Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
19 or 20?
chowhound:
--- Quote from: brokeplex on August 25, 2010, 04:11:59 pm ---yes, I agree, you can't make a timeline that fits both the film and the short story. the film makes some departures in the timeline of the short story. for example, I am convinced that because of the date shown in the film when Jack competes in the rodeo in Childress, and the date shown on the post card sent to Ennis later, that Bobby can't be Jack's child. But, the short story has no such implications. :)
--- End quote ---
I agree, Brokeplex, that it is only in the movie and not the short story that the possibility that Jack is not Bobby's biological father is raised. But I was wondering if those who have been members of this board for much longer than I could tell me if the "Bobby the bastard" theory has been discussed here before? If not, maybe it deserves a thread of its own. However, for the time being, here are the theory's essentials. It's all to do with dates:
1. The fireworks scene takes place on July 4, 1966. We know this because the announcer tells us that it is July 4, 1966.
2. The next scene is when Jack meets Lureen for the first time. A banner below the judges' box reads "CHILDRESS COUNTY FAIR AND RODEO" "4th ANNUAL" "AUG 7 RODEO AUG 14". Although the year isn't given, it also has to be 1966 as the reunion scene, when Jack is married to Lureen, will take place just a year after this scene.
3. The reunion scene takes place on Sept. 24, 1967. This is clearly established both by the content of the postcard and the postcard's datestamp.
5. During this scene, Jack tells Alma and Ennis that he is the father of a kid who is eight months old.
6. That means that Bobby must have been born in the January of that year.
7. But Jack had only met Lureen in the August of the previous year, so, even if he had impregnated Lureen that night, Lureen wouldn't be giving birth to a perfectly normal and healthy boy - as from all appearances Bobby is - some five months later.
8. Therefore Lureen must have been pregnant when Jack first meets her and Jack is not Bobby's biological father.
Penthesilea:
--- Quote from: chowhound on August 25, 2010, 10:53:53 pm ---I agree, Brokeplex, that it is only in the movie and not the short story that the possibility that Jack is not Bobby's biological father is raised. But I was wondering if those who have been members of this board for much longer than I could tell me if the "Bobby the bastard" theory has been discussed here before?
--- End quote ---
Only a million times ;) :laugh:
Don't let this keep you from bringing it up again though. This discussion is embedded into maybe two dozen threads; you'll have to try the search function to find some of it. There's also a thread of its own about it:
TOTW 02/08: Was Lureen pregnant when she met Jack?
There's a lengthy post by GuyMadison at page 15 of the thread, with the exact title "Bobby the Bastard". It's copied from IMDB, so I guess you might have seen it. It's here: http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,16269.msg405048.html#msg405048
Feel free to revive the thread above, or another one with this particular discussion in it, or create a new one! :)
Monika:
I didn´t even know there was theory about Bobby not being Jack´s son. :o
You learn as long as you live, I suppose ::)
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Buffymon on August 26, 2010, 02:24:03 am ---I didn´t even know there was theory about Bobby not being Jack´s son. :o
You learn as long as you live, I suppose ::)
--- End quote ---
Yes, as far as I recall, there's a theory that Lureen was already pregnant when she met Jack. And, I think the further suggestion has been that she was looking for someone to marry quickly who could be the father of the child.
I don't believe that at all... but, it's an idea that's out there.
brokeplex:
--- Quote from: chowhound on August 25, 2010, 10:53:53 pm ---I agree, Brokeplex, that it is only in the movie and not the short story that the possibility that Jack is not Bobby's biological father is raised. But I was wondering if those who have been members of this board for much longer than I could tell me if the "Bobby the bastard" theory has been discussed here before? If not, maybe it deserves a thread of its own. However, for the time being, here are the theory's essentials.
--- End quote ---
oh, yes. there have been some discussion threads about Jack not being the biological father of Bobby. I think that Ang Lee added this suggestion to the film in order to better explain Jack's life in TX. I think this addition to the storyline improves the overall tale because it makes Jack a more believable character.
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