Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
TOTW 05/08: What do you make of the "Maybe Texas?" scene?
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: THE WINGS on February 21, 2008, 10:24:55 pm ---Excellent thread! I'll attempt to add my two cents worth.
I think this is one of the defining moments of the whole film. Here we have Ennis finally verbalizing his own fears in more than a few words. You can tell he has been thinking about their relatioinship, and wants to know how Jack feels. Then we have Jack, again trying to "circle" ever closer to Ennis, in an attempt to realize that "sweet life" that he so desperately wants. In my humble opinion, I think that by now, Ennis wants this too, but his fear is still holding him back, as is obvious by his response to Jack's suggestion of 'getting out of there' to "Maybe Texas". Probably, by this time Jack is beginning to see that it is very unlikely things will progress much from here on.
--- End quote ---
Ver' good, WINGS! Thanks for adding your thoughts.
Yes, I think it's definitely true that they both mean really well in this scene but are talking past each other. I wish Jack could be a bit more sensitive, but partly that's because -- as in the earlier leaving Brokeback scene -- I know that, unlike Ennis, he's capable of it. He has his own agenda, but who can blame him?
Ennis, for his part, is similarly insensitive in the "Sometimes I miss you so much ... " scene. Again, he probably has his reasons; perhaps, for instance, he's already nervous about having to tell Jack he can't make it in August. But as a result he leaves Jack hanging when Jack was reaching out.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: THE WINGS on February 21, 2008, 10:24:55 pm ---Excellent thread! I'll attempt to add my two cents worth.
I think this is one of the defining moments of the whole film. Here we have Ennis finally verbalizing his own fears in more than a few words. You can tell he has been thinking about their relationship, and wants to know how Jack feels. Then we have Jack, again trying to "circle" ever closer to Ennis, in an attempt to realize that "sweet life" that he so desperately wants. In my humble opinion, I think that by now, Ennis wants this too, but his fear is still holding him back, as is obvious by his response to Jack's suggestion of 'getting out of there' to "Maybe Texas". Probably, by this time Jack is beginning to see that it is very unlikely things will progress much from here on.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: ineedcrayons on February 21, 2008, 11:19:48 pm ---Ver' good, WINGS! Thanks for adding your thoughts.
Yes, I think it's definitely true that they both mean really well in this scene but are talking past each other. I wish Jack could be a bit more sensitive, but partly that's because -- as in the earlier leaving Brokeback scene -- I know that, unlike Ennis, he's capable of it. He has his own agenda, but who can blame him?
Ennis, for his part, is similarly insensitive in the "Sometimes I miss you so much ... " scene. Again, he probably has his reasons; perhaps, for instance, he's already nervous about having to tell Jack he can't make it in August. But as a result he leaves Jack hanging when Jack was reaching out.
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Heya Wings and Crayons!
Yes, I think this scene demonstrates at least two things.
One is the breakdown of their ability to communicate with each other effectively on a verbal level. It seems to me that the scene on Brokeback where Jack gets Ennis to laugh and smile for the first time (the "most I've spoken in a year" scene) is a kind of pinnacle in their ability to talk with one another in perfect harmony and to really enjoy the activity of a conversation... one that ends with them laughing together. And, this "maybe Texas" scene ends with them bickering with each other, verbally cutting each other down and Jack stomping off. To me, the early communication (and even Proulx's careful description of how much fun Ennis and Jack have talking around the campfires in '63) is a big factor in their early attraction... and I would think particularly fundamental for Ennis's attraction to Jack. For someone so bottled up usually, having someone who he feels free communicating with must have been important. By this later scene, the strains on their relationship have really eroded this aspect of their love affair (at least based on what we're allowed to witness by the filmmakers). I think Jack is certainly guilty here of not being sensitive enough to what Ennis is really trying to talk about and reach out about. But, by this scene Jack is a somewhat changed man from the earlier, younger Jack.
