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 138 wins & 128 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 | homosexuality | gay romance | closeted homosexual | 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

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Taiwan] Pathé [France]

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

13 January 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Secreto en la montaña

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$547,425, 11 December 2005, Limited Release

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

There were 75 visual effects shots created for the film by the Canadian house Buzz Image Group. Of these, fifteen were of CGI sheep. The film called for about 2,500 sheep, but only seven hundred were on-set, necessitating the additional woolly creations. Also created for the film, were sky replacements, set additions, erasures, and the hail in the hailstorm.

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Goofs

Both young men, having grown up in Wyoming, would not take such a job without a sleeping bag. If you grew up in the mountains, you would know that snow is expected every month of the year and it is not uncommon for the temperature to drop to below freezing on a regular basis. A blanker or two or even three is not enough.

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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 My Name Is Earl: Born a Gamblin Man (2006)

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Soundtracks

It's So Easy
Written by Buddy Holly
Performed by Linda Ronstadt
Courtesy of Elektra Entertainment Group
By Arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing

User Reviews

Ang Lee's Cowboys

What an extraordinary accomplishment! Ang Lee presents us with something we've known about but we've never seen. Profoundly honest, stunning to look at, superbly acted. I could go on with the superlatives because I feel lifted by the experience. You've all heard the ins and outs of the subject treated here. Well, forget it, the words used are used words and do not apply here. "Brokeback Mountain" introduce us to something utterly new, daring you and me to be indifferent. The film is about us, really. Love as an unexpected blow that makes you find and confront yourself. Jake Gylenhaal gives a performance that you'll never forget. Michelle Williams and Ann Hathaway are incredibly good but the film belongs to Heath Ledger. I'm not going to talk about revelations or Oscar buzz, I'm just going to let you know that what he does in this film is so courageously beautiful, so truthful and so transcendental that his Ennis del Mar is bound to become a point of reference not just for us but for generations to come.