Wednesday, January 11. 2006Brokeback WomenTrackbacks
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I agree with your thoughts about the women in the movie. I think Lureen is villified more than she should be and by the end of the movie she is a yellow toothed, yellow haired, bitter version of her once young and vivacious self. I also think she throws herself into her work so that she does not have to deal with at one time being the most desired young woman in town, and eventually marrying a man who cannot love her with the passion she expected.
Martha - I'm fascinated by your comment, because I thought the exact opposite of this character. I'm much more of the "wearing the pants" Lureen school and didn't see her as villified at all. I also didn't see her life as avoidance. I saw a woman pick a husband, get a child, and got him to work in her father's business while she took it over. I feel like she was fine with his gayness (of which she was clearly entirely conscious), because she still got the marriage, child, and work life she wanted. I never once thought of her as an escapist or a victim.
Martha--I really appreciate your comment.
I actually think the film leaves Lureen's character ambiguous enough that a few different readings of her are possible, you know? Definitely your take on her is very interesting. I initially thought the same thing, but then was like--why does she stay with him? I mean, doesn't she seem like the kind of person (running a business and all) who would be able to make the decision to get a divorce if she was truly unhappy? Clearly she knew her hubbie was having an affair with Ennis, so...why suffer? Unless she WASN'T suffering. I mean if she legitimately cares about her job more than most other things (and isn't just using work as a way to escape pain) then maybe having an unfaithful trophy husband wasn't such a big deal. Or...maybe she had Jack killed! The film offers lots of possible interpretations, which is I think why it's a good movie. Your comment makes me think that the film is about the hazards of not following your heart and instead trying to conform to some idea of what your life should be.
#2
on
2006-01-24 12:24
My impression of Lureen was that she wasn't a bad person, but that she entered into (or at least stayed in) marriage with as much of a calculating eye as did Jack, albeit for different reasons (give Daddy just enough of the finger to feel rebellious without really giving up her security). I got the impresssion that she took a "don't ask, don't tell" approach to Jack's affairs, and if she was personally hurt by it, it was well buried under her more pressing need to keep up appearances.
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