Queer Film Blogathon: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005) Starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal

It's been a long time since I've allowed myself to watch BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005), one of the most moving and beautifully told stories ever brought to the screen. The initial shock of sadness I felt at the end of the film never quite leaves me and I suppose I'm not anxious to live through it again. Added to it, of course, is the very untimely death of one of the young stars, Heath Ledger, a relatively short while later. Somehow the real-life tragedy incorporated the fictional and the two events became hard to separate in my heart and mind.

Back then though, I was mesmerized and did see the film several times in some futile attempt, I suppose, to magically change the outcome. I so wanted that film to have a happy ending even when I knew it couldn't. Annie Proulx, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of the heart-wounding short story on which the movie is based, mentioned at one point how difficult BROKEBACK was for her to write and conclude because she'd set her characters up for tragedy. (I paraphrase.) According to her, there could have been no other ending. But oh, how I wished otherwise.

I even joined Dave Cullen's Brokeback Mountain website where alongside other like-minded fans, I could fearlessly talk about the clinging effect this film had had on me and not have anyone think I was going nuts. For a long time, the workings of BROKEBACK refused to leave me in peace. Something that only happens to me infrequently, thank goodness.

Directed by Ang Lee and scripted by Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana - all three won Oscars for their work - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is necessarily fleshed out from the few pages which initially appeared in The New Yorker magazine. But not, I think, to its detriment. The reclusive Annie Proulx has been quoted as saying she was satisfied with the film. It's not perfect, but I imagine it's close to the essence of what she fashioned for her two characters who, apparently, at one point took on a life of their own for her.

For those of you who haven't seen BROKEBACK for whatever reason, perhaps because you're afraid of the subject matter, I say: grow up. If this isn't a film for grown-ups, I can't imagine what is. It's a love story between two men, yeah, get over it. It is a beautiful film made by a cast and crew with great and genuine respect for the original material, all artists working at the top of their game. A brilliant film.

From the single almost jarring, opening chords of music by Gustavo Santoalalla (another Oscar winner) evoking the bleak loneliness of the western setting, we know we're in for something special. The camera work (by Rodrigo Prieto) and music set the initial pace.

The first ten or so minutes of the film features no dialogue. The camera reveals first one scruffy, out of work ranch hand who's hitched a ride on a truck to a potential job site in the middle of nowhere - Heath Ledger's character. Then a few minutes later, he's joined by another out of work, equally scruffy, black-hatted, wannabe cowboy who drives up in a battered old truck. The two young men do not speak, but merely observe one another with some suspicion, each possibly mistaking the other as job competition.

The visuals quickly establish the shy, withdrawn, uncomfortable in his own skin, personality of Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger). His body language and aversion to eye contact reveals all. Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) is another type altogether. He appears (by his body language) a bit more assertive and self-aware, the camera lingers on his face for many seconds as director Ang Lee makes sure we notice the actor's beauty.

I think it's possible that Lee is forcing us to confront the good looks of these two men, getting it over with at the very beginning so we can move on from there. Whatever his reasoning, the camera moves admiringly over Jake Gyllenhaal's face in a way calculated to make the viewer take notice. It is a stirring moment usually reserved for the female lead in a movie.

It's apparent almost immediately that these two are two losers 'going nowhere', both broke and needy and probably not qualified to do much beyond hardscrabble physical labor.

Though obviously curious, neither speaks to the other until after they've been 'interviewed' by Joe Aguirre (Randy Quaid), a pugnacious, over-bearing rancher who shows up late and contemptuously offers them jobs herding sheep up on Brokeback mountain, a government range.

Jack and Ennis will spend part of the summer splitting duties, one staying with the herd at night, the other in daylight - in between 'cooking' and doing whatever chores are required as they move the sheep from one grassy slope to another. Necessary food, horses and dogs, supplied.

Eventually, out of the blue, driven by loneliness, circumstance and the sheer lack of warmth and/or love shown to two young men while growing up, the initial spark of curiosity deepens. The two become close - each discovering in the other a mute acceptance which, obviously, they've never experienced before. It's also possible and very likely that neither has ever had a best friend.

Even though Ennis has plans to marry in the Fall, I believe he's only doing what's expected in that lonely rural setting of the 1960's. What else is there for him to do - a guy with no prospects - but marry and raise a family and try to get by? It's what men do. It's all he knows.

The first sexual encounter between them is instigated by Jack but Ennis quickly takes control, in keeping with what we know of their personalities. It's fairly graphic though not shockingly so - at least when compared to what is regularly shown now on cable. Their second encounter happens, after a shame-faced, embarrassed and angry Ennis tells Jack that 'this is a one shot thing.' He warns Jack that'...he's not queer.' Jack replies, 'Neither am I.' It won't be the first lie they tell each other.

