If you just finished watching Tom Hanks stumble through 1985’s The Man with One Red Shoe, you might have lingered on the screen as the text started scrolling. Honestly, most people just turn it off. But if you're the type to stay through the the man with one red shoe end credits, you’re probably looking for something specific. Maybe you’re checking if there’s a secret scene (spoiler: there isn't) or trying to figure out who composed that weirdly catchy, synth-heavy music that sounds a lot like The Shawshank Redemption but... sillier.
It’s a bizarre little time capsule.
The movie itself is a remake of the French classic Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire, and by the time those credits roll, you've seen a young, frizzy-haired Hanks get caught in a CIA turf war because he wore one mismatched sneaker to the airport. It's peak 80s absurdism.
Who Actually Made That Music?
One of the most interesting things buried in the the man with one red shoe end credits is the music department. You’ll see the name Thomas Newman.
Does that sound familiar? It should. This was early-career Newman, long before he became the guy for American Beauty or Finding Nemo. He was only about 29 when he scored this. If you listen closely to the "End Title" track—which is basically a funky remix of the main theme—you can hear the beginnings of his signature style.
- The Main Score: Composed by Thomas Newman.
- The Love Theme: This was actually written by Michael Masser.
- The Violin Solo: Yes, that was meant to be Hanks' character, Richard Drew, playing, but the "Love Theme" was the emotional glue.
The end credits specifically credit Shinnosuke Miyazawa for a remix of the end title on later soundtrack releases, but in the original 1985 theatrical scroll, it's all about that Newman synth-pop-meets-classical vibe. It’s a strange mix of OB8 Oberheim synthesizers and actual orchestral woodwinds.
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The Names You Might Have Missed
The cast list in the credits is a "who's who" of 80s legends. You’ve got Dabney Coleman playing the villainous Cooper and Charles Durning as Ross. But keep your eyes peeled for Carrie Fisher.
Most people remember her for Star Wars, obviously, but in this film, she plays Paula, the wife of Richard's best friend. Her name is right there in the main scroll, though many critics at the time felt she was totally underused.
Then there’s Jim Belushi. He plays Morris, the guy who spends half the movie thinking he’s losing his mind because dead bodies keep appearing and disappearing in Richard’s apartment. His performance is loud, sweaty, and classic Belushi.
A Few Technical "Easter Eggs"
The credits also offer a "thank you" to the National Capital Region and the United States Park Police. Why? Because even though a lot of the movie feels like a backlot, they actually filmed significant chunks on location in Washington, D.C. They needed that federal cooperation to get those shots of the airport and the Lincoln Memorial looking authentic.
Is There a Post-Credits Scene?
Let’s clear this up: No.
There is no "Marvel-style" stinger at the very end. Once the credits finish their crawl over the black screen, that's it. You don't get a final joke with the red shoe, and you don't see what happens to Maddy (Lori Singer) and Richard in the long run.
Some people get this confused with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which came out a year later and famously told the audience to go home after the credits. In The Man with One Red Shoe, the story ends quite definitively with Maddy testifying against Cooper and reuniting with Richard. The credits are just a standard, respectful list of the hundreds of people who worked on a movie that, frankly, didn't do very well at the box office.
Why the Credits Still Matter for Film Nerds
For soundtrack collectors, the the man with one red shoe end credits are a bit of a holy grail. For decades, the music wasn't available anywhere. It wasn't until 2018 that La-La Land Records finally put out a limited-edition CD.
If you're watching a modern digital version or the DVD, you might notice the "Scoring Mixer" credit for Armin Steiner. He’s a legend in the industry, having worked on everything from The Matrix to Lost. Seeing his name alongside a young Thomas Newman is like seeing a "passing of the torch" in real-time.
Cast and Crew Highlights
- Director: Stan Dragoti (who also did Mr. Mom).
- Cinematography: Richard H. Kline.
- Editor: Bud Molin (a frequent collaborator with Mel Brooks, which explains the comedic timing).
It’s easy to dismiss a movie like this as just another "early Tom Hanks comedy," but the pedigree of the crew listed in those final minutes is actually insane. You have the same people who built the foundations of modern Hollywood comedies all working on a weird story about a guy with a red sneaker.
What to Do After the Credits Roll
If you’ve stuck around through the very last name, you've probably got that Thomas Newman theme stuck in your head. It’s okay. It happens to the best of us.
Instead of just closing the tab, take a second to look up the original French version, The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe. It’s fascinating to see how the "End Title" music and the visual gags compare between the 1972 original and the 1985 American version.
You can also find the Thomas Newman score on most streaming platforms now. Listening to the "Second Red Shoe (End Title)" track is the best way to relive that 80s nostalgia without having to watch Jim Belushi scream in a hallway again.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Listen to the Score: Find the 2018 remastered soundtrack by Thomas Newman to hear the full version of the end credits music without the dialogue overlap.
- Watch the Original: Track down Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire (1972) to see where the "mismatched shoe" trope actually started.
- Explore the Cast: Look up David Ogden Stiers (the Conductor) in the credits—he was actually a real-life guest conductor for several major orchestras, which is why his "acting" in the symphony scenes looks so authentic.