Continuity mistake: During the "I See Dead People" scene, Cole is facing Malcolm and a tear runs down his face. When Cole turns away, his face is dry with no trace of a tear.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Ending / spoiler
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Haley Joel Osment, Haley Joel Osmont
Cole (Haley Joel Osment) reveals to Dr Malcolm (Bruce Willis) his ability to see the spirits of the dead after an unpleasant experience in a birthday party. Malcolm fears that the child might be having a mental illness, but is determined to help Cole by "cooperating" with him. By that, he tells him to help the spirits he see - not to fear them. The advice succeeds as Cole returns to normal life, and ceases to be "freaky." That's where a satisfied Malcolm and Cole say goodbye to each other. Malcolm returns home to his distant wife, and finds her sleeping on the couch in front of the TV, as their wedding tape plays on the screen. She gasps quietly, "Malcolm, why did you leave me?" and then she drops a wedding ring on the floor. Malcolm watches the ring, terrified, only to see that his wife wears her own wedding ring. He then looks at his left hand... And his ring isn't there. Horrified Malcolm realises the shocking truth: he was dead all along, and was one of the spirits Cole could've seen. A flashback of the dreadful night a year before returns to him, as he realises he didn't survive the fatal gunshot wound. Malcolm, now enlightened, sits next to his sleeping wife, and fades out as the screen playing the wedding tape turns white.
More mistakes in The Sixth Sense
Vincent Gray: Do you know why you're afraid when you're alone? I do. I do.
Trivia: The doctor that treats Cole after the incident at the birthday party is played by director M. Night Shamalyan. Interesting about this scene is that Shamalyan came from a family of doctors, including his wife who is one. He also at one time wanted to become a doctor before he decided on a career in filmmaking.
Question: Through most of the film Malcolm is dead. All the other ghosts still have scars from how they died but why doesn't Malcolm have his mark which should be a bullet wound?
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Answer: Because as Cole tells us in the middle of the movie, "They only see what they want to see." The movie shows us Malcolm as he perceives himself. He can't actually put on an overcoat, or change clothes. He sees what he expects to see. He goes outside in the cold to visit Cole, so he sees himself wearing an overcoat. He doesn't know he is dead - he doesn't see his wound. To preserve this misdirection throughout the movie, we are shown Malcolm as he sees himself.
Actually, we do see Malcolm and Cole sees him. The entry wound in his abdomen is tiny, and the large, obvious exit wound is on Malcolm's back, which we never see.
C Classic