Over on our Shelf Life blog, I recently relayed 10 memorable stories from Patrick Swayze’s memoir, The Time of My Life. No. 6 was, perhaps, the most controversial: “I felt all along that Johnny should ultimately end up with Penny, as they were so much alike and a more realistic couple than Johnny and Baby,” the late actor wrote about Dirty Dancing. “That change got overruled, which was probably for the best. But when some on the set suggested I tone down the dancing with Penny early on, I put my foot down. They were worried that the dance scenes between Johnny and Penny were too sexy, that they would overshadow the later dance scenes between Johnny and Baby. I knew that wasn’t true, based on my audition with Jennifer. There was no doubt we’d be able to create the heat — and we did.”
I’m torn: There’s no way Johnny (Patrick Swayze) and Baby (Jennifer Grey) were making that relationship work after she left Kellerman’s, but that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have ended up together on that night. There’s a sense of finality about “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” that makes me believe they knew they were celebrating their past, not their future. Johnny and Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) were smokin’ on the dance floor, but how do you script an ending in which Baby makes them realize they belong together after she’s slept with Johnny? (Because clearly, we’re not cutting that love scene.)
Let’s put it to a vote: Who should Johnny have ended up with at the end of Dirty Dancing?
Photo credit: Everett Collection
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I disagree. I always though the finl dance was about the futue. He came back for her. He could have stayed away if he didn’t care. But he came back. And the father apologized almost like he gave a somewhat approval. I saw them having tried to make it post that summer. The way they interacted. Johnny and Baby were not over. I saw Johnny and Penny as BFF but wouldn’t have made it work.
So Johnny and Baby didn’t drive off into the sunset?
i can stand believing that penny and johnny eventually ended up together, but how could anyone want to rewrite that ending?
The end of the movie was perfect…but I’m sure that eventually Johnny and Penny ended up together.
Exactly. Baby was his amazing summer fling; Penny was the girl he would eventually settle down with.
It’s a fairy tale. You shouldn’t think too much about what happens after the glass slipper slides on the foot.
Agreed.
Amen, don’t try and ruin my favorite Chick Flick. Leave it on the dance floor with Baby and Johnny staring into each others eyes. There’s no need to think about what happened the next day.
They would have had to have changed the movie so that Penny was wistful and gazing at Johnny with puppy dog eyes.
In a fairy tale ending he ends up with Baby. In the real world, its Penny. This is a movie, hence fairy tale.
I agree with Patrick.
I don’t think that Johnny was the love of Baby’s life. I think he was the person who transitioned her from girl to woman. He helped her get a sense of herself being something other than ‘Daddy’s little girl’ (RIP Jerry Orbach).
Personally, I never thought that they ended up with a happy ever after. If you look back at his career, few of Patrick’s movies had happy endings like that.
Agree with you, Fyrkat. Johnny was Baby’s summer romance, her older man. Every woman needs one at sometime in their young life.
No, no, no: Johnny was Baby’s “first love”; therefore, unforgettable.
Happily ever after for Johnny and Baby? Maybe. It’s possible. However, I think the enduring theme of the film is that Johnny opened Baby’s eyes to a whole new world that was messier than her own sheltered upbringing but had it’s own merits, and that Johnny found redemption and a sense of his own worth through Baby’s affection. They loved each other for WHO they were, despite WHAT they were. Theoretically, that may have lasted or imploded, but Penny always seemed like more of a sister than a flame.
As steamy as their dance routine was, I always thought Johnny and Penny were more platonic/brother sister then anything. I definitely didn’t pick up on sexual tension between them, they were just close friends.
I agree, sure their dancing was hot because they are such good dancers. Baby and Johnny were the ones who lit up the stage with their chemistry
I always assumed that after the movie he and Baby would eventually end and he’d end up with Penny. I figured that was part of the point, Baby would go off to college, and Johnny would marry the pretty girl he’s known all his life, but for that one night they had each other, and they made each others lives better.
