Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
A Ninth Viewing Observation
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: ednbarby on June 05, 2006, 05:06:33 pm ---I actually am in the camp that thinks Lureen loved Jack. ... But the fact that she suggests that he go to Lightning Flat is *huge*, especially considering that in the short story we learn that Jack never once took her up there to meet them. The unselfishness of that gesture is astonishing, and to me it has to be borne from love.
--- End quote ---
Hey Barb, we definitely agree on this! :D
--- Quote from: goadra on June 05, 2006, 05:07:17 pm ---I’ve read on other boards that Jack’s was an unrequited love; I respectfully disagree.
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Wow. I find that idea -- that Jack's love was unrequired -- so ridiculous that I would have trouble being respectful of it! Whoops, I guess I just wasn't. Sorry if anyone actually believes this absurdity. Whoops again. ;)
Kidding, and I truly am sorry if there's anyone out there I offended. :( There is room for all opinions here, and as moderator I must set a better example of acceptance. But really, to me the plot doesn't make sense on those terms.
I'm willing to debate the notion that Ennis doesn't know he loves Jack, or doesn't think of his feelings as love (I happen to disagree with these views, too, but I can understand someone having them). But to say that Ennis flat out doesn't love Jack at all? That's hard to picture. As you point out, Barbara, why would Ennis bother with the relationship at all, then?
Front-Ranger:
Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say it was unrequited. And I think Jack learned to "read" Ennis over the years and knew that Ennis loved him. But Ennis didn't give him what he needed, I hope you will agree with me on that. Jack had to go to Mexico, felt he was being kept on a short leash, and said he couldn't get by on a coupla high-altitude f/y. In addition to that, Ennis only responded in the way Jack yearned for once after they left Brokeback Mountain. And that was after a four-year absence.
I'm not saying Jack was not a likeable guy. In fact, he was an eminently loveable guy...and the only way of explaining (not excusing) the hostile response he got from so many was the prevalence of homophobia...people fearing what they perceived as a difference in him.
silkncense:
--- Quote ---Anne Hathaway has all but said this. She didn't know until the phone call that Ennis was the love of his life, but she knew there were others and that they weren't women. But the fact that she suggests that he go to Lightning Flat is *huge*, especially considering that in the short story we learn that Jack never once took her up there to meet them. The unselfishness of that gesture is astonishing, and to me it has to be borne from love.
--- End quote ---
I agree completely, esp about encouraging Ennis to go to Lightning Flat being HUGE. Lureen wanted her husbands 'last wish' to be realized. And the catch in her throat & mistly eyes was now knowing why Brokeback was the place he wanted his ashes.
Also, I read somewhere that Ang Lee specifically chose Anne Hathaway based on her reading of the telephone call scene & that his personal belief was that Jack was murdered.
Front-Ranger:
And one more thing...Jack had to be satisfied with Ennis embracing him from the back because he was too homophobic to hug him face-to-face!! Not what Jack deserved.
Yes I am well aware that our responses say more about ourselves and our relationships than the movie. In my case, as you might guess, I am always trying to do more difficult, more complicated, and just more things than I really can do. And I think I do a good job, but there are always those who think I didn't do as well as I should have or as well as they might have. But at least I have tackled some pretty big challenges, and I'm still here to tell about it! Pretty handy with a can opener too.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on June 05, 2006, 06:43:21 pm ---But Ennis didn't give him what he needed, I hope you will agree with me on that. Jack had to go to Mexico, felt he was being kept on a short leash, and said he couldn't get by on a coupla high-altitude f/y
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Lee, I do agree with you on that. But not on this:
--- Quote --- In addition to that, Ennis only responded in the way Jack yearned for once after they left Brokeback Mountain. And that was after a four-year absence.
--- End quote ---
IMO, the reunion affection was just the only time we saw in which Ennis responded that way. I think that's representative of a lot of other times that Ang Lee just didn't happen to capture on film. Ennis did not give Jack what he wanted as far as living togehter. But I think Jack's main problem with Ennis was "never enough time" -- not never enough affection or love during what little time they did have.
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on June 05, 2006, 06:50:16 pm ---And one more thing...Jack had to be satisfied with Ennis embracing him from the back because he was too homophobic to hug him face-to-face!! Not what Jack deserved.
--- End quote ---
I'm afraid I also don't agree with that, though I realize it's debatable. It does not fit my image of Movie Ennis at all, and for that matter barely makes sense when applied to Story Ennis. Judging from the reunion, neither Movie nor Story Ennis actually does have a problem embracing Jack from the front. I don't even read the movie version of the dozy embrace that way. At best, I see it as a part of the story but not part of the movie.
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