Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Question About the Lake Scene
fernly:
I wonder about the timing. Guess I'm influenced by the story that has the "miss you so much" conversation happening on the third day of their trip, and the trailhead conversation "a day or two later". Seems like I remember another thread that questioned that vagueness of time, when so much other time in the story is specific.
If there was at least one more day between those two conversations, would that make any difference in interpreting Jack's attitude while he's waiting for Ennis to tell him what's on his mind?
I agree, Casey, that Jack wasn't surprised that Ennis was keeping something from him, and probably wasn't surprised by what it was, but having his suspicions confirmed was no less painful for being expected. I wonder how many other times in recent years Ennis had done this same thing.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: marlb42 on January 18, 2007, 11:32:33 pm --- I think he was upset with E. telling him about Cassie, but again I think Jack didn't really notice what Ennis was saying to him. I don't think he heard Ennis's little mumble and "I don't know" after saying ' I have been putting the blocks on ...."
--- End quote ---
Good point. Ennis' description of Cassie sounds so desultory and unenthusiastic that it's obvious to US that he's saying he isn't very excited about the relationship. But Jack is probably so frustrated that Ennis is still bothering to have relationships with women at all that he doesn't notice this nuance. It's interesting that just after this Ennis sees it's time to give up the charade, too.
Kazza:
--- Quote from: shakestheground on January 18, 2007, 11:07:59 pm ---My take on what I refer to as "the joint passing scene", Jack has told Ennis this story about the ranch forman's wife and all, then he says "The truth is..." and after a pregnant pause where he probably thinks better of telling the intended truth, he tells Ennis he misses his so much he can hardly stand it. Then the next day in the parking lot, he does seem to expect something to happen, some relevation, in the story "this said and unsaid".
--- End quote ---
Wow, I love the way that we all see something different in even the smallest nuanes of this film.
In this scene my feeling is that Jack has no intention of telling Ennis about Randall (or whoever else he might have been seeing). I think that when Jack begins "The truth is..." he intends to finish the sentence with a more heartfelt expression of his feelings, or a resurection of his belief that they can have a life together. However, knowing Ennis (and his skittishness) Jack tones it down to "... I miss you so much I can hardly stand it" (which is still a pretty strong declartion).
Just my ha-penny's worth.
Karen
southendmd:
This discussion reminds me of CaseyCornelius' "Ennis' Maledictions" thread on IMDb. I wonder if that one got saved over here.
Anyway, I always thought it interesting that Jack and Ennis can easily talk about women: in fact, it's Jack who starts it when he says "all this time you ain't found noone else to marry"--->Ennis mentions Cassie --->Jack lies about the ranch foreman's wife.
To me, that's their "pact": "We ain't queer."
When Jack reveals "the truth is...sometimes I miss you so much, I can hardly stand it", that statement is awfully close to "I love you", and therefore unacceptable. Ennis sort of cowers in response.
I always wondered if Ennis felt too threatened by this, and "made up" the story about August.
Jack certainly looked dejected that next morning. Is he expecting yet another rejection from Ennis?
Then, the whole Mexico thing, confirming Jack is queer. Which means Ennis is queer. Their pact is broken. Ennis makes his threat, then the pathetic "it's cuz of you I'm like this".
Ending with the "can't stand this anymore, Jack". Coming from the man who originally said "if you can't fix it, you gotta stand it".
Can't fix it. Can't stand it.
This scene always gets me.
mouk:
Shakes Friend, hi :)
Yet a slightly different take. I think Jack was tempted to tell the truth when he hesitated for a split second after "I kinda gotta thing goin with a" and "ranch foreman's wife" but then decided against it.
However, he wants Ennis to know that this affair is of no importance to him. 'The truth is' conveys that: ok I am lying to you about this affair, but the truth is that it does not count, that you are the only one. And his long silence after 'the truth is', in my opinion, could be because he knows that Ennis freaks when Jack tries to speak about feelings, and/or also because it is difficult for him to express feeling that are so strong, deep and painful that they put a huge knot in his throat
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version