Author Topic: Reunion : What was jack expecting ? (Read 16553 times)

haveacrush · « **on:** Nov 13, 2010, 09:00 AM »

Oh ! As i had just written in my other post about Ennis's mischievous smile in the reuinon scene this again is a post on reunion scene (cant get over it ! guys plz dont get bored !)
just wondering what was jack expecting in the reunion ? from the way he was looking at ennis during the kissing scene , was he ever expecting this sort of passionate gesture from an otherwise reserved ennis ? did he come expecting nothing from ennis and just because he cudnt help but wanted to see him desparately ? in that case how overwhelmed might he had been !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rdx · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 18, 2010, 05:52 PM »

I'd say that Jack wasn't sure how Ennis would react seeing him despite Ennis's reply "You bet." Also Ennis said while drinking and smoking "..if he shows.". Neither of them knew how the other would react after what happened in 1963. Jack, wanting to see Ennis, took a chance and, for once, Ennis took it too..in a very un-Ennis way.

Pure joy!

In the very beginning of this scene

Jack is almost frozen while Ennis is the talkative one..well..who wouldn't be after that sort of 'treatment'. Conclusion: Jack got more than he expected. He was counting on Ennis's extrovert side that he learned to know during their summer on the mountains.

myprivatejack · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 19, 2010, 12:36 PM »

I tend to agree with you,rdx,but not totally.I mean,IMO Jack was afraid of Ennis reaction,as well as Ennis himself but maybe for different reasons; his own silence during four years shows that he longed for as much as he feared this reaction.But wanting to see him almost crazily as his love for him hadn't vanished,he took the initiative the same than he did in FNIT.

But where I differ just a little is in that Jack went to Ennis home completely aware of what could happen; I think that in his innest self he believed something was going to happen sooner or later.If not,he was surely going to let it happen again...or to provoke it ¡.What he didn't count was on seeing Ennis bolder side,so soon,so passionate,so carefree of everything around them.As you say,so un-Ennis ¡.I think this is in this sense where Jack got more than he expected;not the fact in itself,but in the way this fact happenned.

trekfan · « **Reply #3 on:** Nov 19, 2010, 01:19 PM »

Jack wasn't sure what was going to happen. He figured he would take a chance, after Ennis said 'you bet' say hello, catch up on their lives, maybe go have something to eat and then go to LF to see his parents.

He didn't think Ennis would come flying down those stairs and into his arms, push him against the wall and have the air in his lungs sucked out of him

Dangerina · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 07, 2010, 04:52 AM »

Quote from: myprivatejack on Nov 19, 2010, 12:36 PM

IMO Jack was afraid of Ennis reaction,as well as Ennis himself but maybe for different reasons; his own silence during four years shows that he longed for as much as he feared this reaction.But wanting to see him almost crazily as his love for him hadn't vanished,he took the initiative the same than he did in FNIT.
But where I differ just a little is in that Jack went to Ennis home completely aware of what could happen; I think that in his innest self he believed something was going to happen sooner or later.If not,he was surely going to let it happen again...or to provoke it ¡.What he didn't count was on seeing Ennis bolder side,so soon,so passionate,so carefree of everything around them.As you say,so un-Ennis ¡.I think this is in this sense where Jack got more than he expected;not the fact in itself,but in the way this fact happenned.

You seem to have stolen my thoughts

Yeah, Jack wanted to start their love afresh - as he himself said, he "redlined it all the way", and his eyes tell us that he passionately desired Ennis, and if his lover hadn't struck him against the wall, Jack would use any opportunity to revive FNIT in Ennis's memory

myprivatejack · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 10, 2010, 10:43 AM »

Quote from: Dangerina on Dec 07, 2010, 04:52 AM

You seem to have stolen my thoughts
Yeah, Jack wanted to start their love afresh - as he himself said, he "redlined it all the way", and his eyes tell us that he passionately desired Ennis, and if his lover hadn't struck him against the wall, Jack would use any opportunity to revive FNIT in Ennis's memory

Hey,I don't want to steal anything from anybody,even their thoughts ¡

I think he travelled with the secret intention of provoke things somehow,or at least,with the secret wish that something could happen between the both of them.When you see again somebody who has meant so much for you,in an story isn't still finished,you almost always are waiting for something else than simply a friendly "Hey ¡ How are you?".In what I agree with Trekfan is in that he didn't think that Ennis would take the initiative instead of himself ¡ Neither Jack nor no one of us ¡

vedrana · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 10, 2010, 04:16 PM »

Jack was sure something would happen, but not so quick and forceful. The same as FNIT!

