Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > All Things Brokeback: Books, Interviews and More
The Deleted Hippie Scene from the 2004 Screenplay.
Mikaela:
I agree the scene was better left out of the film, but I would *love* to see it. Not only because both of the guys look good on horseback, either. ;)
Jack and Ennis, relaxed and comfortable with each other before the strain of years took too much of a toll. Jack and Ennis, bantering with each other and actually even engaging in some mild innuendo? You bet I'd like to see that, and to hear the "well hung up" comment, complete with that glance from Ennis. :P :)
I think showing them like that, in the early stage of their "fishing trips period", may have been the main purpose of the scene: Showing them still mainly happy and delighted in each other's company, while also a bit more mature and more confident in their relationship.
I think the hippies were there to demonstrate which time period the film had reached, plus to contrast the "summer of free love" lifestyle with J&E and their environment, where they so carefully still have to hide their love. I just can't believe the point of this was to show that our cowboys weren't interested in what the girls had on offer. We knew that. ::)
I've read this before so perhaps I've gotten used to the idea of this scene and its dialogue. At any rate, Pleeeeeeaaaase give us that DVD with the deleted scenes that we crave! Pretty please! (Where's the puppy-dog-eye icon?)
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on June 15, 2007, 05:04:26 pm ---I think the hippies were there to demonstrate which time period the film had reached, plus to contrast the "summer of free love" lifestyle with J&E and their environment, where they so carefully still have to hide their love.
--- End quote ---
Well, that makes sense. (And as Jeff Wrangler has noted elsewhere, the Summer of Love in 1967 was the year of their reunion!)
Still, I kind of like the way the actual movie keeps them more or less isolated from current events and changes in the outside culture. We hear about Vietnam only in the most indirect vague way. We see changing fashions. But otherwise, the characters seem to occupy a completely isolated and sealed off world, which makes a point in itself.
I could get used to the double entendre line. The only other direct sexual reference that either of them ever makes is Jack's comment about high-altitude f*cks. I like that line a lot, so in another context I can see liking the "well hung up" comment for the same reason.
What I hate most about the dialogue are the remarks about hippies being un-American and "we ought to scalp him." Yuck! They no doubt accurately depict typical attitudes of that time and place, but still. Yuck.
And if the scene is meant to say something about changing sexual mores, it seems a long way to go to make that point. Especially compared to the economy of the rest of the film. Compare that to how much is said (or at least, how much we have speculated is said) by the simple presence of a heavily tattooed woman on the dance floor!
If they wanted to show them relaxed and comfortable in each other's company, I'd MUCH rather see the "that's one a two things I need right now!" scene from the story, or something like that.
Mikaela:
--- Quote ---Still, I kind of like the way the actual movie keeps them more or less isolated from current events and changes in the outside culture. We hear about Vietnam only in the most indirect vague way. We see changing fashions. But otherwise, the characters seem to occupy a completely isolated and sealed off world, which makes a point in itself.
--- End quote ---
I completely agree with that. I wasn't trying to defend the purpose of the scene, nor argue that it should hhave been in the film, but merely to make some sense of the possible purpose and see the original writer's point of view. To me this is over-evident instead of multi-layered, like that scene in one of the early script versions where Ennis and Cassie go to watch one of the Star Wars films. Sure would single out the year(s) in question, but like you I'm of course really glad they toned down all those *big* cultural timing landmark moments, and made the film and the story more timeless and universal. It's still firmly grounded in time, place and culture, to my mind.
"LOOK, people! Time is passing, and now we have reached... The Empire Strikes Back!" ::) I don't think so. The hippes were filmed, though, while the star wars scene wasn't - so the hippies had more going for them in the end.
--- Quote ---What I hate most about the dialogue are the remarks about hippies being un-American and "we ought to scalp him." Yuck! They no doubt accurately depict typical attitudes of that time and place, but still. Yuck.
--- End quote ---
That *is* horrid. I think I repressed and forgot that line the very instant I'd read it, because it's so far from what *my* J&E would say or think. ::) Playing devil's advocate here; it would have served the purpose of bringing across that our guys did in fact have unsavoury prejudices of their own.... They weren't saints and nobody's perfect.
(That's actually an interesting discussion point: Whether J&E's suffering under unfair prejudices made them more or less understanding and considerate of people being subjected to other types of unfairness based on commonly held biased opinions in that time and place. I'm sure it must have been discussed somewhere at length. ETA: Yes of course! The discussion about Ennis's attitude towards Alma and her work vs. her responsibilities as wife and mother, for instance.)
But no matter, I would have *hated* that line. **shudders**
--- Quote ---If they wanted to show them relaxed and comfortable in each other's company, I'd MUCH rather see the "that's one a two things I need right now!" scene from the story, or something like that.
--- End quote ---
And everyone cried: Amen!! :)
Hey, it's very nice to actually be in a bit of a BBM discussion again! It's been ages since I found anything to say at all.
MaineWriter:
--- Quote from: ifyoucantfixit on June 15, 2007, 04:28:28 pm ---
True that Mel. I wonder if James Schamus wrote it? Since he is the one that supposedly campaigned for it to be included.??
--- End quote ---
Yes, he supposedly wrote the entire scene.
L
Mikaela:
--- Quote ---Yes, he supposedly wrote the entire scene.
--- End quote ---
We ought to scalp him!
;D ;D ::) ::)
I'm sorry. Won't happen again. It was just so. tempting. :-X
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