You COULD have played up the gay aspect at that time and made it true, but THEN he would have had to hang himself or jump off a bridge or be eaten by starving Island boys (THERE'S a reference at the end as ALL homos did in old films. No the end was not changed, in the play he has sex with her just as in the flick, hence the most famous oft copied pre-sex line "when you speak of this be kind"etc. Tennessee Williams however was famous for saying in regard to films of his plays, "leave 30 minutes BEFORE the movie ends and go read the end of the PLAY" lol. They changed EVERY ending for the movie versions, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof the dead hero is NOT revealed as GAY, Sweet Bird Of Youth Paul Newman is NOT castrated to make him useless to other women (they break his nose instead) Streetcar, pregnant money-less Stella does NOT go back to her husband, she goes into her neighbors, etc. And YES I echo, John Kerr (NO relation to Deborah whom he screws in the movie) WAS kinda hot in South Pacific!!
AND WOW THIS IS THE MOST REPLIES TO ANY THREAD I'VE STARTED 62!