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Did anyone else notice this

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vkm91941:
My 12 year old  asked me this and I thought it might be a good discussion topic...I see someone else posted something similar on the main board at IMDb.......

Did anyone notice in this film that there were no scenes that showed Ennis with any male friends beside Jack? Do you think his father made him so homophobic when he was young that he could never relate to other guys?  Is there something to this? Is his homophobia the reason he was isolated from all men?   What do you  think?

delalluvia:
Hiya Vickie,

Yep, we noticed.  There used to be a thread on the big board a while back, forgot the name.

Jack obviously had 'friends' ("Jack kept all his friends addresses in his head"), but while I can't say if Ennis had any close friends or not, he was close to SOME guys ("I can try to get Don Wroe's cabin again...").  Ennis had to know this guy well enough for him to lend Ennis his hunting cabin.

Brown Eyes:
Hi Victoria!

I also remember back on the old imdb board there was a very touching discussion about Ennis's lack of friends, especially when thinking about his comments to Lureen on the phone.  When he says "we were good friends" it breaks you heart because (1) it's a huge understatement (if he could be free with his language he'd say something like "he was the love of my life") and (2) because it does highlight that Ennis lost his only real friend.

We've all noted repeatedly that Jack is the only person (other than his daughters maybe) who can get Ennis to smile and relax.  Ennis jokes, laughs, becomes somewhat chatty (for him at least) and tells Jack his deepest secrets. He decides to make Jack his confidant during the "that's the most I spoke in a year" conversation.  Maybe even earlier, actually.  Maybe he decided right from the beginning at the bar when he told Jack about his parents dying.  But, he makes it even more clear when he tells Jack about not having had the opportunity to lose his virginity yet.  That's pretty private and personal stuff.  And, of course the Earl story is his worst and most painful memory and he allows Jack to comfort him by stroking his cheek.  So, yes, Jack is his deep, deep friend as well as lover.

I think Ennis's status in his normal, daily life in town (away from Jack and the mountains) he's paralyzed by his fear of being outed, of homophobia and of violence.  I think this fear manifests itself in his posture, his silence, his stoicism.  Really, everything that makes him look like a classic cowboy on the outside, are also the same characteristics that stand as physical manifestations of his fear and insecurity. That's really interesting when you think about it.  Yeah, I think there are lots of moments when we see Ennis alone in town.  He's alone at the bar when he meets Cassie.  He's alone again eating his pie in the bus station when Cassie confronts him towards the end.  I'm sure Ennis would find it very stressful to have friends as sad as that is. His main concern is to hide.

But the point about Don Wroe is a good one.  It's nice to think that he wasn't completely isolated.

Oh, poor Ennis.   :'( :-\

David:
How very true!     

    Jack was not just Ennis's lover, but his best friend.   Note how he told Jack about the divorce too.  This was big news in his life.   Granted Jack got the wrong signal from that, but it does show that Ennis needed to tell someone.

   On a personal note:  The Ennis in my life was the same way.   He didn't have any male friends other than me.     I know he is saddened by my choice to distance myself from him.   His wife sent me a Birthday card to which I had to acknowledge.   He emailed me back with :"Yea, I thought the card was cute.
 
No problem, It seems strange not talking to you."

Talk about a man of few words!   So like Ennis it is scary!

Quitting someone is harder than you think.   Sigh.  :-\

vkm91941:

--- Quote from: delalluvia on April 16, 2006, 06:12:03 pm ---
but while I can't say if Ennis had any close friends or not, he was close to SOME guys ("I can try to get Don Wroe's cabin again...").  Ennis had to know this guy well enough for him to lend Ennis his hunting cabin.

--- End quote ---

Yea will I can see Ennis connecting in a co-worker kind of way with other men, like this Don Wroe but that's not friendship.  Jack was Ennis only friend I thnk

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