Although the words "I love you" were NOT said, there were many many times that it was shown between them, where the words were not necessary.
The reunion scene, to me being the major one. Those crushing bodies together, chests, arms, hands, faces, lips, heads..........that was far stronger than the unspoken three little words.
Even when Ennis stood at the top of the stairs and said "Jack fuckin Twist".....the look, the smile, the excitement and the complete enormity of the moment, he might as well be saying "I love you".
The did say it many times, they just didnt use the "i love you" words.
Although the words "I love you" were NOT said, there were many many times that it was shown between them, where the words were not necessary.
The reunion scene, to me being the major one. Those crushing bodies together, chests, arms, hands, faces, lips, heads..........that was far stronger than the unspoken three little words.
Even when Ennis stood at the top of the stairs and said "Jack fuckin Twist".....the look, the smile, the excitement and the complete enormity of the moment, he might as well be saying "I love you".
The did say it many times, they just didnt use the "i love you" words.
Well, I disagree that the things they said, and the looks and smiles, could be taken as saying 'I love you'.
'Might as well be saying' it, is just not saying it at all.
To actually say to someone 'I love you' takes sincerity and, without that, it cannot really be love.
Yes, fond looks and smiles and loving acts are necessary, too, but it doesn't take a lot of courage.
I agree, that for them to have said the actual words, it would have been wonderful, but these two blokes were in denial about so many things, for them to have said those words, would have been very difficult.
So, the things they did in their own kinda way may not have been telling them that they loved them, but showing them that they loved them.....which, in my opinion is just as important and makes the love they feel no less nor less sincere.
I think the closest anyone got to I love you was Jack:
"Tell you what...truth is...sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."
That's pretty darn close, and Ennis is speechless.
I think that's pretty darn close, too. Good point. And that line in the movie packs a whole lot more punch than the equivalent line in the story about "he missed Ennis bad enough sometimes to make him whip babies."
I also think Ennis had a "close-to-an-I-love-you" line (although he wouldn't be aware of it) in the movie when he tells Jack "there ain't no reins on this one," and gives that shuddering breath, swallowing hard to fight back his tears. I think Jack realizes this, too, which is why we get that lovely comforting hand gesture on Ennis's cheek. Sigh.
Marie
Alma’s five-year silence about the embrace she witnesses between Ennis and Jack is a very important one of “them things unsaid.”
Annie Proux makes clear in the short story that the embrace is only one reason – and apparently not necessarily the most important reason – Alma divorces Ennis. But it obviously preyed on Alma’s mind, as evidenced by the Thanksgiving dinner incident.
Suppose Alma had said something to Ennis earlier, while they were still married. As he packed for one of his “fishing trips,” what if she had said, “I know what you two are doing, and if you go I’m going to tell people about it.” What would have happened? Would Ennis have been scared out of seeing Jack again? Would he have been scared out of Riverton and gone away with Jack? Alma’s silence is necessary to the story for it to play out as it does.