Topic: Alma Jr. meets Cassie Cartwright *spoiler*

[dirtbiker]

I noticed on today's viewing that Alma Jr. had somewhat of a disapproving look on her face when daddy Ennis drove up the road with Cassie in the truck.  She must be thinking that he's going to get into the same rut again if he tries to fool himself into a relationship with a woman again.  I believe she knew about his relationship with Jack when he & Jack hugged while she and sis, Jenny, were in the truck.

[manila_rocks]

I think Junior was very wise for her age.   

A good example of this is when she asked her Daddy, Ennis, if she could start staying at his place and then quickly said "that's ok daddy..I understand" when Ennis started to make up excuses.

I believe she knew Daddy had male-male tendencies and might need his space.

[Toadily]

I think Junior was very wise for her age.   

A good example of this is when she asked her Daddy, Ennis, if she could start staying at his place and then quickly said "that's ok daddy..I understand" when Ennis started to make up excuses.

I believe she knew Daddy had male-male tendencies and might need his space.

What is really strange is Ennis kept this distance from everyone like he was keeping this space for his private life with Jack adn yet then pushed Jack away. Maybe he hoped someday....but didn't articulate that to Jack...

[Walford]

I don't think that Ennis ever had (at least not to his own realization) male-male tendencies.  He had Ennis-Jack tendencies.

[bobcarn]

I don't think that Ennis ever had (at least not to his own realization) male-male tendencies.  He had Ennis-Jack tendencies.

I think so too. He never thought about doing it with another guy.

[Toadily]

I agree, do you think Jack went to Mexico more than the one time?

[ethan]

administrator hat's on --

PBS fans, let's try to stay on topic and not to hijack the OT. 

Please do feel free to post new topic if it has not been discussed. Thank you.

hat's off

Alma Jr. may know. When she and her sister were sitting in the truck, Ennis did introduce Jack to them. If there is one fortunate thing in the movie, it is Alma Jr. and Jenny.

[bnjmn3]

I think Alma Jr is another version of her father...doesn't speak much...very possessive, but she did transform at the end in the trailer..By marrying Kurt, she gives and gets the love Ennis could not...I think he is happy for her to find love..he does say he'll quit his roundup/job to be at her wedding...he hadn't been able to quit a job for Jack in years..

[tweric]

One thing I'm pretty sure is that Alma Jr. loves his father very much. The disapproval look on her face when she saw dad's with a new girl, well, I'd say it's a normal reaction of a teen who just wants to be with her dear daddy, alone.

Her reactions with Cassie while in the bar, well, I'd say Alma Jr. was quite "polite". "Polite" as in that's her character, not because she knew her father liked/loved a man. If it's any other films(aka "straight movies"), it can pretty much end with a spoiled teen going all cranky and angry and teary and...

[coguaro]

I saw Alma Jr not  only as Ennis daughter but as... a "new hope" (not in the star wars sense of term  ).  In fact I'm convinced she knew about his daddy secret love; Alma Jr seems a sensitive and smart girl: observing the force of this love, daddy coherence and finally his despair maybe she get a live lesson.
Than  indirectly Ennis educate Alma Jr to the importance of a true love.
The new hope is that the new generation will give importance to feelings between people and forget any kind of discrimination...

coguaro

[proulxfan]

I think Alma Jr is another version of her father...doesn't speak much...very possessive, but she did transform at the end in the trailer..By marrying Kurt, she gives and gets the love Ennis could not...I think he is happy for her to find love..he does say he'll quit his roundup/job to be at her wedding...he hadn't been able to quit a job for Jack in years..

I agree, that's exactly the way I read it. It's the look on her face as she acquiesces to his rejection. She is closing in to herself to lessen her vulnerability, just as her father does. And so there is the danger that the fear and angush will persist to the next generation. When she returns to tell him of her impending marriage to Kurt, she has blossomed.
BTW can anyone enlighten me on her brief dialogue with Cassie when she says maybe her dad isn't the marrying kind? From my memory, Cassie asks if she thinks she-Cassie-is good enough for her dad, and she replies something like "Youre OK" or something like that to which Cassie seems to take some offense. Did I miss something there. I am not clear as to exactly what's going on.

