Annie Proulx Talks Brokeback Mountain

Posted on December 8, 2005

Planet Jackson Hole interviews Annie Proulx, the Pulitzer prize-winning writer of the new feature film, Brokeback Mountain. Proulx originally wrote the story of two gay Wyoming cowboys as a magazine piece for The New Yorker. She seriously doubted that it would ever make it into production because of its controversial subject matter. And she objects to people calling it the "gay cowboy movie."

"Excuse me, but it is NOT a story about 'two cowboys.' It is a story about two inarticulate, confused Wyoming ranch kids in 1963 who have left home and who find themselves in a personal sexual situation they did not expect, understand nor can manage. The only work they find is herding sheep for a summer - some cowboys! Yet both are beguiled by the cowboy myth, as are most people who live in the state, and Ennis tries to be one but never gets beyond ranch hand work; Jack settles on rodeo as an expression of the Western ideal. It more or less works for him until he becomes a tractor salesman. Their relationship endures for 20 years, never resolved, never faced up to, always haunted by fear and confusion. How different readers take the story is a reflection of their own personal values, attitudes, hang-ups. It is my feeling that a story is not finished until it is read, and that the reader finishes it through his or her life experience, prejudices, world view and thoughts. Far from being 'liberal,' Hollywood was afraid of the script as were many actors and agents. Of course I knew the story would be seen as controversial. I doubted it would even be published, and was pleased when The New Yorker very quickly accepted it. In the years since the story was published in 1997 I have received many letters from gay and straight men, not a few Wyoming-born. Some said, 'You told my story,' some said 'That is why I left Wyoming,' and a number, from fathers, said 'Now I understand the hell my son went through.' I still get these heart breaking letters."

Brokeback Mountain is getting good reviews, although Ted Casablanca, E!'s gossip columnist, has said that he wasn't all that impressed with the film, and as a result is getting a lot of grief from the gay community. Ted writes on December 6th:

"Yet more members of the Gay Gestapo have reamed me out for not all-out supporting Brokeback Mountain. Jeez, this really is turning out to be some sort of politically powered pooftah burning. Do you think I can get George Clooney to make a documentary about my right to free speech?"

We haven't seen it, so we really can't comment on the merits of the film. But we do think everyone should leave Ted alone.