Note: Sorry about the length ... there are just a lot of diferences.I have alternated the points from regular to bold so it is easier to follow.
I was reading through the 2003 screenplay version of BBM and wondered … if this was the version that was filmed, would we still be here talking about this movie? Would there be all of these forums for that matter? The 2003 draft followed the short story more closely. For those who have not seen or read the 2003 version, here are some key differences:
1. The first bar scene is expanded. The interesting thing is that it makes it explicit that Ennis cannot afford a second beer (unlike the 2005 version where we just see Ennis with one beer and Jack with two). Jack tells Ennis to drink as much as he wants, because he’ll (Jack) will pick up the tab.
2. TS1 really doesn’t exist (certainly not like the ‘05 version). The audience sees up to the point where Jack takes Ennis’ hand and puts it on his groin and Ennis wakes up startled. After that, however, the camera goes outside of the tent and all one hears are sounds (belt buckle, jeans rustle, Ennis spitting and sharp intakes of breath. After that, the camera goes back into the tent.
3. TS2 doesn’t exist. It goes from the FNIT to the implication that they are having a lot of sex and then having the “discussion” about … “this is a one shot thing.” Then, through Aguirre’s binoculars, he sees Jack and Ennis pulling clothes off each other and cutting up. This segment especially would have been similar to the book.
4. The Chilean sheepherder incident was expanded. Jack shoots off his mouth (as if to impress Ennis) until he realizes that the Chileans can’t speak English. Jack realizes that his bravado was all for naught.
5. When Jack meets Lureen, they speak briefly to each other during a photo session (of the winners) and then it goes to the bar scene. There is no car/ sex scene at all. And then, the birth of Bobby … the scene is in the hospital. Jack is treated more cruelly than in the ’05 version. The nurse comes in with Bobby and is about to hand him to Jack. Jack reaches out and L.D. takes the baby from the nurse’s arms and ignores Jack completely. There are no words exchanges between L.D. and Jack.
6. The reunion scene: the audience sees no kissing. We only see Alma’s POV …. Ennis’ straining shoulders, Ennis back, head tilted sideways and downward (it is clear what they are doing, but the kiss is not visible).
7. The middle section of ‘03 is where there are significant changes. The motel scene is expanded. It is almost exactly like the story (including the whole conversation about Ennis asking Jack if he (Jack) had sex with other men). There is no scene with Ennis coming home to Alma and the mountain scene does not exist. All those conversations take place in the motel.
8. Monroe’s role is expanded. There is a whole scene with Monroe delivering groceries to Alma and there is major flirting going on.
9. The post-divorce scene … Ennis says, “Jack, I got the girls this weekend … otherwise you could stay.” The tone of the scene is different in that it does not depict Ennis as paranoid.
10. Jack’s life in general is more like the story. He is poor until L.D. dies. The Thanksgiving scene is still when L.D. is alive. But instead of Jack confronting L.D., he (Jack) leaves.
11. There is a scene where Jack and Lureen stop to help Randall and LaShawn with their pickup. Jack and Lureen end up giving Randall and LaShawn a ride to the dance. The dance scene itself is almost the same and the conversation between Randall and Jack outside is similar except Randall says to Jack (after talking about the cabin), “Think you’d like to go down there some weekend? Drink a little whiskey, fish some. Get away, you know?” Randall is much more direct.
12. There is a rather humorous scene between Cassie and Ennis at the drive-in watching “The Empire Strikes Back”. Ennis is complaining and Cassie gets all whiny about Ennis not taking her anywhere, but is willing to “drive all over just to go huntin’ and fishin’.”
13. The lake scene has Jack saying, “… I miss you so much sometimes I could whip babies” … like the short story.
14. The pie eating scene implies that Cassie still thinks of herself as Ennis’ girlfriend. He is eating pie at a Denny’s instead of a bus stop. The exchange between the two has Ennis much more cruel and Cassie a lot needier. Cassie tells Ennis she has been driving around for hours to find him and Ennis replies, “Didn’t know you was my parole officer.” Then Ennis gives Cassie a look and she realizes that she is not “the one” and leaves crying.
15. The scene at the Twist’s follows the story much more closely. One key difference: after OMT talks about the “fella” who was going to live with Jack, Ennis has the same flashback of Ennis’ father taking K.E. and Ennis to see Earl. But instead of seeing Earl, he sees Jack.
16. The final scenes have Ennis ordering the postcard, Junior seeing her father … but Ennis does not say … “This Kurt fella … he loves you?” After that, we go back to the store where Ennis picks up his postcard, goes home and tacks up the picture by the shirts and says, “Jack, I swear ….”
There are also some minor differences like Jenny being called “Francine” (like the story) and Lureen’s last name being Phillips. Instead of sledding with Alma, Ennis and Alma are in the car spinning donuts in a parking lot. Alma and Ennis are watching “Hud” at the drive-in instead of “Surf Party”. There are different song choices. Instead of the swing scene we see Ennis and Alma at a school play. And it doesn’t once show Lureen “punching numbers in her adding machine”. Lureen is depicted as a much more cruel and frigid person than in the '05 version.
It is hard to know how I would have reacted to BBM if I never saw the '05 version. However, IMO, the film wouldn’t have been as powerful as it is now. Do you like some of these scenes vs. the '05 version? Do you think that the whole film's message would be different? Your thoughts?
