Film-Ennis vs. Story-Ennis and Film-Jack vs. Story-Jack

[Brown Eyes]

Tell you what Friends,

The distinctions between our two main characters film vs. book have been coming up a lot lately in various threads.  So, I thought the topic deserved to be teased out into its own conversation.

And, as latjoreme has pointed out in other threads, it seems much more common to focus on the differences between the two versions of Ennis than the different versions of Jack.

I guess one of the most obvious differences between film-Ennis and book-Ennis is that in the book he's much, much better about expressing his affection verbally to Jack.  In the movie, he seems to only overtly express his love physically.  When he does say something romantic in the film, it's often in code... In the movie, "for as long as we can ride it" and "there ain't no reigns on this one" seem to me to be some of his most affectionate verbal moments.  But, they do need to be de-coded into... something like "I want to be with you for as long as possible"  and "my love/passion for you is so strong it makes me feel out of control" etc.  I love that the only reason we even know about the dry-heaves situation for Ennis at the end of the Brokeback summer is because book-Ennis not only tells Jack about it in the motel but he tells him what he thinks it means (that he shouldn't have let Jack out of his sight).

I'll refrain from commenting about the two versions of Jack here.  I'm very curious to hear all your interpretations about that question.

cheers!

[TJ]

While there may be a forum created somewhere which discusses Annie Proulx's story only or where the emphasis was on the original story with comparative comments in regard to the Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossane and/or Ang Lee movie, I have yet to see it.

A Major Area in a forum like this one could be "Brokeback mountain - The Book, The Message & Its Impact." I "suggest" that because I have read about the correspondence gays had with Annie Proulx in her interviews and writings about the original short story. 

[Rayn]

Yes atz75, TJ...   

This is a good thread to begin.   And you're right, atz75, about the "two Ennis-es".   I'm remembering too that in the movie Ennis has other ways of displaying his affection and love for Jack.  He often has a sly humor that is really affection.  He says stuff like ~ You're gonna run them sheep off again if you don't quit playin’ that harmonica! ~   I'm paraphrasing here... 

In the movie we can see Ennis's expressions of affection, his sly smile, his sideways glances; Ennis, in both book and movie, is often very subtle:   ~ He laughed a little, You probably deserve it....~   This he said when Jack admitted an affair with a rancher's wife.  In the book there is naturally more description of the characters and the land.  In the movie, we are given images of both and more dialogue. 

The two art forms are so different. 

I remember in the book how different the night before the blow up scene is too.  It says, "Ennis put his arm around Jack, pulled him close."   That is far more convincing that the movie version where when Jack says, "Tell you what, sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it." and Ennis does nothing.  I always thought that was strange, almost cold on his part. 

So, yes, there are two rather different men in the book for sure.   Two similar but different tales.

Rayn

[TJ]

In their final scene together, the book and the movie are quite different.

In the book, as they are getting ready to leave, Jack is already in his own truck when the subject of the next meeting time comes up (and the topic of a warmer place to meet, too) and Ennis finally admits that he cannot make it in August. The location of the vehicles is at a trailhead parking lot, which even though in a remote location, would be a "public" location for the Story-Ennis. That Ennis would still be paranoid that someone might see him touching another guy if they suddenly drove up. The Story-Jack does not even touch Ennis when Ennis has his reaction to what Jack has just said which ended with "I wish I knew how to quit you." As soon as Jack gets out of his truck, Ennis is straightened up as though nothing had happened.

I really don't think the Story-Ennis would hit his Jack when he was angry.

Even what appeared to be a fight scene up on Brokeback Mountain was merely their horseplay rough-housing and the guys got blood from Ennis's nose all over their shirts. We don't really know how that happened in the book until after the demise of Jack when Ennis discovers the shirts together like two skins in Jack's closet.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Good idea for a thread! I need to come back to this later, either at lunch or at home this evening (I'm at work now).

Interesting, isn't it, that it seems more common to discuss the differences in Ennis? Maybe because it's possible to see the story as being essentially from Ennis's view point? Or simply because Ennis is the one left alive at the end?

I do want to come back and discuss Jack, however. I like "Movie Jack" a lot more--and not just because he's played by Jake Gyllenhaal! 

[serious crayons]

where when Jack says, "Tell you what, sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it." and Ennis does nothing.  I always thought that was strange, almost cold on his part. 

That has always bothered me, too. But others have suggested it's because he feels guilty, knowing that he has to tell Jack he won't be back til November. He does look grim, rather than indifferent or incommunicative. Still, I wasn't sure until I watched the final argument/quit you scene today. Now I'm pretty convinced -- he looks so nervous before breaking the news and waits until literally the last possible moment, as Jack is climbing into his truck. Obviously he has been dreading it. And rightly so!

But getting back on topic, Movie Ennis is far less verbally affectionate. But in some ways, he's more in touch with his feelings than Story Ennis. For example, why would it take SE a YEAR after leaving Brokeback to figure out why he puked? Did he really think it was bad food, or was that just a colorful turn of phrase? In any case, ME may not be able to describe his feelings very articulately, and certainly would never reveal them to Jack, but I think he has at least a general idea of what they are, right there in the alley.

Another difference: Story Ennis seems much less internally homophobic.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Katherine,

Another difference: Story Ennis seems much less internally homophobic.

At least we agree on this one! 

This point came up in discussion a long time ago back at IMDb. It was suggested--not by me, though I agreed with it--that Story Ennis is more constrained by concerns or fears about society's reaction to an open relationship with Jack, whereas Movie Ennis seems more constrained by his own internalized homophobia--literally his own fear of being gay.

[serious crayons]

This point came up in discussion a long time ago back at IMDb. It was suggested--not by me, though I agreed with it--that Story Ennis is more constrained by concerns or fears about society's reaction to an open relationship with Jack, whereas Movie Ennis seems more constrained by his own internalized homophobia--literally his own fear of being gay.

I don't know who wrote the post you're referring to, but I have said that before, myself. Story Ennis' fears seem confined mainly to practical concern about the danger. With Movie Ennis, that's just the tip of the iceberg.

In that respect, ME seems like a more fully realized character. Because, as starboardlight and maybe others have pointed out, growing up gay with a father whom you believe is at least hypothetically capable of tortuing someone to death for being gay could really mess you up.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Katherine,

In that respect, ME seems like a more fully realized character. Because, as starboardlight and maybe others have pointed out, growing up gay with a father whom you believe is at least hypothetically capable of tortuing someone to death for being gay could really mess you up.

Not disagreeing here, just making sure I understand your point. Considering that Story Ennis and Movie Ennis "had the same father," are you suggesting that Story Ennis doesn't seem "messed up enough," or, at least, "as messed up," so to speak, in comparison to his movie incarnation?

Jeff

[serious crayons]

Considering that Story Ennis and Movie Ennis "had the same father," are you suggesting that Story Ennis doesn't seem "messed up enough," or, at least, "as messed up," so to speak, in comparison to his movie incarnation?

Yes. Story Ennis, at least in comparison to Movie Ennis, seems to be making a calculated and rational decision: better not move in with Jack, because two men living together might get attacked. Movie Ennis is afraid of that, too. But that's only part of his problem.

Though story Ennis' fears lead to much unhappiness, they are actually well-founded, based on his childhood experience, Jack's eventual possible fate, and what we all know in real life. If anything, he's just being too rational for his own good. But in that respect, he doesn't seem particularly messed up.