The Asian director Ang Lee was not afraid to shoot a love melodrama, which was destined to receive a wide variety of reviews from viewers and critics. The 2005 film was not a simple romantic picture, which Hollywood can easily boast of. The short story, based on Annie Peru, tells about the connection of cowboys Jack and Ennis, thereby acquiring an ambiguous shade due to the complex attitude in society to homosexual love. In addition, due to the time of unfolding events, Brokeback Mountain has become a movie classified as a gay western.
History of creation
The above story was released back in 1997. Almost immediately, screenwriters Diane Ossan and Larry McMurtry prepared a draft and offered the studios.
But no one wanted to put a picture of such content. As a result, the film was lost in the abyss of numerous unrealized projects.
Scriptwriters bought back the copyrights and tried to promote the project. At various stages of creation, Joel Schumacher and Gus Van Saint were mentioned as directors. The manuscript lay on the shelf for almost seven years. And only in 2004, the film companies Focus and Paramount with a budget of 14 million launched the future film in production. For the naturalness of the screen image, the film crew decided to send to areas of the Canadian province of Alberta. September 2, 2005 the film was released in a wide release.
The main task at the preparation stage was the selection of actors for the future picture, which it was decided to leave by the title of the story - “Brokeback Mountain”. Heath Ledger, a native of Australia, got the role of Ennis Del Mara, and the American Jake Gyllenhaal - Jack Twist.
The main role was Matt Damon, but he considered that the film could hurt his career, and he chose other offers. Leonardo DiCaprio could also become one of the cowboys in the film “Brokeback Mountain”: DiCaprio was auditioned, but the producers did not see the famous Jack from the Titanic in this image.
The plot and the main milestones of homosexuality
Ennis and Jack, who live in a poor area of ​​Wyoming in the 60s, work together temporarily. Their duties are to herd a flock of sheep at the foot of the Brokeback Mountain, where there are no settlements. Spending time together, they learn a lot about each other, and after drinking a bottle of whiskey come into intimate relationship.
The narrative carries forward several months. Ennis marries Alma, they celebrate the birth of daughters. Jack moves to Texas, where he also marries Lurin. The girl’s father constantly jacks Jack, he is always dissatisfied with him, and as a result, family life quickly bores the young man. He thinks about a friend, recalling the “tent” romance against the background of the wild.
Four years later, friends meet again. Their love is still strong, they think about living together, but reject the idea. Such an act cannot be correctly understood by society. Ennis divorces his wife and continues to dream of a friend.
Soon he learns about Jack's death, goes to his family, where he realizes that memories of Brokeback Mountain were extremely important to him. Until the end of his life, the hero periodically indulges in nostalgia, carrying true love through the years ...
Actors of the movie "Brokeback Mountain"
Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger became the prototypes of male love - bold, brutal, violent. But before embodying the intended emotions on the screen, the young Hollywood actors already had a very impressive number of film works behind them. Both began their careers quite early and before the "Brokeback Mountain" starred in many roles.
Beginning with the youth comedy “The Guy from the Bubble,” Gyllenhaal quickly diversified the genre affiliation - the family drama “October Sky” was replaced by the thriller “Donnie Darko”. Success was brought by subsequent roles - in “Highway” and “Good Girl”. Before the role of Jack Twist, the actor became famous for the fantastic drama “The Day After Tomorrow”.
Heath Ledger began with the youth comedy “10 Reasons for My Hate,” and then switched to action movies: “Patriot,” “The Story of a Knight” and “Four Feathers” secured him the status of a promising star.
Female roles
None of the other characters is superfluous in the film "Brokeback Mountain." Actors who played secondary roles are no less important for the plot.
And no less interesting for the viewer.
Throughout the film, each hero is trying to create a family. After marriage, children are born who grow up. Despite the fact that Ennis and Jack did not forget about each other, the beautiful Alma and Lurin warmed them at home. Small roles for Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway, which they did a great job.
It is noteworthy that with the start of filming in 2004, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams began dating. Their romance did not last long - two years after the release of Brokeback Mountain, the couple broke up. In the fall of 2005, they had a daughter, Matilda Rose, whose upbringing was undertaken by the actress.
In “Brokeback Mountain," Anne Hathaway first worked with Jack Gyllenhaal. In 2010, they met again on the set of the romantic comedy melodrama Love and Other Medicines.
World success
Few expected the recognition that Brokeback Mountain received. Actors, already known at that time, gained even greater popularity. For several years, the main storylines associated with sexual scenes and the kiss of heroes have repeatedly become the main episodes of parody shows, and also turned into a topic of discussion for the press, attributing the actors an unconventional orientation, despite the fact that they both came to be known as lovelace at one time. . This, in particular, is associated with an unpleasant incident that took place on the set of the painting “Brokeback Mountain”. Actors, photos of which were later posted for public viewing, appeared in nude. So, according to the scenario, Heath Ledger jumped into the lake naked. But when the producers saw the mottling covers of the yellow editions, they decided to cut out from the final version all the scenes that discredited Ledger and the picture as a whole. In such an unpretentious way, the crafty paparazzi deprived the picture, possibly, of several memorable shots.
Audience love
While the creators calculated the profit from the rental, which exceeded the budget by 12 times, the actors were no less worried about how their work would be perceived after the release of the movie Brokeback Mountain. Reviews having the power to lower or ascend to heaven meant a lot to them. According to the RottenTomatoes cinema portal, audience love accounted for 82% of the vote.
But the assessment of film academics was less successful. The picture was nominated for an Oscar in several categories. She was read the main figurine. However, “The Best Film” received Paul Haggis’s tape “Clash”. Some filmmakers spoke about conservatism and hidden homophobia.
The main interest is after
Of course, the main intrigue was caused by those who directly participated in the creation of the drama "Brokeback Mountain" - actors whose names became a household name at every mention of the film. Composing a screen, but a strong and slightly romantic duet, Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger successfully fit into the images of their characters - young, strong, open-hearted ...
Being quite famous at the time of filming, the actors got their portion of fame after the release of the picture. Gyllenhaal agreed to participate in the biographical military drama “Marines,” for which he put $ 3 million in his wallet. This was followed by the criminal thrillers “Zodiac” and “Version”, as well as a drama with newly military themes - “Brothers”.
Ledger’s career is no less successful, but fate is not. He received the main roles in “Casanova” and “The Dark Knight”, which became his last role.
The cinematic practice knows enough examples when the film partners communicated after filming. “Brokeback Mountain” was no exception. The actors continued to be friends in real life - Gyllenhaal became the godfather for the daughter of Ledger, born from a partner in the film Michelle Williams.
The standard of the genre
Undoubtedly, it is impossible to deny failure and talk about complete success without a wonderful on-screen embodiment, plot intrigue, the carried-away idea of ​​devotion and a bewitching view of mountain landscapes, united in one picture - “Brokeback Mountain”. Actors and roles will long be remembered by the audience for their naturalism and richness, and the film itself will become one of the best films in the genre of deep and tragic drama.