Brokeback Mountain

I took it that she was repeating the 'official line', by her voice and facial expressions you knew she was fully aware of just who Ennis was to Jack, and that it had indeed been a murder (although probably as a reaction to his relationship with the beardy fella) and we saw a flashback.

The 'I swear Jack......' line completely and utterly broke me at the end :(
 
Glad to see this thread is still going. :)

Havent been back to see Brokeback yet, but we will do. Even weeks after we first saw it, the scene that sticks in my mind is the bit where they say their goodbyes and Jack drove away. Ennis walked to the alleyway, got on his knees and poured his heart out. Utterly, utterly moving... :cry:
 
I'm still in shock at that. Actually no I'm not. I think Brokeback Mountain is the PC film of the moment and The Constant Gardener digs far too much at world politics for it to be recognised by the film world.

I shouldn't really have expected anything else :rolleyes:
 
While I wouldn't wade in and say that Gyllenhall and Ledger are the best actors of our generation, I wouldn't say they acted completely without feeling or depth: I took the "woodeness" of the intimate scenes to be part of their initial reluctance to give in to their feelings - the reunion scene in particular because they were not on Brokeback Mountain any more and were perhaps scared of being seen? Ennis originally tries to hold back when Jack advances on him, and it is not until they are seperated that he realises the depth of his true feelings (see: when he starts crying after Jack drives off).
 
It's a shame you feel Brokeback is receiving so much praise just because it's the PC thing to do. It really is a great film and if anything, it isn't getting the praise it deserves. I saw this film a couple of days ago and I'm still buzzing from it.
 
I finally went and saw this last night... Needless to say, I was rather dissapointed after all of the hype. A: what was up with the twangy guitar riRAB everytime the two were together (this reminded me of Deliverance BTW- wrong connotation all together!) and B: What the hell did " I swear" supposed to mean at the end. Usually a closing line brings clarity to end of the film (or atleast implies a deeper meaning that is not overly generic and contrived)- Am i the only one that thought that this was a terrible way to end this movie?
 
I think 'I swear....' just encapuslates all of Ennis's sadness and loneliness at the things he didn't say, didn't swear and the chances he didn't take. I personally think, if the sentence had been complete then it would have been something along the lines of...

'Jack, I swear, if I had another chance things would have been different and I'd have never let you drive away that first summer'

But then again, in my head I choose to let Jack and Ennis live on happily together on a ranch somewhere in the mid West where tire irons are forever banned :o so don't take my word for it :)
 
Saw it on Wednesday night - I had tears at the end. An absolutely wonderful film. Stunning cinematography, fantastic acting and script, haunting music and majestic vistas.

For me it was a love story that endured struggling against prejudices and society's expectations. The gay element was secondary IMO.
 
I found your views really intersting, so thanks for contributing! Can I just respond to a couple of your points?

Firstly, I understand what you say about it being a slow start to the movie. You can easily argue that not a great deal happened in the opening 30 minutes....but I would equally argue that those opening 30 minutes were vital to the success of the overall movie.

Here you have to guys who clearly do not communicate well with others, particulalry Ennis, thrown together and very slowly building up an intensly intimate relationship, both emotional and sexual, that neither has epxerienced before.

Had they just jumped straight to the action - i.e Jack 'Hey your cute, want to have lots of hot sex? Ennis 'sure thing, cowboy'!!!;) - the emotional punch of the film wouldn't have been the same; because you wouldn't have understood why this relationship was something exceptional for both of them (not sexually, because we know that Jack does have other male partners, but on an emotional level).

Plus, we get to see some beautiful sceanery and enjoy one or two lighter moments that remain a bright spark amongst the sadness the follows...

Secondly, I think that it is natural to feel huge sympathy for the wives involved, especially Alma who clearly loves Ennis to pieces at the time she discovers his secret. It is a tragic situation for all concerned from the word go, IMO - for Jack who feels rejected by Ennis and grows bitter as the years pass and his dreams of a life with Ennis come to nothing. For Lureen who get's involved with Jack not knowing his heart is elsewhere, and enRAB up growing cold and isolated from him. For Alma, wanting nothing more than to set up a nice home and have a happy family, yet finding she can't have that with the man she loves.

But most of all for Ennis. Poor Ennis who spenRAB his whole life denying who he is, and what he wants. Who enRAB up living all alone with only his memory's, who even to the bitter end doesn't grasp quite what it is he has lost.

Right, I think I've spouted enough rubbish for one post!! ;)
 
I saw it yesterday and it's still with me today....... a wonderful, sad and poignant film with no easy answers.

I also thought it was a clever film, full of unsaid nuances.....meanings conveyed through expressions or simply through things not being said. Though, similar to others, would have liked to have seen more of the happy times.

The last line 'I swear Jack......', well perhaps there is no one meaning and we need to finish it off ourselves. I thought it was one of the most moving lines in the film thinking of the context in which it was said. If only Jack had been there to respond.

By the way all this talk of 'family men' not understanding. Well why not. As everyone keeps saying, it's not just about gay love, it's about loving against convention. Many straight people have loved across religions, across races and across cultures. Many of us have fallen in love with someone we shouldn't have fallen with love with.
 
So happy Jake got Best Supporting Actor, his role is sometimes ignored with all the praise for Heath Ledger. Just completely chuffed with last nights results :D
 
I think it's great Brokeback did so well last night...especially for Jake, who was stunned to win!!

The Constant Gardener was a good film, but it wasn't a film that had a lasting emotional impact on people after they had seen it, the way Brokeback has affected so many.

And Wallace and Gromit totally deserved to win Best British Film, Nick Park and Co are total legenRAB!! Bit worried about Peter Sallis - he didn't look too well, did he?

BTW is it just me that thinks Philip Seymour Hoffmen comes across as rather arrogant, the way he was sitting there looking bored and as though the whole procedings were beneth him?
 
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