WildCatIsle · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 02:28 PM »

After the crossed postcards, They knew

vedrana · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 21, 2010, 04:00 PM »

Quote from: WildcatIsle on Dec 21, 2010, 02:28 PM

After the crossed postcards, They knew

Dangerina · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 22, 2010, 05:57 AM »

What I really like about BBM is the lack of words and emotions that we - women - demonstrate. If Jack were a woman, BBM would turn into a series of hysterical fits.
They understood each other without a single word pronounced, without any words of love they knew they loved each other...
"You bet" meant heaps of things, a woman with her tirades couldn't say more...

rdx · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 31, 2011, 01:48 PM »

I'd say that Jack's dubiety is reflected 'more' in the SS than in the film, in his postcard to Ennis. In the SS it's a letter, not a postcard.

In the SS Jack's letter has also the following lines: "Hope you get it" (the letter), "..thought Id stop and buy you a beer" & "[Drop me a line] if you can".

Dangerina · « **Reply #11 on:** Feb 01, 2011, 09:15 AM »

It was Gyll's task, I guess, to show all those emotions - in his eyes, gestures, gait... Though, I guess, he didn't have plenty of time for that before Heath threw him against the wall

lol

yuddy · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 09, 2011, 01:59 PM »

I agree with everyone that Jack was pleasantly surprised by Ennis' passionate kiss but, I also think Jack was expecting a lot more than "maybe re-starting it again..." when he wrote the postcard. I don't think the "sweet-life" proposal was something he just came up with. I think he had it all planned out when he sent the postcard.

Well, I will even say it was the fact that he married a rich wife whose father hated him gave him the courage to write that postcard. Because he was now in a "better position" to propose a concrete plan to Ennis - I mean, he can prove to Ennis that he was really not queer because he got married too (so Ennis can feel more comfortable about his proposal, "just two guys" living together), and he had money now to support the cow and calf operation (since he knew how practical Ennis was). So, Jack was expecting that he would have the opportunity to present the "sweet-life" proposal at the reunion (notice how careful he was in picking a right time to say it?).

Unfortunately, Ennis also had it all planned out during the four years, but he had a different plan in mind. I bet Ennis was thinking constantly how this could work if Jack ever got in touch with him again...so when Jack presented his "sweet-life" proposal, Ennis immediately countered the "once-in-a-while-out-of-the-middle-of-no-where" proposal. They were both very well prepared for the reunion IMO.

Dangerina · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 16, 2011, 06:43 AM »

Well-prepared subconsciously, I guess, not consciously. I don't think they both cared to think eth over when they were apart from each other - they just wanted to see each other and hold each other in his arms. But when eth was done

- all their essences came to surface - Jack's desire to be around his lover forever and Ennis's fears...

haveacrush · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 28, 2011, 10:57 AM »

Quote from: Dangerina on Feb 16, 2011, 06:43 AM

Well-prepared subconsciously, I guess, not consciously. I don't think they both cared to think eth over when they were apart from each other - they just wanted to see each other and hold each other in his arms. But when eth was done - all their essences came to surface - Jack's desire to be around his lover forever and Ennis's fears...

well put together! dangerina ...... :t)consciously not prepared , logically jack cud hv just thought let's take a chance or even worse desparately wanted to only behold once somehow , many be say "hi"/ "hello" quickly $:-\\$ , quietly and then leave. but subconsiously who knows what he expected and dreamt !

myprivatejack · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 28, 2011, 12:10 PM »

Quote from: Dangerina on Feb 16, 2011, 06:43 AM

Well-prepared subconsciously, I guess, not consciously. I don't think they both cared to think eth over when they were apart from each other - they just wanted to see each other and hold each other in his arms. But when eth was done - all their essences came to surface - Jack's desire to be around his lover forever and Ennis's fears...

I tend to agree with you again,Dangerina,in that he was well-prepared subconsciously to a certain point.I repeat I think he didn't think even for a single moment that Ennis reaction was going to be so"bold",so quick,so un-Ennis.He wished making love again with his former lover and surely enough he was going to "provoke" it if something didn't happen between them more than a more or less warm hug and a lot of conversation about their years apart...This is something that is inside a person in these cases,in a more or less conscious level.
But I also opine that only when he realised the man he loved loved him back was when he began to think in this "sweet life together"; and,of course,when he thought he could introduce the subject to Ennis being sure of their feelings for each other.What surely he didn't hope was this one's reaction against the proposal for his so traumatic childhood's souvenir... $:-\\$

