I’d like to weigh in if I could…
So I realized -- wait a minute, Mr. Twist is threatening and abusive and neglectful and rude and all that bad stuff. But the one thing he isn't, at least not in any obvious way, is homophobic!
I agree.
Watch the part of the scene as Ennis gives his “feel real bad” spiel. Don’t watch Ennis. Watch OMT. Here’s a man who has recently lost his son to an accidental death (we have no reason to believe that OMT sees it any other way). Along comes a man (Ennis) to talk about Jack. Because of OMT’s comments later in the scene, we know that during Ennis’ spiel OMT knows that Ennis was a friend of Jack’s (we KNOW that much). Watching OMT during the spiel, OMT is very stoic, very quiet, he listens to what Ennis says. Then OMT speaks:
“I’ll tell you what. I know where Brokeback Mountain is. Thought he was too goddamn special to be buried in the family plot. (prominent exhale) Jack used to say… “Ennis del Mar,” he used to say. “I’m gonna bring him up here one of these days… and we’ll lick this damn ranch into shape.” He had some half-baked notion the two of you was gonna move up here… build a cabin… help run the place. (spit) Then, this spring…he got another fella gonna come up here with him… build the place, help run the ranch. Some ranch neighbor of his from down in Texas. Gonna split up with his wife and come back here… so he says. But, like most of Jack’s ideas… never come to pass.”
Now watch it again. But don’t watch. Close your eyes. Notice OMT’s delivery. There is very little snippiness in his voice. It’s very straightforward and mechanical – very much like Lureen in the previous scene. Hauntingly so. There is a raw emotion in his voice that, to me, expresses a very reserved sorrow. Overall, because his son has recently died. But, here, specifically, because the guy sitting across the table from him is THE guy of whom Jack used to speak. And what did Jack say about Ennis to OMT? That they were going to come up, build a cabin, help run the place. THIS is OMT’s focus here. Jack left OMT and the ranch when he was about 18-19. He’s come back sporadically to help sporadically. And all along, Jack would talk of bringing a guy up there to help run the ranch. This is what OMT wanted and expected. And when it didn’t work out to bring Ennis up, Jack started talking about bringing a different man up. But this didn’t happen either – because of Jack’s death. Had Ennis come up with Jack, OMT would have had help running the ranch. AND Jack wouldn’t be dead because Jack wouldn’t have had to have fixed that flat tire in Texas.
OMT is grieving about his son’s death – in his own way, which we may not agree with or understand, but he is still grieving (or dealing with it?). But in this particular scene, the focus is on OMT’s two losses – help with the ranch and Jack’s death. And he puts the blame for both on Ennis. The first part of OMT’s spiel blames Ennis for the ranch help loss –
then he spits and changes focus. The new focus is now on Jack’s death and OMT’s blaming Ennis for it – nothing after the spit would have happened had Ennis come up with Jack.
This whole spiel came right after Ennis made his spiel. And what did Ennis say? He feels bad about Jack, knew him a long time, take his ashes up on Brokeback. What’s the subtext? "I’m someone special to Jack and I’m worthy of stepping in here and fulfilling Jack’s last wish."
But OMT’s response refutes what Ennis just said. His entire spiel blames Ennis for not fulfilling a wish of Jack’s (one that would have helped OMT) and it blames Ennis for Jack’s death. What OMT is really saying here is “You’re not so goddamn special. You didn’t fulfill his earlier wish and he dropped you like a half-baked hot potato (
). And now you expect to walk into my home and say that you’re the special one who should carry out his last wish?” And then post-closet he adds (subtextually) “I’m his family and I’ll decide what’s best for my son.” And after each spiel of OMT denigrating Ennis and his “specialness,” Mrs. Twist reassures Ennis that Ennis really is someone special. She offers that Ennis can go up to Jack’s room – a very personal thing to offer – and she asks him to come back. I have always seen a Christian symbolism here in that she offered him coffee and cherry cake (communion, wine and bread) and at the end she asks him to come back (communion, fellowship).
The main focus of the Twist home scene is the “specialness” of Ennis to Jack. OMT focuses on why Ennis isn’t so special. Jack tells Ennis he is special (the shirts). Mrs. Twist confirms this to Ennis, in effect, disagreeing with her husband. Who, interestingly enough, does not throw out an objection. He has already had his final word on how “special” Ennis is… he didn’t release Jack’s ashes to Ennis.
