The dark side of the mountain

[starboardlight]

Well, and maybe this is kind of obvious, or perhaps implicit in previous posts, but the fact that their lifestyle is rugged and uncomfortable and hard-working also serves to underscore their "masculinity," in a traditional sense. Which nicely contradicts stereotypes.

this film, as much as it is about love and regrets, is also about masculinity.

[moremojo]

I have really enjoyed reading through all the wonderful, insightful posts in this thread, and I just wanted to let you all know that, and thank you for contributing. Nipith, I particularly found your emphasis on masculinity as a primary theme of the film to be illuminating, and realize that this is an important element in viewers' powerful responses to the movie. It's true that both Jack and Ennis idealize the life of the cowboy, and aspire to be successful cowboys themselves. One senses the mutual respect, as well as admiration, that the two men come to feel for one another, and this is very much tied into the masculine qualities in their personae.

Alec716, I thought you expressed beautifully how the mountain, in its very harshness, brought the boys together and fostered their love. This dichotomy between harshness and tenderness/sheltering is very poignant to me, and enhances the beauty of the story's themes immeasurably. And you're right to point out that the human world was ultimately much more unforgiving and cruel to who Ennis and Jack really were than the world of nature ever was. In fact, through the postcard of the mountain that Ennis cherishes, it is intimated that he longs to return to that harsh, austerely beautiful world, if ultimately only in spirit.

Great job, everyone.

Scott

[whiteoutofthemoon]

I posted the following today in reply to a thread originated on TOB on the IMDb ("Tent don't look right"):

I find it interesting and poignant, when reflecting on how the mountain can be seen as the boys' Garden of Eden, to consider how dangerous the mountain really is, despite its offering of refuge to the illicit love between Jack and Ennis. The mountain is cold, subject to harsh, potentially lethal weather (the hailstorm, the lightning strike that killed the sheep the year earlier), and is replete with bears and coyotes. Ennis and Jack found love amidst dangerous circumstances, and bore their love through unending peril and fear (culminating perhaps in Jack's own murder).

In the short story, I found it rather profound when it is described that Ennis and Jack felt themselves "invisible" to the world below when they were on the mountain.  It was their safe haven, and despite all the dangers of nature, ironically safer to them compared to the dangers of society.   This is why I presume Ennis was so upset about leaving the mountain too early, it wasn't just losing a "month's pay", but he would have to step back in reality.    In the book, as well, as they are riding down the mountain, it says something about Ennis feeling like he was spiralling down out of control, like he was losing everything.

A very striking scene for me is just after the Thanksgiving dinner, after Alma confronts Ennis, and he goes to the bar and gets in a fistfight with the towtruck driver...you see the crap being pounded out of him, and pity the miserable existence he must be living due to his conflicted emotions, and it immediately cuts to the beauty of the mountains (regardless of whether or not it's actually Brokeback), it's such a stark contrast from darkness and cold to light and beauty, the music starts playing.....really profound for me every time I see it.  That's the only time that he has peace and happiness, with Jack, in the mountains, but there's never enough time with that, "never enough".

"you know it could like this, just like this, always".....   but then, it can't.

[gattaca]

This is why I presume Ennis was so upset about leaving the mountain too early, it wasn't just losing a "month's pay", but he would have to step back in reality.    In the book, as well, as they are riding down the mountain, it says something about Ennis feeling like he was spiralling down out of control, like he was losing everything.

I believe this to be the case as well - of course Ennis could not say that (or he thought he couldn't, or he did not know how to express that) - so he 'saves face' by stating his irritation is about the lost income. I think they (Jack & Ennis) both knew that it wasn't about the money at all.