Production Mistakes I think they Made on the Movie

[Jeff Wrangler]

The Twist house does feel overly stark. I tend to agree though, that Ang Lee did this on purpose. And yes, that ice box should at the very least been a gas or propane fired fridge.

Hey, Westerners, do they use propane refrigerators on ranches? 

Forgive an iggorant Easterner here. ... 

I understand it's common among our Amish population here in Central Pennsylvania for homes to have propane refrigerators so they can have the safety and modern convenience of refrigeration without the "connection to the outside world" of electric power lines, but it never occurred to me that propane fridges might be used on isolated ranches.

[RossInIllinois]

Another thing that bugs me a little about this film is the lack of intimacy that is shown between the two actors. Its almost like someone at a meeting said to the writers we can only allow 3 "gay" scenes and the rest of it has to look look straight between them. And what we do get looks very stiff (no pun intended) and mechanical. After the Motel scene this movie is so "scrubbed" of "gay" its not funny.  We see no real holding no kissing no cuddling between the actors after that. mostly just bickering and scenes and conversations about there relationship. In the standing sleeping sequence Ennis should have given Jake a soft kiss on the neck or something BUT Nooo that might look To "gay" is how it comes off to me. It appears Universal had a REAL TIGHT leash on the "gayness" of this gay movie.  

[serious crayons]

My belief is that the lack of love scenes after the first half of the movie is designed to make the audience vicariously and viscerally feel Ennis' and Jack's deprivation of time together.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Another thing that bugs me a little about this film is the lack of intimacy that is shown between the two actors. Its almost like someone at a meeting said to the writers we can only allow 3 "gay" scenes and the rest of it has to look look straight between them. And what we do get looks very stiff (no pun intended) and mechanical. After the Motel scene this movie is so "scrubbed" of "gay" its not funny.  We see no real holding no kissing no cuddling between the actors after that. mostly just bickering and scenes and conversations about there relationship. In the standing sleeping sequence Ennis should have given Jake a soft kiss on the neck or something BUT Nooo that might look To "gay" is how it comes off to me. It appears Universal had a REAL TIGHT leash on the "gayness" of this gay movie.  

My belief is that the lack of love scenes after the first half of the movie is designed to make the audience vicariously and viscerally feel Ennis' and Jack's deprivation of time together.

While I wouldn't be surprised if at some level there was a deliberate decision to downplay the male-male intimacy, I think perhaps the reason for that decision might be up for debate. Generally I agree with Katherine.

If by the "standing sleeping sequence" ("You're sleepin' on your feet like a horse"), you mean what many folks here usually call "the dozy embrace," I think it would have been inappropriate--as in untrue to the source story material--for Ennis to give Jack "a soft kiss on the neck or something." I've always felt it was quite remarkable how much this film is, in fact, true to Annie Proulx. And Ennis is not a man who is comfortable in his own gay skin.

[nic]

....But here's one I have seen with my own eyes, and I've never seen anybody else mention it. During the "happy tussel" after TS2, I see a mule start to walk out from behind a bush, and then what appears to be a man step out and pull the mule back behind the bush. If you're in doubt and want to take a close look without putting in the DVD, check out the scene in "4 Nights in 20 Years":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZTMBth4-lg&search=brokeback

Man alive, that's a bad one - but hard to spot as mostly one is mesmerized by the antics of J & E    Lucky spurious guy though, he got a closer look & that mule only wanted to join in!

I'll weigh in on the Twist house while I'm here - I don't think it can be categorised as a production mistake.  I think it is artistic licence/an exagerration of the starkness, and it's quite possible that they wouldn't have had "mod cons".  One of my relatives only had an outdoor privvy until the late 90s in central UK & another one was using a tub & mangle to do the laundry into the 80s.  People from earlier generations tended to have more of a frugal lifestyle. 

[Jeff Wrangler]

Man alive, that's a bad one - but hard to spot as mostly one is mesmerized by the antics of J & E    Lucky spurious guy though, he got a closer look & that mule only wanted to join in!

I'll weigh in on the Twist house while I'm here - I don't think it can be categorised as a production mistake.  I think it is artistic licence/an exagerration of the starkness, and it's quite possible that they wouldn't have had "mod cons".  One of my relatives only had an outdoor privvy until the late 90s in central UK & another one was using a tub & mangle to do the laundry into the 80s.  People from earlier generations tended to have more of a frugal lifestyle. 

I take it a "mangle" is what folks in the U.K. call what folks in the U.S. generally call a washboard--like when Alma is scrubbing the clothes when she asks Ennis to wipe Alma, Jr.,'s nose?

Tell you what, though, speaking of modern conveniences reminds me of differences in Ennis and Jack's childhood environment as mentioned in the story. In the motel room in the story, Ennis tells Jack how he got his elder brother to stop beating up on him by ambushing him and beating on him instead, and he clearly mentions an outhouse. The Twists, however, had an indoor bathroom--the location of the infamous episode where Jack's father had urinated on him.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I see a mule start to walk out from behind a bush, and then what appears to be a man step out and pull the mule back behind the bush.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZTMBth4-lg&search=brokeback

That is so wild, after all this time, I had never seen that. Thank you again for sharing.

Now why not reshoot? Maybe the actors had enough? Would they have used stunt doubles for that scene? I think Heath and Jake were the one who jumped off the cliff into the river.

When I first saw the scene I was taken by the silence and shallow depth of field and the sense that this was a "binocular shot" even without the binocular framing.

[RossInIllinois]

That is so wild, after all this time, I had never seen that. Thank you again for sharing.

Now why not reshoot? Maybe the actors had enough? Would they have used stunt doubles for that scene? I think Heath and Jake were the one who jumped off the cliff into the river.

When I first saw the scene I was taken by the silence and shallow depth of field and the sense that this was a "binocular shot" even without the binocular framing.

A very tight budget. Kept the Producers from fixing things.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I think I remember seeing the mule. Next time I'll have to watch for the extra legs. 

[jpwagoneer1964]

I did see the mule and it does appear a man is keeping it back. Of course the mule(s) is suppose to be nearby. And jack would have had to take the mule to the sheep to see Ennis after TS1.