Now, what does all of this have to do with OMT’s possible homophobia?
It’s all about what he knows or doesn’t know. As latjoreme said:
… it doesn't matter how Mr. Twist knew Jack was gay. Only that he knew it.
If OMT does NOT know about Jack, then a discussion of OMT’s homophobia is not relevant here. Let’s say OMT is a racist. It’s not an issue HERE because Ennis is not from another race. If OMT is sexist, it’s not an issue HERE because Ennis is not a woman. If OMT is homophobic, then it is not an issue HERE because OMT doesn’t know about Ennis – this is if we accept the premise that OMT does NOT know.
So what if we accept the premise that OMT DOES know? Here’s where a discussion of potential homophobia becomes a relevant issue. Now, to discuss his potential homophobia we must look at the interaction (as we just did). The focus is on OMT’s losses and that he blames Ennis for them. The focus is on showing Ennis that he is no one special because OMT blames Ennis for the losses. Had Ennis agreed to come up with Jack, OMT would have accepted that. This is pretty clear because OMT did NOT voice a displeasure with such a situation. In fact, he blames Ennis’ not coming up there for his first loss – ranch help. Also, as Ennis walks out with the shirts, OMT does NOT stop him. He has made his point about how “unspecial” Ennis is. He is going to keep the ashes. So why not let the guy take the shirts. Shirts -- a personal, intimate remembrance. Not the little horsey. Not the little rifle. But the shirts. In my opinion, OMT DOES know and he doesn’t care. If he is homophobic, he hides it well (yet he didn’t hide his other displeasure at all). The filmmakers also hide it well – because it isn’t there. Once again, two things at play here. First the viewer does not get what it may naturally expect as being obvious. Second, as is shown throughout the film, “societal” homophobia is not the relevant factor in Ennis’ character – his own internalized homophobia is.
This is all why I agree completely with this observation from latjoreme (and latjoreme and I do not always agree):
When you come right down to it, the very fact that he might be despicable, yet not homophobic, means more than the fact that nice Mrs. Twist isn't homophobic. And because he's the father of a gay man, as was Ennis' evil dad, it's an unmistakable parallel. Much as he might resent Mr. Twist's rudeness, this must have been more stunning to Ennis than Mrs. Twist's kindness. Mr. Twist is an asshole -- yet very pointedly not a homophobic asshole.
… I now think we're meant to notice that he's just plain not homophobic. So, in Ennis' mind [what’s the significance]? It's the very opposite of what his own dad taught him to expect.
Mikaela is correct in noting:
…the Mr. Twist/Mr. Del Mar contrast that you point out Katherine, is especially difficult to notice due to the audiences' preconceived notions, which we share with Ennis.
And
… [Ennis] still believes or fears Mr. Twist *must* surely be a homophobe when he leaves … I see it in the way Ennis holds the shirts when he gets back down - shielding them somewhat from Mr. Twist, sending him a worried, pained look … he still expects homophobia to reveal itself in the most painful way possible.
And MOST importantly:
But it doesn't.
And another good observation:
Ennis fears everyone can look at him and *know*. The meeting with Mr. Twist shows him that even if that were so, for most of those people there are other hang-ups, other more important issues in the world - that they in fact, even when faced directly with the issue of homosexuality, may not consider that a big deal compared to other matters.
And another good observation from Atz75:
I also think that Ennis rolled the shirts up in a way so that only Jack's blue shirt is really visible while his own shirt is very much hidden. This I think shows he's still very worried about a homophobic reaction.
And:
… about their queer-ness not being a big deal to many/ some people (as opposed to Ennis's somewhat overblown fear about intense homophobic reaction at every turn)... I think it's extremely important that in this case the people who don't seem to take it as such a big deal are Jack's parents. Some of the most important people in their lives (had they lived together) seemingly would have accepted them (even if grudgingly on the part of Mr. Twist). They aren't just random people who might be OK with Jack and Ennis being gay... These were potentially Ennis's "in-laws."
Excellent point!
Now, dly64 (someone I often agree with) and I are not on the same page here.
