Brokeback Mountain: Difference between revisions

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'''''Brokeback Mountain''''' originated as a 1997 short story by Annie Proulx but became a household name by way of a faithful 2005 film adaptation.

'''''Brokeback Mountain''''' originated as a 1997 [[short story]] by [[Annie Proulx]] but became a household name by way of a faithful 2005 [[film]] adaptation.

In 1963 Wyoming, two young cowboys, Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist, take a summer job herding sheep on the slopes of the titular mountain. Over two months, the men (almost completely isolated from the rest of the world) first strike up a friendship, then a romance. However, they mutually see this as ending along with the job, especially as Ennis is engaged to Alma Beers back home. They go their separate ways; Ennis marries Alma and raises a family with her, and Jack finds his own wife and family with Lureen Newsome.

However, four years later Jack decides to contact Ennis and the two men re-establish ties, realizing that they both still love each other. Over the next decade-and-a-half, they carry on an affair with each other by way of "fishing trips." No one is completely happy though -- Ennis is unwilling to cut ties with his family and start a fresh life with Jack (in part out of guilt and confusion, in part out of awareness of what could happen to them if the world found out about their relationship), Alma knows what's going on from the moment the men are reunited and suffers in silence for years before divorcing Ennis, and Jack's own marriage becomes lifeless.

However, four years later Jack decides to contact Ennis and the two men re-establish ties, realizing that they both still love each other. Over the next decade-and-a-half, they carry on an affair with each other by way of "fishing trips." No one is completely happy though – Ennis is unwilling to cut ties with his family and start a fresh life with Jack (in part out of guilt and confusion, in part out of awareness of what could happen to them if the world found out about their relationship), Alma knows what's going on from the moment the men are reunited and suffers in silence for years before divorcing Ennis, and Jack's own marriage becomes lifeless.

The film adaptation, directed by Ang Lee and starring [[Heath Ledger]] and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis and Jack, got a lot of attention before it premiered simply for the premise; soon it was widely known as "the gay cowboy movie" (even though they were shepherds, not cowboys). Between praise from many film critics and massive controversy thanks to [[Moral Guardians]], the modestly-budgeted film became a profitable box-office success. Fitting many facets of the [[Rule-Abiding Rebel]] trope (a story more conventional than it initially sounds, commentators and critics jumping all over it, etc), it evoked some [[Hype Backlash]] and inspired '''many''' spoofs, but it also touched a lot of hearts. At the end of the day, the film won Oscars for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score. Arguably it was remembered even more fondly following Heath Ledger's death. The movie was named to the [[National Film Registry]] in 2018.

The film adaptation, directed by [[Ang Lee]] and starring [[Heath Ledger]] and [[Jake Gyllenhaal]] as Ennis and Jack, got a lot of attention before it premiered simply for the premise; soon it was widely known as "the gay cowboy movie" (even though they were shepherds, not cowboys). Between praise from many film critics and massive controversy thanks to [[Moral Guardians]], the modestly-budgeted film became a profitable box-office success. Fitting many facets of the [[Rule-Abiding Rebel]] trope (a story more conventional than it initially sounds, commentators and critics jumping all over it, etc.), it evoked some [[Hype Backlash]] and inspired '''many''' spoofs, but it also touched a lot of hearts. At the end of the day, the film won [[Academy Award|Oscars]] for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score. Arguably it was remembered even more fondly following Heath Ledger's death. The movie was named to the [[National Film Registry]] in 2018; as of 2018, it is the newest film that has been added to the Registry.