Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
A Ninth Viewing Observation
dly64:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on September 29, 2006, 01:28:18 pm ---. Ennis is riding a beautiful black horse with a lovely diamond-shaped white star on its...forehead? (Is that what it's called). And Jack is riding an equally beautiful light-colored horse (a bay mare?) with a black shock of mane between its ears. The yin/yang sign was there all along, and I didn't even see it!! I started to see that scene differently...they are in equilibrium. Makes me think they did find some sort of peace and happiness together at last.
--- End quote ---
I never noticed the horses .... something else I'll have to watch tonight! ;) I never thought they looked unhappy, however. I'm with Mark on this. I always saw their riding the horses as a peaceful time for them. It's funny, but during those scenes I tend to forget about all of the trouble that their relationship endured. I almost saw it as a glimpse into what they're life could have been had Ennis been willing to take the leap. :'(
welliwont:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on September 29, 2006, 01:28:18 pm ---I have a new favorite scene, and it may surprise you... Recall the scene late in the movie where Ennis and Jack are walking their horses down the middle of a stream? I always thought that they had kind of glum looks on their faces because of dissatisfaction with the relationship...but as I look at it again, I'm thinking they are at peace and in harmony with each other. The reason for this change in thinking...I got to looking at the horses. Ennis is riding a beautiful black horse with a lovely diamond-shaped white star on its...forehead? (Is that what it's called). And Jack is riding an equally beautiful light-colored horse (a bay mare?) with a black shock of mane between its ears. The yin/yang sign was there all along, and I didn't even see it!! I started to see that scene differently...they are in equilibrium. Makes me think they did find some sort of peace and happiness together at last.
--- End quote ---
Hey Lee, thanks for bringing this to our attention! The things I noticed in that scene (I think it''s the same scene), is how much Ennis is watching Jack, his eyes are right on him. ....of course I couldn't see the expression in his eyes, but I liked to imagine that Ennis was looking fondly at his lover, he never took his eyes off him there. :)
I also like the scene where they are riding beside the stream, just moseyin' along. I like how close the horses are, which shows us the boys so close and comfortable and happy to be together.... hmmmmm ((sweet))
ya know what I mean? :-*
J
Front-Ranger:
Yes, that's for sure, Jane.
This reminds me of the work of the great Western artists such as Charles Russell. The human action in the picture is mirrored and enhanced by the action of the horses, or in some cases, the action of the sky and clouds. I have a book of his paintings and I will try to scan a couple and post them this weekend
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: JakeTwist on September 29, 2006, 08:24:30 pm --- Ennis is watching Jack, his eyes are right on him. ....of course I couldn't see the expression in his eyes, but I liked to imagine that Ennis was looking fondly at his lover, he never took his eyes off him there. :)
I also like the scene where they are riding beside the stream, just moseyin' along. I like how close the horses are, which shows us the boys so close and comfortable and happy to be together.... hmmmmm ((sweet))
ya know what I mean? :-*
--- End quote ---
I do, Jane. That makes perfect sense. And it's nice to hear it! :D
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on September 29, 2006, 01:28:18 pm ---I have a new favorite scene, and it may surprise you... Recall the scene late in the movie where Ennis and Jack are walking their horses down the middle of a stream? I always thought that they had kind of glum looks on their faces because of dissatisfaction with the relationship...but as I look at it again, I'm thinking they are at peace and in harmony with each other. The reason for this change in thinking...I got to looking at the horses. Ennis is riding a beautiful black horse with a lovely diamond-shaped white star on its...forehead? (Is that what it's called). And Jack is riding an equally beautiful light-colored horse (a bay mare?) with a black shock of mane between its ears. The yin/yang sign was there all along, and I didn't even see it!! I started to see that scene differently...they are in equilibrium. Makes me think they did find some sort of peace and happiness together at last.
--- End quote ---
Hey there Lee,
I suggest you go post this observation in the yin and yang thread PRONTO! (Ignore this advice if you've already done so... I haven't checked that thread in a while :) ).
It's interesting to focus on some of these little scenes that seem to fly by. It's easy to overlook them or discount their significance. As Jane and some of you have noted, the horse wading scene does seem to be about the "harmony" between them. I think the peaceful music in almost all these little "flashes" of their later camping trips is important to this idea throughout. The audio transition between Ennis getting beaten up outside the bar in the post-Thanksgiving scene and the peaceful music and long-shot of the mountain/ wilderness is an amazing contrast. Again, a clear indication of the tension Ennis feels in society and the peace he feels in the wilderness with Jack- away from prying eyes. Probably no big surprises here in these observations.
I wonder if a "bookend" of sorts to the horse-wading scene is the moment on Brokeback following the mixed-up sheep when they're riding side by side with Jack playing the harmonica. This seems to be another moment when Ennis is blatantly enjoying looking at Jack. I worry more about the scene where the horses are wading in the stream because both of the boys' faces seem a little anxious or melancholy. I think the fact that they're in the middle of the water is a good sign since water seems to be a positive symbol in their relationship, but there is something uneasy about them wading in so deep. I'm sure it's not really dangerous... it just looks precarious visually. It occurs to me to wonder if this scene has anything to do with the old cliche about the difficulty of changing horses in mid-stream.
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