Lee became attached to the project in 2001 after previous attempts to adapt Proulx's story into a film did not materialize.Focus Features andRiver Road Entertainment would jointly produce and distribute the film. After Ledger and Gyllenhaal's casting was announced in 2003, filming commenced in various locations inAlberta in 2004.Brokeback Mountain premiered at the2005 Venice International Film Festival, where it won theGolden Lion, and was released to theaters on December 9 that year.
Brokeback Mountain was subject to controversies; its loss toCrash (2004) for the Academy Award for Best Picture, subsequent censorship, and criticism from conservative media outlets received significant attention. The sexuality of the main characters has been subject to discussion.Brokeback Mountain has also been regarded as a turning point for the advancement ofqueer cinema into the mainstream. In 2018, the film was selected for preservation in the United StatesNational Film Registry by theLibrary of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and was listed on the ballot for theAmerican Film Institute's list ofAFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition).[4] Since then, it has been ranked by several publications, film critics and scholars as one of the best films of the 2000s,[5] the21st century[6] and ofall time.[7][8]
InWyoming in 1963, cowboysEnnis Del Mar andJack Twist are hired by rancher Joe Aguirre to herd his sheep through the summer on grazing pastures on Brokeback Mountain. After a night of heavy drinking, Jack makes a pass at Ennis. While initially reluctant, Ennis becomes receptive, and he and Jack have sex in their tent. Despite Ennis telling Jack that it was a one-time incident, they develop a sexual and emotional relationship. Near the end of their work contract, Ennis and Jack have a brawl that leaves both of them bloodied. Before parting ways, Ennis offhandedly laments that he left one of his shirts on the mountain.
Ennis marries his longtime fiancée Alma Beers and they have two daughters: Alma Jr. and Jenny. Jack returns the next summer seeking work, but Aguirre, who observed Jack and Ennis engaging in homosexual activity on the mountain, tells him he has no work for guys who "stem the rose". Jack moves toTexas, where he meetsrodeo rider Lureen Newsome, the daughter of a wealthy agricultural machinery manufacturer; they marry and have a son.
After four years apart, Jack visits Ennis. Upon meeting, they kiss passionately, which a stunned Alma inadvertently sees. At a motel room, Jack wants them to create a life together, but Ennis refuses to abandon his family and is haunted by a childhood memory of his father showing him the body of a man who was tortured and killed for suspected homosexuality.
Ennis and Jack meet infrequently for private fishing trips while their respective marriages deteriorate. Lureen abandons the rodeo and goes into business with her father, with Jack working in sales. Lureen's father has a strong dislike for Jack and openly disrespects and belittles him. Alma and Ennis divorce in 1975. Upon hearing about it, Jack drives to Wyoming and tells Ennis that they should live together, but Ennis refuses to move away from his children.
Alma takes custody of Alma Jr. and Jenny, and marries Monroe, manager of the grocery store where she works. Ennis is invited to Thanksgiving dinner. While alone in the kitchen, Alma confronts Ennis about Jack. The two spar, causing Ennis to storm out and cease contact with Alma.
Ennis has a brief romantic relationship with Cassie, a waitress. Jack and Lureen befriend Randall and Lashawn Malone, and it is implied that Jack and Randall have a brief affair. At the end of a tryst disguised as a fishing trip, Ennis says he cannot see Jack again for months due to work demands. The pair argue, before Jack embraces a crying Ennis.
A postcard Ennis sent Jack is returned stamped with "Deceased". Ennis calls Jack's phone number. Lureen answers and says Jack died when a car tire exploded in his face. While hearing what happened, Ennis envisions men fatally beating Jack with a tire iron. Lureen says Jack requested his ashes be scattered on Brokeback Mountain.
Ennis visits Jack's parents hoping to carry out his wish. Jack's father declares that Jack's ashes will be interred in a family plot. Jack's mother allows Ennis to visit Jack's old bedroom. Ennis finds the shirt he thought he left on the mountain, which Jack had secretly kept, nested inside one of Jack's shirts. Ennis embraces the shirts and silently weeps. Jack's mother allows him to keep them.
