Topic: Did anyone find it strange....

[Patriot1]

Did anyone but me find it strange in the scene where Alma is taking the clothes off the line at the ranch house on a cold and windy day that she went into the house to wash more diapers but left the door open? Her kids were sick and she was letting all the heat out. ?

[scruffy]

I didn't find that too strange.  Alma saw Ennis' truck pulling in when she was outside and left the door open for him.  I often leave the door open when I see someone outside the house about to come inside -- especially if I know they will be carying something.

[Cowboy Cody]

Did anyone but me find it strange in the scene where Alma is taking the clothes off the line at the ranch house on a cold and windy day that she went into the house to wash more diapers but left the door open? Her kids were sick and she was letting all the heat out. ?

She was an unfit hag! I felt for her character, but then she turned into a shrew...EGADS! :o

[Patriot1]

I didn't find that too strange.  Alma saw Ennis' truck pulling in when she was outside and left the door open for him.  I often leave the door open when I see someone outside the house about to come inside -- especially if I know they will be carying something.

But he wasn't ready to come into the house. He had to unload the horse and put it away.  Besides, it is freezing cold winter and your kids are already sick.  If you want to be thoughtful like that wouldn't you stay by the door and open it when the other person got there?

[Patriot1]

Did anyone but me find it strange in the scene where Alma is taking the clothes off the line at the ranch house on a cold and windy day that she went into the house to wash more diapers but left the door open? Her kids were sick and she was letting all the heat out. ?

She was an unfit hag! I felt for her character, but then she turned into a shrew...EGADS! :o

OH! CC!!  How can you possibly say that?  She attacked Jack on Thanksgiving in a fit of hurt response to Ennis saying she burned HIM.  It was actually the other way around.  I don't blame her for getting mad.  He cheated on her and then was going to blame HER?!?   No, no, no!

[Troy]

I agree. It was more "Ennis Nasty" for saying to Alma that he'd been burned. Of course, from his perspective, he'd tried hard to make the marrige work and she is the one who divorced him. He wasnt aware that she knew about the affair until moments after he said he'd been burned and she confronted him about Jack Nasty. I doubt he would have said burned after that. And Alma had every right to say and feel everything she did about both Ennis and Jack.

[n061857]

I hate this line.  I don't think Ennis would have ever said Alma burned him.  It was not like him to lay blame. Remember, "Don't blame Alma.  It ain't her fault."  The only thing that makes sense to me here is that Ennis wants Alma to think it was her fault and she actually hurt him, to divert any responsibility/guilt/shame from him.  Shame on you, Ennis.  That was a terrible thing to say and the only time he got me mad.                                 - Nancy

[Patriot1]

I hate this line.  I don't think Ennis would have ever said Alma burned him.  It was not like him to lay blame. Remember, "Don't blame Alma.  It ain't her fault."  The only thing that makes sense to me here is that Ennis wants Alma to think it was her fault and she actually hurt him, to divert any responsibility/guilt/shame from him.  Shame on you, Ennis.  That was a terrible thing to say and the only time he got me mad.                                 - Nancy

The only time??  When Jack drove 14 hours after the divorce to see Ennis and Ennis sent him away after just 1 minute and 38 seconds I was ready to kill him.  At the very least I would have told Jack to get a motel and I would see him for a few hours that night.  Alma Jr. was old enough to have watched her sister for a few hours.  All Ennis had to do was tell Alma Jr. he was going to town for a few hours to have a few drinks with his friend.  She would have understood that. Ennis was so thoroughly thoughtless I couldn't help but wonder how on earth Jack could love him.

[n061857]

Although Ennis hurt many people: Jack, Alma, Cassie and I can understand their frustration, I identify with Ennis so much and understand his motivations that this is the only time he got ME mad.  I am not saying he never did anything wrong.  This is what angered ME.                                            - Nancy

[BBBOY]

The only time??  When Jack drove 14 hours after the divorce to see Ennis and Ennis sent him away after just 1 minute and 38 seconds I was ready to kill him.  At the very least I would have told Jack to get a motel and I would see him for a few hours that night.  Alma Jr. was old enough to have watched her sister for a few hours.  All Ennis had to do was tell Alma Jr. he was going to town for a few hours to have a few drinks with his friend.  She would have understood that. Ennis was so thoroughly thoughtless I couldn't help but wonder how on earth Jack could love him.

