Rearview

[Brown Eyes]

I have no real helpful insight into the nuances of the dice/poker/card metaphor.  It reminds me of the same kind of comment as the "ever try calf roping" statement from the bartender in the Jimbo scene.  The thing that really does strike me is the use of the word "pair".  It's interesting that we're encouraged to see them as a couple from the very beginning... even if that encouragement comes in the form of an insult from Aguirre.  I noticed too how often Ennis uses the pronoun "we" during the Brokeback summer.  As in "what are we supposed to do now..." and "what if we need to work for him again..."   I think Ennis was thinking of Jack as his partner by the time he made these statements (even if he wasn't admitting it to himself in his own head explicitly yet).  He seems to really be thinking of them as a "pair" or a couple that will persist into the future.



Well, a topic has been on my mind for a while and it seems to fit well enough in this thread, so I think I'll give it a try here.  It begins with the binoculars (I wonder why for the film these are transfered into Aguirre's office from his car... I guess for one thing it gives them more visual prominence since we only get a glimpse of his car).  It seems to me that the metaphor of binoculars has something to do with the idea that not only Aguirre but anyone, including the movie viewer, who is witnessing the relationship between Ennis and Jack is in the position of a voyeur or an intruder into something very private.  We inhabit Aguirre's viewing position at least twice.  Lee forces us to watch the happy tussle through Aguirre's binoculars (as if we're inside his head and seeing with his eyes through the binoculars).  And again, during the disappearing log scene, we inhabit Aguirre's viewing position and see through his binoculars when we glimpse Ennis up on the mountain with the sheep over his lap on the horse.  The movie viewer again inhabits the position of an intruder during the reunion kiss.  We see Ennis and Jack kissing from an elevated distance only after Alma opens the door and we briefly see what she's seeing (from her position).  Sometimes we, the viewers, are given more privileged access... for example, earlier in the reunion kiss we're right there with the boys up-close and personal.  The moments when we are too far away from the boys to hear what they're saying... or the abrupt cuts away from scenes of their interactions in later camping trips... and even our difficulty in understanding their whispers in TS2, I think are all meant to make us feel like intruders.  That, even if we're benevolent and happy for them, we're still intruding on something "private and precious" (as Lee would say).

But, the binoculars and the oblique views through mirrors seem to be about making the movie viewer really aware of what viewing position we're inhabiting at any given moment and which character we're supposed to be identifying with at a given moment.  It seems that usually when we see something in the rearview mirror we're seeing through Jack's eyes (the shaving scene and the sad view at the end of the '63 summer that Jack gets of Ennis on the road out of maybe the same rearview mirror as the shaving scene).  Binoculars are really only associated with Aguirre, etc.  Windows seem to be associated with Ennis.  Even on Brokeback when he's in the tent whittling during the rain storm we see him look out the tent opening as a stand-in for a window.  Interestingly, Lee usually seems to prevent us from seeing exactly what Ennis is seeing out the windows or tent opening.  We're usually too far away from the window or we're positioned at an oblique angle to the window so we can't see exactly what he sees.  One exception here is the reunion scene... when Jack arrives we see through his eyes, through the window, that Jack is finally here.  He's probably always sort of looking for Jack out those windows... or at least daydreaming.

I don't know what to make of these observations really... Just food for thought.
 

[serious crayons]

Wow, Amanda! You are really making up for lost time tonight! If you'd taken TWO days off, there'd be no keeping up. There are a lot of great observations here.

I noticed too how often Ennis uses the pronoun "we" during the Brokeback summer.  As in "what are we supposed to do now..." and "what if we need to work for him again..." 

Good one!

The moments when we are too far away from the boys to hear what they're saying... or the abrupt cuts away from scenes of their interactions in later camping trips... and even our difficulty in understanding their whispers in TS2, I think are all meant to make us feel like intruders.  That, even if we're benevolent and happy for them, we're still intruding on something "private and precious"

I like this. That does go a long way toward explaining why so much of their dialogue and other stuff is hard to hear or far away ("look what I brought") or even (as in the hand-holding) hard to see. One example of this that always gets me is during the hailstorm. First, you can barely hear what they're saying. Then they take the opportunity to go into the tent together. And instead of letting us join them in there, they close up the tent flaps, as if it's their own private business.

It's another explanation, along with the "never enough time" theme, for Lee not letting us see many of their private affectionate moments. Again, though, I would say he may have gone a bit overboard ... 

Even on Brokeback when he's in the tent whittling during the rain storm we see him look out the tent opening as a stand-in for a window.

Right! I'd never thought about that one before, but add it to the list.

He's probably always sort of looking for Jack out those windows... or at least daydreaming.

Whenever he thinks about Jack his eyes sort of automatically drift to whatever windowish thing there is available (outside the tent, off into the distance when he's spreading tar, etc.). The only exception I can think of is in the bedroom scene with Alma. There, his wistful gaze off to his right and the howl of wind have to stand in for a window.

