Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
P.O. Boxes, Mailboxes and the No. 17
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Phillip on January 05, 2007, 11:30:41 am --- I've noticed Alma gets far more sympathy than Lureen does in a lot of discussions about the women. I wonder if that is part of the stereotyping of strong, take charge women as cold, while Alma clearly looks more like a victim.
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I, for one, am more sympathetic to Lureen. I don't blame Lureen for their marriage becoming something they could do over the phone. I think she gets unfairly accused of being cold and heartless toward Jack. I see her as a well-intentioned, loving and ultimately frustrated wife caught in a bad situation she doesn't fully understand. Besides, she does a kindly deed at the end, suggesting Ennis get in touch with Jack's folks.
I guess Alma is just as innocent a victim of circumstances, but she gets on my nerves more.
--- Quote ---One wonders how Ennis would share the news of Jack's passing with Alma.....
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I'm betting he'd never mention it.
Re the No. 17: There's a theory I saw on imdb that connects the mailbox number to Lureen's performance in the rodeo. It's been a while since I've seen the movie and I never noticed this line particularly, so I'm going on what I remember of the imdb post, but apparently we hear the announcer saying that Lureen's score is 16.9, and that she has come in second to a competitor from Wyoming.
jpwagoneer1964:
Cory Wills (props): Ang, what numbers should Heath put on the mailbox?
Ang: Doesn't matter, just make it between about 8 and 20 or 25, we want to give the audience a feel for the size of the trailer park. If we have to shoot the scene over we can just give him different numbers.
Lynne:
It's not that I'm wholly unsympathetic toward Lureen - I'm a career-oriented female myself. But she lost big points with me twice - first when she let the customer/cowboys refer to Jack as a 'pissant' and remained silent, imo, for the sake of her bottom line. Second during the 'blue parka' scene, it becomes clear that Jack has been the parent primarily involved with Bobby at school, and she shrugs off getting Bobby a tutor. In the short story, she controls the purse-strings, so he can't pursue it on his own, as I recall.
Like everyone, she's not all bad - she's pleased when Jack stands up for himself at Thanksgiving and like Katherine says, it's generous and kind of her to suggest Ennis get in touch with the Twists.
--- Quote ---I guess Alma is just as innocent a victim of circumstances, but she gets on my nerves more.
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For me, I think Alma getting on my nerves is because of the era. She knows her husband is gay and allows herself to be a victim. I guess that still happens today, but the modern female in me screams 'Move on, already.'
--- Quote ---Re the No. 17: There's a theory I saw on imdb that connects the mailbox number to Lureen's performance in the rodeo. It's been a while since I've seen the movie and I never noticed this line particularly, so I'm going on what I remember of the imdb post, but apparently we hear the announcer saying that Lureen's score is 16.9, and that she has come in second to a competitor from Wyoming.
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I hadn't heard that one - it's a good one...so many different ways to find meaning here. :)
Like Eric said, this one's my favorite from Meryl:
--- Quote ---[in Chinese symbology] the number 8 represents Rebirth. There are other symbols of new life in that scene as well: Alma, Jr.’s impending marriage, Ennis’s newly awakened sense of the importance of making sacrifices for loved ones, and the view of the young green crops seen from the window in the last shot.”
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serious crayons:
--- Quote from: goadra on January 05, 2007, 10:31:46 pm ---The shorter time wins in barrel racing. For Lureen: “...the time is 16 and 9.” For Cheyenne: “...her time is 17 and 2.”
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Oh! (blushing icon) That makes sense. Well, maybe I didn't understand, or misquoted, the explanation in the first place. I wasn't familiar with the announcer's line.
Ellemeno:
--- Quote from: jpwagoneer1964 on January 05, 2007, 12:58:29 pm ---Cory Wills (props): Ang, what numbers should Heath put on the mailbox?
Ang: Doesn't matter, just make it between about 8 and 20 or 25, we want to give the audience a feel for the size of the trailer park. If we have to shoot the scene over we can just give him different numbers.
--- End quote ---
Mark, is this a real quote from somewhere, or a pretend thing?
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