Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
TOTW 16/07: Did Alma Jr. know Ennis was gay?
LauraGigs:
--- Quote from: atz75 ---Still, maybe she's been raised to expect Ennis to quit jobs at the drop of a hat (since he clearly did this a lot in preparation for meetings with Jack).
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Great point, Amanda.
Yes, the script ("I think I’m supposed to be on a roundup up near the Tetons") implies that it's a summer gig, similar to the job on Brokeback. All the quitting he did through the years obviously didn't destroy his career as a ranch hand. Quitting (or taking time off) this one for her wedding wouldn't, either.
The whole point of that scene is that Ennis is making a fundamental change: he'll no longer let chances to be together with loved ones pass him by. In the sweeping tragedy of Brokeback Mountain, it's the sole moment of redemption.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on November 30, 2007, 01:39:48 pm ---Do we really know that Ennis is "quitting" his job to go to the wedding?
I mean, sure, he could be, and perhaps we are supposed to assume that he is. We know that he's told Jack that when he was younger he quit jobs to go away with Jack, but maybe he quit those jobs not because he wanted to quit but because the ranch owner or foreman wouldn't let him take time off and then come back to work.
I'll admit I know next to nothing about the ranching industry today or in 1984, but it still strikes me as pretty heartless to tell somebody he can't take time off to attend his own daughter's wedding.
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I'd been assuming that when he said that they could "find themselves a new cowboy" that he was implying that he would quit the job. But, maybe you're right. Maybe he wouldn't need to quit the whole job.
Laura, I completely agree that this scene is meant to show that Ennis has changed and that he continues to make an effort to change. Both with his decision to attend Junior's wedding and with his moment with the shirts and articulating the "Jack, I swear...".
I still find it quite frustrating that Ennis's big moment of change comes just in time to celebrate what seems to be a very conventional marriage at the Methodist church (even). In some ways it makes it seem that the only conclusion to this type of story is to have Ennis re-absorbed into a conventional role of father of the bride. The resolution for Ennis as a gay man (and the question of what will he do now... as a gay man) remains very unsettled and tragic. I'm sure the ambiguity of what his own future and personal happiness hold in store is exactly the point.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: atz75 on November 30, 2007, 01:55:20 pm ---I still find it quite frustrating that Ennis's big moment of change comes just in time to celebrate what seems to be a very conventional marriage at the Methodist church (even). In some ways it makes it seem that the only conclusion to this type of story is to have Ennis re-absorbed into a conventional role of father of the bride. The resolution for Ennis as a gay man (and the question of what will he do now... as a gay man) remains very unsettled and tragic. I'm sure the ambiguity of what his own future and personal happiness hold in store is exactly the point.
--- End quote ---
You might add, Whether he will even do anything as a gay man. It might be that the resolution doesn't even have anything to do specifically with being gay (which is perhaps part of the universality of the appeal of Brokeback Mountain). The resolution may not have anything to do with "coming out," but rather with being available to those who love us, which is a message for anybody, gay or straight.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on November 30, 2007, 02:29:41 pm ---You might add, Whether he will even do anything as a gay man. It might be that the resolution doesn't even have anything to do specifically with being gay (which is perhaps part of the universality of the appeal of Brokeback Mountain). The resolution may not have anything to do with "coming out," but rather with being available to those who love us, which is a message for anybody, gay or straight.
--- End quote ---
Hi Jeff,
Yes, I agree and understand the point you're making.
And at the same time, I still find the end enormously frustrating (personally). I'm not really even critiquing BBM for presenting the ending in this way... I'm just expressing my own, probably very personal reaction. For me, personally as a gay viewer, I still find it difficult that a movie that focuses on a gay love story as its main theme concludes with a resolution that focuses on a conventional marriage. I'm sure this frustration is part of the point. And, I'm sure many viewers (gay, straight, bi-, etc.) will see this whole scene very differently depending on their own issues and personal viewpoints.
jstephens9:
--- Quote from: Marge_Innavera on November 28, 2007, 01:52:53 pm ---I don't think they would have been speculating to any extent that was noticeable. After all, even now so many people think of gay men in terms of stereotypes that Ennis doesn't fit. Jack has only been in Riverton twice, and surely if anyone other than Alma saw them kissing that first time Ennis would have known about that by now. As for his not marrying again, this is a guy who's known to be very taciturn and something of a loner, so his not remarrying wouldn't necessarily surprise anybody.
--- End quote ---
And to add to this, many people have this idea that if a man has been married, has kids, etc. then he is automatically straight. There is no inbetween as these people see it. I myself have heard people say that so and so couldn't be gay because after all they have a wife. On top of this as you mention Ennis definitely does not fit the stereotypes of a gay man as many people see it. Again, I have heard people say that so and so couldn't be gay cause they don't act "that way." Finally, as Marge also points out, cowboys have always been seen as loners so not getting married would not translate to being gay.
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