Brokeback Mountain Forum @ ennisjack.com

The Movie & Story => AP Short Story & Screenplay => Topic started by: browneyes on Jul 04, 2006, 06:34 PM

Title: The Timeline
Post by: browneyes on Jul 04, 2006, 06:34 PM
Doesn't anyone notice the timeline is messed up in several places in the screenplay? For one when Jack asks Lureen about his parka it says the date in 1969 but the calendar says 1973. 1973 being most likely the correct date. And at Ennis and Jack's last meeting it says the date was 1981 and Ennis finds out about the death of Jack in 1982! Thats is really messed up. We all know it was 1983 when they last met up and it was still 83 when Jack died and Ennis found out about his death. That really annoys me.
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: tpe on Jul 05, 2006, 07:39 AM
Hello browneyes.  As I noted in another thread, you can reference an old post in here:

http://www.ennisjack.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=1c5fadc32732df0871aabc6ddb07229c&topic=968.msg10477#msg10477

The entire thread deals with the implications of the screenplay timeline with reference to the last scenes.  I think you will find it interesting.

Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: welshwitch on Jul 05, 2006, 11:27 AM
And I think wrong in several places, as I've just noted elsewhere.

But the ss is much clearer because it's less specific - the screenplay doesn't even seem to be trying to be consistent.
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: gimmejack on Jul 11, 2006, 07:45 AM
Hello browneyes.  As I noted in another thread, you can reference an old post in here:

http://www.ennisjack.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=1c5fadc32732df0871aabc6ddb07229c&topic=968.msg10477#msg10477

The entire thread deals with the implications of the screenplay timeline with reference to the last scenes.  I think you will find it interesting.


Found it...Thank you again!
Really clears up a lot.  I'm going to try not to overthink the innacurracies though. Too many good things are ruined this way...
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: tpe on Jul 11, 2006, 09:02 AM
Hello browneyes.  As I noted in another thread, you can reference an old post in here:

http://www.ennisjack.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=1c5fadc32732df0871aabc6ddb07229c&topic=968.msg10477#msg10477

The entire thread deals with the implications of the screenplay timeline with reference to the last scenes.  I think you will find it interesting.


Found it...Thank you again!
Really clears up a lot.  I'm going to try not to overthink the innacurracies though. Too many good things are ruined this way...

You're welcome gimmejack.  And I agree, it is best not to be too dogmatic about these dates.  They are reference points.  The story moves us in spite of these details.

Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: welshwitch on Jul 11, 2006, 11:01 AM
The timeline in the ss is also all over theplace - at the end - in 1983 Alma Jr, b 1964, is 17 and Bobby, b 1966, is 15.

What we need here is what's known in the trade as the willing suspension of disbelief.
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: tpe on Jul 11, 2006, 01:20 PM
The timeline in the ss is also all over theplace - at the end - in 1983 Alma Jr, b 1964, is 17 and Bobby, b 1966, is 15.

What we need here is what's known in the trade as the willing suspension of disbelief.

Yes, this is it. 
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: ms.bluesky on Jul 15, 2006, 02:43 PM
lol u should right ap about that
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: Philip Smith on Mar 05, 2007, 12:28 PM
I have a quesiton. Well I knew the story-plot began in 1963 and what's the last year does the story ended? 1983?? Somebody help? Thanks alot in advance!
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: tizi17 on Mar 05, 2007, 12:33 PM
hi philip..
when you think.. lureen said on the phone to ennis "he was only 39" - they met in '63 both 19 - it "ends" in 1983.. at least for poor jack.. :\'(

tizi
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: jackster on Mar 06, 2007, 11:55 AM
I have a quesiton. Well I knew the story-plot began in 1963 and what's the last year does the story ended? 1983?? Somebody help? Thanks alot in advance!
tizi's right on the money:

Excerpts From the SS in 1983:
In May of 1983 they spent a few cold days at a series of little icebound, no name high lakes, then worked across into the Hail Strew River drainage. . . . . . . Count the damn few times we been together in twenty years. . . . . . Ennis didn't know about the accident for months until his postcard to Jack saying that November still looked like the first chance came back stamped "deceased."

jackster
Title: Re: The Timeline
Post by: Philip Smith on Mar 07, 2007, 05:09 PM
To: jackster and tizi17: thanks for the answer now I know so the whole timeline story-plot is 20 yrs. long. Oh....how dumb of me....it already stated in the novel....."In May of 1983...." Well, thanks alot to both of you.