Author Topic: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?  (Read 64002 times)

Offline brokeplex

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When I first saw Brokeback Mountain the movie, I was immediately pleased with the opening titles and I was delighted that Heath and Jake were kind to my eyes. But Ang Lee didn't hook me into the movie until Randy Quaid drove up as Joe Aguirre. When Joe walked by Ennis and gave him a look that said "you are just dirt from the wrong side of town", I knew that Ang Lee had a winner. He really captured the type of character in Aguirre that I have seen in real life from time to time.

So, have any of you had Joe Aguirre's in your lives? And what do you think of Randy Quaid's performance?

Offline Artiste

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Great questions brokeplex!!

That actor plays greatly his part, it seems to me! Am glad too that he demanded more $ for his role!!

There are many such Aquirres in my life! I must find them... and think more about some, in order to tell you about that!! Are they gay, or anti-gay or something else???

Hugs!


Offline Brown Eyes

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When I first saw Brokeback Mountain the movie, I was immediately pleased with the opening titles and I was delighted that Heath and Jake were kind to my eyes. But Ang Lee didn't hook me into the movie until Randy Quaid drove up as Joe Aguirre. When Joe walked by Ennis and gave him a look that said "you are just dirt from the wrong side of town", I knew that Ang Lee had a winner. He really captured the type of character in Aguirre that I have seen in real life from time to time.

So, have any of you had Joe Aguirre's in your lives? And what do you think of Randy Quaid's performance?


Hey brokeplex!  This is a great topic.  I **love** the opening 10 minutes or so of the film.  It's in fact one of my favorite cinematic experiences.  I'll disagree with you slightly in that I think the silent interaction between Jack and Ennis is so enigmatic and fascinating... that it immediately drew me into the film.  This is a personal reaction of course, and I can imagine it would be different for different viewers.  The opening sequence is so spare and subtle (highlighted by the lack of dialogue) that it forces me to really contemplate small details.

Like the tire that spins-out on Jack's tire when he arrives.  In the quietness of the opening... this tire almost becomes a climactic moment of action.  The truck almost seems to have a personality... which, of course interacts with Jack's own personality (even before we know anything about Jack, we're given a clue that he might be high-spirited).

And, decisions about framing specific shots seem to take on heightened meaning... Like why is there such a point made to juxtapose Jack's profile with a square patch of waving, green grass in the background?  I think this is immensely important to the very last shot in the film....

The silent beginning is almost like poetry to me... completely enigmatic because with the silences no real clear-cut answers can be provided.

And Ennis's body language is it's own huge topic here.

Etc.

But, you're absolutely right to note that Aguirre really does sort of herald the beginning of the action in a certain way.

I think Randy Quaid did a brilliant job depicting a sour, grumpy, boss-man.  I also quite like that so much of Aguirre's dialogue is lifted directly out of Proulx's writing.  I think it's good to begin the dialogue of the film with a fairly direct homage to Proulx.  I think Aguirre is really a hugely symbolic figure.

In this early, trailer scene it's Aguirre who begins the time line by tossing Ennis the watch (which ends with "never enough time" and the presumably-stopped clock in Jack's boyhood bedroom in Lightning Flat).  And, I know that there are those out there who see Aguirre's bizarre phone call conversation as being a kind of anti-marriage rite (the "no, no, no") while Ennis and Jack stand before him like a doomed couple.  I can't take credit for that observation... I know I've read it around here somewhere. 

And, of course, in this opening sequence, Aguirre's ever-important binoculars are hidden away in the case that hangs behind his head.  So, Ennis never gets a glimpse of Aguirre's potential power of observation.  Jack eventually learns exactly how much Aguirre has been able to see (with the "Uncle Harold" conversation, which seems to give Jack a clue about this... since Aguirre brings his binoculars with him) and later with the "stemming the rose" visit where Aguirre's binoculars are again hanging behind his head in the trailer, but this time they're completely visible and exposed to Jack. 

Maybe, given Ennis's fears, it's crucial that Ennis never sees these binoculars for the relationship with Jack to progress or even happen at all.


the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline brokeplex

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Hey brokeplex!  This is a great topic.  I **love** the opening 10 minutes or so of the film.  It's in fact one of my favorite cinematic experiences.  I'll disagree with you slightly in that I think the silent interaction between Jack and Ennis is so enigmatic and fascinating... that it immediately drew me into the film.  This is a personal reaction of course, and I can imagine it would be different for different viewers.  The opening sequence is so spare and subtle (highlighted by the lack of dialogue) that it forces me to really contemplate small details.

