Back to the Futurehad some hiccups on the way from page to screen, with studios who didn’t understand it, anda lead actor inEric Stoltz, who had to be firedduring filming. Still,Robert Zemeckis' film went on to becomethe biggest movie of 1985, its success launching a franchise. Audiences loved the cool car and the relationship between Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), but none of it mattered if the high-concept plot didn’t stick the landing. It did just that, with Marty’s choices with his parents in 1955 creating an alternate 1985, where his family are now better people.You could argue that this makes the movie a tragedybecause Marty comes back to a family he’s not familiar with.Crispin Glover, who plays Marty’s father, George McFly, had an issue with the ending because of an entirely different reason.He thought they had been written to be happy because they now had money. He couldn’t be more wrong.
Marty McFly’s Family Has Changed When He Returns to 1985
When we first meet the McFly family, Marty might be cool and talented, buthe comes from a family that is lacking. They don’t want him to play at the school dance because it’ll just be a headache. Effort doesn’t come easy for these people.Marty’s brother, Dave (Mark McClure), works at Burger King, Linda (Wendie Jo Sperber) complains, and his mother, Lorraine (Lea Thompson), comes off as very sad, while also not understanding why a girl would chase a boy. As for George, he’s so lost in work and TV that he’s barely paying attention. These are sad people who are not living up to their potential.
When Marty accidentally goes back in time to 1955, he messes up how his parents meet: George got hit by Lorraine’s dad’s car and she went to the dance with him out of pity. Marty’s arrival eliminates that, and he’s going to have to get them back together himself because George is a coward. He’s lost in his own head with no confidence whatsoever.In the end, he gets the girl, but only because he earned it this time by learning to stand up for himself, which leads him to stand up for Lorraine.
At the end ofBack to the Future, Marty returns to 1985 and the home he knows, butwhen he sees his family, everything has changed. George and Lorraine are happy now and all over each other.George is a successful writer with a book that just came out, Dave and Linda have good jobs, there are nicer things in the house, and Marty finds his dream truck in the garage.
Crispin Glover was not happy with how George and his family were portrayed at the end of the first movie. In a 2012 interview with theAV Club, he recalled, “I had a conversation with Robert Zemeckis about it and I said, ‘I think if the characters have money [in the updated timeline at the end of the film], if our characters are rich, it’s a bad message.'”
Every ‘Back to the Future’ Movie, Ranked
“Marty, the future isn’t written. It can be changed. You know that.” -Doc
Glover said Zemeckis got angry with him over his idea, but Glover hasn’t changed his opinion. He didn’t like how Marty wanted this new, black Toyota truck as well, then got it in at the end. Glover said that it should have been, “if instead the reward was that the mother and father characters are in love with each other. And that there’s thepotentialthat money comes in.”
Crispin Glover is an integral part ofBack to the Future. We need to see the contrast between him and Marty, and how the two change each other for the good. Despite how great his performance was,he didn’t return for the sequels. After asking for $1 million to return, he was let go and replaced byJeffrey Weissman. This led to a successful lawsuit by Glover for using his likeness without permission. Four decades later, Glover has distanced himself from his biggest film to the point that he has never appeared in cast reunions with the other actors.
The McFlys Are Successful Because of Their Newfound Confidence
Glover meant well in his criticism, but he is seeing the ending toBack to the Futureall wrong. Loveisthe reward.Marty’s family has changed because George has changed. When he stood up for Lorraine three decades earlier, he immediately became a more confident man. His relationship was built on true, lasting love, and he then had the self-esteem to pursue his dream of being a writer. This has resulted in him and his wife still being madly in love three decades later. Seeing that loving relationship, and seeing the confidence of their father, has led to more assured children too, who now have better jobs because it resulted in them believing in themselves enough to do more with their lives.
George might have money now, but that’s not the message. He’s not out there chasing money as a businessman. His family and his dreams come first, and that has led to success. Sure, he has more money for a better car and nicer things, but he still lives in the same house. His surroundings haven’t transformed because the change is internal. As for Marty’s love for the truck, he’s still just a kid after all. I mean,have you seen how cool that thing looks?
Back to the Future