(I've always wondered though, whether it's strictly a lie if the person actually believes what he's saying.)

But Ennis is powerless to stay out of camp at night, he lingers after supper. Ang Lee then films an exquisitely tender love scene (which is not detailed in the short story) to let us know (in case we are in doubt) that these two souls, against all odds, against all expectations, against Ennis's inclinations, have fallen in love. It is a beautiful scene. Jack and Ennis show each other the sort of tenderness that only love engenders. (I believe the scene was filmed with just the actors, Ang Lee and the camera operator on set.)

What neither expects, what neither accepts - at least at first - is that their lives, from that moment on, have changed forever. They both prefer, Ennis more than Jack, to believe it's all just a carnal episode which will end once the summer's over.

And it does.

Ennis goes off to be married leaving an obviously distraught Jack behind. Though it's made obvious at their parting that Ennis too is having a great deal of difficulty walking away. So difficult that afterwards he actually becomes physically ill. Yet neither asks the other to stay. Neither makes any gesture to force the issue. It is heartbreaking.

They will not see each other for another four years.

In the meantime, Ennis marries and begins a family (two daughters), according to plan, his wife Alma (played sympathetically by Michelle Williams) having no clue to Ennis's true nature. Indeed, Ennis refuses to accept his true nature, so why should she even be aware of it? They are desperately poor, living in whatever housing they can afford, Ennis taking whatever work he can find. It's a hard life.

Jack, on the other hand, has had better luck. While riding bulls at a rodeo, he's captured the interest of a vivacious young woman (Anne Hathaway) who's father owns a farm machinery dealership. They marry and have a son. Jack gives up his rodeo-ing and goes to work for a father-in-law who has no great liking for him.

After four years, a postcard arrives out of the blue stating that Jack will be in the area on business (Jack lives in Texas and Ennis in Wyoming) and would Ennis like to get together. Ennis writes back two simple words: 'You bet.' 

It's almost as if both characters have been existing in stasis, making do, until the inevitable moment when they must meet again. Ennis, conceivably, might even have been waiting (I think he was) for Jack to get in touch. Not consciously, though. Never consciously. But we assume that each must have wondered what had happened to the other.

It is in those moments in the film when Ennis realizes that he is going to see Jack again that we see him show any happiness, eagerness, even joy. He stays home from work. He buys a new shirt. He is beside himself - nervously awaiting Jack's arrival. Alma assumes that Jack is just an old friend who will be having dinner with them. But once Jack arrives, Ennis quickly makes other plans.

The reunion scenes are incredibly moving as Jack and Ennis immediately realize just how much they've missed each other and how desperate they've been to be together again. The acting of both Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal is equally superb.

As is that of Michelle Williams, the wife who is relegated to the sidelines. The look on her face when she spots Jack and Ennis in each other's arms and cannot quite believe what she's seen, simply takes your breath away. But stubbornly she will pretend to know nothing for the few more years the marriage lasts. That is her nature.

We've already seen the heightened excitement between Jack and Ennis as they make it clear that no power on earth can stop what happens next.

What happens next is twenty years of misery in which Jack and Ennis go on meeting in secret once or twice a year up in the mountains - though never Brokeback ever again - because of Ennis's inchoate fear of being found out. Even when Alma finally divorces him, Ennis still refuses Jack's idea of a life together.

Part of Ennis's fears stem from a childhood incident in which Ennis's father had forced him to view the torn and battered body of an old man who'd been beaten to death because he was queer. Ennis even suspected his own father might have had a hand in the murder. A horrible memory he shares only with Jack.

It is this overwhelming fear of Ennis's that serves, in the end to destroy any chance of happiness he and Jack might have had. It's only when it's too late that Ennis comes to the realization of what he's lost, how he's ruined not only his, but Jack's life as well. Too late he finally understands not only how much he loved Jack but how much he, Ennis, was loved in return - when it's too late to do anything about it.

"If you can't fix it, you have to stand it." A sad epitaph.

This is as gut-wrenching a film as I've ever seen. It lingers in the heart and mind long after the credits role and we hear Willie Nelson's plaintive rendition of 'He Was A Friend Of Mine."

I cried for half an hour. As much as I did when I read Annie Proulx's short story.

I still cry if I re-watch the film, so I rarely do.

But if you haven't seen it, you are missing one of the great adaptations, one of the great films of all time. A film in which everyone involved gave everything they had and by doing so, created an enduring work of art.

But keep a box of tissues handy.

Director Ang Lee, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal on set.

This is my delayed entry in the Queer Film Blogathon which has been going on all week with lots of movie mavens writing about how homosexuality has been expressed in films - then and now. Check in at Caroline's fabulous movie blog, GARBO LAUGHS and see who else has contributed to what I hope will be a yearly event. 

Again I apologize for the wonky spacing and inserts. Google-blogger appears to be dragging its feet.