You know Patriot I felt the same way a couple of times watching the movie. Ennis, have a little heart here, your man just drove 14 hours to see you and you just dismiss him. I know it's an integral part of the story but somethimes I just want to smack Ennis upside the head. Ok, so I didn't live the 60's in Wyoming but I sure lived 'em in homophobic smalltown upstate NY. Some do, some do not. This is a story of a do not and we love him for that very reason. Human nature.................go figure and love it.

[Troy]

The only time??  When Jack drove 14 hours after the divorce to see Ennis and Ennis sent him away after just 1 minute and 38 seconds I was ready to kill him.  At the very least I would have told Jack to get a motel and I would see him for a few hours that night.  Alma Jr. was old enough to have watched her sister for a few hours.  All Ennis had to do was tell Alma Jr. he was going to town for a few hours to have a few drinks with his friend.  She would have understood that. Ennis was so thoroughly thoughtless I couldn't help but wonder how on earth Jack could love him.

I totally disagree.  It was only 1 minute and 37 seconds.  Otherwise I'd say I have to agree on the whole. That scene didnt make a lot of sense to me. Why couldnt Jack wait around for the end of the weekend or until Ennis no longer had his daughters and before Ennis had to return to work. I doubt Jack had any place to go in a hurry. There must have been some time the next week Ennis could slip away from work to see him. The scene was just put in for dramatic effect.  Odds are, something like that wouldnt happen in real life. The only excuse would be if Jack were so proud he'd hide his feelings, but I dont think he did that very well, Ennis knew how he felt.

[lamusica]

But I feel it was Ennis's place to say something to Jack about waiting and meeting him somewhere later.  After all, Jack had driven all that way, the least Ennis could do was show his appreciation and come up with some sort of way to see Jack.  I have always disliked this scene, too, but I think it has to play out the way it does to show us Ennis's real fear.  All he could think about was being seen with Jack.  Even way out in the country where Jack found Ennis with his girls, Ennis still looked around, expecting to see someone watching them, and maybe figuring out what they meant to one another. When Jack mentioned that he had to ask around to find out where Ennis was, Ennis had that look on his face -- again, thinking someone may have put two and two together and figured it all out. Ennis's paranoia is shown so well in this scene, so I feel it has to be in the movie.  My first reaction was "How sad for Jack to go home with nothing from Ennis!"  But, in time, after all the analysis of this movie,ss, etc., I see that it is necesary for the development of the plot and the fleshing out of the characters.

[tpe]

Reading this thread again (thanks lamusica!), I found it curious how the topic had evolved.

I can only add that that scene with Jack and the kids after the divorce showed a failure of nerve on Ennis's part.  He probably didn't mean to slight Jack.  But he lived in fear, and it got the better of him during that surprise visit.

[Marge Innavera]

I hate this line.  I don't think Ennis would have ever said Alma burned him.  It was not like him to lay blame. Remember, "Don't blame Alma.  It ain't her fault."  The only thing that makes sense to me here is that Ennis wants Alma to think it was her fault and she actually hurt him, to divert any responsibility/guilt/shame from him.  Shame on you, Ennis.  That was a terrible thing to say and the only time he got me mad.

I know this is a reply to an old post, but here's my take on that scene:

IMO Alma is already kind of spoiling for a fight when he joins her in the kitchen, to judge from the look on her face in that one closeup during dinner. Ennis saying 'once burned' sounds like a putdown, but then, this is a guy who's very inarticulate and is nervous at the moment because Alma has brought up a 'dangerous' subject - and not only does she know damn good and well why he hasn't remarried, she was married to him for 11 years and also knows damn good and well how awkwardly he expresses himself.

This looks to me, every time I've seen it, like a payback scene and while it's impossible to not sympathize with Alma in the story overall, I don't think she exactly covers herself with glory in that one.  She provokes a fight with their daughters in the next room, on a holiday they've probably been looking forward to; and this is the kind of thing I used to see every day when I worked for a Family Law attorney years ago: people who will cause their children any amount of pain, with not a pinprick of guilt about it, as long as they can stick it to the ex.

