The Flashback scene

[CarlaMom2]

What are everyone's take on the flashback where Ennis embraces Jack and says he's like a horse sleeping standing up.  Then he gently rocks him.  I thought that was an insight to what Ennis was really like with Jack.  He DID care for him.  There were tender moments between them.  Ennis was only like that with Jack.  HE brought out the love in Ennis.  Before they had sex Jack said,"that's the most you've said in two weeks."  Ennis replied, Hell, that's the most I've said in two years."  (or something like that)  So there definitely was an emotional connection before they were physical.

Was the flashback in the story as well?

Carla

[Front-Ranger]

Yes, CarlaMom, but it was near the end. I urge you to read the story. You can find it at your local library, or get the book of short stories by Annie Proulx called "Close Range." Or, PM me and I'll send it to you if you have no other way to get it. Best, FRont-Ranger

[CarlaMom2]

I just finished the story!  It was amazing.  It's like seeing it for the first time.  So beautiful.  How was the book From Story to Screen?  Was it just as good, because I might have to read that one, too.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I just finished the story!  It was amazing.  It's like seeing it for the first time.  So beautiful.  How was the book From Story to Screen?  Was it just as good, because I might have to read that one, too.

I, for one, seriously recommend that everyone get a copy of Story to Screenplay. It's handy to have the original short story and the screenplay together in one book, and the additional essays, especially the essays by Annie Proulx and Diana Ossana, are interesting and rewarding reading.

One word of warning: Any obsessive Brokie (as if there are any other kinds!  ) will quickly notice that there are some discrepancies, or at least differences, between what we see in the movie and what is in the published screenplay. Nothing really earth-shattering, but there are differences. My favorite example is that my favorite Ennis line in the entire film--when he comes out on the landing outside the apartment and looks down at Jack in the parking lot--does not appear in the published screenplay.

I wonder whether we ever had a thread somewhere cataloging these differences? 

[Front-Ranger]

Not that I know of, Jeff. There are also a lot of scenes in the screenplay that were cut short in the movie, or cut out altogether. I'm thinking of the old man who appears to Ennis at the beginning.

[karen1129]

Brokeback got you good, didn't it Carla?  Just like the rest of us.
The dozy embrace scene is my favorite.  I can't get past it in the
movie anymore without breaking down.  That moment was what
Jack held onto all those years. 

Karen

[CarlaMom2]

LOL Brokeback Got Me good!  I can't beleive it still.  I thought it was just me.  I go into phases after I see a great movie or read a good book.  You know, where I want to know as much as possible about it.  Something about this was different.  Almost haunting like.  I think I even dream about it in my sleep. I can't stop analyzing things in my head, too.  There is so much symbolism in the movie.  Thank you again for welcoming me.  I know I am a little bit of a late-comer.
     I think I am going to have to get "From Story to Screenplay" I can't get enough.  Reading the words has a different impact on me.  The writing and some of the sentences they say to eachother are so beautiful.

P.S.  Any "KEY" moments I should forward to to see the meanings.  I watched really only twice.  I have 2 little kids and own a business, not much time to see movies over and over again

[mvansand76]

LOL Brokeback Got Me good!  I can't beleive it still.  I thought it was just me.  I go into phases after I see a great movie or read a good book.  You know, where I want to know as much as possible about it.  Something about this was different.  Almost haunting like.  I think I even dream about it in my sleep. I can't stop analyzing things in my head, too.  There is so much symbolism in the movie.  Thank you again for welcoming me.  I know I am a little bit of a late-comer.
     I think I am going to have to get "From Story to Screenplay" I can't get enough.  Reading the words has a different impact on me.  The writing and some of the sentences they say to eachother are so beautiful.

P.S.  Any "KEY" moments I should forward to to see the meanings.  I watched really only twice.  I have 2 little kids and own a business, not much time to see movies over and over again

Welcome to Bettermost CarlaMom! We all know how you feel now. I completely understand how the Flashback scene has such an impact on you. I saw the movie for the first time in January and have now seen it 8 times or so, but the last couple of months I haven't seen it at all and a few days ago I put the DVD in my laptop and it started playing right at the beginning of the Final Confrontation, the scene where they fight right before the flashback scene and the scene hit me like never before, it was that proverbial gut-punch all over again. The impact never stops.

I can definitely recommend the Story to Screenplay book, it's a wonderful book with very insightful essays on the making of the movie.

Anyway, once again, happy to welcome you here! 

[Jeff Wrangler]

Not that I know of, Jeff. There are also a lot of scenes in the screenplay that were cut short in the movie, or cut out altogether. I'm thinking of the old man who appears to Ennis at the beginning.

Absolutely. Although, of course, the "screenplay" clearly went through several versions before it took final shape as a "shooting script." Another deletion--and thank God it was deleted!--was Ennis and Cassie at the drive-in watching The Empire Strikes Back! That scene appears in the 2004 screenplay but not in the version in Story to Screenplay. What I meant to say specifically is that even in the case of the "finished version" that we have in Story to Screenplay, there are differences.

For me the prime example of those differences is the scene I mentioned, where Ennis goes out on the landing, sees Jack down in the parking lot, spreads his hands, and utters the immortal words, "Jack fuckin' Twist!"  I love that little vignette--it's my one single most-favorite Ennis line in the whole movie, because I think he never looks more joyous than at that moment on the landing. 

[Kd5000]

I wonder why there are some differences between film and screenplay in BBM. Did the actors improvise?  I've heard of this occuring in other films, where a line is not in the script, but it sounded so good, let's go with it. Sometimes an actor just knows what to say at the right moment, even if it's not called for. 

Yes Carlamom2, I was quite taken aback with how faithful the film is to the short story.  Extra episodes are in the film, but it merely expands on the short story, fleshes out the wives and the domestic lives of Jack and Ennis.  THe film remains faithful to the literary characters.  I can see why Proulx was happy with the results in comparison to the film adaption of  THE SHIPPING NEWS. 

Actually, I'm glad I didn't read BBM before seeing the film, even though I had a copy of the short story. I  knew there was suppose to be a tradegy and I didn't want all the answers before going to see the film.  I also read as few film reviews as possible and just checked rottentomatoes.com to see the composite score. 86%, I believe, which is quite high.

Once you get the story to screenplay, you might upgrade to the hardcover version with photos.  Then you know your obsessed. Amazon.com has some good prices.