Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
"Jack, I swear..." What do you think Ennis meant by that?
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Penthesilea on June 05, 2006, 02:41:52 pm ---Usually I want to shout at Ennis during many scenes of the movie. But when they actually part, at Jack's truck, it's Jack I want to shout at. I have the feeling a little "Ennis" or "Wait a minute", or something along that content from Jack could have made another scenario.
--- End quote ---
To go back OT for just a second: One thing I really like about that scene, though, is that it makes such a powerful contrast to the reunion scene. They parted SO grimly and awkwardly, didn't see each other for four years ... and then ...!!
If they'd have somehow parted on an affectionate loving note, that passionate reunion kiss wouldn't be as moving and exciting.
Penthesilea:
Another second OT
--- Quote ---They parted SO grimly and awkwardly
--- End quote ---
Awkwardly - yes. Grimly? I guess I have a translation problem here. If you mean 'grimly' as tense/stiff, then yes. But if you mean 'grimly' as angry, annoyed or mad - then I don't agree.
Especially Jack seems more anxious and cautious to me than any other thing. "You gonna do this again next summer?"
After Ennis says "See you around, I guess" and Jack's answer "Right", there is a pause, a second or two before Ennis turns around to leave.
I always have the feeling one of them (Jack) is sooo short of saying something more, but doesn't dare.
--- Quote ---If they'd have somehow parted on an affectionate loving note
--- End quote ---
...then maybe they wouldn't have parted at all. I read it somewhere on IMDB: Ennis needed to draw himself emotionally away from Jack (this is one reason for the punch) to be able to part from him. This explains his cruel "See you around" too.
And for Jack: I think he would have agreed in a second to spend some more time with Ennis, had Ennis made a suggestion on this note. (But there's no way Ennis would have done that.)
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Penthesilea on June 05, 2006, 04:14:56 pm ---Awkwardly - yes. Grimly? I guess I have a translation problem here. If you mean 'grimly' as tense/stiff, then yes. But if you mean 'grimly' as angry, annoyed or mad - then I don't agree.
Especially Jack seems more anxious and cautious to me than any other thing. "You gonna do this again next summer?"
After Ennis says "See you around, I guess" and Jack's answer "Right", there is a pause, a second or two before Ennis turns around to leave.
I always have the feeling one of them (Jack) is sooo short of saying something more, but doesn't dare.
--- End quote ---
I meant grimly in the first sense, mainly. But I also think there's a spectre of the angry sense. Not that either of them actually feels anger at this point -- they're both dying to stay together longer or at the very least to express their real feelings. But I think the shadow of the earlier fight and punch is still hanging over them and is part of why they can't say anything, or at least part of why Ennis can't say anything (he feels guilty). It's not like they never had expressed affection before. If they'd gotten the orders to break camp right after the "happy tussle" or the dozy embrace, for instance, things might have gone very differently.
I totally agree that they both long for something more than the "see you around" -- pause -- "right."
moremojo:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on June 05, 2006, 04:31:31 pm ---
I totally agree that they both long for something more than the "see you around" -- pause -- "right."
--- End quote ---
I just reflected on the fact that the two don't shake hands in goodbye at their parting, which would have been a socially licit form of physical interaction between them down from the mountain, and would have given them a last parting touch. Ennis, for whatever reason, seems to be intentionally distancing himself from Jack in multiple ways in this scene; he is the first to turn and walk away from Jack, for example.
Scott
Penthesilea:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on June 05, 2006, 04:31:31 pm ---Not that either of them actually feels anger at this point -- they're both dying to stay together longer or at the very least to express their real feelings. But I think the shadow of the earlier fight and punch is still hanging over them and is part of why they can't say anything, or at least part of why Ennis can't say anything (he feels guilty).
--- End quote ---
Thanks for explaining. Now I see your point and agree.
moremojo
--- Quote ---I just reflected on the fact that the two don't shake hands in goodbye at their parting, which would have been a socially licit form of physical interaction between them down from the mountain, and would have given them a last parting touch
--- End quote ---
At the risk of sounding like someone else ;) : In the story, they shook hands and hit each other on the shoulder.
A possible explantation for the difference between this scene(s) in the story and movie:
I think this scene was altered in the movie because movie-Ennis was different from story-Ennis.
Movie-Ennis is very sensitive to sensuous things: light, tactile things, scents (we talked about it a few days ago, someone else pointed this out - Amanda?). Ennis can't stand Jack being tender to him after Jack accidentally hit his nose and being touched in order to be comforted. Ennis breaks totally and literally down when Jack holds him at the lake scene. Ennis can't help himself but kiss Jack passionately when hugging him at the reunion scene (ok, the four years have mattered, too ;) ).
So a handshake or a hit on each others shoulder may have been too much for movie-Ennis. Either his breakdown would not have taken place in the alley, but right in front of Jack. Or, to avoid that, he would have rebuffed Jack again.
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