Still, I kind of like the way the actual movie keeps them more or less isolated from current events and changes in the outside culture. We hear about Vietnam only in the most indirect vague way. We see changing fashions. But otherwise, the characters seem to occupy a completely isolated and sealed off world, which makes a point in itself.
I completely agree with that. I wasn't trying to defend the purpose of the scene, nor argue that it should hhave been in the film, but merely to make some sense of the possible purpose and see the original writer's point of view. To me this is over-evident instead of multi-layered, like that scene in one of the early script versions where Ennis and Cassie go to watch one of the Star Wars films. Sure would single out the year(s) in question, but like you I'm of course really glad they toned down all those *big* cultural timing landmark moments, and made the film and the story more timeless and universal. It's still firmly grounded in time, place and culture, to my mind.
"LOOK, people! Time is passing, and now we have reached... The Empire Strikes Back!" 
I don't think so. The hippes were filmed, though, while the star wars scene wasn't - so the hippies had more going for them in the end.
What I hate most about the dialogue are the remarks about hippies being un-American and "we ought to scalp him." Yuck! They no doubt accurately depict typical attitudes of that time and place, but still. Yuck.
That *is* horrid. I think I repressed and forgot that line the very instant I'd read it, because it's so far from what *my* J&E would say or think.
Playing devil's advocate here; it would have served the purpose of bringing across that our guys did in fact have unsavoury prejudices of their own.... They weren't saints and nobody's perfect.
(That's actually an interesting discussion point: Whether J&E's suffering under unfair prejudices made them more or less understanding and considerate of people being subjected to other types of unfairness based on commonly held biased opinions in that time and place. I'm sure it must have been discussed somewhere at length. ETA: Yes of course! The discussion about Ennis's attitude towards Alma and her work vs. her responsibilities as wife and mother, for instance.)
But no matter, I would have *hated* that line.
**shudders**If they wanted to show them relaxed and comfortable in each other's company, I'd MUCH rather see the "that's one a two things I need right now!" scene from the story, or something like that.
And everyone cried: Amen!!
Hey, it's very nice to actually be in a bit of a BBM discussion again! It's been ages since I found anything to say at all.
