The "ABCs of BBM": Round 965! (Rules in first post)

[southendmd]

One of Larry McMurtry's invaluable contributions to the screenplay's authenticity was his understanding of the cadence of Western speech.

[Meryl]

Ossana and McMurtry's top-notch adaptation of Brokeback Mountain nabbed the Oscar for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay at the 2006 Academy Awards.

[memento]

"Lee's Brokeback Mountain still plays as a triumph of wills for all those involved in its long creation. From Proulx's original writing, to McMurtry & Ossana's re-tooling, to Lee's sharply subtle direction, to Ledger & Gyllenhall's intrepid performances. Political powderkeg or not, Brokeback Mountain is, not only Ang Lee's greatest cinematic achievement yet, but also one of the most beautifully tragic love stories ever told."

[Ellemeno]

Thank you, Scribner, for publishing the adapted screenplay in Brokeback Mountain: Story to Screenplay.

[Toast]

In the 2003 screenplay, Jack restrains himself from threatening to send L.D.'s ass into the next week ... and exits the Phillip's house instead:

110 INT: PHILLIPS HOUSE: THANKSGIVING: DAY:

The PHILLIPS home. Wall-to-wall carpeting, stiff, uncomfortable furniture. Many photos of LUREEN winning barrel-racing trophies. One of JACK, the one taken in the arena the day they met.

JACK, LUREEN, BOBBY, age eight, LUREEN'S long-suffering MOTHER and L.D. PHILLIPS, JACK'S prick of a father-in-law.
The table is set for a full Thanksgiving dinner, huge turkey and ail the trimmings. As everyone shuffles into their places at the table, WE HEAR HOWARD COSELL'S VOICE in the background coming from the TV, commenting on the game plan of the Dallas Cowboys.
JACK is at the head of the table and has just reached for the carving tools, when L.D., older but no kinder, takes them right out of his hands, almost as he did the baby.

                L.D. PHILLIPS
        Whoa, now, Rodeo...the stud duck does the carving around here.

JACK, having been through this kind of scene many times before, tries nonetheless to be gracious.

                JACK
        You bet, L.D just thought I'd save you the trouble.

BOBBY is riveted to the television set.
LUREEN notices.

                LUREEN
        Bobby, if you don't eat your dinner,
        I'm gonna have to turn off that television-

                BOBBY
        Why, Mama? I'm gonna be eatin' this food for the next two weeks.

LUREEN flashes a look at JACK, who then gets up from the table, turns off the television, sits back down.
BOBBY slumps back in his chair, pouts.

                JACK
        You heard your mama.  You can eat your dinner.
        Then you can watch the game.

L.D. PHILLIPS sets down the carving tools. Goes to the TV, turns it back on

                LUREEN
        Daddy

                L.D. PHILLIPS
            (picks up the carving tools)
        Hell, we don't eat with our eyes. Nothin' wrong with
        the boy watchin' America's team.
            (direct look at Jack)
        Boys should watch football.

                JACK
            (stands up - barely maintains his composure)
        Not until he finishes the meal his mama spent three hours fixin'.
            Walks to the TV, turns it off. Returns to his seat.

LUREEN, BOBBY and LUREEN'S MOTHER are all startled: JACK has never stood up to L.D. like this before. They watch, silent.  Now L.D. PHILLIPS stands again, goes to the TV again, turns it back on. Returns to the dinner table.

                L.D. PHILLIPS
            (stares hard at Jack, again)
        Hell, it's the fourth quarter, game'll be over 'fore we're through dinner.

Now JACK flashes a look at LUREEN, who does nothing. He gets up from the table, grabs his hat and coat from the coat rack by the front door. JACK Leaves.
                L.D. PHILLIPS
            (looks after Jack)
        Where the hell's he goin'?
            (looks back at his family)
        A fine pass, family can't even get through Thanksgiving dinner....

                LUREEN
            (annoyed with her husband and her father)
        Oh, Daddy

She gets up from the table, lights a cigarette, pops down in front of the television herself.

