Thanks rdx. Those screen captures tell the story all their own. Two people hurting in their own way, and as you said, sharing a moment of grief separated by thousands of mile in distance, and months apart in the evolution of that grief in time.
I think it was the genius of Ang Lee, and the great performance of Anne Hathaway that the scene evokes so many different interpretations. Just like much of the rest of the movie, it walks the fine like that balances on the border of different interpretation, without giving a definitive answer. At first viewing, I felt it strange that Lureen was so mechanical in reciting the death of her husband in such a fashion, but then reading the interpretations here online, I can understand the possible explanation of her repeating the same story over and over. The emotional subtext of her reaction to Ennis's revelation about Brokeback is also poignant. But it just occurred to me now, that the much talked about imperfection of her nail polish, also shows a woman, a wife, who is no longer mourning her dead husband. Lureen was over the death of Jack. The mechanical recital perhaps reflect the lack of grief on her part months later. The emotion evoked by Ennis was telling. It showed that she still loved Jack, even though she knew that he was not in love with her. I don't necessarily agree with rdx that Lureen was comforted by knowing Ennis also loved Jack. I think in a way, she had mixed feelings...both anger and jealousy, and also sympathy and shared grief.
On the one hand, she told Ennis to go see Jack's folks where half his ashes went. She didn't have to say that, or tell him anything, but I think she understood that he loved Jack, and Jack loved him, so she was doing right by him, doing right by them, angry or not. The way she slammed down the phone and shocked Ennis also showed that she was angry. It's amazing that Anne Hathaway showed such a range of emotion, deep and powerful, in the short span of time during the scene. Of course, Heath brings out the best in everyone, just like he did in the scene with Jack's ma in the kitchen.
Thanks again rdx. Those screen caps are awe inspiring.
I agree almost completely in your interpretation about Lureen's behaviour while talking with Ennis;more specially,of course,about the mixed feelings she had,not only about her late husband,but also about Ennis himself.But I don't necessarily think that she felt any kind of sympathy and/or empathy forwards her rival; she immediately knew who that man was,and that because of this man and his relationship with Jack,she had been hurt as a wife and as a woman.Of course,yes,she had with this man a shared grief for Jack's death,but I'm afraid that for rather different reasons at that point of their marriage...In this sense,you say that she didn't have to tell Ennis to go to Twists home,and it's also true; but,can't it be possible that this idea was a kind of revenge against her rival?
I wondering that because she hadn't ever been to their house,but she knew for sure what kind of man OMT was;so,addressing Ennis there,she was sure of what he was going to hear and overcome on the part of her father-in-law(about Jack's possible moving on with another man or about any other point that was going to hurt him the way she felt hurt too...).As you say very well,the way she slammed down the phone reveals that she was angry,and this feeling couldn't be solved with only beating the earpiece ¡.As a matter of fact,I repeat that the only moment we see tears in her eyes is when she realises that she was talking with her husband's lover and the cause of all her marriage problems in the end...I see that point clearer now,even if the clearest point in everything is both her sorrow,anger and shame for having been cheated with another man(something strong enough as to elaborate a revenge) and Anne's incredible performance to show it all.