Hey! When he thinks of Jack, he looks around for a ... WINDow!

[Brown Eyes]

When he thinks of Jack, he looks around for a ... WINDow!

LOL!  That's very deep Katherine.
 
But it also seems true...
  

Wow, Amanda! You are really making up for lost time tonight!

LOL, again.  Yup, I felt guilty... like I'd been neglecting my bettermost duties (my bettermost sheep if you like...), so I figured I'd better get back here and post, post, post!
 

[Front-Ranger]

Thank U for these insights Amanda. I will view the movie again this weekend in a new light.

[Brown Eyes]

Thanks Lee!

So here's a question... why is Jack associated with rearview mirrors? 

He's the only one that is seen using it (I think?) and in both cases we see him using it to view Ennis.  Is it correct to assume that we even see him using the same rearview mirror in each case?  Isn't he shaving using the driver's side mirror?  And it is interesting that in each case we're given a camera angle view of the mirror that would only be possible if we are supposed to be in the position of Jack (seeing through his eyes).

[serious crayons]

So here's a question... why is Jack associated with rearview mirrors? 

And Ennis very explicitly DOESN'T look in his rearview (that is, look back at Jack) the many times he rides away in his truck or on horseback.

[Mikaela]

So here's a question... why is Jack associated with rearview mirrors?

Or is it Ennis who is associated with the mirrors? I remember one BBM review that made a point of Ennis being so often seen through mirrors, being confined and restricted by the finite and small spaces those mirrors create.

It may have to do with reflections - what he wants to reflect vs. what he does reflect - especially to Jack, perhaps?  But it might perhaps also have something to do with the "real" Ennis being hidden from view or so inaccessible that he sometimes can only be studied indirectly - when he's not aware of it?

I'm as yet undecided what I think is the intended interpretation but I have been pondering this a bit.

The rearview mirrors at the beginning and end of their time on BBM are obvious bookends...




And here, for good measure, are a couple of other Ennis-in-mirror instances. Yes, I know the last one is from an outtake so feel free to completely disregard it. 

[Brown Eyes]

And Ennis very explicitly DOESN'T look in his rearview (that is, look back at Jack) the many times he rides away in his truck or on horseback.

Yeah, that's a good contrast between Jack and Ennis.  In the flashback when Jack turns around to watch Ennis ride away... it's almost like a "rearview" gesture (since there's no mirror available)... It's a gesture of looking back or letting his gaze linger for a longer amount of time.  And, of course, like you say this is precisely a moment when Ennis doesn't look back.  So, my question remains... Why?  Is it a question of being sentimental?  

It's interesting that despite Jack looking back (especially in the scene where he's driving away and sees Ennis on the road at the end of the '63 summer) he misses out on some crucial information.  He misses the crucial moment of seeing Ennis duck into the alley to cry.  If he had kept his gaze on that mirror a bit longer and had seen that... maybe things would be different (another minute moment of missed opportunity?).  So, in turning to watch Ennis ride away in the flashback is he also still missing out on some kind of knowledge about Ennis?  And, in never seeming to look back, are we supposed to think that Ennis is missing out on some level of understanding about Jack?

[Brown Eyes]

Or is it Ennis who is associated with the mirrors? I remember one BBM review that made a point of Ennis being so often seen through mirrors, being confined and restricted by the finite and small spaces those mirrors create.

It may have to do with reflections - what he wants to reflect vs. what he does reflect - especially to Jack, perhaps?  But it might perhaps also have something to do with the "real" Ennis being hidden from view or so inaccessible that he sometimes can only be studied indirectly - when he's not aware of it?

Wow, Mikaela!  Great post and thanks for those visual aids!  I think you were posting your response as I was posting my last post.  Anyway, this seems to be an interesting nuance... Jack is the one who looks in the rearview mirrors whereas Ennis is the one who is shown/seen/depicted in those mirrors.  Yes, I think the reflection of Ennis is maybe a metaphor for how difficult it is to see the "real" Ennis or the "interior" Ennis.    And, I think what I said in my last post goes nicely with some of your points... Information is so difficult and inaccessible about Ennis that even when Jack does look back he misses the vital bit of information (really based on timing) about Ennis crying.  From Jack's viewpoint in the rearview mirror, Ennis looks upright, stoic, casual and comfortable.  His vertical silhouette in Jack's mirror is almost the opposite of the crumpled, crying mess of an Ennis that we see in the alley way.

[Front-Ranger]

I like what U say, Mikaela and Amanda...plus Ennis as seen in the mirrors usually has some kind of obstruction. His hat over his face, or a toothbrush in his mouth. In addition to him being seen as a reflection, he is also often seen looking out of windows, as if he is boxed in and looking to get free. But the boxes and frames are created by himself, he has boxed himself in. In his words, "I'm caught in my own loop."