Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by Danyelle-Dillon (Sat Feb 25 2006 13:43:10 ) UPDATED Sat Feb 25 2006 13:43:56
Upon my fourth viewing, I realized just how much Ennis likes Jack in the beginning. Besides the staring at him in various scenes, there are three scenes where I think Ennis likes Jack and tries to please him, but Ang does this in such a subtle way that a lot of people may have missed it.
1st scene (the setup): Jack hops on his horse and yells back to Ennis, "No more beans!" Ennis doesn't even budge when Jack says this, as if he doesn't hear him.
2nd scene: Ennis is handing the list to the guy who gets the groceries and the guy says, "I thought you didn't eat soup." And Ennis says, "Yeah, well, I'm sick of beans."
3rd scene (the revelation): Jack is taking a whizz, and we see Ennis eating from a can of beans and making a yum sound. He OBVIOUSLY likes beans! He put the soup on the list to please Jack. Swoon. Subtle and set up so beautifully by Ang.
I believe every shot in this film signifies something and that nothing is gratuitous about this film. If it's in the film, it's there for a reason, and baby,,,I want to know!
Thoughts?
Jake Gyllenhaal is NOT Toothy Tile until HE says so!
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by latjoremekeed (Sat Feb 25 2006 13:59:56 ) A friend of mine liked the movie but complained that you don't see enough sparks between the two men leading up to the first tent scene. At the time, I kind of agreed, having only seen it once at that point.
But over my next few viewings, I started noticing sparks -- they're just so subtle compared to those you usually see in movies. You have to pay really close attention, especially to catch Ennis's signals; they're not romantic or lusting the way Jack's are, they're more clues that he feels comfortable and happy with Jack, intrigued by the relationship.
Let's see, besides the ordering soup scene, there's the "that's more than I've spoke in a year" scene, the elk-shooting scene, the "glancing up at the stormy sky over the mountain where Jack is camping and making a concerned face" scene ...
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by deedee120 (Sat Feb 25 2006 14:07:06 ) Wow, good one. Now I need to see it again DARN! Seriously, you guys on this board are great. I would have never thought of that.
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by Ellemeno (Sun Feb 26 2006 00:27:39 ) Yup, yup, yup! Same with me - the more I see it, the more obvious their growing interest and even flirtation. the biggest one, right before the first tent scene is the Water Walkin Jesus scene, where Ennis leans toward Jack, looks him right in the eye, and says, "You may be a sinner, but I ain't yet had the opportunity." And Jack smiles huge, says "Mmmm," in a very interested manner, and hands Ennis the whiskey bottle.
Drop me a line if you can, say if your there.
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by BlackRabbitOfInle (Sun Feb 26 2006 00:40:17 ) the biggest one, right before the first tent scene is the Water Walkin Jesus scene, where Ennis leans toward Jack, looks him right in the eye, and says, "You may be a sinner, but I ain't yet had the opportunity." And Jack smiles huge, says "Mmmm," in a very interested manner, and hands Ennis the whiskey bottle.
OMG I love you. That just made my day. *hugs*
"Jack Twist."
"Ennis."
"Your folks just stop at Ennis?"
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by Danyelle-Dillon (Sun Feb 26 2006 00:45:38 ) Ellemeno, that remains one of my favorite scenes -- from when Jack starts singing to the interested "Mmmmm".
Jake Gyllenhaal is NOT Toothy Tile until HE says so!
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by jshane2002 (Sun Feb 26 2006 00:54:00 ) WOOOOOOOOOO. Another good one. I was really paying attention to the chemistry between the 2 of them the 5th time I saw BBM. I was focusing on the non-verbal cues between them and that line about about a sinner was right there all the time. Ennis doesn't look you in the eye too often.
Went right by me. I love this story. All these people say it's boring - it's based on a pulitzer prize, book award winning story - it's not a hollywood script made up of cut scenes from other movies and crap. People just don't read anymore and they miss out on the pithy, terse language in bbm that captures that western feeling where people go days with hardly talking and spend a lot of time in their own thoughts.
"Sending up a prayer of thanks."
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by NewHorizons37 (Mon Jul 3 2006 04:59:37 ) it's based on a pulitzer prize, book award winning story
"Brokeback Mountain" won several awards, but not the Pulitzer Prize. Annie Proulx is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author for "The Shipping News", not BBM.
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by jshane2002 (Sun Feb 26 2006 00:46:10 ) UPDATED Sun Feb 26 2006 00:46:55
Great catch ! I've seen it 5 times and on the fifth viewing I was focusing on the unspoken chemistry between ennis and jack during the first half hour or so - some people think the film is so slow yet when you think about it, especially knowing jack, they are both sizing each other up, and wondering if they should risk making a move and when to make it
also you got that great scene where Ennis is washing himself ( love that cowboy hat on his head while naked ) and jack is deliberately not glancing or reacting to ennis standing there naked
so little dialogue and so much going through both their minds..
this entire movie is like this where you have one spoken line and 5 unspoken lines
You found a good one ! Makes it worth weeding through all the trolls.
