Jack and Alma

[BBM-Cat]

Quite interesting thread - I don't have much to add other than it must have added further insult to injury when Jack did not come inside Ennis' & Alma's apartment the morning after - especially (if Alma was meant to overhear as we the audience were), that Ennis & Jack were going to a diner to eat breakfast - being that Jack was "not the restaurant type".

[stoppedatennis]

Hi, joined a few months back and have been catching up on alot of reading here on the forums. Saw this thread and just had to comment:

 I feel Jack had seen all the Alma he cared to see. This is the woman who had come between him and Ennis for 4 years. Of course she was competition for Ennis's heart.  Jack had already won that little game 4 years back unbeknownest to Alma. Jack was'nt about to come back up there and pretend to have coffe and  more *pleasant conversation* with her. Why would he after the reception he got from her the night before? She did'nt exactly  endear herself to him  any. ( with good cause of course!) Besides the last thing Ennis wants is Jack and Alma getting any closer than the conversation he had with her the night before . He wanted no part in this collision course! She may even ask about the "all night bar" in Riverton Wy where all this ' drinkin and talkin and all' took place. No A married man cheating does'nt want or need THAT drama believe me. Jack had already talked Ennis into an extra 2 or 3 days more with him anyway.  Alma had no way to compete with another man. beside Alma Jr and Jenny , she had nothing on Jack This marriage had no real emotinal connection from the start and judging from that kiss, Jack owned Ennis. Woooowweeee! tHAT WAS DAMN HOT.

[Brown Eyes]

Hi, joined a few months back and have been catching up on alot of reading here on the forums. Saw this thread and just had to comment:

 I feel Jack had seen all the Alma he cared to see. This is the woman who had come between him and Ennis for 4 years. Of course she was competition for Ennis's heart.  Jack had already won that little game 4 years back unbeknownest to Alma. Jack was'nt about to come back up there and pretend to have coffe and  more *pleasant conversation* with her. Why would he after the reception he got from her the night before? She did'nt exactly  endear herself to him  any. ( with good cause of course!) Besides the last thing Ennis wants is Jack and Alma getting any closer than the conversation he had with her the night before . He wanted no part in this collision course! She may even ask about the "all night bar" in Riverton Wy where all this ' drinkin and talkin and all' took place. No A married man cheating does'nt want or need THAT drama believe me. Jack had already talked Ennis into an extra 2 or 3 days more with him anyway.  Alma had no way to compete with another man. beside Alma Jr and Jenny , she had nothing on Jack This marriage had no real emotinal connection from the start and judging from that kiss, Jack owned Ennis. Woooowweeee! tHAT WAS DAMN HOT.

Hey Bud (again!)

Well, of course you're right.  Jack won Ennis's heart up on Brokeback for sure and the "reunion kiss" just prior to Jack being introduced to Alma was probably all the proof Jack needed at that moment that Ennis was still head-over-heals for him.    Still, though, Alma was competition for Ennis's time and commitment.  I'm still fixated on the glare that Jack gives Alma right before he and Ennis head out the door of the apartment together.  It's strikingly aggressive for our sweet Jack.

[serious crayons]

I'm still fixated on the glare that Jack gives Alma right before he and Ennis head out the door of the apartment together.  It's strikingly aggressive for our sweet Jack.

The first time I noticed that glare was the second-to-last time I watched the movie  !! I'd of course noticed tension between the two but somehow missed the actual GLARE. You're right, it's pretty pronounced.

[Penthesilea]

I'm still fixated on the glare that Jack gives Alma right before he and Ennis head out the door of the apartment together.  It's strikingly aggressive for our sweet Jack.

The first time I noticed that glare was the second-to-last time I watched the movie  !! I'd of course noticed tension between the two but somehow missed the actual GLARE. You're right, it's pretty pronounced.

Jeez, I just come from the lovable subtle details thread and now I have another scene to have a closer look at and do it in slow-motion, because I haven't noticed the glare yet. Will be back later.

[Penthesilea]

I watched the scene four or five times and only concentrated on Jack. How he beams! That's so sweet. I know I've noticed this before, but somehow I had forgotten it.
I had of course noticed him "trembling like a run-out horse", all the electricity that sparkles inbetween them, how they breathe, how he's nervously babbling and how his gaze alternates between Ennis and Alma. I had taken in 'the whole picture' quasi. But I think I never noticed that glare.

[Brown Eyes]

I watched the scene four or five times and only concentrated on Jack. How he beams! That's so sweet. I know I've noticed this before, but somehow I had forgotten it.
I had of course noticed him "trembling like a run-out horse", all the electricity that sparkles inbetween them, how they breathe, how he's nervously babbling and how his gaze alternates between Ennis and Alma. I had taken in 'the whole picture' quasi. But I think I never noticed that glare.

Yeah, while they're all talking, Jack maintains a pleasant demeanor.  He looks smitten at Ennis and smiles, etc. at Alma.  But right after he says "pleased to meet you" he sets that fierce glare at Alma and then he backs out of the apartment.  It's interesting to note how possessive Jack is of Ennis at this point... maybe paralleling how possessive Ennis reveals himself to be during his rather jealous blow-up over Mexico at the end.

[serious crayons]

But right after he says "pleased to meet you" he sets that fierce glare at Alma and then he backs out of the apartment.

He waits until Ennis has turned away and can't see it! Because before that, Ennis was clearly excited to introduce Jack and Alma.

[Brown Eyes]

He waits until Ennis has turned away and can't see it! Because before that, Ennis was clearly excited to introduce Jack and Alma.

Oh yes.  I agree with this completely.  I think it's been mentioned (probably a number of times here and there) that Ennis seems to turn to Alma for approval with a smile when Jack makes his funny little "smiles a lot" comment.  And, he's concerned enough about introducing Jack to Alma to break-up the reunion kiss before Jack was really ready.  No, I don't think Ennis would have noticed the tension between Jack and Alma at all.  If only for the basic reason that he was pretty frazzled by the who situation.  Maybe a precursor to his sort of goofy behavior while he's running around packing following the night in the motel.

[Rayn]

Hi, I was reading through the pages here, and I know I posted a very long entry on this topic,  but there is a thing or two I didn't say about Alma.  She was innocent and unaware of what she was getting into when she married Ennis.  For that reason, and for the reasons in my long post, I felt for Alma because she really got a raw deal.

Yes, I saw Jack's glare, yes, it was awesome, Jack did "own" Ennis, it's true.  From a man's point of view, I know how Jack felt, but I could also understand Alma pretty deeply and felt sad for her slow but steady downhill turn after Jack came back.

All three people are good people, but Alma was the purest, the clearest of the three in many ways and she deserved someone like herself to love her.  I guess she got that in the end, but I don't know how happy she will be having come through such a painful and disillusioning divorce.  I like Alma, understand her bitterness toward Ennis.  I'm not sure why, but I do, so I feel a little protective of her in a way and was glad to see she finally did something to change her situation.