Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Actors' restraint
Aussie Chris:
--- Quote from: yaadpyar on April 10, 2006, 05:26:11 pm ---Agreed! Jack seems very much more expressive than Ennis, but think of all the things Jack never says - he walks away from Ennis just as Ennis walks away from him, with a look back, and hope for the future, but nevertheless, he also walks away with hardly a word. Heath can't be brilliant without Jake, and vice versa!
--- End quote ---
So true Celeste. I've felt quite challenged by the concept of "it's all Heath" in the acting department. Back a few months ago in an interview with Annie Proolx she said words to the effect that Heath got into the character of Ennis far better than she had imagined, but Jake was about 50% of the Jack she was thinking of. This wounded me a little because I interpreted this as a sign of disrespect. But a few weeks later I heard this again is another context and it sounded more like Jack in the book was much less than what Jake gives us, and that Jake's performance was more mature and credible (not just the puppy-dog that he could have been).
One thing though, I find myself swinging between "all Ennis" and "all Jake" in my admiration of these performances. The two best "conversations" I can think of that use no words are when Jack and Ennis come off the mountain the first time and talk about coming back next year (Jack's pleading eyes), and Jack's mom at the end of the film (understanding). With Jack I like the early moments of the confrontation scene when Ennis first says he won't be back until November. Check Ennis biting a finger nail and his "that ok?" look from under the brim of his hat, and then Jack's accusing eyes as he processes this in disbelief.
Astounding stuff - it just could not work as well without all of the elements - the whole is so much greater than the sum of the parts.
RouxB:
I also believe that the restraint goes a long way in creating the mood of ambiguity that permeates this movie. The ambiguity allows the viewer to interpret scenes within the context of his or her own life which in turn drives the intense emotional reaction that many of us experience.
YaadPyar:
So true RouxB, about the restraint contributing to the ambiguity.
And Chris - the pleading eyes of Jack slay me every time. There is no imgage in the film that hits me strong than Jack's raised eyebrow in his hopeful inquiry of another summer on BBM.
The perfection of the casting fails only in the character of Bobby Twist, who is universally considered to be nothing but a distraction in the Twist Thanksgiving scene (yup - universally...I got the stats to provie it!).
The harmony between Jake & Heath is stunning every time I watch. A more expressive Jack would have thrown the entire relationship out of any balance that Ennnis could have maintained. He could live with disappointing Jack - he couldn't have lived with having to make a choice.
Phillip Dampier:
bump
Brown Eyes:
Heya!
Just bumping this for now because I just discovered this cool old topic and want to come back to it later! How did I miss this one the first time around?
8)
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