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Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond => Brokeback Mountain Open Forum => Topic started by: Front-Ranger on September 25, 2006, 05:16:59 pm

Title: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on September 25, 2006, 05:16:59 pm
I noticed something interesting about the scene of the last day on the mountain. As Ennis rides into camp, Jack is bent over dismantling the tent and his gloves are prominently seen in his back pocket. But Ennis, as we can easily see when he gets up and walks away, tucking in his shirt, has no gloves. In this scene, Jack seems to have the "upper hand" so to speak, physically striking the camp and even lassoing Ennis by the feet. But then Ennis lashes back at Jack, feeling out of control, and when they are next seen in different shirts, Ennis has the gloves, not Jack. At the bottom of the mountain, Jack says he will go to Lightning Flat to give his daddy "a hand through the winter." Ennis's gloves in his back pocket are visible as he starts the engine on Jack's truck.

Later, the character of Cassie manages to snare Ennis by literally grabbing his hand as he raises it to point at the restroom where he intends to go. She then drags Ennis to the dance floor by the hand. When she asks for a footrub, Cassie literally has Ennis hand and foot.

It was also interesting in the confrontation at the lake scene to see that, while Ennis has his gloves in his pocket again, Jack is holding his gloves in his right hand throughout the scene, even when he has his hand cradling Ennis's head at the end.
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: moremojo on September 25, 2006, 05:27:24 pm
But then Ennis lashes back at Jack, feeling out of control, and when they are next seen in different shirts, Ennis has the gloves, not Jack.
The potential symbolism contained in the film seems boundless. Intriguing insights, Lee, to be sure. Your message brought a line from Annie's story to mind (and I'm paraphrasing from memory): "...[Jack] talking about getting up off his pockets and into the control zone." That line has been haunting me lately, and I'm not exactly sure why. It makes me feel sad, in a mysterious way.
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on September 25, 2006, 07:00:26 pm
Yes that is a haunting phrase, Scott, especially located where it is at the very end of the story as Ennis is reminiscing. Jack almost becomes the man in the moon as he seems to blast off from his pockets into "the control zone" and Ennis, who once felt like he could paw the white out of the moon is left alone with only the can of beans and the spoon handle that looks like a tire iron. Who wouldn't be sad?

More hands: Lureen plays with her infant son Bobby's hands as her parents, with Jack in tow, descend on her to admire the grandchild.
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on September 27, 2006, 07:55:50 pm
When Cassie grabs Ennis by the hand and drags him onto the dance floor after knowing him for .5 minutes, the song that is playing on the jukebox is "Devil's Right Hand" by Steve Earle.
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Ellemeno on October 02, 2006, 11:46:13 am
Lee, wasn't "Steve & Earl's Diner" (or something like it) the name of the place you passed on the way to Albuquerque that you wrote about in another thread?
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on October 02, 2006, 02:31:37 pm
You're right, Clarissa!! What a Krazy Koincidence!!
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Brown Eyes on October 03, 2006, 12:01:03 am
Wow, the gloves are a prop element that I haven't considered very much in the past.  There's probably quite a lot there to analyze (in the same way that buckets and coffeepots seemed to go a long way in the meanings they could convey).  One thing I noticed is that Jack is wearing his gloves during the Water Walking Jesus scene.  I always notice that actually.  I always thought of it as being an early sign that Jack is more sensitive to the cold.  But, in this case it might also be sort of a sexual innuendo since this is right before TS1.

Interesting thread!
 :)
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on October 14, 2006, 11:37:17 am
Yes, Amanda, it could signify that the person with the gloves has the "upper hand" or is going to make the next move. Especially since taking a person by the hand happens in key scenes--somebody is always grabbing Ennis's hand and putting it somewhere! Aside from the obvious move by Jack that brought everything to a head (sorry, couldn't resist!), remember when Alma took Ennis's hand and placed it on her pregnant belly?
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on December 04, 2007, 11:05:08 pm
Here's the scene where Ennis shoots the elk:

(http://www.divshare.com/img/3003621-dfe.jpg)
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on February 19, 2008, 11:54:26 am
In this scene, Jack has one gloved hand and one bare hand. The two are about to go off in two directions for four long years.