Dangerina · « **Reply #16 on:** Mar 03, 2011, 04:25 AM »

What I know for sure is if we go on talking like this, I'm gonna burst out crying and collapse back into my PBS, which I feel a bit free from now

haveacrush · « **Reply #17 on:** Jul 07, 2011, 03:42 PM »

Quote from: loreen on Dec 21, 2010, 04:00 PM

thats it ... wow . hmm may be he knew after the crossed postcards but then ennis is ennis jack knows how "ennis" he is ..that also married, with kids may be ( jack knew ennis would be marrying alma) , he might have still kept his fingers crossed

haveacrush · « **Reply #18 on:** Jul 01, 2012, 07:35 AM »

Quote from: loreen on Dec 21, 2010, 04:00 PM

you bet

wongadonga · « **Reply #19 on:** Mar 06, 2013, 06:10 AM »

Quote from: haveacrush on Nov 13, 2010, 09:00 AM

Oh ! As i had just written in my other post about Ennis's mischievous smile in the reuinon scene this again is a post on reunion scene (cant get over it ! guys plz dont get bored !)
just wondering what was jack expecting in the reunion ? from the way he was looking at ennis during the kissing scene , was he ever expecting this sort of passionate gesture from an otherwise reserved ennis ? did he come expecting nothing from ennis and just because he cudnt help but wanted to see him desparately ? in that case how overwhelmed might he had been !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well he was not to know that Alma had killed off Ennis's dream of his own spread we saw up front where he is totally happy working 26 hours a day with his horses and helping with kids. She had made him into what was called a SNAG back then where he was back to "working for the man" with no hope at all for the future and Alma was doing the "feminist" thing of the time incl "what about my job".

Ennis had had a gutful and Jack's postcard was just what he wanted "revenge" wise - see how he totally changed from the careful Ennis to actually WILLING Alma to look out the door and not how he made it into almost a head butting affair [almost rodeo stuff - lol].

so for sure Jack was totally amazed and was thinking log cabin here we come, but then ......

thunderwolf · « **Reply #20 on:** Jun 18, 2014, 01:16 PM »

So *loved* this scene.

If we try to place ourselves in the minds of the characters, I think neither of them could expect anything. I think they both hoped though.

They only traded two cards, so neither knew much about the others life. Jack could probably infer that as Ennis was in Riverton he married Alma. I guess it's puzzling why Jack left it 4 years to get in touch. Ennis had more or less given up on Jack.

Whatever their expectations of the reunion was, I think, as soon as they saw each other, they knew, or at least reaffirmed that they were meant to be. Just as the right key opens the lock. (The lock being Ennis). This scene shows Ennis as his most happiest, his most passionate. If I was Alma witnessing this, I'd be equally surprised and hurt that here was my husband acting with a passion that I'd never myself witnessed as much as the fact that it was a man he was sharing this passion with.

The tragedy of this scene, is although they both reach the same conclusion - they have to be together, their minds process that in similar ways. For Ennis, its how they can be together, causing themselves, and their responsibilities, the minimum of disruption, and retaining appearances for everyone's sake. For Jack, its just that they must be together.

lancecowboy · « **Reply #21 on:** Jun 26, 2014, 06:20 PM »

You bet :-) was probably their private catch phrase up there in Brokeback.

I am sure both Ennis and Jack knew what to expect. That's why Jack redlined all the way from Texas, and Ennis kept telling Alma the two of were to be drinking and talking all night.

They were both expecting a booty call. What they did NOT expect was Ennis taking the steps down the stairs by twos and by threes, colliding with Jack with the force of nature after all them years. What they did not expect was their mutual profession of love in the motel room post coitus.

bluemountainsky · « **Reply #22 on:** Aug 22, 2014, 09:21 PM »

I think Jack didn't know what Ennis would say or do, but Jack being the dreamer he is, hoped that they would just pick up where they left off. He probably half expected Ennis to be too afraid, but the idealist in him believed Ennis would express what he had expressed for him four years earlier. When Ennis ran down the stairs, beaming, happier then he'd ever looked in his life, and embraced Jack then passionately kissed him right there outside, forgetting to care whether anyone could see them or not, that was the moment Jack had dreamed of, and his dreams were coming true. Ennis also knew what to expect. He wore his best shirt that day, he waited anxiously all day, he knew the love his life was about to come back into his life and he couldn't wait. That is why nothing, not even his fears, could stop him from making out with Jack right outside his apartment.

Author Topic: Reunion : What was jack expecting ? (Read 16553 times)

vedrana

vedrana