Author Topic: Lookin for the handle  (Read 10303 times)

Offline Front-Ranger

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Lookin for the handle
« on: October 06, 2007, 03:15:20 pm »
Annie Proulx writes in the last paragraph of the story, "...the can of beans with the spoon handle jutting out and balanced on the log was there as well, in a cartoon shape and lurid colors that gave the dreams a flavor of comic obscenity."

In pivotal parts of the movie, we see handles of all kinds jutting out. Some of the memorable ones are...

"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Lynne

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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2007, 03:38:06 pm »
How about the handles on the two buckets of water Jack brings up when they're making the first camp?
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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2007, 03:45:19 pm »
Yes, I remember those canvas buckets and the way the water slopped over when he put them down!

And that reminds me of another bucket...when we see Jack's back as he "relieves himself" probly of too much whiskey as they pass the time around the campfire, there is a bucket hanging from a tree sideways up near his head. Its hanging by its handle, natch!!
"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Lynne

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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2007, 03:54:42 pm »
Good one, Lee - love Jack flicking the belt buckle. :D

And Jack's holding the handle on the saw cutting wood setting up that first camp too.
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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2007, 02:14:32 am »
Another handle that leaped out at me when I saw it was the handle of the pot on the stove to Alma's right just before she said, "Ennis, do you know someone name a Jack?"

"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Lynne

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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2007, 10:09:20 am »
I watched again this morning and that saw doesn't seem to really have a handle.   ???  What do I know?

Ax handles are strewn around liberally, though.
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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2007, 11:54:18 am »
Well, it's a different kind of a handle. As I recall, that is a bow saw, and it's Ennis who uses it.

Regarding those ax handles, most of us have remarked on how the ax handle seems to be pointing to Jack's head  :'( while he sits by the campfire. A corollary that I noticed is that when Ennis is sitting in his trailer at the end of the movie talking to Alma Jr., there is a knife block full of knives behind him and the knife handles seem to be coming out of his head.

 :-\
"chewing gum and duct tape"

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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2007, 10:35:15 pm »
Ooooooh, a list-makin’ opportunity. Bobby’s spoon handle at Thanksgiving. Alma Junior’s coffee cup (at the end)—she doesn’t hold it by the handle. Jack’s mom holds her coffee cup by the handle. Door handles. Car door handles—polishing them while telling someone what you should’ve said a week ago.

Yee-haw! The sublime list-maker returns! Adia, you know how I love your lists!!
"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Lynne

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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2007, 03:52:10 am »
Great to see you, Adia!  Now I'm wondering about Alma holding her coffee cup, while awaiting Ennis' return after the Motel Siesta night...(compared to Junior in her last scene)...I have to find my website with the screenshots.

And it occurs to me that the various trailers (Ennis' at the end) as well as the ones that brought the horses to camp over the years had hitches (aka handles).  A stretch?
"Laß sein. Laß sein."

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Lookin for the handle
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2008, 01:27:43 am »
I was just perusing some of the older Open Forum pages and came across this great old thread... It seems like this topic of tire irons and spoons is hot again.  So, I thought I'd give it a nudge back up to page one.

the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie