Remi, Nobody's Boy - Ending Explained

The film's plot follows Rémi's journey after he is sold to Vitalis. A key tragic moment is when the troupe is caught in a blizzard, and the monkey Joli-Cœur, along with two of Vitalis's other dogs, freezes to death, marking a significant loss for Rémi. Soon after, Vitalis is imprisoned for two months after an encounter with a policeman. During this time, Rémi is taken in by the kind Mrs. Harper and her sickly, wheelchair-bound daughter, Lise. It is here that Rémi experiences a life of comfort and friendship. However, he remains loyal to Vitalis and rejoins him upon his release.

The film's climax is precipitated by Vitalis's death. Weakened by the hardships of the road, he collapses and dies in the snow while shielding Rémi, urging the boy to sing for him one last time. Capi the dog leads a grief-stricken Rémi to Mrs. Harper's barge, where he is taken in. It is eventually revealed that Mrs. Harper is actually Mrs. Milligan, Rémi's biological mother. The lullaby Rémi sings is one she wrote for him as a baby. His real name is Richard Milligan. The man who abandoned him was his uncle, James Milligan, who stood to inherit the family fortune if the child disappeared. James tries to discredit Rémi but is exposed when Mrs. Milligan recognizes the lullaby and the clothes Rémi was found in. The story, which began with an elderly Rémi telling his tale to orphans, concludes with him having found his family, wealth, and identity, fulfilling the promise Vitalis saw in him.