"Jack, I swear."
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Rontrigger — 9 years ago(June 14, 2016 12:13 PM)
This has been one of the most-asked questions on this board.
A lot of suggestions have been offered, but the one I favor is that he simply didn't know what to say about it all. An example is a parent who, after a child's misbehavior, says in an exasperated fashion, "I swear"
How you finish that thought is up to you. It could be something to choose from a million possibilities in your mind, or (as I see it) just an expression of frustrationin which case, there is no finish to the thought.
"You can't have Ennis without Jack."Annie Proulx -
Gabe1972 — 9 years ago(July 31, 2016 08:31 PM)
It's definitely a head scratcher regarding exactly what he meant, but I thought that maybe he was referring to somehow, some day, taking Jack's ashes up to Brokeback. Like he will never give up until he fulfills Jack's wishes.
Then again, who knows?
Time wounds all heels. -
Rontrigger — 9 years ago(August 01, 2016 08:09 PM)
That's one of the possibilities that's been suggested.
There apparently was a deleted scene in which Ennis visited the "family plot," which was quite near the Twist ranch. (Perhaps Ang Lee assumed that we didn't need to actually see Ennis at Jack's gravehe certainly would have stopped there.) If he'd said "Jack, I swear" at that point, then the ashes would obviously have been the foremost idea in his mind. (And unlike a number of smug types, I remain open to the idea that he accepted Mrs. Twist's invitation and came back again.)
But, because of where and when he actually said it, I stick with the idea that he just didn't know how to finish that sentence.
"You can't have Ennis without Jack."Annie Proulx -
Gabe1972 — 9 years ago(August 01, 2016 08:16 PM)
Interesting thought. I guess it's just one of those endings that supposed to make you think, wonder and come to your own conclusion, and I think that was the intention.
I think he may go back, as well.
Time wounds all heels. -
truetexian — 9 years ago(August 02, 2016 01:39 PM)
Very well put Ron. I think, 'that he simply didn't know what to say about it all' and 'How you finish that thought it up to you.' are the most plausible.
After all Ennis was a man of few words, oftentimes mumbled. Not only was this most probably an expression of his frustration it was tinged with a hint of certain regret. -
melgarcia40 — 9 years ago(October 18, 2016 06:01 AM)
I also saw that unfinished sentence as a metaphore for their unfinished story. they never get to get either a happy ending or a real closure. Their last meeting finished on an argument but their relationship wasn't over. I can see the unfinished theme reflected in that last sentence
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gja822 — 9 years ago(February 03, 2017 02:13 PM)
Thank you very much for you mindful opinion. The openness of that question is one of geniuses of the movie. One other thought was mine that Ennis could have sweared to be faithful to Jack (well, after bad ending with waitress it could come to mind, although it was Jack who needed more attention of other people).
(Sorry to have no "threads" on imdb after the 20th of Feb 2017. I was eager to thank you on the answer of the point of this thread.) -
Saltpeter — 9 years ago(October 21, 2016 07:20 PM)
I thought it meant something along the lines of, "I swear, if I'd known it would end like this, so soon, so suddenlyI would have done things differently. Spent more time with you. Maybe even succumbed to what you wanted (living together on a farm)"
A strong regret, at any rate. -
ConnorOberst — 9 years ago(February 10, 2017 12:54 AM)
Larry McMurtry, who co-wrote the script for this, also wrote the Lonesome Dove books (turned into a miniseries).
He uses the same phrase there, and it more or less means "god damn" He's basically saying "God damn, Jack" in a very wistful way. Has nothing to do with making a promise or anything like that.