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If you were Alma............
serious crayons:
Am I the only one who finds Alma somewhat annoying? Not just in this scene but throughout the movie? Is it because I'm insensitive? Is it because she's whiny and nagging and wimpy? Is it because she is played by Michelle, who is with Heath in real life, and if it weren't for her he could be mine? ;)
Maybe it's because she's just one more obstacle to Ennis and Jack's being together. Even though it's not her fault, and if she weren't there it wouldn't matter anyway.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on May 09, 2006, 10:02:00 am ---Am I the only one who finds Alma somewhat annoying? Not just in this scene but throughout the movie? Is it because I'm insensitive? Is it because she's whiny and nagging and wimpy? Is it because she is played by Michelle, who is with Heath in real life, and if it wasn't for her he could be mine? ;)
Maybe it's because she's just one more obstacle to Ennis and Jack's being together. Even though it's not her fault, and if she weren't there it wouldn't matter anyway.
--- End quote ---
I think she comes off even worse in the story. There she has a "misery voice" (one of my favorite AP phrases). She uses it when she tries to ask Ennis to get her some smokes as he's running off to the motel with Jack--and I think the implication is pretty clear that Ennis has heard that voice before.
TJ:
I think that Ennis's "once burned" response was do to the fact that he knew he should never gotten married to a woman in the first place. And, I also thought that Ennis felt pressured, or at least thought he was being pressured, into getting married.
I know I am repeating myself here or what I have posted in another subject thread; but, if Ennis had realized immediately why he thought he felt like someone was pulling his guts out and he thought he had to puke, he would have made an effort to get in touch with or follow Jack up to Lightning Flat. While he was walking in the movie, Ennis was driving in the original story.
While I did not feel like some was pulling on my guts during a separation period for financial reasons, with Ed staying back in California, I had a very empty feeling after I had gotten a motel room the first night on the road. I had left that morning before Ed got home from work (he had agreed with what I thought was best); but, when he got home from work that morning, he told me later, "When I got in the apartment and you weren't there, I wished I had never let you go."
I also think that Alma Beers might have been somewhat immature when they got married, although she was old enough. I have heard women lacking in maturity speak to their husbands or live-in boyfriends like Alma often did in the story and the movie. Some of them even had separation anxiety problems.
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on May 08, 2006, 09:59:20 pm ---Nope, I gotta part company with you on this one, Leslie. Regardless of whether Alma started it, he's casting it in her face that she's the one who burned him. And that's rude. There might have been more polite ways to respond to her--a simple "No" would have done very nicely--but then, they wouldn't have served the plot.
--- End quote ---
Hmmm, well we ARE assuming Ennis is having a good time and really wanted to be there at Thanksgiving in the first place, right?
Did he?
I can just hear Alma inviting Ennis through clenched teeth and Ennis about to say no and the girls chorusing "Pleeeeeeeeease daddy?"
Why would Ennis want to be there? Being alone is his forte and probably wouldn't bother him. Seeing everything Monroe has and he hasn't? Being forced to make polite noises and conversation as he probably feels like a 3rd wheel and a beggar at someone else's table reminding him of his poverty?
Sounds like a day from hell for Ennis.
I can see why he might feel Alma is 'rubbing it in' and he might be a bit short-tempered.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on May 10, 2006, 07:21:07 pm ---Hmmm, well we ARE assuming Ennis is having a good time and really wanted to be there at Thanksgiving in the first place, right?
Did he?
I can just hear Alma inviting Ennis through clenched teeth and Ennis about to say no and the girls chorusing "Pleeeeeeeeease daddy?"
Why would Ennis want to be there? Being alone is his forte and probably wouldn't bother him. Seeing everything Monroe has and he hasn't? Being forced to make polite noises and conversation as he probably feels like a 3rd wheel and a beggar at someone else's table reminding him of his poverty?
Sounds like a day from hell for Ennis.
I can see why he might feel Alma is 'rubbing it in' and he might be a bit short-tempered.
--- End quote ---
Tell you what, I'm not assuming he's having a good time. I've always assumed he was there for the sake of his daughters, and that was why he was invited. I always figured he was making the best of an unpleasant and difficult situation for the girls' sake. The screen play echoes the story, stating, " Ennis tries to be cheerful for his girls, not wanting to be a sad daddy."
Nor am I saying I don't understand why he might be a bit short-tempered, or that his communications with Alma might be dysfunctional. I understand that perfectly and I agree with it.
But a rude reply is a rude reply, regardless of circumstances, and even if Alma's intent was to needle him, which it may have been.
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