[ethan]

BTW can anyone enlighten me on her brief dialogue with Cassie when she says maybe her dad isn't the marrying kind? From my memory, Cassie asks if she thinks she-Cassie-is good enough for her dad, and she replies something like "Youre OK" or something like that to which Cassie seems to take some offense. Did I miss something there. I am not clear as to exactly what's going on.

Hello proulxfan, you are pretty much correct.

From the screenplay.

Cassie: "What do you think? Your daddy ever gonna see fit to settle down again?"
Alma Jr.: "Don't know. Maybe Daddy's not the marrying kind."
Cassie: "You don't think so? Or you don't think I'm the one for him?"
Alma Jr.: "You're good enough"
Cassie: "You don't talk much, but you get your point across"
Alma Jr. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

[proulxfan]

So all of this hinges on the line:"Your'e good enough."? I guess I still don't get it. I must be dense. :-\

[kcristob]

It wasn't until my fourth viewing of the movie that the nuances of Alma Jr. kind of spoke to me.  I've gone back and forth with myself on whether Alma Jr. "knew."  Here's what I now think:

I think she knew that her father was not the "marrying kind" because she had a lifetime to witness his  lack of [romantic] passion with the women in his life.  I think she felt his loneliness and despair, but probably didn't know the real reason.  But it doesn't matter that she doesn't know the real problem, she knows that there is something missing for him - and it's that awareness that (in my opinion) brings them closer together.  She is one person he lets himself love (and presumably her sis but we don't really see so much of them).

[tweric]

Very well said. *sob*
 :'( :'(

[jesseanne21]

I noticed on today's viewing that Alma Jr. had somewhat of a disapproving look on her face when daddy Ennis drove up the road with Cassie in the truck.  She must be thinking that he's going to get into the same rut again if he tries to fool himself into a relationship with a woman again.  I believe she knew about his relationship with Jack when he & Jack hugged while she and sis, Jenny, were in the truck.

I have read all the responses to this and would just like to add my 2 cents.

I think Junior may have been aware of her father's relationship with Jack, however I think her response to Cassie was just resentment.  She was a teenager looking forward to have a day with her divorced dad (whom she rarely sees) and he shows up with Cassie in tow and then they go to a bar!?! I think Junior thought she was going to have some time alone with Ennis, not be a third on date.   I give Junior credit for being relatively polite to Cassie. 

And, regarding her "You're good enough." response to Cassie...I think Junior was just annoyed with Cassie and her questions. 

[Rosie]

I think Junior may have been aware of her father's relationship with Jack, however I think her response to Cassie was just resentment.  She was a teenager looking forward to have a day with her divorced dad (whom she rarely sees) and he shows up with Cassie in tow and then they go to a bar!?! I think Junior thought she was going to have some time alone with Ennis, not be a third on date.   I give Junior credit for being relatively polite to Cassie. 

And, regarding her "You're good enough." response to Cassie...I think Junior was just annoyed with Cassie and her questions. 

I think you're probably right that her response to Cassie was resentment. The "You're good enough."  line could be taken as a way of saying "You're nothing special" without having to actually say it outright, something a resentful teenager would do. Maybe Cassie thought so too, which is why she said "You don't talk much, but you get your point across" That doesn't mean I think Alma Jr. wasn't a nice girl just a little jealous of someone taking her daddies time when she wanted him to herself for the day. Even though Alma Jr. may not have wanted her dad to be all alone, if he remarried, someone would be taking her mothers place, not an easy thing for any child to deal with surely?

[welshwitch]

Cassie's also a great deal more glaowrous than Al;m, to put it mildly, and a lot more sexually available, judging from her clothes and behavior. Alma Jr may just be, as any teenager might, somewhat offput by the idea of anyone being interested in her father in that way. She may also be jealous of someone who's presumably going to take up some of her father's time when he has little enough time for her.