"I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind

[Aussie Chris]

... OK, here's one. It's not hugely original, because we've talked about it before. But anyway: "What's your name?" "Ennis ... Del Mar." (And I love, in the Cassie scene, that odd little half-smile Ennis gives after saying that.) Oh, and another example of this line is the cute funny way (despite the sad context) he signs his last postcard with his whole name. Like if he just said "Ennis," Jack might be left wondering which Ennis it could be.

ROTFL!  You are too funny Katherine!  And I love the smiling "Del Mar" that Ennis emphasises in the Cassie scene - not going to make that mistake again.  You guys are amazing and my head's spinning just reading this.  I can't believe that you're still finding more symbolism and metaphors that work so beautifully and cleverly that they must be intentional.  I don't really have any help for you at this stage, you're all on a level I could begin to dream of.  I will think about it though!

[nakymaton]

It also serves to explain why the sad flashback to Ennis's childhood appears to take place in the most arid and desert-like landscape of the entire movie, a contrast to the rushing waters of Brokeback Mountain and all that they symbolize.

Oh, wow, good catch, Mikaela. That's the scene that I think was filmed in New Mexico (the vegetation and rocks look like northern NM, at least), and every now and then I've wondered why they trekked all the way down to New Mexico to film that scene. I mean, it seems as if they managed to find places to stand in for everything else, even Texas, in Alberta. I haven't been through Ennis's hometown, but at that elevation and in that part of Wyoming, the vegetation should be a bit different, still sagebrush but not so desert-like.

But if they wanted a lack of water to be really symbolic of that memory, well, that makes the choice make more sense.

Katherine:

But anyway: "What's your name?" "Ennis ... Del Mar." (And I love, in the Cassie scene, that odd little half-smile Ennis gives after saying that.)

And that sets up a sad parallel with Jack's encounter with Randall, when Randall talks about getting together to go fishing and everything. Other people are trying to pick up both Ennis and Jack, but the experiences just remind both men of each other.

You know, I like the additions of the Cassie and Randall stories to the movie. They show just how intense the bond between Ennis and Jack was -- even after so many years of being surrounded by other people, it's clear that none of the other options is a satisfying substitute.

As for other repeated lines: Ennis calls Jack "Jack fucking Twist" at the reunion and the 2nd to last camping trip. (And in the lake confrontation? I can't remember.) Jack calls Ennis "son of a bitch" at the reunion, and "son of a whore-son bitch" in the lake confrontation. Terms of affection turned painful.

[Front-Ranger]

Thanks, Katharine and Amanda, for unburying that thread and for your kind comments. It was Amanda who pointed out about Ennis and the coffeepot.

About the “And here I am” statements, I’m sure I don’t begin to understand them but I will make a start. We hear “And here I am” in two places: . Each time there is an undercurrent of uneasiness. Aguirre is spurred by Jack’s mother to appear at the camp. Through him, she offers an out if he wants to leave his job. Perhaps she misses him (I know I would!) and wants him to return. Perhaps Uncle Harold is gay and/or Jack has a special relationship with him. In the latter declaration, Alma offers Ennis an out of the sham he is living by divorcing him. Jack shows up and says “And here I am” at the pivotal point. Ennis, panicking because now he has to make a commitment or at least a decision, uses his daughters as his latest excuse. Jack must have had qualms that this would happen; thus he sends no advance post card and makes no phone call before his visit. I’m not sure if Jack’s actions are premeditated or wishful thinking, but the end result is that, in both cases, a door is opened and no one goes through it.

[starboardlight]

So that led to a discussion of coffee pots, with people noticing that the coffee pot seems to represent Jack, while the bucket represents Ennis. Ennis is washing out a coffee pot in that early scene when he's standing in the river and worriedly watches Jack ride up the mountain. The morning after TS1, he opens the tent flap and the first objects in view are a coffee pot and bucket (now uprighted). In the dozy embrace scene, the coffee pot and bucket are standing cozily side-by-side on the grill. Jack's mom serves Ennis coffee. In Ennis' trailer, there's a coffee pot on the stove, and he serves Alma Jr. coffee.  There are probably others I'm not remembering.

how did I miss that discussion. I like the bucket and coffee pot analysis. Jack as the coffee pot, makes Ennis's "only traveling I eve done, was around the coffee pot looking for the handle" kinda sexy metaphor. It certainly fits into that part of the discussion about Mexico with a new underlayer for me.

