As you all know, I’m knew to this forum (and any other!) and I have difficulty in deciding when something is ‘off-topic’ or not. I want to discuss John Twist as he is portrayed in the film as opposed to the book (which I see a thread on). I don’t see any other relevant thread, therefore if there is, please let me know and I’ll move my comments elsewhere.
In the film, I feel so desperately sorry for John Twist (this may be controversial!).
I think that Jack’s comments don’t show a bad father, simply a gruff old fool which may be linked to his generation rather than Jack. Also, Jack was nineteen when these comments were made: teenage rebellion?
The most important scene however is his father’s interaction with Ennis.
John says that Jack thought he was too special to be buried with the family. Jack left home at such a young age, I think that his father may have been incredibly hurt that Jack didn’t want to hang around and help him with the family business. Even in death, Jack wanted to be away from home. He didn’t want to be buried with his mum and dad, he wanted as far away from the ranch as possible: that has got to hurt a parent!
He thereafter moves on to speak about how Jack was going to bring Ennis Del Mar to the ranch. Clearly, Jack felt comfortable enough to say Ennis’ name and keep telling them about how ‘they’ were going to build a cabin. His disdain for Ennis, I feel, is that he didn’t come with Jack as Jack so wanted. Every parent wants their child to be happy and Ennis moving with Jack would have sent Jack over the moon. John calls it a ‘half baked’ notion, which indeed it was as Ennis didn’t ever go.
Remember, Ennis was allowed into the home in the first place!
I think that the spitting in the cup shows anger, not disgust. When Ennis punches Jack, he spits. When he falls out with Jack during their argument, he spits.
John thereafter talks about another fella moving up there, to build a cabin. He looks as if he is smirking whilst telling Ennis this, it seems he is trying to hurt Ennis. Which of course, he does! We see Ennis’ reaction and it is Mrs Twist who steps in at that stage to invite him to Jack’s room.
Mrs Twist appears to be the submissive partner, yet she says that she kept his room as it was when he was a boy. If John Twist didn’t want Jack around, I think that he would have put his foot down and not allowed it. I think they both hoped that one day, Jack would come home. He never did, even at the end, they only got half of his ashes. Half of his ashes, for the half of his life they had with him.
Finally, at the start of the scene, Ennis talks about taking Jack’s ‘ashes’ to Brokeback. At the end, John says that “he [Jack]” is going into the family plot. John is referring to Jack, not the ashes which I think means so much.
Sorry I took so long!
