TOTW 11/07: How will moviegoers view BBM 30 years from now?

[Jeff Wrangler]

In MAKING LOVE, you have a successful doctor with a nice wife, who seems to have it all, but leaves her for a MAN! Even then, it's more of a coming out story then a gay love story.  However, given how Hollywood used to portray gays as being swishy and holding marginal jobs, MAKING LOVE was an icebreaker. Unfortunately, it was still a mediocre film and didn't garner much attn at the boxoffice. Many did watch it on HBO or SHOWTIME from what I remember.

And he ends up with corner apartment in a Manhattan highrise, a job at Sloan-Kettering, and a lover. That's really realistic, isn't it?

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Yeah, in some ways I see what Scott is saying. I took my friend Carol to see it and as soon as it was over she says "So was Ennis gay?" I wonder if those people who asked if you were going to be a cowboy now had actually seen it.

I think there is a lot of anecdotal evidence, as Jeff pointed out, of its effect upon the larger world, if mostly among families with gay members, or people who will later face a loved one coming out, they will remember this story. 

[Kd5000]

Well nobody has been that tactless to me. For one thing, they know I had cattle and I DON'T wanta be a cowboy.  Just not my thing...  

I've heard only good stories from straight ppl who have seen BBM.  Some rather serious discussions in the workplace among my coworkers.  And I've heard many good stories from ppl who've worked in homophobic environments who've had colleagues who went to see BBM to see what all the fuss was about.  Their colleagues had somewhat of an awakening. . .

If you live in a red state where homosexuality is rarely talked about (unless it's a CAL or NY story) either in state govt or in the local media, perhaps BBM had a bigger impact.

[Fran]

Okay here is an article in the Village Voice that mentions it:

http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0548,winter,70454,20.html

However it would be good to have some other confirmation of it, I will work on it some more this evening.

Truman, this may be what you're looking for:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/books/a-faithful-take-on-love-and-hate/2005/12/29/1135732684438.html?page=2 

It contains a direct quote from Annie Proulx regarding the jury service:

After a screening of the film, there was a question-and-answer session with Proulx. "The story began in 1963," said a woman from the audience. "Do you think things are better now, in terms of attitudes?"

"I wish," Proulx said. "But one year after the story was published, Matthew Shepard was killed less than [48 kilometres] from where I live. I was called to be on the jury for one of the killers."

[jstephens9]

Wow. You got a point their Scott.

I guess if we are gone change the world, we gotta start with ourselves, huh?

I agree. I don't see BBM as a film about homophobia unless we mean homophobia against oneself. If you think about it,  the only shows of outside homophobia are when Ennis talks about the rancher that was killed with the tire iron that his father showed him and his vision of how Jack was killed. The rest of the movie rests on Ennis' own fear of how others will see him if they knew. Granted, more than likely, others would not approve, but that is never actually shown. There are indications of homophobia, but the other characters never come out and say things against homosexuality. Even Alma's "Jack Nasty" doesn't show much more than jealousy. She could have said a lot worse about Jack and Ennis. That's my thoughts anyway.

[jstephens9]

DO hope there is never a remake.  Sometimes a classic is best left untouched. By 2035 Hollywood will start looking at successful films in the first decade of the 21rst century and wonder if BBM would be an excellent candidate for a remake.

I sure do hope there is not a remake. That sure does seem to be a sure way to destroy a movie (or even a tv show).

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I agree. I don't see BBM as a film about homophobia unless we mean homophobia against oneself. If you think about it,  the only shows of outside homophobia are when Ennis talks about the rancher that was killed with the tire iron that his father showed him and his vision of how Jack was killed. The rest of the movie rests on Ennis' own fear of how others will see him if they knew. Granted, more than likely, others would not approve, but that is never actually shown. There are indications of homophobia, but the other characters never come out and say things against homosexuality. Even Alma's "Jack Nasty" doesn't show much more than jealousy. She could have said a lot worse about Jack and Ennis. That's my thoughts anyway.

I think you pretty well zeroed in on it there Jack. I can really see where most of that struggle took place in Ennis' head.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I think you pretty well zeroed in on it there Jack. I can really see where most of that struggle took place in Ennis' head.

In Ennis's head or out, none of this negates Annie's well-known comment, in "Getting Movied," that "Brokeback Mountain" is a story about the destructive effect of rural homophobia.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

"I wish," Proulx said. "But one year after the story was published, Matthew Shepard was killed less than [48 kilometres] from where I live. I was called to be on the jury for one of the killers."[/i]

Thank you for finding that Fran, I knew I remembered it from somewhere.

[Kd5000]

Does the homophobia need to be verbalized for it to exist??  No doubt there were and still are alot of unspoken rules.  Jack and Ennis are both closeted.   What would have happend if they has lived together or at least been more open about their relationship.   Would Ennis have been allowed to see his daughters if he was living with a man?   Would they have been harassed by their neighbors. Would someone  have gone out one night and shot their livestock if they did have a cattle and calf operation.  No doubt they could have faced social ostracizing or worse. Best bet would have been to move to Denver... That wasn't going to happen.

Ennis and Jack lived in very ignorant times.  No doubt they had their share of internalized homophobia as they both can't deal with the queer label.