[serious crayons]

Jack as the coffee pot, makes Ennis's "only traveling I ever done, was around the coffee pot looking for the handle" kinda sexy metaphor.

That's for sure!

[starboardlight]

That's for sure!

recalls the reach around in the TS1, even if it's instigated by Jack.

[belbbmfan]

fantastic thread! the coffeepot and bucket theme are new to me.
As for the repeat lines: the 'what are you doing?' Ennis said to both Jack and Cassie always struck me as very poignant. At both stages in his life, Ennis reacts surprised (Cassie) or shocked (Jack) that anyone would want to touch him or be physically close to him.

[ednbarby]

fantastic thread! the coffeepot and bucket theme are new to me.
As for the repeat lines: the 'what are you doing?' Ennis said to both Jack and Cassie always struck me as very poignant. At both stages in his life, Ennis reacts surprised (Cassie) or shocked (Jack) that anyone would want to touch him or be physically close to him.

Another excellent catch, belbbmfan.  And the beginning of another beautiful friendship.  So glad you're here with us. 

[Brown Eyes]

Other people are trying to pick up both Ennis and Jack, but the experiences just remind both men of each other.

You know, I like the additions of the Cassie and Randall stories to the movie. They show just how intense the bond between Ennis and Jack was -- even after so many years of being surrounded by other people, it's clear that none of the other options is a satisfying substitute.

As for other repeated lines: Ennis calls Jack "Jack fucking Twist" at the reunion and the 2nd to last camping trip. (And in the lake confrontation? I can't remember.) Jack calls Ennis "son of a bitch" at the reunion, and "son of a whore-son bitch" in the lake confrontation. Terms of affection turned painful.

All of this is quite excellent nakymaton!  And, belbbmfan, I completely agree.  I've always heard Ennis's little question "what are you doing" - especially in the first tent scene - as a sign of his low self esteem.  He can't believe he could be so attractive to someone.  I never noticed the parallel with Cassie's line. Also quite excellent.  I like the intersection of both of your comments.
 

[Brown Eyes]

Heya,
Back to the wind topic and Jack's symbols more generally...  I just posted this over in the "I love everything Brokeback" thread last night.  And it occurs to me that it would be worthwhile to post it here too.

A discussion came up about the two notes that seem to echo each other at the very beginning of the BBM score as the movie starts.  So, this was my reply:

I always hear those two notes as echos... meant to foreshadow the Jack/ Ennis relationship.  It's interesting that Ennis enters the picture in a literal way (we see him coming) but Jack enters the situation symbolically before we see him.  The echo in ths score, the wind that's really prominent before he arrives, and the little symbol of the rodeo cowboy on the semi-truck's license plate all seem to be clues that Jack is arriving too.  I love that license plate by the way.  It's how he leaves the film too... he dies but his symbols persist for several important scenes after he's no longer around as a person.

So, here's what I find really interesting about this.  It seems to me that Jack is not only a real person/character but, in the form of the symbols that surround him, Jack is the abstract idea of Ennis's sexuality or desire.  So before he even meets Jack all of these emotions and ideas and desires are swirling around in Ennis's head but he doesn't quite know what they mean.  The wind at the beginning hasn't yet taken on its full significance, but it does represent something that's already inside Ennis. Symbols like the wind are still abstract and unfocused at this point.  Once Jack appears on the scene all of these things inside Ennis that add up to his "awakening" sexuality start to focus on Jack.  So that by the time the movie is over and Jack is gone, all of the symbols, like the wind, etc. have taken on huge amounts of meaning and are completely linked to Jack.