Brokeback Mountain
Went and saw this, finally, with SO today. I enjoyed it a great deal - in part because of the scenery, which is perhaps odd, but I spent enough of my childhood summers in the Rockies that I love these vistas. Not going to write a proper review of it. But have a few related thoughts to put down, mostly on the aspect of sexuality at this time.
To call it the "gay cowboy movie" is a misnomer. One can surely argue that they're not really cowboys - even though the characters themselves use the term - it's sheep that we see them herding. Although there are certainly indications that Ennis does work with cattle later on, we never see that. But that's a minor point.
I'm definitely dubious about calling either one gay. SO and I were discussing this a bit afterward. He has some academic interests in gender and sexuality, and we've talked occasionally about how labeling works. For my money, I think that there's a strong biological component to sexual preference, inborn - that is, it's not something that's susceptible to change. On the other hand, as semi-rational animals not wholly controlled by our instincts, we have a degree of choice in how we express or repress those preferences. Socialization can have a very strong effect there. And how does one define "gay"? Does it mean the preference, or the act? How can anyone other than an individual himself be certain of the preference? And what if - perhaps for social reasons - one refuses the label of "gay"?
Looking at the film specifically, Ennis and Jack each states to the other that he is not queer. This despite having had sex together. Both marry and sire children. The film, in fact, shows a couple of scenes of Ennis and his wife Alma having sex; though we don't see Jack and Lureen the same way, they have a son and so clearly have had sex at least a few times. There are four years between when their summer on Brokeback Mountain ends and Jack reappears in Riverton to see Ennis. Then they spend years getting together what seems to be maybe three or four times a year, for not more than a week at a time. It would be reasonable to assume that if you add up all the sexual encounters, there are probably more heterosexual ones than homosexual ones for both men. Almost certainly for Ennis, through most of his marriage. It's harder to tell for Jack, as nearly all we hear about his marriage is what he says, that it could be conducted by telephone. But he may or may not be telling Ennis the truth there; we know he lies or omits to tell other of his activities, particularly that he has had sex with other men.
So what is each man's sexuality? I would prefer the term "queer," personally, as being less limiting and more inclusive - although it has the drawback of being specifically denied as a valid descriptor by both characters. But I wouldn't call either one gay, precisely.
And then there is my permanent beef with the fact that we (modern western society) have to categorize people by their sexual preferences and/or actions in the first place. I don't like that. Every species reproduces. Some other species even demonstrate same-sex preferences. This is not important, what one does sexually. How one treats others - that's what's important. And actually, I think that's what's significant in the film, is how Ennis and Jack deal with others, and the whys of it - but then, the whys relate back to the fact that society has decided that sexual preference is a critical part of identity. But that's another post sometime, I hope.
To call it the "gay cowboy movie" is a misnomer. One can surely argue that they're not really cowboys - even though the characters themselves use the term - it's sheep that we see them herding. Although there are certainly indications that Ennis does work with cattle later on, we never see that. But that's a minor point.
I'm definitely dubious about calling either one gay. SO and I were discussing this a bit afterward. He has some academic interests in gender and sexuality, and we've talked occasionally about how labeling works. For my money, I think that there's a strong biological component to sexual preference, inborn - that is, it's not something that's susceptible to change. On the other hand, as semi-rational animals not wholly controlled by our instincts, we have a degree of choice in how we express or repress those preferences. Socialization can have a very strong effect there. And how does one define "gay"? Does it mean the preference, or the act? How can anyone other than an individual himself be certain of the preference? And what if - perhaps for social reasons - one refuses the label of "gay"?
Looking at the film specifically, Ennis and Jack each states to the other that he is not queer. This despite having had sex together. Both marry and sire children. The film, in fact, shows a couple of scenes of Ennis and his wife Alma having sex; though we don't see Jack and Lureen the same way, they have a son and so clearly have had sex at least a few times. There are four years between when their summer on Brokeback Mountain ends and Jack reappears in Riverton to see Ennis. Then they spend years getting together what seems to be maybe three or four times a year, for not more than a week at a time. It would be reasonable to assume that if you add up all the sexual encounters, there are probably more heterosexual ones than homosexual ones for both men. Almost certainly for Ennis, through most of his marriage. It's harder to tell for Jack, as nearly all we hear about his marriage is what he says, that it could be conducted by telephone. But he may or may not be telling Ennis the truth there; we know he lies or omits to tell other of his activities, particularly that he has had sex with other men.
So what is each man's sexuality? I would prefer the term "queer," personally, as being less limiting and more inclusive - although it has the drawback of being specifically denied as a valid descriptor by both characters. But I wouldn't call either one gay, precisely.
And then there is my permanent beef with the fact that we (modern western society) have to categorize people by their sexual preferences and/or actions in the first place. I don't like that. Every species reproduces. Some other species even demonstrate same-sex preferences. This is not important, what one does sexually. How one treats others - that's what's important. And actually, I think that's what's significant in the film, is how Ennis and Jack deal with others, and the whys of it - but then, the whys relate back to the fact that society has decided that sexual preference is a critical part of identity. But that's another post sometime, I hope.