It's the way the world goes away for them, even Ennis, for a few minutes - all that exists is the physical presence of the other, and then the significance of their being there together and the danger lurking just out of sight - it's such an intense scene.
I absolutely love this way of putting it: the world *does* go away, and nothing else matters. If only it could have stayed that way. . . .
Maybe slightly OT, but I was struck by this when watching yesterday: does Alma seem more dressed up than usual in this scene? I noticed that she's wearing a dress and seems to have lipstick on as well. I thought maybe this was a real treat for her, to have a visitor, so she dresses up in anticipation of maybe having a little fun, at least a little break in routine, and instead her world is turned upside down. It's an interesting comparison with Ennis, who has also clearly taken some care with his appearance (short story: "wearing his best shirt, white with wide black stripes"), but who does get to have a wonderful, unbelievable, magical, but ultimately painful break in *his* routine.
Yes, I noticed Alma was dressed up, too. She looked so excited. She even mentions taking Jack to the Knife & Fork. I am betting she and Ennis didn't go out much, so I bet she was thinking, what a treat this will be, hanging out with one of Ennis' old buddies. Little did she know that Ennis had no plans whatsoever that involved her. He didn't even give her a second glance after he saw Jack through the window. I know I'm supposed to feel sorry for her (crap, I'm a married woman with two small kids) and I do, but I just wanted her out of the way so Jack and Ennis could get to that motel.
Dont worry, stacp, I'm a married woman with two small kids too, and I can tell you, as much as it was sad for Alma to see what she saw, I was willing the camera to get back to Ennis and Jack as fast as possible. Of course it was heartbreaking for her, but I think the majority of the audience would have been willing Ennis and Jack to embrace and kiss and be together, because we know what's being going on in Ennis' head for the past 4 years, and she didnt.
You cant deny how well Michelle Williams played that scene, especially when they come back up the stairs to meet her. When you see her pretending to look through her bag, to look like she's doing something, you hear a sound come out of her, like a sharp intake of breath, before she turns round to face them. That sound was like her way of getting ready to confront the the person she has just seen kissing her husband.....and to confront the person she thought she knew...her husband. I read in an interview with Michelle about that scene, saying she was pretending to look for her purse in her bag, because it was something normal, something solid and practical to deal with, in light of the unreal situation that was unfolding around her.
Sorry, I know I shouldnt have started that about Alma, so lets get back to Ennis and Jack......I remember watching it for the first time and first smiling when Ennis says "Jack F***cking Twist", smiling when he jumps down the stairs and hugs Jack, and then when he pushes him up against the wall and kisses him like his life depended on it.....well, I think I did what you did hpv, and stopped breathing, because I genuinely could not believe what I was seeing. I was hoping that they were going to kiss, of course, but nothing like this. This blew me away.
Totally and utterly powerful and passionate stuff that you would never have imagined could be possible.
