Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

TOTW 13/07: Their last day on the mountain

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Penthesilea:
Hi everybody  :D

First, I shortened the TOTW, since the question is too long for the headline. For the long version see below  :).

One scene that long bothered me in the movie is their last day on the mountain. After all this time and discussions, I still can't figure out their (re)actions fully and especially Jacks (seemingly?) nonchalance is an enigma to me.

Did Jack and Ennis misunderstand each other's feelings on their last day on the mountain?

Did Jack underrate Ennis's reaction to the news of "Bring them down"? Did he await to see Ennis soon again, or to not even part to begin with? Did Ennis misinterpret Jack's nonchalance? What about Jack's offer to lend money to Ennis? Do you think everything from Ennis coming into the camp to Jack driving away and Ennis crouching down in the alley took place in one day at all? Or maybe in two days?

Shakesthecoffecan:
I think Jack was resigned to the enevitable departure, in fact he seems to have grown somewhat emotionally, he was much more of a braggart before he and Ennis got together.

Ennis still thought he had another month and was emotionally unprepared for this development. Feelings he had ignored rose to the surface suddenly, and the gut started cramping.

FWIW.

Scott6373:
It would seem implausible to me that either one of them, aside from the common knowledge of "queers", knew, or even remotely understood what was happening between them.  Nevertheless, I think they both felt the same way about what had happened (deep down, in the places that neither wanted to go) that summer, and though they could not verbalize what they were feeling, I don't think there was misunderstanding.  In fact, I think they both understood implicitly, that with the end of the summer, came the end of their relationship.  Sure, Jack may have dreamed or hoped, but in neither the book or movie did he say anything that would lead someone to believe that what happened on the mountain would continue.

tamarack:

--- Quote from: Scott on October 30, 2007, 12:50:15 pm --- but in neither the book or movie did he say anything that would lead someone to believe that what happened on the mountain would continue.

--- End quote ---

Except, maybe, for "...spare you a loan, bud..." which would kind of imply that there was perhaps an expectation, at least a hope, that they would see each other again - or that the relationship would just continue once they got down. That would account for Jack's nonchalance. Perhaps he didn't see it as an ending, just a change of location, at least at the point in time that he offered to loan the money.

As far as how much time was involved in bringin' 'em down, I've always thought that there had to be one overnight stay, but there isn't anything in the story that would indicate that. (Now, if they were doing it in Alberta I'd say that they could have done it in one day, because the days up there are really long, but in Wyoming? I doubt it.)

brokeplex:

--- Quote from: Penthesilea on October 29, 2007, 11:51:51 am ---Hi everybody  :D

First, I shortened the TOTW, since the question is too long for the headline. For the long version see below  :).

One scene that long bothered me in the movie is their last day on the mountain. After all this time and discussions, I still can't figure out their (re)actions fully and especially Jacks (seemingly?) nonchalance is an enigma to me.

Did Jack and Ennis misunderstand each other's feelings on their last day on the mountain?

Did Jack underrate Ennis's reaction to the news of "Bring them down"? Did he await to see Ennis soon again, or to not even part to begin with? Did Ennis misinterpret Jack's nonchalance? What about Jack's offer to lend money to Ennis? Do you think everything from Ennis coming into the camp to Jack driving away and Ennis crouching down in the alley took place in one day at all? Or maybe in two days?




--- End quote ---
I too have wondered about those last two days during and after "shove down". I have long wished that Jack had been more agressive and at least asked for a contact number for Ennis, or given him his Dad's address in Lightening Flat. Perhaps his offer of a loan as an indirect attempt at a continuing connection. He didn't count on Ennis's wounded pride, "I ain't in the poor house,you know!".I don't see Jack as entirely nonchalant about the parting.It really hurts to see the pain in Jacks face as he drives away from Ennis and watches Ennis in the rearview mirror. And of course Ennis's brutal reaction to Jack's playing rodeo and later to heaving in the alley show that he had very deep emotions at play.  I think the reason neither could make the move to keep a permanent connection alive back in 1963 was their mutual denial. As long as their love was on the mountain top only, a "one-shot thing", they could both deny being "queer". But love is a "force of nature" and they did reconnect!!! And, eventually, if you live long enough you can begin to accept yourself. Perhaps that was the direction in which Jack had moved by the time of his murder in 1983. If only Ennis could have begun the journey while Jack was alive.

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