See, I think Jake Gyllenhaal was [freakin'] perfect in the part of Jack. Granted, I know that Proulx wrote that Jack had buck-teeth and curly hair -- and I would've loved to see them give him buck-teeth and even better, the bleeding lips in the reunion kiss (that would've been awesome; how could Ennis explain that to Alma?).
"There is no Ennis without Jack."
I was thinking about this quote of Annie Proulx's the other day. When I first heard it, I thought it was really sweet and adorable but thinking about it now, it's very grim and disturbing. Why, because Jack dies and therefore, Ennis dies too. Ennis, however, cannot go and join Jack; he has to live an abject life and live with the guilt, agony, and despair forever.
Had it been Ennis (I thought Ennis was going to die from falling off the horse and breaking his neck actually -- the commercials showed the scene where his horse gets spooked by the bear up on Brokeback) I think Jack would've been utterly devastated. I think he would've gone to the funeral had anyone gotten in touch with him (would Alma? I doubt she knew how to contact him) and I think he would be, quietly, broken forever but I think he wouldn't let anyone see it. His Mom would probably know though.
I think it'd be a few years before he even contemplated a relationship with another man and then, it wouldn't amount to anything.