Topic: Did Ennis have a souvenir of Brokeback?

[scruffy]

There has been talk about the shirts Jack saved and the possibility that Jack saved a carved horse Ennis was whittling.  I am pondering the possibility that Ennis kept a souvenir too.

The day Jack and Ennis meet for the first time they go to a bar.  That is when Ennis doesn't have a match to light a cigarette.  Jack lights it with his lighter.  After four years while he is anticipating Jack's arrival, Ennis is seen drinking and chain smoking while impatiently flicking a lighter.  Now this might be a stretch but maybe Ennis kept Jack's lighter as a memento.  I'll have to go look at the two scenes again to see if the lighters have any distinguishing marks that would insinuate that they are the same.

Whatcha think???

[tpe]

There has been talk about the shirts Jack saved and the possibility that Jack saved a carved horse Ennis was whittling.  I am pondering the possibility that Ennis kept a souvenir too.

The day Jack and Ennis meet for the first time they go to a bar.  That is when Ennis doesn't have a match to light a cigarette.  Jack lights it with his lighter.  After four years while he is anticipating Jack's arrival, Ennis is seen drinking and chain smoking while impatiently flicking a lighter.  Now this might be a stretch but maybe Ennis kept Jack's lighter as a memento.  I'll have to go look at the two scenes again to see if the lighters have any distinguishing marks that would insinuate that they are the same.

Whatcha think???

Hi scruffy, sorry for the delayed reply.  I don't think the lighter was Jack's.  I personally don't think Ennis kept a memento of Jack at that time.  He was trying to move on ('this si a one shot thing we've got going here) -- and he found out after 4 years that he just couldn't.

[tweric]

had my 3rd viewing today and I paid attention to the "lighters" -- Jack's lighter (when they are sitting inside the 1st bar scene in the movie) is brownish/goldish. Ennis's lighter (when he's waiting at his apartment impatiently) is black/dark. There

[scruffy]

Thanks people.  I knew deep down I was grasping at straws but I guess I just wanted some physical evidence that Ennis was holding on to Jack.

[tweric]

if it helps... Ennis DID hang on to something during all those four years -- something in his heart. The only one time he completely lost it when he kissed Jack openly and passionately at the first reunion...  After that, even a passing car in the distance frightened Ennis...

(in the book, Ennis didn't even look around -- he just kissed)

my heart aches...

[*Froggy*]

It took him 20 years to get a Brokeback Mountain postcard! 

[tweric]

That's right!

[ranchgal]

There has been talk about the shirts Jack saved and the possibility that Jack saved a carved horse Ennis was whittling.  I am pondering the possibility that Ennis kept a souvenir too.

Whatcha think???

We have no evidence that anyone saved the horse Ennis was carving, or that he even finished it, its very possible that he just burned it for firewood before they left--that horse and cowboy on Jack's desk in his room was plastic, and detailed---nothing like the horse Ennis was carving to make the time pass, just like Jack played the harmonica.

[Rønnaug]

It took him 20 years to get a Brokeback Mountain postcard! 

Yes, he bought it after he'd been to Jacks parents and gotten the shirts... I always thought it was one Jack sent him, but he went out and ordered one. Planning his little shirne so to speak... It gets me just thinking about it  :'(

[JerBear418720]

It took him 20 years to get a Brokeback Mountain postcard! 

Yes, he bought it after he'd been to Jacks parents and gotten the shirts... I always thought it was one Jack sent him, but he went out and ordered one. Planning his little shirne so to speak... It gets me just thinking about it  :'(

Its all he has left....   :'(

[chameau]

It took him 20 years to get a Brokeback Mountain postcard! 

Yes, he bought it after he'd been to Jacks parents and gotten the shirts... I always thought it was one Jack sent him, but he went out and ordered one. Planning his little shirne so to speak... It gets me just thinking about it  :'(

Its all he has left....   :'(

Yup!  :'(

[scruffy]

Ennis gets really teary eyed after he picks up the cowboy on a horse.  Is it really plastic?  When polished and oiled, wood can look really slick.  The horse that Ennis is working on in the tent had just been started and it wouldn't look much like the finished product.

[chameau]

Ennis gets really teary eyed after he picks up the cowboy on a horse.  Is it really plastic?  When polished and oiled, wood can look really slick.  The horse that Ennis is working on in the tent had just been started and it wouldn't look much like the finished product.

I'm not sure Ennis was carving a horse, looked like more a dog or a sheep to me.

[romeshvr]

i think the fact that ennis fell in loved with jack was his souvenir.  if you watch the reunion scene, you will see at one point jack pulls away from the kiss and looks at ennis with a look of what the... i think even jack was shocked by the intensity of ennis love or feelings for him.  even that little kiss on the forehead before the go up to meet alma is so sweet and touching...

[camom]

Ennis gets really teary eyed after he picks up the cowboy on a horse.  Is it really plastic?  When polished and oiled, wood can look really slick.  The horse that Ennis is working on in the tent had just been started and it wouldn't look much like the finished product.

I don't think it's plastic.  It looked like carved wood to me, and I paid careful attention to the color at my last BBM viewing.  It was the same light color as the one Ennis was carving back in '63.  The more times I see the movie, the more convinced I am that the implication is that Ennis gave it to Jack.

[exnapan]

We have no evidence that anyone saved the horse Ennis was carving, or that he even finished it, its very possible that he just burned it for firewood before they left--that horse and cowboy on Jack's desk in his room was plastic, and detailed---nothing like the horse Ennis was carving to make the time pass, just like Jack played the harmonica.