(http://www.divshare.com/img/3003620-cdc.jpg)
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Brown Eyes on February 21, 2008, 02:41:11 pm
In this scene, Jack has one gloved hand and one bare hand. The two are about to go off in two directions for four long years.

(http://www.divshare.com/img/3003620-cdc.jpg)

Thanks for reviving this cool topic Friend! 8)

I think Jack's positioning and framing here are very interesting (in addition to the particularly interesting/unusual glove situation)... He looks like he's pinned in place or like he's at the center of some kind of target based on the way the boards on the garage door behind him are all converging behind his head.

The glove/not-glove situation throughout the film reminds me of the perhaps-related concept of the layering of clothing.  The idea that when they're feeling close to one another or connected they wear less or liighter-weight clothing.  And, when they're feeling defensive or argumentative with one another they wear more.  I think this idea holds true much of the time (but not always).  There's also an idea that wearing less clothing indicates a state of "being ahead" of the other character in some regard or another.  For example (maybe the most blatant example), Jack is already shirtless in TS2 while Ennis still wears a thin shirt (i.e. Jack is one step ahead of Ennis in terms of accepting his sexuality or wanting to move forward with his sexuality).

Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on February 23, 2008, 08:44:55 pm
Interesting concepts, atz! Here's another pivotal scene where Ennis is not wearing gloves but they are in view: killing the elk.

(http://www.divshare.com/img/3003621-dfe.jpg)
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on December 05, 2014, 01:56:30 pm
To mark the ninth anniversary of the movie release, I am summarizing some of the older threads that reveal the genius of this movie. Here is a summary of the glove motif which I discuss in Chapter 7, Costumes, of the book I am working on.

"In the scene of the last day on the mountain, as Ennis rides into camp, Jack is bent over dismantling the tent and his gloves are prominently seen in his back pocket. But Ennis, as we can easily see when he gets up and walks away, tucking in his shirt, has no gloves. In this scene, Jack seems to have the "upper hand" so to speak, physically striking the camp and even lassoing Ennis by the feet. But then Ennis lashes back at Jack, feeling out of control, and when they are next seen in different shirts, Ennis has the gloves, not Jack. At the bottom of the mountain, Jack says he will go to Lightning Flat to give his daddy "a hand through the winter." Ennis's gloves in his back pocket are visible as he starts the engine on Jack's truck.

Later, the character of Cassie manages to snare Ennis by literally grabbing his hand as he raises it to point at the restroom where he intends to go. She then drags Ennis to the dance floor by the hand. The song playing on the jukebox is Steve Earle’s “Devil’s Right Hand”. When she asks for a footrub, Cassie literally has Ennis hand and foot.

It was also interesting in the confrontation at the lake scene to see that, while Ennis has his gloves in his pocket again, Jack is holding his gloves in his right hand throughout the scene, even when he has his hand cradling Ennis's head at the end."
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Front-Ranger on March 28, 2017, 10:36:22 am
Our friend John Trudell has been posting some photos of Heath Ledger as Ennis, with hand-written notes around the margins about his costume. Here's one that mentions "gloves in right pocket". Forwarding our theories!!

I wonder who made the notes. . .the costumer?
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: CellarDweller on April 03, 2017, 08:28:22 pm
I want  a pair of Brokeback boots!!!
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Sason on April 04, 2017, 12:08:36 pm
Here ya go, Chuckie!



(http://www.hotboots.com/images2/page557.jpg)
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: CellarDweller on April 05, 2017, 06:33:30 pm
they're previously owned!  LOL
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: Sason on April 06, 2017, 03:58:34 pm
I'm sure you could borrow them!   ;D
Title: Re: Hand in glove
Post by: CellarDweller on April 07, 2017, 09:25:46 pm
I would never!