Topic: Love Scenes - Spoiler

[ennisandjack]

I have not seen the movie but have read the story and everything else I can find on it. What has confused me is the differing descriptions of the love scenes in reviews. Some make it sound like they show hardly any intimacy between the Ennis and Jack while others make it sound like there's alot atleast in the first half and then nothing for the rest of the movie. Could someone describe the love scenes and physicality between Jack and Ennis not only for their first night together but also for the second tender night and other scenes. Please provide as many details as possible. thanks 

[brokebackmountain]

I have not seen the movie but have read the story and everything else I can find on it. What has confused me is the differing descriptions of the love scenes in reviews. Some make it sound like they show hardly any intimacy between the Ennis and Jack while others make it sound like there's alot atleast in the first half and then nothing for the rest of the movie. Could someone describe the love scenes and physicality between Jack and Ennis not only for their first night together but also for the second tender night and other scenes. Please provide as many details as possible. thanks 

Reviews are often subjective and that is why to some this movie is outragous and to others it is brilliantly made. Personally, I think the movie is subtle in portraying the relationship between Ennis and Jake. What you have read from story is pretty much in the movie. The short story is fast pace and to some extent not too much of description. One could only feel the love of Ennis and Jake. Having said that, the scenes from their intimacy are made to the point and not exaggerated. Here are a few love scenes. The first three scenes are probably those made some uncomfortable.

1. First time in the tent - This scene is probably only less than a minute. It was their first sexual encounter growing out of huddling together in a tent to keep warm. It's explosive and animalistic to some degree that they both agree it was a 'one-shot thing. The description is the same as the short story. 
2. Second time in the tent - I like this scene very much. Ennis entered the tent where Jake was laying without his shirt. That was the moment when I could feel their attraction to each other. Again, the scene didn't last very long either. If you have seen the Logo documentary. That is all what you see on the movie.
3. Four years later when Ennis and Jake met - This is time you will feel Ennis's love for Jake. His kisses to Jake were just as closely as described in the book. 
4. Their time together at Brokeback Mountain during the course of 20 years.

ennisandjack, I have tried to describe in a way so it won't spoil too much. Hope this helps.

[ennisandjack]

Thanks for the description. I also really liked the scene from logo of the second night in the tent. There's amazing tenderness in that scene. I assumed though that they had shortened the scene considerably since it cut so quickly from the kiss to ennis' laying his head on Jack's chest...but it sounds from your description that this is the full length of the scene? If so, too bad since its a great scene. There's also a scene in the logo documentary of them together in their tent when they are older which is nice. It seems like the emotional connection between them is the main focus of the film which is good in a way. Thanks again for the description. I can't wait to see this beautiful film!

[brokebackmountain]

Thanks for the description. I also really liked the scene from logo of the second night in the tent. There's amazing tenderness in that scene. I assumed though that they had shortened the scene considerably since it cut so quickly from the kiss to ennis' laying his head on Jack's chest...but it sounds from your description that this is the full length of the scene? If so, too bad since its a great scene. There's also a scene in the logo documentary of them together in their tent when they are older which is nice. It seems like the emotional connection between them is the main focus of the film which is good in a way. Thanks again for the description. I can't wait to see this beautiful film!

You are welcome. I just love the second night scene. It gets better every time. I could feel the intimacy between them. Seeing it in the movie theatre just makes me feel that gay have come a long way. Yeah..it is short with greatest connection between Ennis and Jack.

[jakeofrome]

I had some mixed feelings the first time I saw the movie about the first night scene.
While in the script it is 100% close to the short story, I was a bit skeptical about Ennis asking Jake what he was doing in the movie.
I always imagined the action as very fast forward without that kind of "pause" every time I read the book - but I think I can deal with it 

[arizonamman]

I am considering how delicately the film handled the love scenes despite the fact that full on nudity, with simulated thrusting and orgasmic facial expressions have been stable Hollywood heterosexual fare for "R" rated movies for over 20 years.

We were even exposed to Dennis Franz's butt in action over a decade ago in NYPD Blue. That type of intimacy was carefully skirted around in this movie to appeal, I suspect, to a "broader audience" and eliminate any talk of the movie being gay porn. :o

Before you start throwing bricks, consider the following examples:

Take, for example, from the Short Story "Jack's choked 'gun's goin off'" at the height of his orgasm (p-14 of the story and p-7 of the Story to Screenplay book). This is not in the screenplay. That would have certainly made the scene seem a lot more pleasurable for Jack. By the same token, it would have made the scene (Jack?) more intimate but less animalistic. What was Annie's true intent here?

See also page 12 of the short story (in the screnplay to short story book):
"Ennis lay spread-eagled, spent and wet, breathing deep, still half tumescent . . ."
I know Hollywood is scared of showing a penis in anything but a full flaccid state but they do still show them. They were shown in this movie from a distance when the actors jumped off the cliff (but we never saw them frolicking or kissing while they were in the water, did we?) Most recently, remember the scene shot from behind Colin Farrell in Alexander as he was getting in bed just before motioning to his male lover to join him? That movie had a great deal more suggestiveness all the way around but was welcome from the "main stream" movie-going public.

Remember 1981's R-Rated "Body Heat" where Kathleen Turner shoved her hand under the sheets and messaged William Hurt's penis and then again as he was standing in front of the window and from behind she reached around with both hands and he said something like "Give me a little time to get ready again."?

Ang Lee made the comment he was more concerned about the gay reaction to this movie and if that is what he was talking about, I can understand why some people feel he feared "crossing the line." Jake made the comment (on Oprah or Leno?) that some of the comments the film is receiving is that it is "not gay enough."

Although not mentioned by either screen writers in the book (hopefully this will be addressed by either them or the director in the DVD), I think they had a fine line to draw between being true to the short story while still fleshing out the characters and not falling prey to the very thing that Annie Proulx was trying to say about homophobia in her book. It is my impression that they were going for a more emotional rather than a titillating response.

One of my gay friends who is also deeply touched by both the story and film, commented to me that he did not think the love scenes in the film were "realistic." I will stop short of saying they copped out but honestly, as much as I loved the movie, it was excellent showing the awkwardness and roughness of the characters but it did not leave me with the same raw intimate impact of the short story.  :'(