Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Post-Divorce Scene
dly64:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on August 16, 2006, 02:05:46 pm ---However, if Ennis had been alone I do think he would have reacted differently. After all, at first he looked thrilled to see Jack. If they'd been able to discuss it at length, in private, Jack might still have wound up disappointed. But it wouldn't have been as much of a disaster.
--- End quote ---
True .... but as usual, my mantra is, "I'll never know!" :'(
Front-Ranger:
Dly, I felt the same way as U about Ennis just making excuses, until I thought about it some more. But what about the reunion scene? Not only did Ennis expose himself by kissing Jack, but he also took Jack to introduce him to his wife, knowing that his daughters were nearby within earshot and everything! Why was he so open then and so guarded later?? I can only conclude that it is because his daughters are older and nearby.
nakymaton:
If Ennis had been alone at the post-divorce meeting. Hmmmm.
At the reunion after four f***ing years, Ennis doesn't stop to think about anything. He just acts. (*Mel pauses for a minute to replay the scene in her mind.* ;D Yeah. Acts. :-* :-* :-*)
And yeah, there were a lot of other things besides Ennis's daughters that activated his low startle point... but Ennis doesn't find out about them until Jack starts talking.
So would Ennis's immediate response have been to kiss Jack, if the girls hadn't been there?
Hmmm. I think the reunion was pretty unusual for Ennis. It was a release after four f***ing years of loneliness and confusion and not knowing what had happened to Jack after that summer. And Ennis had time to anticipate the reunion, the whole time between when he got that postcard and when Jack showed up. We got to see Ennis waiting that whole day, flicking his lighter and drinking beers and waiting and listening and waiting some more. And presumably Ennis was thinking about the reunion long before that day arrived.
But would Ennis react like that again? I think Ennis was scared by the intensity of the reunion, by his own lack of control. For Jack, that reunion kiss seems to have been a dream come true, but for Ennis... it's a warning that they can't be in public together. I'm not sure Ennis would have allowed himself to lose control again.
But I think that, yes, Jack expected Ennis to greet him by slamming him against a wall and kissing him until he saw stars.
Poor Jack. Poor Ennis.
dly64:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on August 16, 2006, 02:10:21 pm ---Dly, I felt the same way as U about Ennis just making excuses, until I thought about it some more. But what about the reunion scene? Not only did Ennis expose himself by kissing Jack, but he also took Jack to introduce him to his wife, knowing that his daughters were nearby within earshot and everything! Why was he so open then and so guarded later?? I can only conclude that it is because his daughters are older and nearby.
--- End quote ---
I look at the reunion scene in a couple of different ways. First, there was a four year hiatus. I think they were both a bit surprised by the intensity of their feelings for each other. All of those years rolled up with anticipation and passion …. Ennis certainly was not as cautious as he became later. Second, it wasn’t until Jack and Ennis went up to the mountains where Ennis set some ground rules. Jack mentions for the first time that he and Ennis could have a life together. Immediately Ennis put on the breaks. “We can get together once and awhile way the hell in the middle of nowhere ….” The whole divorce scene illustrates Ennis’ paranoia when he is with Jack in a more public setting versus out in the boonies somewhere. Lastly, it’s not that Ennis and Jack’s reunion was a surprise to Alma. In other words, Alma knew Ennis had a “friend” coming up to see him. It would have seemed odd for Ennis not to introduce Jack. (But of course, Jack became a surprise when she realized her husband was in love with somebody else and it happened to be Jack).
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: nakymaton on August 16, 2006, 02:24:46 pm ---But would Ennis react like that again? I think Ennis was scared by the intensity of the reunion, by his own lack of control. For Jack, that reunion kiss seems to have been a dream come true, but for Ennis... it's a warning that they can't be in public together. I'm not sure Ennis would have allowed himself to lose control again.
--- End quote ---
"If this thing grabs hold of us at the wrong place, wrong time -- we're dead."
--- Quote ---But I think that, yes, Jack expected Ennis to greet him by slamming him against a wall and kissing him until he saw stars.
--- End quote ---
Now that would have been a great scene. From an artistic viewpoint, of course. ;)
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version