Like the tire that spins-out on Jack's tire when he arrives.  In the quietness of the opening... this tire almost becomes a climactic moment of action.  The truck almost seems to have a personality... which, of course interacts with Jack's own personality (even before we know anything about Jack, we're given a clue that he might be high-spirited).

And, decisions about framing specific shots seem to take on heightened meaning... Like why is there such a point made to juxtapose Jack's profile with a square patch of waving, green grass in the background?  I think this is immensely important to the very last shot in the film....

The silent beginning is almost like poetry to me... completely enigmatic because with the silences no real clear-cut answers can be provided.

And Ennis's body language is it's own huge topic here.

Etc.

But, you're absolutely right to note that Aguirre really does sort of herald the beginning of the action in a certain way.

I think Randy Quaid did a brilliant job depicting a sour, grumpy, boss-man.  I also quite like that so much of Aguirre's dialogue is lifted directly out of Proulx's writing.  I think it's good to begin the dialogue of the film with a fairly direct homage to Proulx.  I think Aguirre is really a hugely symbolic figure.

In this early, trailer scene it's Aguirre who begins the time line by tossing Ennis the watch (which ends with "never enough time" and the presumably-stopped clock in Jack's boyhood bedroom in Lightning Flat).  And, I know that there are those out there who see Aguirre's bizarre phone call conversation as being a kind of anti-marriage rite (the "no, no, no") while Ennis and Jack stand before him like a doomed couple.  I can't take credit for that observation... I know I've read it around here somewhere. 

And, of course, in this opening sequence, Aguirre's ever-important binoculars are hidden away in the case that hangs behind his head.  So, Ennis never gets a glimpse of Aguirre's potential power of observation.  Jack eventually learns exactly how much Aguirre has been able to see (with the "Uncle Harold" conversation, which seems to give Jack a clue about this... since Aguirre brings his binoculars with him) and later with the "stemming the rose" visit where Aguirre's binoculars are again hanging behind his head in the trailer, but this time they're completely visible and exposed to Jack. 

Maybe, given Ennis's fears, it's crucial that Ennis never sees these binoculars for the relationship with Jack to progress or even happen at all.




I love your observations, you have noticed some subtle details that totally went over my head. I'm definitely saving your post for reference when I fire up the movie for the  x + nth time.........

Offline brokeplex

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He is that man that wants so bad to be the bigshot....but never is satisfied. He takes his pleasure from holding himself as being superior. That is why he has to be so aggressive. A man that is truly happy in himself and secure in his OWN manhood doesn't have to bluster and curse. He is a bully pure and simple. An old bully that is refusing to admit to himself that he is getting old and fading and feels dissatisfied with life in general.

I think Randy Quaid did a real good job portraying him although he is my least (ok second to least) favorite character in the movie.

and I think we have ALL run into that person...we have one or two here at Bettermost! LOL!!

do you think he is a good boss? do you think that he treated Ennis and Jack fairly within the context of the times in which they liived?

Offline Brown Eyes

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I love your observations, you have noticed some subtle details that totally went over my head. I'm definitely saving your post for reference when I fire up the movie for the  x + nth time.........

Thanks Bud! :-*


And, about Aguirre being a reasonable boss or not...  I think his biggest problem at the beginning of the film is that he's asking Jack and Ennis to do something that's blatantly against the Forest Service's policy.  It's really not a very fair thing for a boss to ask of employees.  Of course, he's a big jerk too, which does not help in any assessment of Aguirre as a "good" or "fair" boss.

the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Artiste

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Thanks brokeplex!

To you, why did Acquirre hire again Jack?

There was a terrible lost the year before! So why hire Jack a second time?

This seems fishy??

Hugs!

Offline Brown Eyes

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Artiste, that's a good question about why Aguirre would hire Jack again.

Maybe Aguirre was fair enough, after all, to realize that Jack really couldn't control the weather which killed the sheep.  Or maybe Aguirre was desperate for help during the summer of '63.

The brief references to Jack's earlier summer on Brokeback definitely lead to some mysteries.


the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Artiste

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Aguirre could have easily got rid of Jack the first time, and not hire him again!

So why? employ Jack a second time?

Hugs!

Offline Brown Eyes

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Hi Artiste,

It's a good question.  Why do you think he hired him again?
the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie