"I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind

[Front-Ranger]

It's easy to imagine the sheep crawling up on Jack for comfort because of that scene where the sheep is laying on Jack while getting a pedicure  .

I'm going OT here, but on The Morning AFter when Ennis wakes up, do you recall how loud the sound of the rushing water is outside the tent? And what a happy sound it is?!

[serious crayons]

I'm going OT here, but on The Morning AFter when Ennis wakes up, do you recall how loud the sound of the rushing water is outside the tent? And what a happy sound it is?!

I hadn't noticed that, but thanks for pointing it out, Lee! I can almost hear it. I love the way water is used to symbolize their relationship (and how scenes with Ennis and Alma often involve tap -- artificial -- water), and how sad it is when it gets stiller and stiller as the movie goes on, until in the end they're at a lake. I started wondering today if there's any significance in what direction the water is flowing -- from Ennis toward Jack, or vise versa? That might be reaching, though.

[ednbarby]

I hadn't noticed that, but thanks for pointing it out, Lee! I can almost hear it. I love the way water is used to symbolize their relationship (and how scenes with Ennis and Alma often involve tap -- artificial -- water), and how sad it is when it gets stiller and stiller as the movie goes on, until in the end they're at a lake. I started wondering today if there's any significance in what direction the water is flowing -- from Ennis toward Jack, or vise versa? That might be reaching, though.

I had noticed the happy rushing water sound (seems to coincide too with the look of utter contentment on Jack's face as he's sleeping), but I had not thought about the waters getting stiller and stiller throughout.  Thanks for pointing that out, Katherine! 

[Brown Eyes]

Yeah, the rushing water is striking me more and more as a really significant symbol.  In some of their later camping trips they seem to be camping near what appear to be almost white water rapids.  Also, at least once, Ang Lee uses a simple shot of water rushing in a stream to transition from a camping trip back to the "real world" in average society.

Also, lately more details about the flashback are striking me.  It's hard to focus on some of the little details here because it's easy (and better) to get swept up in the emotion of the scene.  But, I've really been aware of the transition that Lee uses to shift from the intense hug at the end of the argument to the surreal and wistful peacefulness of the flashback.  The main transition is facilitated by the sound of the wind!!
 
Seriously, the sound effect of the wind sort of ushers the viewer out of the mindset of the argument and into the different time/place/mood of the flashback.

Very excellent.

[serious crayons]

Also, lately more details about the flashback are striking me.  It's hard to focus on some of the little details here because it's easy (and better) to get swept up in the emotion of the scene.  But, I've really been aware of the transition that Lee uses to shift from the intense hug at the end of the argument to the surreal and wistful peacefulness of the flashback.  The main transition is facilitated by the sound of the wind!!
 
Seriously, the sound effect of the wind sort of ushers the viewer out of the mindset of the argument and into the different time/place/mood of the flashback.

Thanks Amanda, I hadn't noticed that -- perhaps because as soon as the scene switches from them hugging by the lake to the flashback campfire, I always burst into tears. Not because of the argument. Lately I have found the flashback itself to be one of the saddest scenes in the whole movie, between its sad context, its suggestion of how happy they COULD have been, its showing Ennis in one of his few nurturing moments, its transition from young Jack's dreamy expression to old Jack's grim one, its "see you in the morning" and all that implies, and because it's the last time we see Jack.

You know, I just thought of another subtextual meaning for "see you in the morning" besides the sort of metaphysical ones we've discussed (e.g., see you in the next world, see you when society becomes less homophobic, etc.). In both the past and the present, Ennis rides off, confident that he will see Jack in the morning (or "in November," in the present). And in the flashback, he will. But in the present, he won't.

Is there a sound of wind I'm missing due to sobbing? Maybe that helps trigger my sadness, too.

Also, at least once, Ang Lee uses a simple shot of water rushing in a stream to transition from a camping trip back to the "real world" in average society.

And they cross a stream with the sheep when they're going up to Brokeback the first time, transitioning from the "real world" to their idyll.

[Brown Eyes]

You know, I just thought of another subtextual meaning for "see you in the morning" besides the sort of metaphysical ones we've discussed (e.g., see you in the next world, see you when society becomes less homophobic, etc.). In both the past and the present, Ennis rides off, confident that he will see Jack in the morning (or "in November," in the present). And in the flashback, he will. But in the present, he won't.

This is a very good point I think.  In both the flashback and the present, Ennis doesn't look back (obviously in the present because he's in the truck, and in the flashback he just concentrates on looking ahead.  Interesting that in both of these instances we presume that Ennis is anticipating a future with Jack (we assume he leaves the argument thinking that November actually will happen...).  This reminds me of the end of their summer on Brokeback.  Katherine, I know we've chatted a bit about the lasso, "confusing tussle" situations and Jack's upbeat tone through much of this.  It's been discussed that Ennis is all upset at the end of the Brokeback summer because he feels that it's the end of his time with Jack (so his mood is grumpy, pessimistic and angry).  Whereas at the end of that first summer Jack doesn't seem to perceive that it signals the end of their relationship at all.  It's interesting that at the end of the flashback there's that famous look from Jack that seems so contented and romantic.  But, at the end of the parallel argument scene he has the same, glum or pessimistic look that would have been more associated with Ennis's mood at the end of the first summer.  I guess this is just a signal of foreboding... but man!

