the Cook and Mr. Boddy. Scarlet had power over Yvette, as she was a former employee of the brothel. This is the best ending in of plausibility and surprise, as everything adds up, but Scarlet was never the most or least suspected. Scarlet is one of the smartest Clue characters, and it makes sense that she'd use her power of authority to force Yvette into murdering someone.
The Ending Where Mrs. Peacock Is The Murderer
The second Clue ending reveals that Mrs. Peacock murdered everyone all by herself. She didn't even have an accomplice. The character is the wife of a U.S. Senator, and Mr. Boddy knew she took bribes from foreign powers. Mrs. Peacock was the least suspected character throughout the movie, but that's because she didn't actually stand to gain or lose much by killing Mr. Boddy, as she could've simply blamed everything on her husband. Other characters had a lot more to gain and lose, which makes Mrs. Peacock's ending the least plausible, especially as she can't even lift the lead pipe above her head. But that's what makes it so entertaining.
The Ending Where Everyone Is A Murderer
The endings become increasingly farfetched as they go on, with the third and final ending revealing that nearly every Clue character is a killer. Everybody was murdering each other to cover their own backs, which is easily the most unbelievable ending. However, there is some logic behind it: if one person has already killed someone, this makes it a lot easier for other people to follow suit. While this ending creates a number of plot holes, it's the most satisfying, especially when it's revealed that Wadsworth is really Mr. Boddy, and Mr. Green, who had been a pushover for the whole movie, is really an FBI agent.
The Best Ending Of Clue
Ultimately, while any one of the three endings could be considered the best for different reasons, having all the options included together is the actual best possible conclusion to the movie. This unique way of ending the story is why Clue is the best murder mystery movie, as audiences can choose which ending they want to be the definitive one for themselves. Clue would undoubtedly have been more critically and commercially successful if it was released theatrically in this form back in 1985. Hopefully, the planned Ryan Reynolds-led remake will feature multiple endings, too, and include all of them together from the start.
