Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Was Cassie in the Brokeback Mountain movie homophobic?
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: brokeplex on June 16, 2008, 03:25:25 pm ---agreed about the comment concerning Ennis using Cassie as a "beard", I also have similar feelings about Ennis's using Alma in a similar fashion, although one can give him some benefit of the doubt in 1963 at age 19 for being confused, by the time he met Cassie he was clearly trying to use her for cover.
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Agreed.
I've noticed that many people tend not to like the characters who get romantically involved with Jack or Ennis -- Alma, Lureen, Cassie, Randall -- perhaps because they pose a threat to the relationship between Jack and Ennis. But none of them is deliberately trying to hurt anyone, or get hurt (with the semi-exception of Randall, I guess, since he's deliberately proposing that Jack cheat on his wife).
brokeplex:
--- Quote from: seriouscrayons on June 16, 2008, 03:36:22 pm ---Agreed.
I've noticed that many people tend not to like the characters who get romantically involved with Jack or Ennis -- Alma, Lureen, Cassie, Randall -- perhaps because they pose a threat to the relationship between Jack and Ennis. But none of them is deliberately trying to hurt anyone, or get hurt (with the semi-exception of Randall, I guess, since he's deliberately proposing that Jack cheat on his wife).
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I see a lot of gray areas in this topic. OK, I am somewhat forgiving of Ennis in 1963 in marrying Alma, he was very confused and probably thought that the confusion would pass if he assumed the role of a straight husband to Alma. But, my giving Ennis any slack diminishes exponentially over time, esp after he has been married to Alma for a decade. When Alma got her divorce, I said "You go girl!" Ennis by then wasn't going to work out as a good provider for the family. But, when it comes to Cassie, Ennis had enough self knowledge as a man in his late 30's to not lead Cassie on. And, clearly he did, or she would not have shown the emotional torment when they met at the bus stop diner. So, I fault Ennis for leading her on.
I know y'all have heard me say it before, I really think that the Twist/Newsome marriage was one of mostly convenience. Lureen went into the marriage with at least half open eyes that Jack wasn't going to be no "prince charming", but more importantly to her that he would be easy to control, so if Jack played loose with the truth about his orientation - then I don't give him much grief. Randall and Lashawn, well, maybe Randall was fooling Lashawn, and then maybe not. Lashawn sure had a head of steam about how incompetent Randall was and how disappointed she was with life in Childress. Lots of hostility there! And I look at Lashawn, she has a degree from SMU, good tridelt connections and a work history with Neiman's, she can dump Randall anytime and move back to N Dallas - where she can spend her paycheck on clothes and accessories. So, I don't fault Randall too much, he probably deserved a break from LaShawn's motor mouth, and needed the peace and quiet of Jack's harmonica playing in the crappie house on Lake Kemp (just kidding about the harmonica).
In the end the only lasting threat to Ennis and Jack's romance was Ennis and to a smaller degree Jack. Ennis hung on to his denial until the bitter scene in Jack's closet in OMT's house. And, Jack, well he could have grabbed a hold of LD offer of a "golden parachute" out of Lureen's life and started over nearer to Ennis, but he didn't, he chose his life at that point.
Lesson: never waste opportunities, be bold, "seize the day" - it may not come again.
Brown Eyes:
Hey Brokeplex (it's so great to see you posing more again :) )!
Yes, I tend to agree with the way you describe things. I do think there are lots of "gray areas" in all the relationships. Even between Jack and Ennis there are a lot of questionnable decisions and each cowboy certainly hides things from the other, etc. There are good and bad qualities to every instance and every character in BBM as far as I'm concerned.
And, I also cut Ennis more slack when he's younger. By the time Cassie comes along, he really is far too self-aware to really believe that he could offer Cassie a real relationship. His decision to get involved with another woman and lead her on for 4 or 5 years is pretty serious. He even introduces her to his child (at least Junior... and probably Jenny too), which is often a big step in a relationship... and I'm guessing Cassie would see it that way. He really is playing with her expectations to a degree that's not fair, I think (as much as I love Ennis).
I think Crayons is spot on... a lot of us don't like the idea of anything interfering with the relationship we're all cheering for (the Jack and Ennis relationship). Any of the other characters that they get involved with romantically tend to irritate folks to one degree or another. But, it really isn't the other characters' fault usually. I don't even think Cassie ever knows that Jack exists. She has no idea (probably) that she's imposing on another relationship that Ennis is involved in. As far as she knows, Ennis is a lonely, single/divorced father who's free and clear for dating.
brokeplex:
Yes, Cassie is more than OK, she is great, and for a straight man like Carl, she was a winner. Too bad she was pining for the unattainable, namely Ennis. But then isn't that sometimes human nature to want what we can't have. Maybe subconsciously, Cassie knew that Ennis was unobtainable. I'm sure that Ennis gave a lot of visual clues that gay men know as "gaydar" pings, Cassie just couldn't consciously compute that into meaningful knowledge. I know a few gay men who pine away for a straight man that they just can't have, so maybe there are some straight women who want the unobtainable in a gay man. just some thoughts.
Thanks for the your good karma wishes on my posting, I can't resist posting about the film and the ss, it is just too interesting. And while I am back in town before I go out on the campaign again, I have all this time to sit at the computer, besides, today I am nursing a tiresome summer cold! go away summer cold! ;D
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: brokeplex on June 16, 2008, 05:10:36 pm --- I'm sure that Ennis gave a lot of visual clues that gay men know as "gaydar" pings, Cassie just couldn't consciously compute that into meaningful knowledge.
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After five years of dating, she may even have picked up some clues that were more than visual! ;)
--- Quote ---Thanks for the your good karma wishes on my posting, I can't resist posting about the film and the ss, it is just too interesting.
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It's always nice to see your contributions to the discussions.
--- Quote --- And while I am back in town before I go out on the campaign again, I have all this time to sit at the computer, besides, today I am nursing a tiresome summer cold! go away summer cold! ;D
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Hope you feel better soon! :)
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