Author Topic: The what if thread (Read 11810 times)

Jane · « **on:** June 04, 2006, 10:23:15 am »

What if, Jack had stopped his truck and turned around instead of driving away?
What if, after 4 years, they decided to live together?
What if, Jack isnt really dead?( a long shot I know but I thought I,d throw that in anyway)
Any more what if,s anyone?

As this is the anything goes thread I thought I,d start this. Apologies if it,s been done before btw. I just thought of it. Life is full of what if,s isnt it? I,ve got plenty myself.

MaineWriter · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2006, 10:37:40 am »

Quote from: Jane on June 04, 2006, 10:23:15 am

What if, Jack had stopped his truck and turned around instead of driving away?
What if, after 4 years, they decided to live together?
What if, Jack isnt really dead?( a long shot I know but I thought I,d throw that in anyway)
Any more what if,s anyone?

As this is the anything goes thread I thought I,d start this. Apologies if it,s been done before btw. I just thought of it. Life is full of what if,s isnt it? I,ve got plenty myself.

I know you're reading fanfic, Jane. Don't you think all of these questions are answered (many multiple times) in various stories? I mean, my story is basically your first question...except it starts one month later (not having Jack turn back)...but still, it is my take on what would happen if Ennis said yes after the divorce. "Human Interest" by MadLori is also a take on that scenario.

"A Better Idea" has them getting together after the fight at the lake.

And there are a bunch (can't tell you the names offhand because I am not really reading them) that have Jack not really being dead, Ennis nursing him back to health, etc.

Leslie

Jane · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2006, 12:48:59 pm »

Yes I know a lot of those questions have been answered, it,s was just me thinking out loud really about what would have happened in the movie. Didnt mean to start an argument or anything. I think I,ll give up starting new threads, always ends in disaster, like the film.

David · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2006, 01:39:44 pm »

No worries Jane. You hit the whole theme of a classic Greek tragedy right on the head. The "What if" scenarios are what symbolizes a doomed happy ending.

There are so many "What ifs".

What if Alma had confronted Ennis and Jack when she saw them kissing?

MaineWriter · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2006, 01:48:10 pm »

Quote from: Jane on June 04, 2006, 12:48:59 pm

Yes I know a lot of those questions have been answered, it,s was just me thinking out loud really about what would have happened in the movie. Didnt mean to start an argument or anything. I think I,ll give up starting new threads, always ends in disaster, like the film.

Don't give up, Jane, I didn't mean to discourage you. It is just the questions you picked actually have been considered...at length...in discussions and fanfics. People might not jump on the bandwagon for discussion, that's all...but jeez, I am not Queen, who knows, I may be completely wrong. LOL

ednbarby · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2006, 01:51:58 pm »

I got some:

What if Ennis hadn't sent Jack away when he showed up after the divorce?

What if Ennis had let Jack comfort him after he accidentally caught him in the nose during their angry tussle?

What if Jack had told Ennis it was his parents' ranch he had it in mind for them to have the cow and calf operation on?

Worst of all: What if this movie had never been made?

JennyC · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2006, 07:39:17 pm »

What if they had more time together on Brokeback that summer and did not have to get down earlier? Would the extra time together convince Ennis that he should stay with Jack instead of marrying Alma?

What if Jack hunted Ennis down before Ennis and Alma had kids, not after 4 years?

What if Jack told Ennis that he would leave Ennis the last time that they were together? Would Ennis change his mind at that time?

Or what if the short story is adapted by other screen writers, directed not by Ang with a different cast?

RouxB · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2006, 07:53:43 pm »

Jenny-

I appreciate this thread because I've always wondered what if Ennis had a second chance. What if it turned out that Jack was not, after all, dead. What if Ennis found this out, say, 6 months later. Would his mind-set have changed sufficiently to make different choices? Everyday I think we are given opportunities to change our lives but don't necessarily pick up on those choices. I wonder if Ennis would. It would so compound his tragedy if he didn't...

JennyC · « **Reply #8 on:** June 04, 2006, 09:52:33 pm »

Quote from: RouxB on June 04, 2006, 07:53:43 pm

Jenny-

I appreciate this thread because I've always wondered what if Ennis had a second chance. What if it turned out that Jack was not, after all, dead. What if Ennis found this out, say, 6 months later. Would his mind-set have changed sufficiently to make different choices? Everyday I think we are given opportunities to change our lives but don't necessarily pick up on those choices. I wonder if Ennis would. It would so compound his tragedy if he didn't...