And, following on this, the second thing that this scene seems to demonstrate is the new jaded-Jack... or at least a Jack who is much less optimistic than he was prior to the divorce fiasco. I think this is his first camping scene where he's sporting the moustache. And, to me that moustache is a visual cue that Jack is changed (in more ways than simply the visual). Lureen changes her appearance dramatically as she becomes bitter and so does Jack. I don't think he's entirely lost his hope here... I really do think he's genuinely still hoping that the Texas suggestion might work as a compromise to the living-together dilemma this time. But, I think his hope is certainly wearing thin by this scene. Didn't folks used to call Jack's moustache... "the moustache of disillusionment" or something like that? I mean, by the time of the "miss you so much" camping scene, his smile is even different (almost forced looking at moments).
THE WINGS:
atz75/ineedcrayons Enjoyed your insights. Here's something that came to mind as far as Jack's feelings by the time of their final meeting. ****SPOILER**** Jake Gyllenhaal made an interesting comment regarding the scene immediately after "The Dozy Embrace" where we see the older Jack standing and watching Ennis drive away, for, unbeknown to him, what was to have been the last time. Jake said something to the effect that 'that's when Jack died'. Of course this would refer to Jack's inner feelings, and finally coming to the conclusion that it was extemely unlikely for he and Ennis to ever be together permanently. I noticed this quote on the findingbrokeback.com site in the section showing all the dvd captures of the various filming locations.
Certainly a very interesting and thought-provoking comment from the man who not only turned in an outstanding perfomance but had in effect BECOME Jack Twist throughout this wonderful film.
Thanks for your comments and letting me share mine with you all.
THE WINGS
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: THE WINGS on February 22, 2008, 12:05:31 pm ---atz75/ineedcrayons Enjoyed your insights. Here's something that came to mind as far as Jack's feelings by the time of their final meeting. ****SPOILER**** Jake Gyllenhaal made an interesting comment regarding the scene immediately after "The Dozy Embrace" where we see the older Jack standing and watching Ennis drive away, for, unbeknown to him, what was to have been the last time. Jake said something to the effect that 'that's when Jack died'. Of course this would refer to Jack's inner feelings, and finally coming to the conclusion that it was extemely unlikely for he and Ennis to ever be together permanently. I noticed this quote on the findingbrokeback.com site in the section showing all the dvd captures of the various filming locations.
Certainly a very interesting and thought-provoking comment from the man who not only turned in an outstanding perfomance but had in effect BECOME Jack Twist throughout this wonderful film.
Thanks for your comments and letting me share mine with you all.
THE WINGS
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That's a neat quotation Wings! I don't recall hearing it before. It makes sense to me. And, LOL, about the "becoming" Jack comment... last night when I was watching the bonus feature interviews I was really struck by the way Jake was speaking during the (many) interview clips where they're talking to him on set and he's semi-in costume. He's wearing the black hat... but has a white tank top on (and burned shoulders!). Anyway, his voice and even his turns-of-phrase seem particularly Jack-like... or more Jack-like than he normally sounds in regular inteviews these days. There's one interview clip where he's talking about how he learned to be around sheep... and he said "I learned how to wrangle sheep up." Somehow that sounds way more like something Jack would say than Jake Gyllenhaal.
So, it certainly seems true that both Jake and Heath inhabited those characters. There's another (off-set) interview with Heath where he explicitly talks about becoming/inhabiting the character as much as possible.
Artiste:
Thanks all of you!! I find your posts very informative!
May I relate that to my own experiences with my past lover/buddy? When I reached to have his friendship, I know that he thought of someone else... that he was hopeful of everyday life his way and newness with another (not I)... like Ennis thought that he planned to go and marry Alma!!
As he saw that I kept wanting him. he realized that I was the best for him, he told me. But he went too quickly asking rings, so I frooze!! I did not think of gay marriage or union then as important... even if I wanted a relationship!!
Later on, when I wanted a gay union or rings, he refused!!
Is timing ever right in a relationship and more difficult in a gay one??
Hugs!!
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