Who would you like to have played in the Movie?

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Yesterday while allowing my tangential mind to fire randomly it occurred to me how well suited our own Meryl would have been in the roll of Linda Higgins in the film version of Brokeback Mountain, had the gift shop proprietor made it into the scrip.

Then I got to thinking, having seen the movie so many time, which one of the rolls would you have loved to try on yourself? For me, I would love to have played the "Hundred Thousand Dollar Tractors/Shit like that" Bartender when Jack meets Lureen.

I could just see myself wiping that glass clean and responding to Jack/Jakes question "You know who that girl is?" with a firm: "She's married to the owner, you want to go back to my place for a drink?"
 
 
 

[Monika]

Good one, Tru 


I have to think about this 

[Jeff Wrangler]

Then I got to thinking, having seen the movie so many time, which one of the rolls would you have loved to try on yourself? For me, I would love to have played the "Hundred Thousand Dollar Tractors/Shit like that" Bartender when Jack meets Lureen.

Our minds think alike. That's the first role I thought of for myself! 

There's also the "Ever try calf ropin'?" bartender, but I think I'd rather be the "Is that the pissant that used to ride the bulls?" farmer? 

[southendmd]

Great topic, Tru.

I think it would be fun to play the Basque. 

Rouxb seems to agree with me:

[Meryl]

I think your imagining me as Linda Higgins is an inspired choice, Truman!  I know I could have aced that role.  

If we're talking fantasy, then I'd choose Alma to play.  If we're talking reality, and someone that actually appeared in the movie, it's a toss-up between Monroe's assistant at the grocery when Ennis breezes in with the girls in tow and the tattooed lady dancing in the Wolf Ears bar when Ennis met Cassie.  

And I can totally see you as the Tractors/Shit Like That bartender! 

[Luvlylittlewing]

Any of you think there could have been a role for a black woman in the movie?  If I can fantasize, I would love to play the part of Lureen, but I'm probably better suited for the role of Alma. 

[Jeff Wrangler]

And I can totally see you as the Tractors/Shit Like That bartender! 

Failing the bartender, I think Tru would make a good Jolly Minister, too. 

[Monika]

After some hard thinking, I think the best thing for me would have been to play the part of Aguirre, if Ang would have been willing on making him into a female. I think I could channel some Angela Channing when needed  

[Monika]

Our minds think alike. That's the first role I thought of for myself! 

There's also the "Ever try calf ropin'?" bartender, but I think I'd rather be the "Is that the pissant that used to ride the bulls?" farmer? 

For some reason I think you´d be perfect as the minister who marries Alma and Ennis, Jeff. You could have taken the opportunity to intervene, too 

[milomorris]

I would like to play the role of Ang Lee. People forget that directors also make scads of money, plus Ang got the Oscar.

[southendmd]

I'd be willing to play Cigar Butt and check out them caliper legs. 

[Sason]

I'd play Aguirre, and check out Jack and Ennis in my binoculars all day long.   

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

I could play "Bobby" playing with his soup, but maybe I might be a bit tall. (I wouldn't get the part, but for the audition, could I sit in Jake's lap in the tractor anyway?)

[serious crayons]

I'd play Mrs. Newsome. I'd like to see myself in a beehive hairdo.

Any of you think there could have been a role for a black woman in the movie?

Of course! We're doing imaginative casting here. Gender, race and age are no restriction.

[Luvlylittlewing]

I'd play Mrs. Newsome. I'd like to see myself in a beehive hairdo.

Of course! We're doing imaginative casting here. Gender, race and age are no restriction.

Fabulous!  In that case, I'd play Lureen.  She had to endure heartache, as did Alma, but Lureen's is the meatier, more glamorous role, IMHO.

[milomorris]

Any of you think there could have been a role for a black woman in the movie?

I'm very glad that you asked this question. The answer is very likely. I've never visited Riverton, Childress, Lightning Flat, or Sage. So I cannot vouch for the ethnic make-up of these towns. But one thing Brokeback did to me was to ignite a curiosity about blacks in the American West. During an opera gig in Houston in 2006, I paid a visit to the Buffalo Soldier Museum. It was amazing. There were all kinds of art and artifacts depicting and detailing the lives of African Americans in the western states both before and after Emancipation. It was an eye-opening experience. Ranch work was at the top of the job list for black men out there, especially in Kansas which was a slave state.

Additionally, I lived in Lincoln, Nebraska for most of 1991. While there I was confronted with the fact that blacks are a secondary minority to Mexicanos in that part of the country. My conversations with blacks from the small towns in the interior and western part of the state revealed that if you were black in these places, everybody knew who you were whether you knew them or not.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I'd play Mrs. Newsome. I'd like to see myself in a beehive hairdo.

    

Someone could probably arrange that through Photoshop. ...

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Any of you think there could have been a role for a black woman in the movie?  If I can fantasize, I would love to play the part of Lureen, but I'm probably better suited for the role of Alma. 

I think you would make an awesome Newsome!

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I'd be willing to play Cigar Butt and check out them caliper legs. 

Yup, all that time of yurs in the saddle makes it so good! 

[serious crayons]

She had to endure heartache, as did Alma, but Lureen's is the meatier, more glamorous role, IMHO.

I agree. Lureen is a much more interesting character.

[Luvlylittlewing]

I'm very glad that you asked this question. The answer is very likely. I've never visited Riverton, Childress, Lightning Flat, or Sage. So I cannot vouch for the ethnic make-up of these towns. But one thing Brokeback did to me was to ignite a curiosity about blacks in the American West. During an opera gig in Houston in 2006, I paid a visit to the Buffalo Soldier Museum. It was amazing. There were all kinds of art and artifacts depicting and detailing the lives of African Americans in the western states both before and after Emancipation. It was an eye-opening experience. Ranch work was at the top of the job list for black men out there, especially in Kansas which was a slave state.

Additionally, I lived in Lincoln, Nebraska for most of 1991. While there I was confronted with the fact that blacks are a secondary minority to Mexicanos in that part of the country. My conversations with blacks from the small towns in the interior and western part of the state revealed that if you were black in these places, everybody knew who you were whether you knew them or not.

Thanks for the info, Milo; I'm fascinated!  I've always been curious about this subject, but I've never had a chance to research it.  Thanks, again! 

[Luvlylittlewing]

I think you would make an awesome Newsome!

Aww, thanks so much! 

[Luvlylittlewing]

I agree. Lureen is a much more interesting character.

Playing Lureen would certainly be a challenge.  I'm not as outgoing and ambitious as she is. 

[Jeff Wrangler]

I agree. Lureen is a much more interesting character.

She has much more interesting hair than Alma, too.   

[Ellemeno]

Hm, if gender, ethnicity and age don't matter, then let's say inhibitions don't matter either.  I'd play Cassie.

[Penthesilea]

If gender, ethnicity, age and inhibitions don't matter, then let's say accents don't matter either. I'd play Alma.

I don't think she's as boring as some might think. She's loving and patient, and willing to endure much (much more than I am) - but she also tells Ennis she'd love to have more of his babies if he could support them, she yells at him that supper's on the stove, she's the one who finally gets out of that unhappy marriage (even though with Monroe as backup) and she finally, finally confronts him on Thanksgiving.

[Brown Eyes]

Hm, if gender, ethnicity and age don't matter, then let's say inhibitions don't matter either.  I'd play Cassie.

I'd play Cassie too... seems like a fun role, and at least she didn't need to take her top off.

[serious crayons]

LaShawn would be fun, as well. And also fully dressed!