If the movie had extended into Alma Junior's wedding scene it probably would not have been as great a movie and the "Jack, I swear" moment would have lost a bit of its punch. But I would have loved to have seen Ennis and Alma interacting for the first time since the Thanksgiving scene, and how they would both handle it.

[jackster]

Yeah, but what about leaving that DOOR open!?  Maybe the kitchen was really hot and stuffy. 

I think you're very perceptive here Marge, Alma bringing up ol' Jack Nasty at Thanksgiving, odd. But your right, it seems maybe she wanted to stick it to Ennis looking so studly and talking about bronc ridin' and stuff in front of the girls and little Monroe. And when else would she get him cornered like this? They're not likely to sit around chatting any other time, so I guess she struck for the jugular with the biggest weapon she had - ("You're a QUEER!").

[welshwitch]

Someone who dresses as depressingly as Alma is capable of anything, including letting in freezing cold air.

[aintfoolin]

I agree. It was more "Ennis Nasty" for saying to Alma that he'd been burned. Of course, from his perspective, he'd tried hard to make the marrige work and she is the one who divorced him. He wasnt aware that she knew about the affair until moments after he said he'd been burned and she confronted him about Jack Nasty. I doubt he would have said burned after that. And Alma had every right to say and feel everything she did about both Ennis and Jack.

Not saying that Ennis was a saint, but maybe he was speaking of the marriage as a whole, beyond * Jack Nasty* there were other factors including ( withholding sex, (" I'd have them if you support em") , Really?  was birth control the real issue?... her attraction to Monroe, then the divorce, all without letting Ennis know that she knew the true nature of her husband's affair with Jack. She was also keeping secrets.  Maybe she should have spoken up sooner. Why bring it up to him now? Certainly, he used her, but she continued to allow herself to be used long after she  knew about Jack. What was she thinking?  Once burned? Ennis should have never married her in the first place. Should have just let her down easy and went with his true love, ...Jack. MO

[tpe]

I know this is a reply to an old post, but here's my take on that scene:

IMO Alma is already kind of spoiling for a fight when he joins her in the kitchen, to judge from the look on her face in that one closeup during dinner. Ennis saying 'once burned' sounds like a putdown, but then, this is a guy who's very inarticulate and is nervous at the moment because Alma has brought up a 'dangerous' subject - and not only does she know damn good and well why he hasn't remarried, she was married to him for 11 years and also knows damn good and well how awkwardly he expresses himself.

This looks to me, every time I've seen it, like a payback scene and while it's impossible to not sympathize with Alma in the story overall, I don't think she exactly covers herself with glory in that one.  She provokes a fight with their daughters in the next room, on a holiday they've probably been looking forward to; and this is the kind of thing I used to see every day when I worked for a Family Law attorney years ago: people who will cause their children any amount of pain, with not a pinprick of guilt about it, as long as they can stick it to the ex.

If the movie had extended into Alma Junior's wedding scene it probably would not have been as great a movie and the "Jack, I swear" moment would have lost a bit of its punch. But I would have loved to have seen Ennis and Alma interacting for the first time since the Thanksgiving scene, and how they would both handle it.

Yes, I did somehow feel that Alma was already fuming at the dinner table, although I am not particularly sure whether there was something about the rodeo episode that triggered something in Alma.  I just recall that in many of the instances when Ennis was about to leave Alma and joing Jack, Ennis never lost his ability to express affection for his daughters (witness the "power company" episode where Ennis exchanges playful banter with the childer).  Did Alma resent this affection which was no longer given to her?  Most likely...

[tpe]

Not saying that Ennis was a saint, but maybe he was speaking of the marriage as a whole, beyond * Jack Nasty* there were other factors including ( withholding sex, (" I'd have them if you support em") , Really?  was birth control the real issue?... her attraction to Monroe, then the divorce, all without letting Ennis know that she knew the true nature of her husband's affair with Jack. She was also keeping secrets.  Maybe she should have spoken up sooner. Why bring it up to him now? Certainly, he used her, but she continued to allow herself to be used long after she  knew about Jack. What was she thinking?  Once burned? Ennis should have never married her in the first place. Should have just let her down easy and went with his true love, ...Jack. MO

She and Ennis were probably thinking along similar lines: that by staying married saved face, and that the children would still make things worth it all the heartache...