OVERLAY REPORT

In the climax of Elaine May’s **Mikey and Nicky (1976)**, the main character, Nicky (John Cassavetes), goes to **Mikey’s (Peter Falk) suburban home** in a desperate, final attempt to find safety and reconciliation. ### The Location: Mikey’s House After a long, harrowing night of wandering through seedy bars, a cemetery, and the homes of former lovers in Philadelphia, the film concludes at Mikey's residence in the suburbs. This location is a stark contrast to the grimy, claustrophobic hotel room where the film began. ### The Motivation: Why Nicky Goes There Nicky goes to Mikey's house for two primary, intertwined reasons: 1. **Desperation and Isolation:** By the end of the film, Nicky has alienated almost everyone in his life. He has visited his estranged wife and a former girlfriend, realizing he has destroyed those bridges. He knows a hitman is closing in, and despite his growing suspicion throughout the night that Mikey is setting him up, he retreats to the only person he believes is his "brother" and lifelong protector. 2. **A Final Plea for Loyalty:** Nicky's arrival at the house is an attempt to force Mikey to choose between his loyalty to the mob (which ordered the hit) and their 30-year friendship. He hopes that by showing up at Mikey's doorstep in a state of vulnerability, Mikey will finally "save" him as he has done so many times in the past. ### Specific Details of the Climax The final scene is famous for its brutal, "mirrored" irony of the film's opening: * **The Barricade:** Knowing that the hitman, Kinney (Ned Beatty), is patrolling the block and that Nicky is likely coming, Mikey is paralyzed by guilt and fear. Instead of helping his friend, he **barricades the front door** from the inside, shoving a heavy dresser and other furniture against it to ensure Nicky cannot enter. * **The Plea:** Nicky arrives at the door in the early morning light, frantic and exhausted. He pounds on the door and screams for Mikey and his wife, Annie, to let him in, shouting, **"Let me in, I'm sick!"**—referring to the stomach ulcer that has plagued him all night. * **The Betrayal:** Mikey stands silently on the other side of the door, listening to his best friend's screams but refusing to move. He even tells his wife to stay away from the door. * **The Outcome:** As Nicky realizes Mikey will not open the door, he spots the hitman Kinney approaching in a car. In a moment of tragic resignation, Nicky doesn't run; he stands his ground at the door of his only friend. Kinney shoots Nicky multiple times on the doorstep. The film ends with Nicky’s blood on the door Mikey refused to open, symbolizing the permanent destruction of their bond and Mikey's soul-crushing complicity in the murder.