http://www.bodybuildingreviews.net/brokeback/
The link above is the transcript to Brokeback Mountain, a 2005 movie that’s been adapted from book form.
I like this movie a lot, and not just because Heath Ledger is cast in the main role as a cowboy, Ennis. This piece has some really strong, really heavy dialogue in the majority of the scenes, and I connected with the turmoil and pain that the characters carried throughout the movie.
(Ennis and Jack are lovers that meet on Brokeback Mountain in the summer of 63, after working together, tending to sheep.)
I don’t necessarily want to dive into a summary or review of the book/movie itself; rather, I’d like to just share some of the lines that were especially hard-hitting to me, and describe why they were so important.
Here’s some of my favorite consecutive scenes:
Scene in camp:
(JACK opens a can of beans as as ENNIS scrubs down with his shirt off.)
ENNIS Shot a coyote up there. It’s a big son of a b****, balls on him size a apples. He looked like he could eat himself a camel. You want some of this hot water?
JACK It’s all yours.
Scene in camp:
(JACK takes a piss at edge of camp as Ennis finishes his can of beans.)
ENNIS Mmm.
(JACK walks up and taps on his rodeo belt buckle.)
ENNIS I don’t rodeo much myself. I mean, what’s the point of ridin’ some piece of stock for eight seconds?
JACK Money’s a good point.
ENNIS True enough, if you don’t get stomped winnin’ it, huh?
(JACK pours some whiskey in ENNIS’s cup.)
ENNIS Thank you.
JACK Well, my ol’ man was a bull rider, pretty well known in his day, though he kept his secrets to himself. Never taught me a thing, never once come to see me ride. Your brother and sister do right by you?
ENNIS They did the best they could after my folks was gone, considerin’ they didn’t leave us nothin’ but 24 dollars in a coffee can. I got me a year of high school before the transmission went on the pickup. My sis left. She married a roughneck, moved to Casper. Me and my brother, we got ourselves some work on a ranch up near Worland until I was 19, and then he got married. No more room for me. That’s how come me end up here. (Notices JACK smiling.) Whut?
JACK Friend, that’s more words than you’ve spoke in the past two weeks.
ENNIS Hell, that’s the most I’ve spoke in a year. My dad, he was a fine roper. Didn’t rodeo much, though. He thought rodeo cowboys was all [screw]*-ups.
JACK The hell they are! (Gets into ENNIS’s face and whoops.) Yee-haw!
ENNIS There you go.
(JACK continues to whoop and carry on.) I’m spurrin’ his guts out, wavin’ to the girls in the stands! He’s kickin’ to high heaven, but he don’t dashboard me, no way! (Stumbles and collapses in laughter.)
ENNIS (also laughing) I think my dad was right.
Scene in new camp:
ENNIS Tent don’t look right. (Works on it.)
JACK Well, it ain’t goin’ nowhere. Let it be. (Plays harmonica.)
ENNIS That harmonica don’t sound quite right either.
JACK That’s ’cause it got kinda flattened when that mare threw me.
ENNIS Oh yeah? I thought you said that mare couldn’t throw you.
JACK Ah, she got lucky.
ENNIS Yeah, well, if I got lucky, that harmonica would’ve broke in two.
Scene in camp:
JACK (singing) “I know I shall meet you on that final day, Water Walkin’ Jesus, take me away . . .”
ENNIS (taps rhythm of song out) Very good.
JACK Oh yeah. My mama, she believes in the Pentecost.
ENNIS Oh yeah? Exactly what is the Pentecost? I mean, my folks, they was Methodist.
JACK The Pentecost. I don’t know. I don’t know what the Pentecost is. Mom never explained it to me. I guess it’s when the world ends and fellas like you and me march off to hell.
ENNIS Speak for yourself. You may be a sinner, but I ain’t yet had the opportunity. (takes the whiskey) Thank you.
This movie was important to me because Ennis’ character learned, experienced, and grew throughout every scene. The best part, though, is that he grew with the help of Jack, played by Jake Gyllenhaal.
Their interactions with each other were always very hurried, very brisk and harsh in tone, even the intimate ones. Their love was rough, and that scared and confused me. I have never seen two people in an intimate relationship interact they way that these two characters were written and acted out.
The movie was also important because it was set in the sixties, and it was placed in Wyoming. Both men had families, lives, reputations. Jack’s life was taken because of his relationship with Ennis in the end.
This quiet connection between the two, the way Jack could make Ennis speak up about his life like no one else could, and the angry relationship, the scared and violet love the two shared, made this an excellent movie. I am planning to read the book version very soon, and I recommend both to you.