Ruby,

You mean Jane, right?

RouxB · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2006, 11:53:54 pm »

Jenny, Jane, Jerry-whoever will listen to me

yes, sorry-JANE

serious crayons · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2006, 01:50:16 am »

Quote from: ednbarby on June 04, 2006, 01:51:58 pm

Worst of all: What if this movie had never been made?

No, to my mind this is the worst: What if this movie had been made ... but there were no internet message boards and we all had to deal with our reactions on our own?!?

Considering the turmoil I've gone through these past few months, and everything I've gotten from these boards, I think I'd rather not have seen the movie at all, than see it but not be able to discuss it!!

Ellemeno · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:32:42 am »

What if Diana Ossana hadn't read the short story in the New Yorker?

Ray · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:50:15 am »

What if there was no such thing as "GAY"?

Ellemeno · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:58:15 am »

What if there hadn't been any trolls at IMDb?

welliwont · « **Reply #14 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:59:55 am »

Quote from: latjoreme on June 05, 2006, 01:50:16 am

What if this movie had been made ... but there were no internet message boards and we all had to deal with our reactions on our own?!?

Amen to that! What on earth would we have done??? Maybe we would have gone the way of the Trekkies, they did not have the internet way back in the day.... We might have ended up being parodied on SNL!

MaineWriter · « **Reply #15 on:** June 05, 2006, 06:32:22 am »

Quote from: JakeTwist on June 05, 2006, 02:59:55 am

Amen to that! What on earth would we have done??? Maybe we would have gone the way of the Trekkies, they did not have the internet way back in the day.... We might have ended up being parodied on SNL!

I think we have been, haven't we? Well, maybe not Brokies, but the movie...

ednbarby · « **Reply #16 on:** June 05, 2006, 09:52:37 am »

Quote from: lnicoll on June 05, 2006, 06:32:22 am

I think we have been, haven't we? Well, maybe not Brokies, but the movie...

It's only a matter of time...

YaadPyar · « **Reply #17 on:** June 05, 2006, 01:39:07 pm »

What if Ennis and Jack had just one more night together alone after their summer on Brokeback, and not run off into the day as if nothing had happened?

What if Ennis had been able to say anything to Jack - anything at all - up on that mountain before they went down?

What if Ennis could have loved Jack more than he hated himself?

What if I could have been there to talk it through with our boys?

ednbarby · « **Reply #18 on:** June 05, 2006, 01:44:28 pm »

Celeste, I love this:

Quote

What if Ennis could have loved Jack more than he hated himself?

And therein lies the rub.

nic · « **Reply #19 on:** June 05, 2006, 01:49:47 pm »

What if Ennis had never seen Earl dead in a ditch as a result of a homophobic killing?

YaadPyar · « **Reply #20 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:08:09 pm »

What if we were all so balanced and healthy and complete that the tragedy of BBM hadn't touched a single one of us?

Quote from: Ray on June 05, 2006, 02:50:15 am

What if there was no such thing as "GAY"?

What if love were appeciated wherever it existed?

YaadPyar · « **Reply #21 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:09:33 pm »

What if we each had the courage to bring into our own lives what we wanted Jack and Ennis to be able to do?

JennyC · « **Reply #22 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:17:05 pm »

Quote from: YaadPyar on June 05, 2006, 02:08:09 pm

What if we were all so balanced and healthy and complete that the tragedy of BBM hadn't touched a single one of us?

Do you think there is a single individual that can claim that he/she is so balanced and healthy and complete? Many people may look that way from the outside, but inside I think everyone feels something is missing in their life, in themselves.

serious crayons · « **Reply #23 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:20:03 pm »

What if the movie had been released in 1963? Or 1973? Or 1983? Or 1993? Or 2013?

Sheyne · « **Reply #24 on:** June 05, 2006, 04:50:14 pm »

Quote from: Ray on June 05, 2006, 02:50:15 am

What if there was no such thing as "GAY"?

Then I guess you and I could finally get together, hunh cowboy???

*Ray runs to the bathroom gagging*

JennyC · « **Reply #25 on:** June 05, 2006, 05:10:45 pm »

Quote from: hungry_hungryhippos on June 05, 2006, 04:50:14 pm

Then I guess you and I could finally get together, hunh cowboy???

Sheyne,

If that's true, don't you think you are facing some serious competition here? I suspect that you have to fight off a few people before you and Ray can get together. Though you are definitely at an advantageous position, given your taekwondo skills and geo location

.

