lovable subtle details

[Brown Eyes]

I love the Ennis express-o-meter! Had to LOL at that one. Part of the reason I enjoyed watching Casanova was seeing Heath's face unfrozen. I have to disagree with everybody about Ennis's stroking Jack's jacket being a lovable detail. Every time I see Ennis stroking or clinging to Jack's clothing, I start gnashing my teeth because it's the man who he should be touching, not the clothing! In making that crucial mistake, look what he gets in the end, an empty life and a closet with Jack's shirt in it.

Wow, this is really a sad way to look at this.  But, I think you're right.  Maybe the stroking of the clothes is another manifestation of Ennis's frustrating reserve too.  But, there are a few great moments regarding Ennis actually touching Jack... The second tent scene has been pretty well discussed in recent posts... And, other than that the best example has to be all the face caressing during the reunion.  After the first kiss while they're looking so intensely into each other's eyes, I LOVE the way Ennis runs his hand down Jack's face... starting with the eyebrow and proceeding to his ear.  I think Ennis is very tactile when it comes to his fingers (es. caressing the postcard, caressing the tie of the tent flap the morning after the 1st tent scene).  Oh, thinking of the 1st tent scene... I also LOVE how he caresses Jack's hair and ear after the little bout of pushing and shoving... right when Ennis seems to give in to the situation.
 

Poor Jack, always getting shot down.

David, I think that pic you posted is a great example of another aspect of Jake's acting (by the way, sometime I have to force myself to type Jake rather than Jack... I wonder how many bloopers happened on set over mixing up those two names once in a while).

Anyway, it's amazing how well Jake expresses the idea of "stress" or the increasingly worn-out look about Jack, starting after the divorce fiasco... not quite dejection, still a little hopeful, but a bit of a shadow of his younger self.
 

I love the "course he hates my guts" look, too. And also the "Nope, too busted up. Rodeo ain't what it was in my daddy's day" and then Ennis shakes his head and agrees, "No." How would he know? But it's a cute sort of bonding line.

Katherine, I like this idea of "bonding" again through chatting... this was clearly a big part of the two of them falling for each other on the mountain and a good detail demonstrating that Ennis really does think of Jack as his "good friend" and confidant as well as lover.  I think they "bonded" over their mutual exclamation right at the beginning of the scene of "4 years!" as if they've both been holding their breath for all those years.  One of my favorite aspects of Ennis's conversation here in the motel (other than his attempt to demonstrate interest in the rodeo topic) is that he shows genuine concern for Jack.  He shows that he's been worrying about that punch for 4 years... and I think he's probably been worried that the army did "get Jack."  A scary prospect in the mid-late '60s.

[serious crayons]

I think they "bonded" over their mutual exclamation right at the beginning of the scene of "4 years!" as if they've both been holding their breath for all those years.  One of my favorite aspects of Ennis's conversation here in the motel (other than his attempt to demonstrate interest in the rodeo topic) is that he shows genuine concern for Jack.  He shows that he's been worrying about that punch for 4 years... and I think he's probably been worried that the army did "get Jack."  A scary prospect in the mid-late '60s.

"As if they've been holding their breath for all those years" -- good way to describe it. I love that moment because it's such a stark contrast to their parting four years earlier. That was so sad -- imagine embarking on a new romance and then parting shortly afterward without so much as a tender word or even a handshake. But in the reunion, it was like they both intuitively knew that when they met again everything would be different (or maybe back to the way it had been on the mountain).

Back to the motel, it's a cute conversation also because it resembles the cliche movie post-sex scene -- lying in bed smoking -- yet it's so different; the cliched couples in those scenes aren't talking about punching each other or how much rodeoin has changed over the years.

[Front-Ranger]

Thanks for reminding me of the times Ennis did touch Jack, Amanda. 

[Brown Eyes]

the cliched couples in those scenes aren't talking about punching each other or how much rodeoin has changed over the years.

 

Thanks for reminding me of the times Ennis did touch Jack, Amanda. 

Happy to oblige.   

But, as I said I think you're right too about his tendency to go for the clothes.  It is a bit like foreshadowing or foreboding. 

[Brown Eyes]

So, here's a question.  What is the deal with Ennis's pajama bottoms? 
 

And another.  What is the deal with Jack's interior decorating in the Texas house?  Bright yellow chair?  Bright, bright purple dining room chairs?
 

[Ellemeno]

I have to disagree with everybody about Ennis's stroking Jack's jacket being a lovable detail. Every time I see Ennis stroking or clinging to Jack's clothing, I start gnashing my teeth because it's the man who he should be touching, not the clothing!

I agree with this.  Hunnerd per cent.

[serious crayons]

So, here's a question.  What is the deal with Ennis's pajama bottoms? 
 

I know! Everything else in his wardrobe looks like he picked it up at Sears, but his PJs look like they came from a hip vintage store (though as somebody -- Lynne? -- pointed out once, today's hip vintage stores sell clothes bought at Sears in 1967).

Also, they're so tight and low slung! Mind you, I ain't complainin. 

[David]

.  What is the deal with Jack's interior decorating in the Texas house?  Bright yellow chair?  Bright, bright purple dining room chairs?
 

Doubtful it was Jacks decorating.   Lureen was brought up with money, so she would likely want to buy the latest style of furniture etc.    Jacks only extravagance in his buying habits was his new truck every few years, camping gear and whiskey.  Although he does always seem to have nice new clothes too.   But that might be Lureens influence.

As for those purple chairs?   Well...it was the seventies remember!   I think the set decorator did a great job capturing the period feeling throughout the movie.   Defining the economic lifestyles of the two families was well done too.   

[Brown Eyes]

Thanks for the ideas regarding the oh so important topics of pajama bottoms and interior decorating.  David, yes, I agree that the "realism" in the set decoration is very good at evoking economic status and a period feel.  I guess I also agree that the Texas house is probably really meant to look like a Newsome house.  And, very Texas-in-the-'70s too I would think.  Stil, wow, what a color combination.

So, I have another random question that will reveal my ignorance regarding sheep herding culture.  Why and how were there Chilean sheep in Wyoming?  Chili is a long, long way away from Wyoming.  I mean, I love that detail in the story/ film but I've never quite understood it.

[jpwagoneer1964]

Thanks for the ideas regarding the oh so important topics of pajama bottoms and interior decorating.  David, yes, I agree that the "realism" in the set decoration is very good at evoking economic status and a period feel.  I guess I also agree that the Texas house is probably really meant to look like a Newsome house.  And, very Texas-in-the-'70s too I would think too.  Stil, wow, what a color combination.

So, I have another random question that will reveal my ignorance regarding sheep herding culture.  Why and how were there Chilean sheep in Wyoming?  Chili is a long, long way away from Wyoming.  I mean, I love that detail in the story/ film but I've never quite understood it.

More to the point it doesn't mattler that the herd were mixed up. The sheep know there herdsman and simpley need to be lead away and the right sheep will follow.