It appears to me that the carved horse is UNDER the desk in Jack's boyhood room.  Let me know what you think when you watch again.

[chameau]

It is not the same horse, the one in Jack's room is painted & has a cowboy riding it.  Ennis was maybe carving a horse but I doubt he brought some paint with him when they barely have clothes to wear and food to eat.  This was discussed before in another topic (thanks to google & and the search engine on the forum, I found it!)

http://www.ennisjack.com/forum/index.php?topic=3010.msg18429#msg18429

But there is a souvenir from Brokeback Ennis had, still from Jack's bedroom, the shirts.

[chameau]

I actually found pictures.





This is the one Ennis carved with the original knife, like many other ''artifacts'' from Brokeback Mountain it was eventually auctioned for charity.

[jackster]

But there is a souvenir from Brokeback Ennis had, still from Jack's bedroom, the shirts.

Thanks all for these images cham, how nice to revisit this again. And of course you're right about Ennis's inheritance of the shirts from Jack's cubby hole.

Maybe you can expand on this:
Wiki says souvenir is from the French for "a remembrance or memory". If so Ennis sure enough did take something from Brokeback that he kept with him always.

[chameau]

Maybe you can expand on this:
Wiki says souvenir is from the French for "a remembrance or memory". If so Ennis sure enough did take something from Brokeback that he kept with him always.

I certainly can expand on this

The French Canadian title version is ''Souvenirs de Brokeback Mountain'' (Souvenirs or memories from Brokeback Mountain).  However the French tile version is ''Le Secret de Brokeback Mountain'' (The Secret of Brokeback Mountain) which in my opinion makes less sense but it not the first and not the last time French Canadians and French (from France) don't think alike.  

There is an ocean between us, huh?

By the way the French dubbed version sucks big time, it sounds like they hired the same actor to voice both Ennis & Jack, that's so wrong!  

Sorry for the  

[jackster]

Thanks for "expansion" 

So indeed, Ennis took a "souvenir" from the mountain in 1963, if only in his mind. Seems quite fitting, as Jack always seemed more materialistic, fancy coats, trucks, house, etc. Ennis was, maybe, more concerned with thoughts in his head, if for no other reason that he couldn't afford all them other luxuries.

So, maybe you can help me by explaining the reason why in either of these French language versions it was thought necessary to expand on the simple title "Brokeback Mountain" by adding "Souvenirs de . . ." or "Le Secret de . . . ". Why was this extra verbage needed, or at least thought it was needed in this language? Would the simple title BBM seem nonsensical in French? Pardon my ignorance here, but I'm français challenged!
 

[chameau]

Thanks for "expansion"  

So indeed, Ennis took a "souvenir" from the mountain in 1963, if only in his mind. Seems quite fitting, as Jack always seemed more materialistic, fancy coats, trucks, house, etc. Ennis was, maybe, more concerned with thoughts in his head, if for no other reason that he couldn't afford all them other luxuries.

So, maybe you can help me by explaining the reason why in either of these French language versions it was thought necessary to expand on the simple title "Brokeback Mountain" by adding "Souvenirs de . . ." or "Le Secret de . . . ". Why was this extra verbage needed, or at least thought it was needed in this language? Would the simple title BBM seem nonsensical in French? Pardon my ignorance here, but I'm français challenged!
 

Neither had good reasons to do it but they (Arrrgh!) did so but sometimes (French speaking) friends ask me did you watch this movie? Ex:  Le bon côté des choses. (Best Side of Things... well I guess it is it)

Me:  Huh? English plize!

Them:  Silver Linings Playbook...

Duh!  

Looks like some need titles translated, huh?  With no good reasons, even for the worst ones!

One of the worst so far:

Guerre Stellari


Guess


Guess more


A little more...


Italian for Star Wars!

Needless to say I do not watch dubbed movies, not at all!    I'd read a book instead or watch the movie with subtitles.

We are really   here!

[BBMsheep]

Chameau and Jackster, thanks for the pictures and interesting discussions!

Ennis has indeed a souvenir of BBM in him, in his heart and soul, for the rest of his life. No need to have something "material" when you have a souvenir so vivid inside yourself...

And he has the precious shirts, yes.

I'm French, so I can say one or two words about the OT part of your posts.    I've NEVER watched BBM in french version. I've never thought of doing this, it's unconceivable!    The original voices are so beautiful and unique.    And I know that the french version is awful. Well, I never watch films in french versions, in fact. It can completely ruin a movie!

I don't understand either why they called it "Le Secret de Brokeback Mountain". Perhaps for some marketing reasons, to make it more "appealing" or mysterious... 

When I talk about the movie with my friends, I always say BBM and not "The secret of BBM". To me, the title "Brokeback Mountain" is perfect. Nothing to add to it...

End of OT! 

[bluemountainsky]

I don't think that Ennis ever thought of keeping something tangible like Jack did. I think the Ennis at the end would have kept something, but the young Ennis at the beginning just never thought of it. He kept it in his heart, but did not know how to express it. I do wonder though what souvenir Ennis would have taken had he thought of it...it would have been sweet if Jack had given him a priceless, meaningful gift of sentimental value. A symbol of their love that Ennis would have kept hidden in his personal belongings, something that no one else would have paid attention to, although Alma might have sure wondered about it if she ever saw it.