Author Topic: Why wasn't Randall killed?  (Read 4162 times)

Offline thunderwolf

  • Alma Jr.
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Why wasn't Randall killed?
« on: Jul 13, 2015, 01:33 PM »
Like Jack?

Just wondered with the 'killer mechanics' just killed Jack? If we accept that Jack was indeed killed.

Can't believe this film is 10 yrs old - the film and the ss will be timeless!

Offline Mahogany

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Re: Why wasn't Randall killed?
« Reply #1 on: Jul 31, 2015, 06:27 PM »
Because Jack died in the truck accident.
After 10 years you guys didn't realize that... ? Don't understand what is the story about?

I think you just watched the movie to see 2 guys doing it, and "understand" Jack was killed for being gay, and gays are victims of homophobia and blah blah blah. If that was so the movie wouldn't be even nominated for an Academy Award and Ang Lee wouldn't be the director and probably the actors would be other ones, because Brokeback Mountain would be just a gay predictable boring movie where one guy dies exactly like the other guy was afraid of.

When you take this typical meanly idea off your head where gays are victims of homophobic killers, you will realize that Ennis was the only person who prevent them of being together... and all the killing scene was just Ennis imagination which is obvious by itself.


Offline Twister

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Re: Why wasn't Randall killed?
« Reply #2 on: Aug 01, 2015, 07:05 AM »
Annie Proulx wrote BBM as being about homophobia.  Ennis and Jack are secondary.  Now, the movie goes beyond the book and we get Randell and a few other characters.  Proulx wishes she never wrote the short story because she has gotten many so letters that wished for a happy ending or one in where Ennis found new love.  She is angry because people don't understand the story.  I think she needs to realize that once your art/story is sold for public consumption that folks are free to interpret it anyway they like.

As far as Randell not getting killed; I think his wife talked (and talked and talked) her Daddy out of it. :) 

Offline FlwrChild

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Re: Why wasn't Randall killed?
« Reply #3 on: Sep 21, 2015, 10:25 PM »
Mahogany, I don't think it's necessary to be so smug and dismissive of other people's opinions. And as you've spent time on these boards I'm sure you realize that people here did not see BBM just "to see 2 guys doing it." I do agree with you about Jack dying in an accident but it really isn't necessary to know what happened. What matters is that Ennis believed he was killed, which only reinforced the fears he'd had all those years. That was part of his tragedy, that he was a prisoner of his own fears. For good reason, to be sure. The event from his childhood was a chilling one and the way he was raised cemented his fears and his own homophobia. The other part of his tragedy was that he didn't fully understand what they had and the depth of their feelings for each other until Jack was dead and it was too late to do anything about it.


As to why Randall wasn't killed (so I stay on topic) I think people over-think this whole piece of the story. Again, either Jack was killed or he died in an accident. If he was killed it doesn't matter who did it or why. The important thing is that Ennis believed he was killed. The details aren't relevant to his story and it's very much Ennis' story at that point.

Twister is right that this story is about homophobia and the effect it can have on people's lives and happiness. I'm not sure I'd say the characters are secondary because without specific characters to relate to and care about, we wouldn't feel the impact of that homophobia or care about it. Hopefully the biggest thing people got from this story is the recognition that it's about two human beings who want and feel the same things everyone does. And maybe that will make us treat one another a little better. Even if we think of some people as different than us.

Just a quick note about Annie Proulx. She did make that remark but it was in a passing moment of irritation and frustration with particular people who had insulted her work with the notion that they could 'improve' on it by giving them a happy ending and sent her manuscripts that were little more than soft core porn as examples of their 'fix' to her work. She has actually said many positive things about it since then and participated heavily in the opera, as well as other BBM related projects. I'm glad to see that bump in the road didn't leave a permanent bad taste in her mouth. She created something quite beautiful and I'm glad she shared it with the world.   :)
For a moment in our lives. Forever in our hearts.

"They were respectful of each other’s opinions, each glad to have a companion where none had been expected." ~ BBM Short Story

There are three ways to ultimate success:
The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind. (Mister Rogers)