Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
At what moment in BBM did you realize that they were falling in love?
Brown Eyes:
Hi Artiste,
I definitely agree that there's something significant going on between Ennis and Jack right from the very beginning. Since it's silent, it's nearly impossible to assign the opening (wonderful) scene one meaning. I think essentially, they're each checking the other out. And, I think Jack is more conscious of the nature of his interest in Ennis... while Ennis, I think is attracted to Jack right from the beginning, but he's still probably a little confused about what his emotions mean.
Also, Jack really wants to draw attention to himself... by posing so seductively against his truck... by taking a few steps towards Ennis... by attempting to make eye-contact (it seems like that to me anyway). While, Ennis is trying to be very sneaky about the peeks he's taking of Jack. He's withdrawing into himself, under his hat. He's using his body language to stop Jack from coming right up to him or from starting a conversation, etc. Ennis's "don't talk to me" vibe here must have been *really* strong given what we all know (in hindsight) about how chatty and friendly Jack is.
On one level I think this opening scene is a study in two very different forms of flirting.
brokeplex:
--- Quote from: atz75 on December 09, 2007, 11:49:39 pm ---Hi Artiste,
I definitely agree that there's something significant going on between Ennis and Jack right from the very beginning.
On one level I think this opening scene is a study in two very different forms of flirting.
--- End quote ---
I think that you may be misreading Ennis's body language. Yes, I agree that Jack has Ennis on his tracker. But, Ennis flirting with Jack. No! Ennis just wants to get on with his summer job. Later, after he got to know Jack he was more inclined to accept Jack's attentions.
BelAir:
to answer the posted question...
based on my first viewing experience, I think I knew it when Ennis got pissed about having to go down the mountain early, and when Jack lasso'd him... and then I knew it for sure when Ennis was puking in the alley way...
(just to clarify, what I posted above is when it became to obvious to me that they were in love, when I was watching the movie for the first time... not when it actually started to happen for them. make sense?)
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: brokeplex on December 10, 2007, 12:12:00 am ---I think that you may be misreading Ennis's body language. Yes, I agree that Jack has Ennis on his tracker. But, Ennis flirting with Jack. No! Ennis just wants to get on with his summer job. Later, after he got to know Jack he was more inclined to accept Jack's attentions.
--- End quote ---
Well, yes, you're right that Ennis isn't really flirting with Jack... he's sort of doing the opposite. I was trying to be a little bit fun in using the word flirt. But, he is expressing interest in Jack. So, maybe I should have said... two different ways that attraction is manifested.
I really do think that in the glances he throws to Jack, Ennis is very interested in him. And, I think that Ennis's defensive body language has a lot to do with his fear that Jack (or anyone else) would notice that he's checking Jack out.
This happens again a few times early on (prior to TS1). When Jack and Ennis are at the jump off before heading up the mountain, Ennis seems to again "check out" Jack on horseback and then quickly look around or change his expression as if worried that someone would see him. And again, once they're up on Brokeback during the "horse spinning" scene Ennis becomes more bold at looking at Jack... leaning back to get a better view, etc. But, again, he curtails his behavior in apparent worry, eve when he knows he's alone.
But, back to the very opening interaction... in a general way, I think this is a visual study of a kind of very subtle attraction that's well outside the norm of Hollywood cinema.
--- Quote from: BelAir on December 10, 2007, 12:17:14 am ---to answer the posted question...
based on my first viewing experience, I think I knew it when Ennis got pissed about having to go down the mountain early, and when Jack lasso'd him... and then I knew it for sure when Ennis was puking in the alley way...
(just to clarify, what I posted above is when it became to obvious to me that they were in love, when I was watching the movie for the first time... not when it actually started to happen for them. make sense?)
--- End quote ---
The scene where it's clear to me that they are in love (and mutually in love) is TS2.
BelAir:
--- Quote from: atz75 on December 10, 2007, 12:34:35 am ---
The scene where it's clear to me that they are in love (and mutually in love) is TS2.
--- End quote ---
I think you're probably right, that they were in love in the second tent scene, but when I first saw the movie, I hadn't picked up on it yet...
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version