Actually don’t knock Baby and Johnny staying together. I agree that the movie does seem to symbolise Baby’s first love, and that perhaps what makes it beautiful is that they probably didn’t end up together. However the ending is full of hope and if you watch the special edition DVD, the original ending is of Johnny and Baby talking on the dance floor where she wonders what will happen tomorrow when everyone is saying that they shouldn’t be together. His reply is, “We’ll try harder.” Clearly the writers wanted orignally leave it a little more hopeful for Johnny and Baby
I agree with the above comment that Penny was more of a sister. Didn’t Johnny’s cousin say that nothing was between them, not since they were kids? I don’t think Penny and Johnny were meant to be, honestly it is because they are TOO similar. They would bore each other, he needs the soft gentle touch like Baby who could tame his fire but not fence him in, just like Baby needed someone who could open her eyes to the world and let her live a little.
Baby at the end of the movie – he did the right thing by standing up for her; she was a good person.
But they totally were not riding off into the sunset together. Nor with Penny …what woman wants to be sloppy seconds.
Well, unless any woman can say they know for sure they’re marrying a virgin, she will always know she wasn’t the first.
I just rewatched the 20th Anniversary DVD last night and there was an alternate ending that made reference to them trying harder to stay together. It is nice to believe that this innocence and special bond would last forever and even though it is only a movie it nice to believe in the dream. Also, the chemistry between Baby and Johnny was undeniable. Penny and Johnny danced well together but were more dance partners than life partners.
Ya know, as much as I love the movie, the ending always bothered me. I just couldn’t figure out how they could have made such a relationship work. I mean, what was she going to do, not go to college and spend the rest of her life at Kellermans making tips???
No! Baby still goes to college, but inspires Johnny to start up at a J.C. get some business schooling under his belt and start his own dance studio!
I meant someone 20 years ago, right after Dirty Dancing came out. We came from two completely different backgrounds and actually had our first meeting at a dance club. He was much more experienced than I but 20 years later we are still together and very happy with a beautiful son. Sometimes people with different backgrounds, education and life experiences can make it work. I believe the story of Dirty Dancing was more that there were two individuals with the same caring and beautiful hearts that found each other. That is why the movie has endured for so long and we are still commenting about it and probably will for many more years to come. Patrick and Jennifer did such a beautiful job getting that message across. God Bless Patrick, he will be greatly missed.
If we’re talking long-term, then Penny. But he only came back for that “last dance of the season” with Baby. After that, I think we’re supposed to assume their relationship is over. She leaves to go to college and he gets another job somewhere else now that his summer job is over. But that’s part of why that movie is bittersweet, their relationship can’t last.
See, I read that comment from him, and it immediately conjures up the stories about this being one of the most fractious screen partnerships in the history of romance movies. (I might be wrong, but I swear EW did a story about them, Debra Winger/Richard Gere, etc. years ago.)
Here’s a quote from Wikipedia:
“Relations between the two main stars varied throughout production. They had already had trouble getting along in their previous project, Red Dawn. They worked things out enough to have an extremely positive screen test, but initial cooperation soon faded, and they were soon “facing off” before every scene.[8] There was concern among the production staff that the animosity between the two stars would endanger the filming of the love scenes. To address this, producer Bergstein and director Ardolino forced the stars to re-watch their initial screen-tests—the ones with the “breathtaking” chemistry. This had the desired effect….”
If I couldn’t personally stand my romantic lead counterpart, I’d jockey for switching the story to spend more time with someone I could stomach.
It’s a well-thought rationale, but I think it’s the pretext for wanting to get out of dealing with the hassles of a co-star.
Ridiculous. The ending was perfect. It wouldn’t have had a plot if he hadn’t ended up with Baby.
Also, everybody is thinking about this movie way too hard.
you people are really arguing about this? wow!
The movie sucked, still does. They both did a better movie called Red Dawn
I disagree, Baby and Johnny were going to end up together. The reason they were together was because each was such a different choice, and they were huge influences on one another.
I also remember a rumor that the end of the movie was missing a scene, one in which Baby and Johnny have a “talk” in the parking lot… it is where the pair are heading when Dr. Houseman interrupts them to apologize to Johnny. Just a rumor that such a scene was filmed, but it supports the Johnny/Baby ending.