                L.D. PHILLIPS
            (to his wife)
        Boys should watch football — right, Mother? 
            (to Lureen)
        You want your son to grow up to be a man, don't you?

LUREEN ignores him, smokes.
                L.D. PHILLIPS
            (cont'd, won't leave it alone)
        Don't you?

[Feb 2003 screenplay]

=reply= Clarissa
I like the part of The Rules that says "and so forth."
Our authoress is not included in the rules, but neither she nor her writing style is specifically excluded.
Our posts now have more degrees of separation from the movie than the earlier posts, since we have delved further into the story.   Brokeback Mountain, unlike Ennis, is no island.

[southendmd]

In one version of the Brokeback Mountain screenplay, the unspeakably cruel Dead Earl scenario is featured in two scenes - scene 89 and scene 150:

150   FLASHBACK: EXT: SIDE OF THE ROAD: WYOMING: DAY:
WE RETURN ONCE AGAIN TO ENNIS'S EARLIER FLASHBACK, SCENE 89

LOW ANGLE - ENNIS'S FATHER leads ENNIS and K.E., ENNIS'S older brother, to the edge of an irrigation ditch. Camera is on their backs and ENNIS'S FATHER'S head is out of frame. As WE APPROACH the ditch, WE SEE the toes of two boots appear. Nine year-old ENNIS and eleven year-old K.E. look down at what was EARL'S CORPSE in the earlier flashback.

WE SEE ENNIS, his little boy's face, fill with horror. Then, unlike the earlier flashback, WE PAN UP the body in the ditch. But the bloodied face is not EARL'S: it is JACK'S.

[2003 Screenplay]

[Meryl]

Larry McMurtry's acceptance speech after winning the Oscar with Diana Ossana for Best Adapted Screenplay:

Since somehow I unaccountably failed to thank my brilliant partner Diana at the Golden Globes, I'm going to rattle off all the attributes I was going to thank her for at the Golden Globes. Smarts, guts, drive, good judgment, tenacity, loyalty, and generosity. That's the kind of virtues you need in the rough strife of movie making. I'd like to thank also James and Curtis, my son and grandson, with love and pride. I thank our loyal lawyers, Robert Thorne and Greg Redlitz. And finally I'm going to thank all the booksellers of the world. Remember, "Brokeback Mountain" was a book before it was a movie. From the humblest paperback exchange to the masters of the great bookshops of the world. All are contributors to the survival of the culture of the book. A wonderful culture, which we mustn't lose. Thank you.

 

[Toast]

In one version of the Brokeback Mountain screenplay, the unspeakably cruel Dead Earl scenario is featured in two scenes - scene 89 and scene 150:

150   FLASHBACK: EXT: SIDE OF THE ROAD: WYOMING: DAY:
WE RETURN ONCE AGAIN TO ENNIS'S EARLIER FLASHBACK, SCENE 89

LOW ANGLE - ENNIS'S FATHER leads ENNIS and K.E., ENNIS'S older brother, to the edge of an irrigation ditch. Camera is on their backs and ENNIS'S FATHER'S head is out of frame. As WE APPROACH the ditch, WE SEE the toes of two boots appear. Nine year-old ENNIS and eleven year-old K.E. look down at what was EARL'S CORPSE in the earlier flashback.

WE SEE ENNIS, his little boy's face, fill with horror. Then, unlike the earlier flashback, WE PAN UP the body in the ditch. But the bloodied face is not EARL'S: it is JACK'S.

[2003 Screenplay]

[Fran]

An excerpt from a customer review by James W. Veurink of Brokeback Mountain:  Story to Screenplay  (Hardcover) as posted at Amazon.com:

"The spare language of the brilliant screenwriters, coupled with the non-verbal angst of Ennis make this film with its slow cadence a true delight for those who have experienced some form of life in a closet." 

[memento]

"I thought it was the best story I'd ever read that addressed the American West. I thought, why didn't I write it myself. And I thought that it is a great story and it will go around the world."

~~Larry McMurtry screenwriter for "Brokeback Mountain"