Brokeback Mountain will not easily escape the political debate that surrounds its subject. This is because it is an unfortunate truth that, in 21st Century America, any film that involves non-heterosexual characters is automatically slated for controversy. If that film happens to star well-known actors, under the direction of a respected director, this is only more true. Still, Brokeback Mountain has, at its heart, a story that should be readily familiar - a tale of true love in tragic circumstances - and thus, accessible.
This is the story of Romeo and Juliet, only in this case, the rival families are Tradition, and Change. The formula is the same: two people meet, become lovers, and then thirst for one another throughout the rest of the story. They feel the pain of every second spent apart. Whenever possible, they steal themselves away from everyday compromises, disappearing into hidden places that allow them to be together. They pretend to lead normal lives, fictitious as they may be. Ultimately, they are doomed to remain apart, no matter how strong their love. Convention, as it were, is far too terrible to overcome, let alone defeat.
In Brokeback Mountain, the two lovelorn characters are Jack and Ennis, and the love they share is so powerful as to disturb. Watching them together, there is no question that they deserve to have one another for the rest of their lives. Yet it is equally certain that they cannot fulfill this desire, because the relationship is so unacceptable in the eyes of society as to incur vehement - and sometimes, violent - opposition. Played against one another, these formidable forces form an awesome tragedy, infused with all the passion and yearning that the human heart is capable of, no matter the odds of realizing its strongest desires.
The reason for such a judgmental treatment of Jack and Ennis’ relationship is obvious, but let us spell it out anyway: it has everything to do with the fact that both of them are men. Why state the obvious? Because this simple statement should give an objective person a moment of pause: the only conflict, insofar as this film is concerned, is that the two lovers are both men. (True, they are later unfaithful to their wives, and though such actions are wrong, they are also incidental to Jack and Ennis’ situation). In other words, the tension in this film - that taut, frightening potential that is so essential to storytelling - is predicated upon non-heterosexual prejudice. Remove that, and the initial premise is nothing more than two men who fall in love while watching a herd of sheep. Taken in an objective context, that doesn’t sound extraordinary.
Still, there is the objective perspective, and then there is reality, and Brokeback Mountain does not shy away from the latter. Though the film does offer scenes of intimacy that are both intense, and sweet, much more time is put aside for the difficulties that this relationship causes in each of their lives. Instead of celebrating the love that Jack and Ennis share, the film rakes it over the proverbial coals, dragging its lovelorn characters with it. By the film’s end, this torture has taken its toll, and what is left of either man is only a fraction of the vital youths that first set out for Brokeback.
This approach also impairs the pace of the story. After a deliberate opening that is very similar to the flashback sequence in Ang Lee’s earlier film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain attempts to cover the ramifications of this relationship over a twenty-year period. This involves balancing both the continuing relationship, and the more traditional lives that each man tries to lead. Unfortunately, the film barely manages to accommodate this demanding canvas, and does so only by touching upon events in a superficial manner that provides little room for character development. That said, it bears mentioning that Heath Ledger’s performance is a feat of acting that surpasses Ang Lee’s ambition, and nearly carries the entire film.
There is also a surprising lack of time spent upon the maturation of Jack and Ennis’ relationship. But for a heated reunion after four years apart, and a single, compassionate flashback, the intimacy they obviously share is rarely portrayed. It is as if what they share is such a taboo, that to show any further details would be shameful. Whether or not this is the case, the film does not delve into the nature of a relationship that has obviously changed the course of the main characters.
This is a shame, because one could argue that a film of this nature offers the opportunity to raise contemporary awareness of a controversial issue. In the sense that it highlights the hatred and violence that gay men encounter, this is true. Yet the film only goes so far in terms of humanizing its characters, to an extent where their motivations are presented in a clear manner that invites compassion, and understanding. Had it spent more time examining the true substance of Jack and Ennis’ companionship, it would have offered an ideal means for viewers to examine its subject matter in a more objective manner.
This is not to say that the love that Jack and Ennis share isn't convincing - it is very much so. Nevertheless, the film settles for passion of the more cinematic type - think Casablanca - where characters clutch at one another, kiss with abandon, and breathe heavily. It is, in other words, a Hollywood romance for the silver screen.
In this respect, Brokeback Mountain is very successful. While the film is playing, it is hard not to be captured by the intoxicating combination of cinematography, excellent acting, appropriate music, and the lingering sense of dread that tragedies induce. Strangely enough, however, the spell begins to wear off, and the events described in the story take on an otherworldly aspect. This is further reinforced by the deliberately vague nature of Jack’s eventual demise, though it would be naïve to suspect any other cause of death.
Nevertheless, Brokeback Mountain does disturb, because it offers a glimpse of true love - which is, perhaps, cinema’s Holy Grail - and then snatches it away from the young, capable hands of its characters. This is a film that defies convention, sacrifices the medium’s standard heroes on its altar, and unflinchingly drives everyone to their doom. In light of the current state of cinema, this is perhaps even more extraordinary than the subject matter it takes on. It is a flawed work, but it does shine - with an intensity that leaves its definite impressions in memory.