So sad!
 

[serious crayons]

In both the flashback and the present, Ennis doesn't look back (obviously in the present because he's in the truck, and in the flashback he just concentrates on looking ahead.  Interesting that in both of these instances we presume that Ennis is anticipating a future with Jack (we assume he leaves the argument thinking that November actuall will happen...).  This reminds me of the end of their summer on Brokeback.  Katherine, I know we've chatted a bit about the lasso, "confusing tussle" situations and Jack's upbeat tone through much of this.  It's been discussed that Ennis is all upset at the end of the Brokeback summer because he feels that it's the end of his time with Jack (so his mood is grumpy, pessimistic and angry).  Whereas at the end of that first summer Jack doesn't seem to perceive that it signals the end of their relationship at all.  It's interesting that at the end of the flashback there's that famous look from Jack that seems so contented and romantic.  But, at the end of the parallel argument scene he has the same, glum or pessimistic look that would have been more associated with Ennis's mood at the end of the first summer.  I guess this is just a signal of foreboding... but man!

So sad!
 

You are right. The difference between Jack's expressions is like the difference between a sunny sky and a dark one. That alone should be a signal of impending disaster. And good point about how the two of them switched in demeanor and expectations, from the end of one era to the end of another.

Also, you've alluded to yet another reason I find the flashback so sad. Ennis doesn't look back. Who leaves someone they love so quickly and easily after such a tender moment? I don't know what it's supposed to mean, if anything. Clearly Ennis does love Jack. But I know it's another factor that makes that scene especially hard  to watch. Is it a sign that even from the beginning Ennis took their love too much for granted?

[Brown Eyes]

I don't know how exactly to interpret Ennis not looking back in the flashback either.  But, here are a few ideas.  I'm brainstorming here... I'm not sure how these ideas fit together yet.  Somehow Ennis not looking back makes the flashback seem very dream-like.  I think it's fair to say that even though this is a shared memory between Jack and Ennis, we see the flashback from the viewpoint of Jack's memory (this is more explicit in the story... and wow, isn't this a contrast in the two flashbacks we see in the movie... Ennis's Earl flashback and Jack's romantic flashback).   I think Ennis riding away without looking back might be just another example (in Jack's mind) of Ennis holding-back too much in terms of affection.  But, at the same time, in riding away, Ennis becomes a pure image of Jack's ideal cowboy.  We've all talked about Ennis eyeing Jack on horseback in early scenes in the movie as evidence that Jack fulfills Ennis's cowboy-fantasy too, in terms of pure visuals.  So, this is Jack's turn.  Jack probably remembers being able to drink in the sight of Ennis after the embrace as a super happy part of his memory since this happened when he too was still very optimisitc about the future and knew that the morning would come.

One more idea... I wonder if this is the filmmakers' translation of Proulx's disheartening idea that Ennis would not embrace Jack from the front and did not want to look at him in the face during this hug.  I think the filmmakers improve 100 percent on this in the actual embrace... I think they try hard and Heath tries hard to convey the idea that he's gazing at Jack's profile.  Proulx's notion also doesn't make much sense in the film given the intimacy of the 2nd tent scene.  But,  maybe Ennis not looking back as he rides away is meant to evoke this idea that Ennis was still resisting certain kinds of intimacy.

[bbm_stitchbuffyfan]

I loooove the wind metaphor in this movie. It is, to me, probably the most touching of them all.

It's been a few weeks since I last watched this movie but if I remember accurately, when Ennis is sitting by the window in Jack's childhood bedroom as he looks over into Jack's old closet, wind can be heard.

I love the presence of wind in the final scene -- so astonishingly moving -- and how it follows Ennis up the mountain after they first have sex, also after Jack and Ennis leave each other after their first summer on Brokeback...

And this brilliant symbol makes the first Alma and Ennis love scene seem much more integral and excellent with the "lonely" bit.

Next time I watch I am going to try to decipher the rushing water symbol. This seems intriguing to me.

[Sheyne]

Ang Lee himself has commented that the water imagery is a direct metaphor for the love between the men. Cannot think where I heard him say it, but he did.

After the first tent scene: as Ennis peers outside the flap of the tent, we can hear that beautiful trickling water (their intimate relationship has begun). Whenever we see them together camping, we see running water - even the time they caught up together when Ennis first brought the horses - just before the cutaway to Jack and Bobbie in that big farming truck together, we see a close up of the rushing stream.

Someone mentioned the white water rapids...  If memory serves, that was their fishing trip after the 4 year reunion - ie their love is powerful, reignited and explosive. They even strip off completely naked and leap off a cliff into the water - is that not an amazing metaphor for "diving into their relationship head first"?

Their trip just before Ennis meets Cassie, they're beside a running river, but its nowhere near as powerful a current as previous scenes. I mean, they may have argued and bickered, but their love is still strong. 

Which makes the lake scene - beside a totally still body of water - completely devastating.