Author Topic: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?  (Read 64017 times)

Offline Artiste

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #40 on: December 15, 2007, 11:18:53 am »
Thanks atz75, thanks moremojo,  thanks injest, and thanks ineedcrayons!!!!

Boy, I sure like your descriptions and thoughts here about Aguirre.

May I pose this question: Why is Aguirre called: Joe?

And here is another way to see maybe Aguirre: start by thinking that he is a gay or bi man; would that make you think differently why he hires Jack a first time? A second time?? Why he hires Ennis to be with Jack??

In the movie, one sure thing is that Aguirre finds Jack cute?? Right?? (Of course, Annie does not describe Jack as that cute but as buck tooth?)

At least, Aguirre teases Jack, since he knows that Jack and Ennis have mutual fun together (since he saw them playing like adolescent kids, and Ennis fall on Jack; as  mutual acts)!! So... is Aguiire also mutually having such gay or bi fun by teasing then Jack (who is somewhat at that moment on the somewhat bottom of the mountain ( a lower plateau), while he (Aguirre) looks up at Ennis who is on the way up top of the mountain ( a higher plateau) ??

Anyway, I am anxious for you to think that Aguirre is maybe gay or bi firstly and so hire Jack (who is cute to him), and then Jack and Ennis as a possible couple??

Hugs!!


Offline brokeplex

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #41 on: December 15, 2007, 08:42:44 pm »
That's how I interpret him, too -- as the guy who was hired to hire the guys who tend the sheep. The actual sheep-owner, I think, would be fancier.



Aguirre could be owner or a partner in a small operation, making small profits and not living an ostentatious lifestyle. He could also be just a salaried bonused foreman fronting for the actual investors. My hunch is that he is the actual owner. The office was too personalized for it to be just company property, I loved the sign above the front door, "Trespassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again" or something close to that!!! My dad had a sign similar to that posted on some of his property when I was a kid.

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #42 on: December 16, 2007, 02:08:45 pm »
I just figured out who Aguirre must have been talking to on the phone (is this the thread where that question was asked?) I now believe it was someone who had worked there last summer with Jack and wanted to come back. But with Ennis standing there before him, Aguirre was saying "Not on your f**kin life!"

"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline brokeplex

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #43 on: December 16, 2007, 02:15:33 pm »
I think that Jack worked alone in the previous summer.

Actually, I think that Aguirre intercepted a 1963 version of a telemarketing call. Probably someone asking him for a charitable donation, maybe the Sierra Club's Wyoming chapter was having a fund raiser.

Offline Artiste

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #44 on: December 16, 2007, 06:22:07 pm »
Thanks all of you!!

You sure bring up an interesting idea Front-Ranger in saying this: I just figured out who Aguirre must have been talking to on the phone (is this the thread where that question was asked?) I now believe it was someone who had worked there last summer with Jack and wanted to come back. But with Ennis standing there before him, Aguirre was saying "Not on your f**kin life!"


.........
Front-Ranger: I would not be surprised that much by that!! To me, likely so... maybe!! Any proof of this by Annie's book?
..........

Brokeplex, what makes you think that Jack worked alone that previous Summer?? I know that I did think that too, but any proof in the movie or book??
..........

And, may I repose my question: Why is Aguirre named: Joe??

Hugs to you and to all!! And Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas and Holidays!!

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #45 on: December 18, 2007, 11:53:41 am »
Something just reminded me of what I can't stand about Aguirre and it applies to Lureen as well. Aguirre and Lureen were perfectly happy to have Jack as an employee or a husband and didn't really care if he was gay or straight, as long as he served their purposes. But when he did anything that was outside their comfort level or cost them something, then all of a sudden they condemned him. In my mind, they killed him just as much as those killer mechanics did by their apathy, judgmental attitude, and self-centerdness.

"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #46 on: December 18, 2007, 12:06:17 pm »
Something just reminded me of what I can't stand about Aguirre and it applies to Lureen as well. Aguirre and Lureen were perfectly happy to have Jack as an employee or a husband and didn't really care if he was gay or straight, as long as he served their purposes. But when he did anything that was outside their comfort level or cost them something, then all of a sudden they condemned him. In my mind, they killed him just as much as those killer mechanics did by their apathy, judgmental attitude, and self-centerdness.

Well, in Aguirre's case I would say that not caring if Jack is gay or straight as long as he did his job is a GOOD thing. That seems like just what you would want in an employer. As a boss, Aguirre's pretty entitled to expect Jack to serve his purpose -- that is, to do his job. And if what Jack did that was outside Aguirre's comfort level was not perform his job well, thereby costing Aguirre sheep/money, then Aguirre seems within his rights to object. I don't see how that's the equivalent of killing him.

As for Lureen, I think she DID care if her husband was gay or straight. And as his wife, she's entitled to care. She expected him to be straight, and when it turned out he wasn't, then she was no longer happy. But I don't think she condemned him; she put up with him, albeit turning her focus on her work and away from her frustrating marriage. I guess I don't see that as the equivalent of killing him, either.




Offline brokeplex

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #47 on: December 18, 2007, 03:56:14 pm »
I read in one of the essays in "Reading Brokeback Mountain" that the expression on Aguirre's (Quaid to be exact)  face in the film was more of pain rather than disgust when he espied Ennis and Jack roiling in the dust. Does anyone else see that?

 I think that Aguirre should have chewed Jack's ass out left and right when he came down to tell him about Uncle Harold. He chose not too do so, he simply scowled. Jack was messing around with Ennis, when Ennis should have been TENDING TO THE SHEEP! Aguirre is in business, and basically the boys were letting the coyotes eat the sheep while they played around. I am amazed at how patient Aguirre was with Jack. I wouldn't have had that type of patience with Jack. I chewed out a straight engineer last weekend for giving me bad data logs on a well, that costs me money to have bad logs.

Aguirre was more patient than me! It is not homophobia, or heterophobia to expect an employee to do finish their tasks.

Now to the comment Aguirre made in the trailer in 1964 when Jack came back for a new job. Essentially, Aguirre was willing to let Jack leave without mentioning his knowledge that Ennis and Jack's affair created an inattention to the sheep. This negligence contributed to the unacceptable financial losses Aguirre suffered that year. Of course Aguirre wasn't going to hire him again! But he didn't bring up his knowledge of their 'affair'.... UNTIL, Jack tried to use Aguirre as a dating service!

" Ennis del Mar ain't been around, has he?"  Wow, what cheek!! I might not have used such a cute euphemism as "stemming the rose" if I had addressed Jack under those circumstances where he lost me money. From the standpoint of Aguirre, Ennis and Jack were simply irresponsible and failed in their tasks.

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #48 on: December 18, 2007, 05:05:07 pm »
From the standpoint of Aguirre, Ennis and Jack were simply irresponsible and failed in their tasks.
Ah, but they succeeded in something much, much more important.

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #49 on: December 18, 2007, 05:29:35 pm »
I was reading in True West Magazine that the main reason two sheepherders were sent up the mountain together was so that they could, er, keep each other company through the long summer. Even for the most staunchly straight guy, a whole summer without the companionship of anything but sheep and dogs was just too much to ask.

"chewing gum and duct tape"