Brokeback Mountain (2005)

The story of a forbidden and secretive relationship between two cowboys, and their lives over the years.

Director:

Ang Lee

Writers:

Annie Proulx (short story), Larry McMurtry (screenplay)

Stars:

Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams

Won 3 Oscars. Another 139 wins & 130 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Heath Ledger	...	Ennis Del Mar
Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Jack Twist
Randy Quaid	...	Joe Aguirre
Valerie Planche	...	Waitress
Dave Trimble	...	Basque (as David Trimble)
Victor Reyes	...	Chilean Sheepherder #1
Lachlan Mackintosh	...	Chilean Sheepherder #2
Michelle Williams	...	Alma
Larry Reese	...	Jolly Minister
Marty Antonini	...	Timmy
Tom Carey	...	Rodeo Clown
Dan McDougall	...	Bartender #1
Don Bland	...	Biker #1
Steven Cree Molison	...	Biker #2
Anne Hathaway	...	Lureen Newsome

Storyline

Two young men, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, meet when they get a job as sheep herders on Brokeback Mountain. They are at first strangers, then they become friends. Throughout the weeks, they grow closer as they learn more about each other. One night, after some heavy drinking, they find a deeper connection. They then indulge in a blissful romance for the rest of the summer. Unable to deal with their feelings for each other, they part ways at the end of the summer. Four years go by, and they each settle down, Ennis in Wyoming with his wife and two girls, and Jack in Texas with his wife and son. Still longing for each other, they meet back up, and are faced with the fact that they need each other. They undeniably need each other, and unsure of what to do, they start a series of "fishing trips", in order to spend time together. The relationship struggles on for years until tragedy strikes.

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Plot Keywords:

gay relationship | cowboy | closeted homosexual | homosexuality | mountain | 

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Taglines:

Love Is A Force Of Nature

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, nudity, language and some violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an article published in Variety in 2015, to mark the ten-year anniversary of the release of Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee said that he was unfamiliar with Anne Hathaway before her audition, and he was told by the casting director that "the next actress coming in to read was going to apologize for her clothes and make-up, but to just let her do that, and go into the reading." This was because Hathaway was auditioning for Brokeback Mountain during her lunch break from filming The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) (also on the Universal lot), and, according to Lee, she read for the part of Lureen "wearing heavy make-up and dressed as a princess."

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Goofs

In the scene where Jack Twist is first introduced to Alma by Ennis, her purse is on her left shoulder and her arms are down - immediately in the next scene when she is shown, her arms are folded across her chest in a "defensive" stance.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jack Twist: [kicks the cargo box of his old car] Shit.

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Connections

Referenced in Religulous (2008)

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Soundtracks

He Was a Friend of Mine
Written by Bob Dylan
Produced by Larry Campbell
Performed by Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson appears courtesy of DreamWorks Records Nashville
[Played during the end titles]

User Reviews

This movie broke my heart.

For all of those who are holding back from watching this movie because it is "gay" or has love scenes between two men...oh! This movie has nothing to do with sex...and to be honest, I don't feel that it has much to do with homosexuality. This is the most beautiful and profoundly sad love story I have ever come across, and the fact that it is a love between two men is beside the point. It's about a love between two people who cannot be together, but if human beings were better at being human, and if the world was a better place, they would have lived out their lives side by side. I was so, so moved. AMAZING!!!! A must see.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Taiwan] Pathé [France]

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

13 January 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brokeback Mountain

Filming Locations:

Beiseker, Alberta, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$547,425, 11 December 2005

Gross USA:

$83,043,761

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$178,062,759

Company Credits

Production Co:

Focus Features, River Road Entertainment, Alberta Film Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1