Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Would you have lasted 20 years?
moremojo:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on April 23, 2006, 11:00:11 am --- Ennis and Jack had everything -- admiration, respect, affection, longing, intense physical attraction, etc. Everything except time.
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Beautifully expressed. The men's mutual respect is an element that is rather under-discussed, but nonetheless very important. I sense it most keenly when we see the two riding horses together, in the sequence immediately following Ennis's Thanksgiving debacle. Many have commented on the quiet sadness of this scene, but the deep, lasting respect is definitely there as well.
jpwagoneer1964:
--- Quote from: mg501 on April 12, 2006, 12:05:20 pm ---Every time I watch BBM the one question in the back of my mind is whether I would have hung in for 20 years like Jack did. I'm not saying that Ennis was doing anything wrong. I completely understand what he was struggling with. The scene where he is dry heaving and punching the wall says it all.
I just keep thinking, though, how many times Jack put himself out there for Ennis and how many times Ennis pulled away or just didn't reciprocate. Jack said to Ennis, "Tell ya what, the truth is... sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it." All Ennis did was look down. He said nothing in response. He didn't even lean over and hug Jack. At their reunion at Ennis' apartment the audience can clearly see the intensity of their passion. It must have been enough for Jack to hold on to hope all those years.
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Even though we did not see Ennis's response, you know there was one and how he felt from the very next scene, asleep with his arms around Jack.
welliwont:
--- Quote from: jpwagoneer1964 on July 08, 2006, 01:07:13 am ---Even though we did not see Ennis's response, you know there was one and how he felt from the very next scene, asleep with his arms around Jack.
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Well let me respectfully disagree. I most certainly do not know that there was one (a response from Ennis after Jack says, "... sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it"). If there was a response by Ennis, we would have heard it, IMO. What kind of a filmmaker leaves out half of the character-defining dialogue in the most emotion-driven scenes of a movie?
I did not hear a response, and I sure would have like to have heard one! As far as having his arm around Jack when they were sleeping, I do not equate that with a response to Jack's heartfelt admission. Of course they slept together holding each other, they loved each other, it was their last night of that trip together....
The fact that Ennis does not respond to Jack's sorrow really lowers my opinion of him...
Jane
kminmn:
I wouldn't have made it for 20 years. I did have a relationship kind of like this once and it ripped me apart. We were together for a little over a year and he said it wasn't working (it was a religion thing), but we loved each other and wanted to try to remain friends. This was my first true love and I guess a part of me refused to believe that this could keep us apart, that he would change his mind. So, we kept hanging out and trying to be "just friends". Let's just say the being "just friends" thing only worked about half the time. However, I came to realize that it was always on his terms and when he needed it. After four years I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't going to change and I needed him to. I also knew that I needed to find someone who would give me what I needed and that wasn't going to happen with him around. So, as much as it hurt, I walked away. It took moving away but that is what I did. We kept in touch for awhile through phone calls and letters because it was just too hard to completely have him be gone, but eventually we quit even that communication.
I have to say that I am one of the people who believe that Jack decided to "quit" Ennis after their last trip. He would have loved Ennis to the end of time, but I think he was going to let him go. Part of me always wondered how he lasted as long as he did, especially after the divorce. How do you go on with that kind of pain, no matte how much you love someone?
It's been almost 14 years since I walked away from my first love and I can honestly say that not a day has gone by that haven't thought about him. I also know that I did the right thing.
jpwagoneer1964:
--- Quote from: JakeTwist on July 09, 2006, 11:44:22 am ---Well let me respectfully disagree. I most certainly do not know that there was one (a response from Ennis after Jack says, "... sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it"). If there was a response by Ennis, we would have heard it, IMO. What kind of a filmmaker leaves out half of the character-defining dialogue in the most emotion-driven scenes of a movie?
I did not hear a response, and I sure would have like to have heard one! As far as having his arm around Jack when they were sleeping, I do not equate that with a response to Jack's heartfelt admission. Of course they slept together holding each other, they loved each other, it was their last night of that trip together....
The fact that Ennis does not respond to Jack's sorrow really lowers my opinion of him...
Jane
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I think perhaps that fireside "sometimes I miss you so much happened earier on that last trip and his silence is that he knows he has to tell Jack he can't make August, so he puts it off as long as possable. I do thinkl the film showing Ennis's arm around Jack that nite is important and part of hes reaction to Jack's statement. I don't think Jack was looking for a verbal response.
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