Remembering Heath- Brokeback Mountain

While the world grieves for Michael Jackson, known affectionately as MJ, and I do to a certain extent, more the music than the man, I find myself missing Heath Ledger who died after an accidental drug overdose, last year on 22 Jan 2008, at the tender age of 28.

So here I am watching many of Heath's movies, or works of art I would call it and of course I had to watch Brokeback Mountain (2005) as well. This wonderful love epic between two cowboys was shown in the local cinemas but I was then too busy with newborn rachel, being her full time care-giver. Coincidentally, Heath's daughter, Matilda Rose, with his then girlfriend Michelle Williams was born October of the same year.

Based on the award winning author Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain is a short story ( i read it thrice) about the lives of "two young and lonely country boys with no prospects, brought up to hardwork and privation, both rough mannered and tough-spoken". Well, in their desperation, they found work as ranch hands in the wild, unforgiving summer landscape of Wyoming, became friends and that sudden companionship became a strong bondage that affected their lives even as each went on to start their own families and have children.

The film directed by the award winning director Ang Lee boasts of Heath Ledger as Ennis Del Mar, who was the more reserved among the two. Ennis was brought up by his older brother and sister when his parents died suddenly and at 19 had to drop out of high school to work on the ranch. Jake Gyllenhaal, was cast as the vivacious, romantic Jack Twist that started all these!!!!! Afterall, Jack Twist was the one that started their first gay sex and then after 5 years, went to look up Ennis who was happily married to Alma and had two young girls. Alma De Beers portrayed by Michelle Williams was Heath's serious girlfriend at that time.

There were plenty of endearing scenes in this movie which feels more than a love epic than a gay cowboy film. This is a movie that appeals to mass audiences and connects with us in a way that makes us reflect upon our own relationships.

I am intrigued by the character of Ennis Del Mar. Outwardly, he acts very tough and macho, but he had a lot of fears, as director Ang Lee puts it. He kept his thoughts and feelings to himself and many years later told Jack, who had helped him open up," That summer, when we split up after we got paid out I had gut cramps so bad I pulled over and tried to puke, thought I ate something bad....took me about a year to figure out it was that I shouldn't let you out of my sights....."

My favourite scene, "I wish I knew how to quit you"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTTytc_Dfnc totally heart-breaking!!!!!

Then there was another when Ennis's wife witnessed her husband, who is not big on endearments, passionately kissing another man- his "fishing buddy". I would have suffered a cardiac arrest and died on the spot. Its one thing that your husband had an affair with another woman but its so, I don't know what to say, insulting, degrading, horrifying, tormenting, shocking ....to realise that he is in LOVE with another man!!!!!!. That's ultimate betrayal, and for Alma to realise it aint no fishing business, those weekend getaways, with the price tag on the fishing rod still intact after 5 years. Once she attached a note. "hello ennis, bring some fish home, love alma." since her man always come back perky said they caught a lot of trouts but never brought home any. To her horror, the note was intact as well. The fishing rod never touched water. Ennis and Jack were just together, a lot.

I admired Heath. He's such a great actor. In an interview, he said he couldn't care less about the gay labelling. Its acting. Whether you are kissing, a man, a woman or ..... He's so professional about it. Jake revealed that the passionate kissing scene was choreographed to seconds. Anyway, I love the movie, the wonderful directing, and only wished I had watched it on the big screen then. Such a endearing love epic.