Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

Post-Divorce Scene

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nakymaton:

--- Quote from: latjoreme on August 16, 2006, 06:06:39 pm ---Mel has a good point; in the story, with a phone call, it makes no sense at all. After all, Jack would have reacted to the news in some way on the phone, and Ennis would have reacted in some way on the phone -- somehow there'd be enough communication between them to prevent the whole debacle.

--- End quote ---

Actually, I thought it made more sense in the story. But you're right; presumably both men would have reacted in some way. (Though, I wonder... if they hadn't ever spoken on the phone to one another, would their excitement in hearing each other's voices have gotten in the way of the actual information being communicated?)

I figured that the reason that the phone call was changed to a postcard in the movie was to make the phone call between Ennis and Lureen more powerful. In the story, we don't learn about the post-divorce call except as a side comment around the (much more important and emotionally powerful) call after Jack's death. The movie had to keep the emotional power while showing most events in real time. (And it did an amazing job, too, with things like the punch and the post-divorce meeting.)

(And throw-away line?? Girl, those are fighting words... ;D Sorry. That line in the story absolutely devastated me and literally kept me awake at night for a week. Seriously.)

serious crayons:

--- Quote from: nakymaton on August 16, 2006, 06:19:00 pm ---(And throw-away line?? Girl, those are fighting words... ;D Sorry. That line in the story absolutely devastated me and literally kept me awake at night for a week. Seriously.)

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You're right. Sorry. I should have said "mentioned in passing" or "seemingly offhand" something like that. Of course, nothing in the story is really throwaway or offhand. Tell me, though, why did that particular line devastate you for a week? You mean because you were haunted by the image of Jack driving all that way, full of hope, for nothing?

And I know this sounds like a book-club question, but: What do you suppose Annie's reasoning was, from a storytelling perspective, for mentioning things like the phone call and the punch in such a SEEMINGLY offhand way, long after their actual occurence?

Rutella:
The divorce scene pains me so much sometimes I have to watch it through my hands. And the line in the story (which I read after seeing the film) killed me too and it is one of the lines that after I read it I have to stop for a bit and recover before moving on.

I think in the story the mention of the phone call is painful because it comes in the middle of a really traumatic bit so it hits you again and again in the stomach with all the stuff you are suddenly seeing. And maybe its a bit how as people have mentioned that during the film there's often a feeling that you, the viewer, is spying on the boys, and in the story the reader is made aware only at the end that other stuff has gone on between the boys that hasn't been mentioned.

And just as you watch the film again and again to get all the stuff that you don't realise the first few times, so when you re-read the story that line which is almost lost in amongst all the angst of Ennis calling Lureen glares at you.

I'm quite tired so I'm not sure if any of this is making sense but I know what I mean. And now I feel so depressed I'm going to have to read some happy ending fanfic before I go to sleep......   

dly64:
Gosh, guys. Don’t get me going on what I consider to be the most gut-wrenching scene … the post-divorce. This scene has always been the hardest for me to watch … and it hasn’t gotten any easier after numerous viewings.

I have always thought (maybe simplistically) that Jack thought Ennis had opened himself up to having a life with Jack by getting the divorce. That’s a bit wordy. But to break it down …. when Jack and Ennis reunite, one of the roadblocks Ennis puts up his is “life in Riverton.” Obviously, Ennis exposes the real reason why he won’t have a life with Jack … the fear of retribution. But now we are twelve years down the road. Ennis is finally free from his marriage. Maybe Jack sees Ennis as taking steps to extricate himself from a dreadful and lonely existence … the divorce symbolizing a new beginning. Needless to say, Jack finds out in an extremely painful way that nothing has changed. Everything is status quo. And it is then when Jack’s dream dies.

Wayne:

--- Quote from: Mikaela on August 08, 2006, 11:13:37 am ---I've somehow gotten the impression that Aguirre knows Jack's mother. I just think he speaks relatively respectfully there - as if he knows who Jack's ma *is*, and feels especially obliged to do her a service and convey a message himself after having talked with her. It's not entirely impossible that they knew each other once upon a time, is it?  As we later learn, Jack's mother *is* a woman who inspires respect and kindness even in quite gruff guys (unless they're her hubby). Aguirre knowing Mrs. Twist from before might be one reason why Jack was hired on the first year. Might even be the reason why Aguirre holds back from letting Ennis and Jack have it after he discovers them in flagranti.
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OMG!!! Aguirre is Jack's faaather!  :o

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