The Top Ten: Titles that give away the ending

Spoiler alert! From Why The Tories Won, to War and Peace and Paradise Lost...

John Rentoul
Saturday 20 February 2016 18:38 EST
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There and Back Again: Martin Freeman in The Hobbit
There and Back Again: Martin Freeman in The Hobbit (AFP/Getty Images)

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This list of spoilers was started by Alan Robertson, who proposed 'Death in Venice' by Thomas Mann. The main character, Gustav von Aschenbach, a famous author suffering from writer's block, dies of cholera at the end of the novel.

1. 'Why the Tories Won' by Tim Ross Robert Hutton's abiding weakness is his failure to take things seriously.

2. 'Finding Nemo' Fished out by Simmy Richman.

3. 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi' Neither of those is strictly the ending, but Alexander Saunders earns a mention.

4. 'The Dam Busters' Dropped by Solly.

5. 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' Again, very droll, Dinah Rose and Will Green.

6. 'Around the World in Eighty Days' Spoilt by Tom Hamilton.

7. 'War and Peace' Although Glen Binnie points out that the plot actually goes Peace and War and Peace and War and Peace.

8. 'All's Well that Ends Well' Nominated by Tim Ross (see number 2) and Solly.

9.'There and Back Again', subtitle of 'The Hobbit' Tom Freeman saves us time. Tolkien also had The Return of the King, prompting a dispute; he returns in Vol I, but Anna H points out that he is crowned in Vol III.

10. 'Paradise Lost' Although you don't need the title to know what happens, Peter Russell.

Next week: Obsolete technology clichés (such as, 'like a broken record')

Coming soon: Big speeches that flopped (such as Neil Kinnock on Westland). Send your suggestions, and ideas for future Top 10s, to top10@independent.co.uk

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