Hollywood's "Brokeback" love affairs

NOTE: This was originally posted on December 19, 2005, but I decided to re-post it, with some changes, in light of the Oscar nominations that will be announced later this morning.

One of the most talked-about (read: controversial) movies of the year is "Brokeback Mountain." The movie tells the story of two individuals who meet after being hired to watch over sheep in Wyoming. They share a passionate summer together, but then they go off to marry other people but maintain a decades-long relationship. The controversial part is that the lovers are both men. The movie is directed by Academy Award winner Ang Lee ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and stars Heath Ledger ("A Knight's Tale") and Jake Gyllenhaal ("Donnie Darko") as the star-crossed lovers.

The main tag-line of the film is Love is force of nature. What do the producers mean by this? Basically, a force of nature is something that can't be stopped, like a tsunami or a tornado. The producers are saying that these two characters, Ennis and Jack, are powerless to stop their feelings (is it love or is it lust? You decide) for one another - Jack even says to Ennis, "I wish I knew how to quit you!" They have no choice but to physically consummate their passion, and to continue doing so at great personal costs not only to themselves but their spouses and children as well.

The art house crowd is in love with this film. It has been nominated for seven Golden Globes, including Best Picture-Drama (winner), Best Director (winner), and Best Actor for Ledger. It has already picked up a few awards from the Boston Society of Film Critics and New York Film Critics Circle, among others. It will most likely pick up several Oscar nominations when those are announced on later today. Roger Ebert gave it four stars, his highest rating. Christianity Today also gives a review, with some good discussion questions to ponder.

While I could write about the film's homosexual-themed story, I'll leave that to others (check out "the straight dude's guide" and read how Fred Butler wonders what all the excitement is about). I would rather point out that affairs (homosexual, marital or otherwise) are nothing new in Hollywood, and certainly nothing new to the critics that see movies and give out awards. Consider these Oscar-winning movies from the past 20 years that focused, either as a major point in the plot or as a secondary device (such as way of letting the audience know what the character is like), on extra-marital affairs. What should be noted is that in each case, tragedy is linked to the affair.

• Chicago (2002) - Married Roxie Hart murders her lover who won't get her a job in the theater. Velma Kelly kills her husband and sister because they were sleeping together. While the deaths are tragic in and of themselves, Roxie and Velma beat the system and become darlings of the Chicago theater.
• American Beauty (1999) - Lester Burnham considers an affair with his daughter's high school classmate Angela Hayes. His wife Carolyn has an affair with Buddy Kane. Lester is killed by a man who thinks Lester had a sexual relationship with the man's teenage son, and whose own homosexual advance Lester rebuffed.
• The English Patient (1996) - Katharine Clifton has a steamy affair with Count Laszlo de Almasy, even though she's married to Geoffrey. Both Katharine and the Count are dead when the credits roll (she starves/dies of thirst; he commits suicide after being severely burned).
• Schindler's List (1993) - Oskar Schindler cheats on his wife with numerous women; she actually leaves him at one point because he can't guarantee that he would stay away from women. The affair points to one of many failures in Schindler's life.
• Out of Africa (1985) - Karen Blixen, whose husband is a womanizer, carries on a doomed affair with big-game hunter Denys Hatton. Denys dies in an accident.

Two recent Oscar winning films also deal with love affairs where one of the lovers was already linked with someone else before the affair began. In "Titanic," Rose was engaged to Cal before she met Jack. In "Shapespeare in Love," the Bard finds his muse in Viola, who just so happens to be engaged to Lord Wessex.

If you think that doomed love affairs are fairly new to Hollywood, think again. One of the most beloved films of all time, the Best Picture winner at the 1939 Academy Awards, focuses on the trials and passions of a determined Southern woman. Scarlett O'Hara, the main character of "Gone With The Wind," spends much of her time pining for the person she perceives as her true love, Ashley Wilkes. Ashley is married to his cousin and Scarlett's best friend, the saintly Melanie Hamilton. Ashley comes close to having a romantic encounter with Scarlett, but stays faithful to Melanie.

Hollywood loves nothing if not a torrid and doomed love affair. Erik Lundegaard of MSNBC believes "Brokeback" is the favorite at Oscars this year.

Related: Masculinity and Its Discontents in Marlboro Country

Related 2: Check out Oscar ads here, here, here, and here. Note that none feature Gyllenhall and Ledger together, but three ads show each with their movie wives (two of which portray the marital relationship in a blissful, dreamy way).

UPDATE: "Brokeback Mountain" received eight Academy Award nominations, including many of the big ones (Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress). Also up for Best Picture are "Capote", "Crash", "Good Night, and Good Luck", and "Munich."