Timeline for the film & story

[Adiabatic]

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[2robots4u]

Hi, goadra...nice piece of complilation, and I agree with most of it.  But this film created some ambiguous circumstances that make us really stop and think about when something happened.  In so doing, we find a later reference to be off, which makes others off. I'm still trying to figure it out myself.  But still, you did a great job...Doug

[serious crayons]

Nice work, Barbara!

Some people have questioned the possibility of Jack having an eight-month-old baby by the time of the reunion, and it does seem unlikely.

But the part of the timeline I have the most trouble with is the end. How is it possible that Ennis has been dating Cassie for four years and yet so casually mentions her for the first time on their last night? Either he would have casually mentioned her years before, or he would keep her a secret entirely. It's just hard to imagine him saying, "I've been putting the blocks to a good-looking gal in Riverton for the past four years."

Jack has presumably been seeing Randall for about as long (we don't know that they got together immediately after the charity dance, but I can't imagine they would have waited years). Though he actually IS keeping Randall a secret, so the same argument doesn't quite apply.

[jpwagoneer1964]

Nice work, Barbara!

Some people have questioned the possibility of Jack having an eight-month-old baby by the time of the reunion, and it does seem unlikely.

But the part of the timeline I have the most trouble with is the end. How is it possible that Ennis has been dating Cassie for four years and yet so casually mentions her for the first time on their last night? Either he would have casually mentioned her years before, or he would keep her a secret entirely. It's just hard to imagine him saying, "I've been putting the blocks to a good-looking gal in Riverton for the past four years."

Jack has presumably been seeing Randall for about as long (we don't know that they got together immediately after the charity dance, but I can't imagine they would have waited years). Though he actually IS keeping Randall a secret, so the same argument doesn't quite apply.

In the film it is not clear what year Jack had meant Lureen, It actually could have been as early as 1964.

From the way the speak at the last campout, I don't think Ennis and Cassie have been an item  since after the previous campout.

[Brown Eyes]

1984 - Final scene with Ennis and Alma Jr., the reversed shirts. Alma Jr. is 19; her marriage is set for June 5. (One person noted: “In the final scene, we’re told Ennis ‘takes out a half-empty bottle of cheap white wine, a legacy of Cassie.’ This is in 1984. Ennis and Cassie broke up in 1981. That wine has been in the fridge a mighty long time.”)

That's hilarious about the wine. 

I think it's further evidence that the filmmakers (and maybe even Proulx... but she hardly mentions the Cassie character at all...) didn't think through all the intricacies of the secondary relationships as thoroughly as the Jack/ Ennis relationship. 

[dly64]

OMG!! This damn timeline! 

But the part of the timeline I have the most trouble with is the end. How is it possible that Ennis has been dating Cassie for four years and yet so casually mentions her for the first time on their last night? Either he would have casually mentioned her years before, or he would keep her a secret entirely. It's just hard to imagine him saying, "I've been putting the blocks to a good-looking gal in Riverton for the past four years."

That is my biggest issue, too. But there are plenty of other things ...

Jack meets Lureen July 1966. He reunites with Ennis September 1967. He has an eight month old?

Someone else mentioned the wine bottle in Ennis' icebox .... several years after he has split with Cassie?

The lake scene .... Ennis is still talking about child support. But if Alma, Jr. is 19 and Jenny is almost 18, why is he making such a point about it?

I just can't focus on the timeline very much. It drives me batty! 

[jpwagoneer1964]

OMG!! This damn timeline! 

 

Jack meets Lureen July 1966. He reunites with Ennis September 1967. He has an eight month old?
 

The sign on the rodeo announcerd box says August but in the full screen edit, no year.

[2robots4u]

dly64..I pickup up somewhere that your name is Diane; if not, please correct me.

At the time Ennis mentions child support I believe Jr. is only 17.
I believe Jack and Lureen meet in Aug 1965.  The month is shown on the announcer's stand says Aug but no year.  Therefore, when Jack and Ennis reunite in Sep 1967, Jack's baby could be 8 months.

Yes, the timeline drives all of us batty!

Doug

[dly64]

At the time Ennis mentions child support I believe Jr. is only 17.
I believe Jack and Lureen meet in Aug 1965.  The month is shown on the announcer's stand says Aug but no year.  Therefore, when Jack and Ennis reunite in Sep 1967, Jack's baby could be 8 months.

Yes, the timeline drives all of us batty!

Doug ... yep, my name is Diane. Just call me that ... way easier than "dly64" ...

Anyway, my assumption about Lureen and Jack meeting in 1966 is because we first see Alma and Ennis on the 4th of July, 1966. So, even if it says August, I can surmise that it would be 1966 ... meaning even fewer months to have an 8 month old! 

[Jeff Wrangler]

I think it's further evidence that the filmmakers (and maybe even Proulx... but she hardly mentions the Cassie character at all...) didn't think through all the intricacies of the secondary relationships as thoroughly as the Jack/ Ennis relationship. 

Annie Proulx was, apparently, a little careless, at least with the ages of the children. She clearly says that Alma, Jr., was born in September 1964. She places Ennis and Jack's final rendezvous in May 1983. Yet during the course of her description of that camping trip, before the confrontation, she describes Alma, Jr., as "a shy seventeen-year-old." Yes, well, if she had been born in September 1964, in May of 1983 she would have been 18-going-on-19, not 17.