Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
TOTW 16/07: Did Alma Jr. know Ennis was gay?
brokeplex:
I'm not sure about how much she perceived of her father's feelings for Jack. We really didn't see enough of her to really know. I think that Jr loved her father very much, and was jealous of other women who took an interest in him. The scene with Cassie in the bar tells us that much. Would she have been accepting of her fathers relationship with Jack. I don't think that we can know, except to say that Jr is a bright young lady,and she wants her fathers's love. Maybe she could go over that divide and embrace him as a gay man. Or maybe denial would set in like it does with many people who love gay men and women but just can't make it over that divide.
cricket99999:
--- Quote from: brokeplex on December 08, 2007, 09:26:56 pm ---I'm not sure about how much she perceived of her father's feelings for Jack. We really didn't see enough of her to really know.
--- End quote ---
I disagree.
When I try to look at the screenwriters’ choices, it reinforces my belief that Junior knew.
I often wonder about the storytellers’ motivations for choosing this-or-that dialogue. Is it a part of the plot, or is it character development, or is it a red herring, or is it simply a mistake; an extraneous bit that never managed to get edited out but in the end contributes nothing.
In this film, nearly every detail seems to contribute something of value.
And what would be the value of Junior being jealous of Cassie?
It isn’t important to the story.
She *is* jealous, of course, but that’s not a valuable piece of the plot here; she’s portrayed as such simply because it’s fitting—she’s not getting private time with her father.
But to me the point of the scene is to show her connection to him. She observes him quietly. She's concerned, and she's wondering. She strongly suspects the truth about him, even though he's not the 'type' at all.
To me, there’s only one way the writers would include the scene with Junior and Cassie. It’s not to show that Junior is jealous (most children of divorce are, under such circumstances) or that Cassie is pushy or Ennis can’t dance (we knew these things). It’s to show that Junior knows (or will, by the end of the trailer scene). As Cassie drags Ennis to the dance floor, she’s studying them because she’s questioning his sexuality and trying to understand.
We see this because we’re meant to sense her growing awareness about her father. Isn’t that the reason writers chose to show the deep connection between father and daughter? Why would they do this, except to suggest Junior’s awareness of her father’s secrets?
brokeplex:
The writers wished to show the deep connection between Ennis and Jr in order to flesh out his Ennis's private life that allows the viewer to have more sympathy with Ennis. That certainly worked on me, when I saw that Ennis clearly loved and was loved by his daughters my opinion of him began to modify.
Whether or not Jr suspects that Ennis has a romantic connection with Jack is not explored. Jr simply is a bright young lady who loves her father, and doesn't really want to see him marry Cassie.
Had the writers wished to show that Jr had suspicions about Ennis's sexuality, they would have created dialog where Jr brings up the subject of Jack to Ennis's face and then they would discuss his friendship with Jack. Alma knew about Ennis's sexuality after seeing Jack kissing Ennis, and later the dialog reflected this in several places, including the "Jack Nasty" scene.
Artiste:
Thanks criket99999, and thanks brokeplex!!
You say this cricket concerning Alma Jr. then at the time Jack comes to see Ennis who wrote about his divorse, but Ennis can not see him since he has his two girls that weekend: She may have even heard the exact conversation, word-for-word. For any other listener, it might not arouse suspicion. But Alma Jr. is consistently portrayed as someone who would take note. About her father, she is shown to be concerned, quietly observant, and understanding. Watching Ennis and Jack that day, I believe she began to wonder about their relationship.
...
May I agree with you on that. I think that Jr. was that way very much like her father!! Indeed, I am thinking that she is maybe bi, even!! At least, a decent straight person, respecting her father and Jack as bi or gay men!!
...
Brokeplex, you think that maybe Jr. is bi??
Hugs, hugs!!
brokeplex:
Sorry Artiste, but you are taking a head first leap of logic off a high dive into the shallow end of the swimming pool. I think I'm going to not follow you there.
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