What Mr. Twist is relaying is his contempt for Jack, Jack’s lover, and Jack’s lifestyle. IMO, Mr. Twist is giving Ennis, Jack, Jack’s ideas, etc. the finger. Since Jack could never please his father … do you really think Mr. Twist thought Jack would actually move up there and help run the ranch? Mr. Twist makes it clear that Jack’s ideas were foolish and that, “like most of Jack’s ideas it never come to pass.”
I don’t see contempt for Jack here as much as OMT defending Jack. It’s as if he’s saying that Jack HAD an idea that OMT would have accepted. But it didn’t come to pass. And why not? Because of Ennis – to OMT, that is. OMT said Jack's ideas never came to pass. Again, closing my eyes and listening to the tone of voice, and keeping in mind that he’s saying this to Ennis, blaming Ennis, makes me think that OMT is not making a judgment on Jack’s ideas as much as he’s expressing dismay that his recently deceased son never had any of his wishes come to pass – even though he went out into the world and made a go of it. Sure enough, I can see a bit of judgment here, but given the spiel in context, I think it’s much more about how to pass the blame for Jack’s ideas never coming to pass. Ennis knows damn well here that he IS to blame for Jack’s idea of living on the ranch together never coming to pass and Ennis is most likely haunted by the notion that he is indirectly to blame for Jack’s death – because if Jack only hadn’t been there at that time… and he wouldn’t have been, but for Ennis. This scene reinforces Ennis’ guilt by OMT reinforcing the blame that Ennis has already put on his own shoulders, and this scene compounds the guilt by showing Ennis that a should-be parallel to his own father is not sitting across from him at the table with a tire iron in his lap.
When Ennis comes down with the shirts, he holds them away from Mr. Twist. John represents societal homophobia …. an abusive SOB who probably figured his son was gay when he was a child (could have John been gay himself and took it out on his son?? Just a thought). Mrs. Twist represents compassion and love … despite what others may think of her son and his lover. IMO, Ennis became even more homophobic after he left the Twist’s. He saw the hatred in Mr. Twist. He assumed (rightly or wrongly) that Jack had been murdered because someone “found out.” Even though Ennis received compassion from Jack’s mother, it is the male “role model” who shows that his sexuality should be hated and despised.
I don’t see it this way.
First, let me be very clear – OMT is an asshole and I am not defending him. I’m just expressing what I believe is more observable in the scene.
That said, if we are going to look at what each of the three characters represents at the moment Ennis brings the shirts down, I’d have to go more with something like this:
Ennis – homophobia – he tries to hide evidence of their relationship from what he fears to be the homophobia in the room.
OMT – begrudged tolerance of homosexuality -- he doesn’t smile, but he doesn’t stop Ennis, either.
Mrs. Twist – actual acceptance of homosexuality – she smiles and aids Ennis.
As to the discussion of “too goddamn special,” it probably has its roots in things like Jack’s leaving the ranch at 18-19 to find his own way in life, or his increased economic status, etc. But I think it’s more important to see it as a lead-in to OMT’s observations of Ennis not being anyone special -- “Don’t come in here acting so goddamn special that you’re going to do the “family thing” and take his ashes to Brokeback. Jack wasn’t that goddamn special and neither are you.”
As to the discussion on the effect this scene has on Ennis, I agree with mikaela:
… That Jack *had* actually told them enough to let them catch on to the real nature of his relationship with Ennis (and left the shirts there as further confirmation for Jack's mother to find and interpret) must have come as atotal surprise to Ennis; - and, I postulate, will benefit Ennis in the long run once he had time to process the Twist couple's behaviour.
Finally, mikaela said:
And I have to wonder; - if a rich marriage and money down in Texas meant so little to Jack, why didn't he leave and return to Wyoming to live closer to Ennis, in order to be able to cross Ennis's path more often, even if Ennis insisted he wouldn't give him the sweet life? Why was Jack so passive in changing their circumstances in order to try to change Ennis's mind? Could money be one of his several reasons there, too? I think Ennis was wrong in one thing: Jack *didn't* forget what it was like, being broke all the time - and I think he didn't particularly wish to re-live that memory, unless it came with a virtual guarantee of a sweet life with ....someone.
I can agree with all of this, but also remember Bobby.