"WEE-HAW!!!!' --- Jack
"I was gettin tired of your missing." ---- Ennis
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by jshane2002 (Sun Feb 26 2006 01:08:23 ) UPDATED Sun Feb 26 2006 01:40:35
what's so bs about it ? - we can see how they are both "puttin the blocks" on each other and watching to see the other notices or pretends not to notice each other - anyway you make the wrong move on the wrong type of guy and he might just use his 30-30 ( ennis is a volatile guy )
jack doesn't turn and look ( which is out of character for jack to be so quiet ) but he's wearing a slight s*** grin - you don't see the other side of jack's face - also there's the whole vibe thing that doesn't translate easilty into cinematic language - I think jack is saying he likes what he sees
gay men have always used keenly developed gaydar before they had a word for it
"this thing catches us at the wrong place, wrong time..."
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by jshane2002 (Sun Feb 26 2006 01:00:51 ) This is off the topic of this particular thread but I've been turning over in my mind the numerous scenes in BBM that parallel each other. If anyone comes up with more I'd love to know them. The brokies on this thread know how to shoot an elk. Thanks.
Ennis sees Earl's mutilated body as a boy, Ennis sees the dead sheep after sleeping with Jack.
Jack's imagines when Ennis held him from behind, Ennis' imagining Jack being beaten to death.
Alma washing clothes with a washboard, Jack washing clothes in a stream and beating them with a stick.
Ennis pictures Jack being beaten with a tire rod, Jack beating clothes in a stream with a stick.
Jack's dad talks about Jack bringing Ennis Del Mar to Wyoming, then bringing another rancher to Wyoming.
Ennis tells Alma Jr. he can't go to her wedding because they need him at the ranch, then says they can find another cowboy to work.
Jack's dad says "Tell ya what, Jack's ashes are going into the family plot." Ennis says "Tell ya what, they can find themselves another cowboy."
Ennis was 19 when he met Jack and fell in love, Alma Jr. is 19 when she tells Ennis she is getting married.
Ennis reveals things about Jack to Lureen that she didn't know, Jack's dad reveals things about Jack that Ennis didn't know.
You see Ennis as a 9 year old boy, later Ennis sits in Jack's room that seems to be the way it was when Jack was about 9 years old with the old toys still there.
You see Jack's mom at the end of the movie, she treats Ennis like he could be her own son ( and it's implied that she loves Ennis unconditionally for who he is.
Ennis was old fashioned cowboy who is set in his way - he can only live in Wyoming, Jack was raised as a cowboy but he changes with the times, moves to texas, kind of turns into an "urban cowboy."
Alma learns the truth about Ennis early on and many cruel, early blows to her heart, Lureen only hears hints about Jack and never learns the truth about Ennis and Jack until after Jack is dead.
Ennis is boldly confronted with facts he didn't know by Alma, Ennis is boldly confronted with facts by Jack's dad.
Jack's dad spits in hit coffee cup, Ennis spits in his hand before having sex with Ennis.
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by fernly (Thu Mar 2 2006 22:49:34 ) UPDATED Fri Mar 3 2006 00:18:34
a later Ennis breakthrough....
and referring back to jshane's great post on 2/26 about the many parallels in the film,
I noticed a quick, non-verbal parallel:
Ennis is sitting by the fire, working up the nerve to go into the tent where Jack is waiting. He lets go of the breath he is holding, puts both hands on his knees, literally forcing himself to stand up, and walks hesitantly over to the tent, going against his instincts, willing himself to be close to another person.
20 years later, when Alma Jr. asks him to come to her wedding, after Ennis initially puts her off, he's sitting down, working over the consequences of saying yes. He lets go of the breath he is holding, puts both hands on his knees, literally forcing himself to stand up, and walks hesitantly over to the fridge, gets out the wine and says it's his daughter's wedding, they'll just have to find themselves another cowboy, willing himself to show his daughter how much he loves her.
(I've looked for, and haven't seen, that particular physical gesture in any other scenes.)
Just fleeting movements in two long, pivotal scenes, but more indicators of the detail of craft Heath put into his physical expression of Ennis.
"on the mountain, flying in the euphoric, bitter air"
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by meryl_88 (Fri Mar 31 2006 21:42:00 ) Ennis is sitting by the fire, working up the nerve to go into the tent where Jack is waiting. He lets go of the breath he is holding, puts both hands on his knees, literally forcing himself to stand up, and walks hesitantly over to the tent, going against his instincts, willing himself to be close to another person.
20 years later, when Alma Jr. asks him to come to her wedding, after Ennis initially puts her off, he's sitting down, working over the consequences of saying yes. He lets go of the breath he is holding, puts both hands on his knees, literally forcing himself to stand up, and walks hesitantly over to the fridge, gets out the wine and says it's his daughter's wedding, they'll just have to find themselves another cowboy, willing himself to show his daughter how much he loves her.
That's a great observation, fernly. I love it!
Also, why so many dualities and parallels in Brokeback Mountain. I started to understand why after re-seeing some of Ang Lee's other films. So many pairs, even when you just look at the titles, Sense and Sensability, Eat, Drink, Man, Woman; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. He finds endless fuel for his movies in studying the interplay of yin and yang, opposites and parallels that form the essential energy of Nature.
