Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
TOTW 09/07: Did it seem like Jack was responsive to Randall's flirtatiousness?
jstephens9:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on September 24, 2007, 04:01:04 pm ---You're right Lee that he didn't respond at the dance. But he didn't reject him either. And isn't that just as good as saying, hey, let's go for it?!?!? :P
Remember, Jack flirted with the rodeo clown at the bar. Flirting was second nature for him. Meeting Ennis changed his behaviour for a while, but not for life.
--- End quote ---
Sorry Lee, but I don't agree that not rejecting someone outright can be taken as "hey, let's go for it." I don't believe the two are related. If someone doesn't clearly reject you I just don't think that means "yes." It could be that the person is simply being nice, not wanting to hurt someone's feelings, and hoping that they get the message of non interest without being blatant about it.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Nutmeg Guy on September 26, 2007, 09:37:51 am ---
Here is a different question:
If Jack divorced and moved up to Lightning Flat with Randall, would he have made up some excuse to disappear for a week to go meet Ennis?
"hey Randall, I'm going down to Childress to see my son Bobby". Then he goes camping with Ennis.
--- End quote ---
This is a really interesting question David! My feeling is that if Ennis were to get in touch with Jack in this type of situation (or really any circumstance), Jack would go meet him. I don't know that Jack would really be able to resist an invitation from Ennis. Whether or not Jack would initiate invitations to Ennis in this type of circumstance somehow seems more complex to me. I think Ennis would also go running to Jack under most circumstances. Neither one really "knows how to quit" the other.
But, as we see from Ennis's reaction to Mexico... we know that Ennis would not react well to the idea of Jack living in Lightning Flat with Randall or any other fellow. I think Jack would have to hide the fact that he was living with Randall entirely for a relationship to persist with Ennis. So, the type of scenario you suggest would involve a lot of denial and sneakiness to be feasible at all.
serious crayons:
There are parallels between this scene and the scenes of Jack and Ennis on the mountain. It's almost like the charity dance is a mini telling of Jack and Ennis, only with some things reversed or turned around, and parts played by other people.
At the beginning of the dance, Jack helps Randall when his truck was broken; at the end of their time on mountain, Ennis helps Jack when his truck is broken. LaShawn tells her background and how she wound up in Childress; Ennis tells his background and how he wound up on the mountain. LaShawn talks a blue streak to Jack; Ennis talks to Jack more than he's spoke in a year. With Ennis, Jack spills beans on himself. With Randall, Jack spills ashes on himself. Both spillings immediately followed a comment alluding to masculinity, one positive and the other negative -- "balls the size of apples," "husbands never dance with their wives." After that, Jack looks away while Ennis is washing (trying to resist), and Jack looks away when Randall proposes Roy Taylor's cabin (trying to resist?).
southendmd:
Great topic of the week!
I love the "camera trick". It took me several viewings to see it. I suspect it was intentional, adding to the ambiguity.
I found it interesting that Jack asks Lashawn to dance right after Lureen's comment that husbands never want to dance with their wives. Jack looks at Lashawn ("wanna dance?"), then he does look at Randall, and says, "you mind?"
Lureen is then left at the table with Randall, and she looks away, exasperated, probably knowing Randall ain't gonna ask her to dance. He's too busy looking at Jack.
Regarding the bench scene, I find Jack's response to Randall's proposition difficult to read. I'm not sure if it's shock, he seems to have some internal dialogue though.
I'm puzzled by the nose-powdering line: it seems so odd; is it just small talk, or is he communicating something else?
BBM-Cat:
--- Quote from: Ellemeno on September 26, 2007, 12:51:29 am ---I've always thought that Jack was not flirting with Randall at the table, though I do think Randall thought for a split second that Jack was asking him to dance.
I've never heard anyone agree with me on this, but I think that when Randall flirts with Jack outside on the bench, Jack looks frozen with the shock of "OMG, am I that obvious that this new guy can tell I'm queer?"
I do think (based on the "ranch fella" remarks of Mr. Twist, and Jack's own story about running around with the ranch foreman's wife) that Jack and Randall develop a sexual relationship, but how deep that relationship was, I don't know. I still think he would have dropped him for Ennis in a flash, if Ennis had given him any hope, or just continued with Ennis as they were, seeing him as much as possible, and just not mentioning Randall.
--- End quote ---
I do agree with you on this Clarissa - that was one of my first thoughts as well, that Jack might be thinking 'is my sexuality that apparent?' Being propositioned by Randall IMO was a 'shock' to Jack for multiple reasons. Not the least of which, it caught him off guard and I believe he was used to being the pursuer, not the pursued. And, I believe as others have commented, he had immediate thoughts of Ennis interpersed with his initial reaction.
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