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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Certificate:

14A

Did You Know?

Trivia

DIRECTOR_TRADEMARK(Ang Lee): [outdoor settings]: Ennis and Jack escorting the sheep, and camping in a mountain terrain.

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Goofs

When Alma & Ennis are in the kitchen at Thanksgiving, there is a plastic strainer thing that goes over the sink which wasn't commonly available until the advent of dollar stores in the 1980s. Is there also a salad spinner on the counter? That would have been quite rare in the 1970s as well.

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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 Goku sayonara zetsubô sensei: To Say That the Pursuit of Happiness from a Process Is the Origin of Crime/A Notice from Ministry of Prediction/Names Ripped in Pieces (2008)

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Soundtracks

Jukebox
Written and Performed by Ken Strange, Randy Pugh (as Randall Pugh) and Ron Guffnett
Courtesy of Sourcerer

User Reviews

Two Men In Love at the Venice Film Festival

It was a real ordeal to get into the screening. The anticipation was palpable. The film arrived surrounded by a plethora of innuendo. "A gay western" "Heath and Jake's hot scenes" As soon as the film started every imaginable preconception flew out of the auditorium. This is a remarkable, moving and powerful love story. The setting is that of a modern western "The Last Picture Show" comes to mind. Ang Lee's attention to detail verges on science fiction. You can actually smell the place. Extraordinary. I'm not going to reveal anything about the story - Gian Luigi Rondi a legendary Italian film critic, revealed the ending to a television audience, what was he thinking?! - The film will be enjoyed much more allowing the story to unfold without having passages underlined and attention drawn to this or that particular. I felt compelled to write this comment because I'm overwhelmed. It has changed my perception, I must confess, about certain aspect of same sex love because I didn't think of same sex when I was watching it, I saw two human beings (amazing performances by both actors)I have the feeling "Brokeback Mountain" will make history, deservedly so.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Taiwan] Pathé [France]

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

6 January 2006 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Souvenirs de 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