Questions, hope not stoopid.....

[Scott6373]

That's an excellent point, Marlb.  I think Jack just wasn't a baby steps kind of a guy.  He always dreamed big, and that in a way was his curse.  Central to the tragedy of their story, I think, is how they were always misunderstanding each other.  Ennis misunderstood Jack's nonchalance at leaving the mountain as not really caring about him, when actually Jack was so nonchalant because he didn't see it as the end to their relationship like Ennis did.  Ennis punched him out of his frustration with him for that, and then Jack misunderstood it as Ennis resenting him, perhaps for starting the relationship in the first place.  And it just snowballed from there.  They never truly communicated their feelings for each other to each other (even to themselves).  And it makes perfect sense that they didn't, unfortunately.  Straight men can barely talk to straight women about anything really intimate.  Put two men together who can't even come to terms with their own sexuality (Jack had less difficulty with it than Ennis, of course) and naturally there are going to be communication (or lack thereof) issues.

That's part of what makes this movie so perfect.  People misunderstand each other in real life.  Constantly.  And it usually leads to the unraveling of their relationships, if they're ever able to get a relationship off the ground in the first place.  Long-term relationships of any kind are just plain hard work.  Of course they're worth it when you love each other.  But when you can't even express that to one another, you're already on pretty shaky ground.

Ok I have to quote your entire post.  I agree with everything you wrote...that being said...we're they really such a good match?  We're they really star-crossed lovers...could they have had a "sweet life".  When you get down to it, Ennis was so repressed and Jack was more than a little on the uncompassionate (if not selfish) side.  Could it have worked?

[Cameron]

Ok I have to quote your entire post.  I agree with everything you wrote...that being said...we're they really such a good match?  We're they really star-crossed lovers...could they have had a "sweet life".  When you get down to it, Ennis was so repressed and Jack was more than a little on the uncompassionate (if not selfish) side.  Could it have worked?

Hi Scott

You know that I have been wondering about since I first saw BBM too.   If they had been together, really together would they really have had the sweet life orwould realities have gotten in the way?.  I tend to think that with their opposing personalities and little problems in day to day life would have taken its toll and it would not have 'been like this, always'.

  But that is also what makes everything so damn sad, Jack and Ennis spend their whole lives yearning for the sweet life, but maybe somehow that one would never have happened, and somehow they did in fact hve the 'real sweet life', because they never did have to deal with the real day to day problems all along....

[Scott6373]

Hi Scott


You know that I have been wondering about since I first saw BBM too.   If they had been together, really together would they really have had the sweet life orwould realities have gotten in the wa?.  I tend to think that at their opposing personalities and little problems in day to day life would have taken its toll and it would not have 'been like this, always'.

  But that is also what makes everything so damn sad, Jack and Ennis spend their whole lives yearning for the sweet life, but maybe somehow that one would never have happened, and somehow they did in fact the 'real sweet life', because they never did have to deal with the real day to day problems all along....

I've never thought about it that way, but perhaps your are correct in your assumption that the life they had built was their "sweet life".  I can tell you from experience, that being out in the early 80's was not a fun thing.  It was dangerous and hard.  I'm not sure that either one, with their limited education and their limited life experience could have made a life together work...especially in rural Wyoming...I just don't think it would have worked.

[opinionista]

That's an excellent point, Marlb.  I think Jack just wasn't a baby steps kind of a guy.  He always dreamed big, and that in a way was his curse.  Central to the tragedy of their story, I think, is how they were always misunderstanding each other.  Ennis misunderstood Jack's nonchalance at leaving the mountain as not really caring about him, when actually Jack was so nonchalant because he didn't see it as the end to their relationship like Ennis did.  Ennis punched him out of his frustration with him for that, and then Jack misunderstood it as Ennis resenting him, perhaps for starting the relationship in the first place.  And it just snowballed from there.  They never truly communicated their feelings for each other to each other (even to themselves).  And it makes perfect sense that they didn't, unfortunately.  Straight men can barely talk to straight women about anything really intimate.  Put two men together who can't even come to terms with their own sexuality (Jack had less difficulty with it than Ennis, of course) and naturally there are going to be communication (or lack thereof) issues.

That's part of what makes this movie so perfect.  People misunderstand each other in real life.  Constantly.  And it usually leads to the unraveling of their relationships, if they're ever able to get a relationship off the ground in the first place.  Long-term relationships of any kind are just plain hard work.  Of course they're worth it when you love each other.  But when you can't even express that to one another, you're already on pretty shaky ground.

I always thought the punch was a way for them to ease the pain they felt at the idea of separating upon leaving the mountain. It seems like Ennis punched Jack for no apparent reason but IMO Jack somehow provoked him. They were forced to leave each other, and no matter what illusions they had, they knew they could not be together. Even Jack knew there was a big chance they would not see each other again. And Ennis knew it better than him, hence the punch. IMO he wanted Jack to be mad at him, and he wanted to hate Jack, so the inevitable separation would not be so painful.

[injest]

Yeah, I believe that is just a light/shadow thing, but cropped like that he is one scary dude.

ya'll need to not be so hard on poor ol Mr. Twist!!

[Front-Ranger]

I got news for Wikipedia. "Sloppy seconds" isn't just used in relation to heterosexual intercourse.

Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds starts tomorrow! It's billed as the first gay sequel. Shall I see it?

http://denverfilm.org/scheduledetail.cfm?MOVIEID=10998695

[Jeff Wrangler]

Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds starts tomorrow! It's billed as the first gay sequel. Shall I see it?

http://denverfilm.org/scheduledetail.cfm?MOVIEID=10998695

Did you see the first one? Was it worth it? I'd base my decision on that, if I were you.