That's so true, Front-Ranger, and very well put. Thanks!
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by latjoremekeed (Fri Mar 31 2006 22:12:50 ) I just want to take a moment to thank jshane, for bumping this thread and others. You are the master of bumping good threads! (And often have good observations when you post, too!)
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by jeaniebaby001 (Mon May 15 2006 17:28:14 ) Bumping for great thread. I can't possibly respond to each of them, mainly to say, YES I AGREE. So here's a bump!!
"William Buckley wrote a book at Yale;I read one"~ GW Bush
I'll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by taj_e (Sat Mar 11 2006 23:58:27 ) UPDATED Sun Mar 12 2006 00:08:22
I've list all the significant moments on Brokeback Mountains. Would like to post it in here however its kinda long (I got this idea from Addicted to Love)
The list will include Ennis first smile, their jokes etc (AND in order) some of it has been mentioned on the original post eg. beans
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388795/board/thread/38162748?d=38162748#38162748Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by jeaniebaby001 (Mon May 15 2006 23:14:20 ) taj_e:
I've saved it to my desktop! Thanks a bunch.
"William Buckley wrote a book at Yale; I read one"~GW Bush
I'll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by wang_jude (Tue Feb 28 2006 05:22:13 ) I've seen it 5 times and on the fifth viewing I was focusing on the unspoken chemistry between ennis and jack during the first half hour or so - some people think the film is so slow yet when you think about it, especially knowing jack, they are both sizing each other up
Yes, and I never thought it was slow AT ALL! Only when I went to see it with friends, that I feared they would find it long and I was almost concentrating more on my friends' reaction than on the film.. The last time (4th) I didn't really get to enjoy it, because of that. I will see it again at least twice with other friends, but after that I will go and see it on my own again.
this entire movie is like this where you have one spoken line and 5 unspoken lines
LOVE THAT TOO! So so much in their eyes, glances! Brilliant!
You found a good one ! Makes it worth weeding through all the trolls.
Definitely!
"..it would be a sweet life.." - [J. Twist - BBM]
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by kirkmusic (Sun Feb 26 2006 01:31:59 ) WHOA! I'd noticed that "mmmm" before and thought it strange since we already knew they'd been eating a lot of beans. Now it makes so much sense!
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by nus711 (Sun Feb 26 2006 06:03:45 ) i am not sure if anyone notice it, but when Jack was singing the song ( before he told ennis his mum is a Pentecost) , we could see Ennis happily swinging his stick and when jack finished singing, he hit the kettle? like he really enjoyed the song, and did he actually say "very good" ?
Someone should pass the whiskey bottle to him ( or her ).
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by xiquest (Tue Feb 28 2006 01:51:26 ) UPDATED Tue Feb 28 2006 01:55:33
Ennis was 19 when he met Jack and fell in love, Alma Jr. is 19 when she tells Ennis she is getting married.
I'd never paid attention to this little detail before but now that i think about it, it adds so much complexity to the final scene with Alma Jr. Right before they enter the trailer Alma Jr tells Ennis that Kurt (was that his name?) worked in the oil fields, to which Ennis replies "you're nineteen and you can do whatever you want, is that right?" Then later in the trailer Ennis chokes back tears when Alma Jr says "yes daddy, he loves me". Previously i just thought he teared because he was reminded of Jack's love for him, but now i think he tears because he's filled with regret about how his daughter, at nineteen, is about to build a future with the love of her life while he, at that same age, let the love of his life slip away.
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by bhall-25 (Tue Feb 28 2006 05:52:44 ) Great thread! I saw it again last night for the 4th time, and noticed Jack's breathing through some scenes. Especially noticeable was the time Ennis was naked. Jack lets out this little breath like he had been holding his breath for a long time. Very subtle. And in the flashback scene where he watches Ennis ride away, he lets out this little contented sigh. It was very touching!
Damn, I love this movie!
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by fernly (Tue Feb 28 2006 06:01:26 ) UPDATED Fri Mar 3 2006 00:20:08
great thread, thanks!
Always wondered about the "mmmmm" for the beans. Now it makes perfect sense.
Another way Ennis showed he cared was all that hassle of his about getting the tent set up right at the second camp. That was for Jack, cause at that point Ennis was sleeping in the pup tent at the grazing site.
One of the reasons Ennis is attracted to Jack is because Jack reacts to him, pays attention to him, something that Ennis has apparently not had much of in his life... "no more room for me"
Jack laughs at Ennis' jokes (and I'll bet those were few and far between before they met).
I love the look in Ennis' eyes when he says his dad "thought rodeo cowboys was *beep*ups" just itching to see what Jack would do. There's great eye contact between them, and then Ennis smiles in such pure, relaxed delight when Jack starts jumping around, whooping and hollering.
"on the mountain, flying in the euphoric, bitter air"
Re: Ennis Breakthrough (SPOILER-ISH)
by kelda_shelton (Tue Feb 28 2006 06:03:14 ) WOW! I hadn't clicked about the tent and how he was fixing it for Jack - tha makes one of my fave lines "Tent don't look right" even better!!
BBM-aholic & proud of it! See..
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