Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
The true reason
Scott6373:
I was having a dicussion with some friends about BBM last Friday night. It was mix of stright and gay, older and younger (at least young to me), married, single, etc. As the discussion went along, we got to why it had such a profound effect on so many. I've never really found a universal answer to that, but as we all talked, this thought started to crystalize. Could it be that it is so effecting because we are jealous. Jealous of the kind of love that Jack and Ennis shared. That perhaps (though we would never admit it), we will never know the feeling of needing and wanting someone so badly that you can't even breathe. Just a thought for discussion. Our discussion got pretty heated.
ednbarby:
Interesting thought. I think that's certainly one of the reasons it's affected many people so profoundly. But I also know that some of us have actually experienced that kind of love and have lost it. So we relate to it on that level.
The best answer I've heard was something Eric (sferic) said when I was in San Francisco - it's probably been posted here, too (and probably by me, come to think of it) in some form. And that's that it affects those of us it's affected so strongly because we all were at a place in our lives in which we were emotionally ready to receive it when we first saw it. Where that place is varies from person to person. Some of us want that kind of all-consuming passion and love and have never experienced it. Some of us have experienced it and lost it and are in a place where we're especially missing it. Some of us have been denying an essential part of ourselves to ourselves for a long time and were ready for a catalyst of change. Some of us have a dear friend who is gay and still in the closet and were ready to have the pain he's been experiencing his whole life illuminated fully for us.
In one form or another, I think we were all living our lives in chains and were ready to be handed the key we've had all along. I picked my signature quote because it resonated so much with this movie on so many levels. I think maybe the answer lies in it, too.
Aussie Chris:
I'm sure I understand why this thought resulted in a heated discussion. The accusation (as some might conclude) of jealousy can imply a certain amount of selfish resentment related to missing out on that sort of love, and I would agree with them that within this context it is unfair. In response to this you could argue that jealousy can also be analogous to a "longing", but the need for the qualification makes me think that "jealousy" is not quite right. If this were true, then the many other films that have a profound love within them would affect people equally: was anyone so moved by for so long by Titanic or (dare I say) Pearl Harbour???
No, the more I think about it, although many of us may dream of (or remember) a love as profound as Jack & Ennis' and this may be a contributing factor, I don't think it's the reason we are so affected. I actually think it's a "trick" of the method of storytelling that was employed to suck us into the story and at a very deep level and to take on the emotions of the characters. Specifically, and in its simplest level, when we first watch BBM we see it mostly from the perspective of Ennis (even if we are attracted or identify with other characters more so) and as we progress through the film we form an opinion of what the characters are thinking and feeling. But then the dozy embrace comes along and we realise that this was a deep love that they shared, and then the very next scene is Ennis receiving the post card with deceased on it. The affect of this is that we have a "oh my god they were so much in love" thought that is quickly replaced with a "oh my god he's dead" thought. We become Ennis finally realising what he had, but it was too late for both Ennis and us also. The cool thing about this though is that we get to watch the film again and again and rather than spoiling it (because we know what's going to happen), we now see the relationship with open eyes and we can see the truth of the depth of love that was always there but somehow we missed it... just as Ennis did!
This is one film that nails this technique with such accuracy (and subtlety) that we can spend months analysing it and enjoying it and we never feel patronised or betrayed (as opposed to the Sixth Sense which does this mainly for shock value). But back to the first viewing of BBM, the purpose of the "trick" was so that we could identify with Ennis' feeling of loss, because he had perfect love and lost it before he knew what was happening, and we all had that same experience while watching it. This is the true genius of Ang Lee and the writers: audience buy-in and genuine emotional involvement.
Meryl:
--- Quote from: Aussie Chris on August 08, 2006, 11:07:42 am ---We become Ennis finally realising what he had, but it was too late for both Ennis and us also.
--- End quote ---
Chris, your whole comment is right on, but I think this is the heart of it. The chains that Barb mentions function as blinders as well, causing Ennis to keep himself in the dark about what Jack means in his life. Add to that the tragic fact that Ennis bought into the poisonous view of his society and allowed it to dictate his behavior and his view of himself, and you have a devastating situation that no feeling person can be unaffected by. :'(
Scott6373:
While I could agree that "jealousy" may not be the appropriate term for everyone, it is, in fact, the one I meant. The ensuing debate (at my gathering), was fairly split. Quite a few ponderred the concept of jealousy and envy, and admitted that yes they were...I'm so glad I wasn't with them on the drive home with their partners. To be honest, Im really not envious of the portrayed love between the two men. If I had been either one fo them, I would found the nearest and highest bridge to jump off of.
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