Ray · « **Reply #26 on:** June 05, 2006, 09:38:57 pm »

Hahahahaha, well don't I feel special! I have to confess that I'm not really gay. It's a ruse I use to get girls to notice me.., that and my orange and yellow tie dye shirt!

YaadPyar · « **Reply #27 on:** June 05, 2006, 09:50:10 pm »

Quote from: Ray on June 05, 2006, 09:38:57 pm

Hahahahaha, well don't I feel special! I have to confess that I'm not really gay. It's a ruse I use to get girls to notice me.., that and my orange and yellow tie dye shirt!

OMG - (Celeste truly laughing out loud - very loud - at this). I can only guess how hot you look in that shirt - no really. I mean hot. Literally.

Sheyne · « **Reply #28 on:** June 06, 2006, 04:24:08 am »

Quote from: JennyC on June 05, 2006, 05:10:45 pm

Sheyne,

If that's true, don't you think you are facing some serious competition here? I suspect that you have to fight off a few people before you and Ray can get together. Though you are definitely at an advantageous position, given your taekwondo skills and geo location .

Oh Jenny, you made me laugh..

Yeah, Ray's about a half hour drive from my place. Lets just say that gives me a reasonable headstart to y'all..

And while I do have TKD training, I've also had to swear an oath to never misuse it...

*sheyne ponders whether "that beotch is stealing my man" constitutes actual misuse*

j.U.d.E. · « **Reply #29 on:** June 06, 2006, 06:13:12 am »

Quote from: latjoreme on June 05, 2006, 02:20:03 pm

What if the movie had been released in 1963? Or 1973? Or 1983? Or 1993? Or 2013?

Oh! I had a similar "what if..". Let's think of something else.. hm.. What if Ennis and Jack had been born in 1964 and their story had started in 1983 and had 'finished' around now?

~ j U d E

nic · « **Reply #30 on:** June 06, 2006, 09:49:47 am »

Quote from: JudeW on June 06, 2006, 06:13:12 am

Oh! I had a similar "what if..". Let's think of something else.. hm.. What if Ennis and Jack had been born in 1964 and their story had started in 1983 and had 'finished' around now?

~ j U d E

That's a good one. I'll assume that all other things stay as close to the original as possible and "now" was around the time the movie would be about to finish, ie now was the point at which Jack was getting increasingly frustrated and might have been playing away. I think that with the advent of more means of communication, their relationship would have been made tangibly stronger as they would have been communicating more: more phonecalls, letters maybe & then emails. The social climate would hopefully make it easier for Ennis to think about living with Jack so maybe Ennis would have made a positive move after that last meeting before waiting for thier next scheduled meeting, especially as they would be communicating by other means in the intervening time. I'd like to think the outcome would be a happy one, but even today, Jack could still be killed by homophobia or an accident, and Ennis as his secret lover, would essentially be left in the same position.

A skilful novelist could stil make a great story of it and it could be turned into a great movie by a great director. It might not have the social resonance BBM has had, as what we do have really reaches across the age spans back to those born around the 40s, whereas if the main characters were not born until the 60s, it might not appeal to quite the same demographic.

That got me thinking! $:-\$

JCinNYC2006 · « **Reply #31 on:** June 06, 2006, 10:04:03 am »

Quote from: nic on June 05, 2006, 01:49:47 pm

What if Ennis had never seen Earl dead in a ditch as a result of a homophobic killing?

That's the one I had in mind. I always wondered if Ennis would be so shut down regarding his feelings if he hadn't seen that, and known that's why Earl had been killed. Another what if that comes to mind is, what if Aguirre hadn't seen them and hadn't called them down early? Would their bond have been stronger with a little more time?

What if Mrs. Twist had been able to convey some sense of approval verbally to Ennis?

Juan

YaadPyar · « **Reply #32 on:** June 06, 2006, 10:09:00 am »

What if Ennis, just once, could have put words to his feelings. Just once said what he really felt and meant.

What if Ennis could have said yes.

Ellemeno · « **Reply #33 on:** June 09, 2006, 03:13:50 am »

Quote from: YaadPyar on June 05, 2006, 01:39:07 pm

What if Ennis could have loved Jack more than he hated himself?

That's what it all boils down to, isn't it?

How am I supposed to keep up with everyhing wonderful on this friggin' BetterMost?

News:

Author Topic: The what if thread (Read 11810 times)