Years later, an aging Ennis lives alone and reclusive in a trailer. His grown daughter, Alma Jr., visits him to announce her engagement to Kurt, who works in the oil fields. She asks for her father's blessing and invites him to the wedding. Ennis hesitates to come due to upcoming work commitments, then agrees to attend the wedding. As Alma Jr. leaves, she forgets her jacket, so Ennis puts it into the closet where the two shirts hang, Jack's shirt now inside Ennis's. Next to them, tacked to the closet door, is a postcard of Brokeback Mountain. With tears in his eyes, he stares at the mementos, and says, "Jack, I swear..."
ScreenwriterDiana Ossana discoveredAnnie Proulx's short story,Brokeback Mountain, in October 1997, just days after its publication. She convinced writing partnerLarry McMurtry to read it; he thought it was a "masterpiece". The pair asked Proulx if they could adapt it into a film screenplay; although she did not think that the story would work as a film, she agreed.[10] In a 1999 interview withThe Missouri Review, Proulx praised their screenplay.[11] Ossana said that convincing a director and production company to make the film was a challenging and nonstop process.[10]Gus Van Sant attempted to make the film, hoping to castMatt Damon andJoaquin Phoenix as Ennis and Jack, respectively. He also consideredLeonardo DiCaprio,Brad Pitt andRyan Phillippe.[12]Josh Hartnett was originally attached to the film but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts withThe Black Dahlia.[13] Damon, who previously worked with Van Sant onGood Will Hunting, told the director, "Gus, I did a gay movie (The Talented Mr. Ripley), then a cowboy movie (All the Pretty Horses). I can't follow it up with a gay-cowboy movie!"[14] Instead, Van Sant went on to make the 2008 biographical filmMilk, based on the life of gay rights activist and politicianHarvey Milk. According to Ossana,Edward Norton,Joel Schumacher and dozens of others were approached to direct: "They all came back saying they loved it but no one would commit."[15][16]
Focus Features CEOJames Schamusoptioned the film rights in 2001, but thought it was a risky project.Pedro Almodóvar was initially offered the opportunity to direct, but turned it down, citing concerns about artistic freedom.[17] At Ossana's request, Schamus showed the story and screenplay to directorAng Lee.[10] Lee decided to makeHulk instead; his experience ofHulk, andCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon from two years prior left him exhausted. In 2003, he considered retirement butBrokeback Mountain came back to his mind and tempted him back into filmmaking.[18] Lee attempted to get the film made as an independent producer.[15] However, this did not work out, and before Lee would take a break after finishingHulk, he contacted Schamus aboutBrokeback Mountain.[19] Schamus thoughtBrokeback Mountain embraced theAmerican West without being a traditional Western,[20] and told Lee that he should consider directing it. Lee said, "Towards the end [of the script] ... I got tears in my eyes".[21] He was particularly drawn to the authentic rural American life and repression depicted in the story.[21][22]Bill Pohlad of River Road Entertainment, who had a two-year partnership with Focus Features, helped finance the film.[23]
Casting directorAvy Kaufman said Lee was very decisive about the actors for the lead roles. In 2003, screenwriters Ossana and McMurty suggestedHeath Ledger (after being impressed by his performance inMonster's Ball), but the film studio thought he was not masculine enough. Regardless, Kaufman sent the script to Ledger, who thought it was "beautiful" and put himself forward.[10][18] Gyllenhaal reacted to the script positively and signed on for the role; he also did not want to miss the opportunity to work with Lee and friend Ledger. Lee met withMark Wahlberg for a role in the film, but Wahlberg declined as he was "creeped out" by the script.[24] Gyllenhaal admired Ledger and described him as "way beyond his years as a human".[25][26] Other actors were considered for the leads but Lee and Gyllenhaal said they were too afraid to take on the roles.[27][28]
From the beginning, Ledger wanted to portray Ennis and not Jack. He opined that Ennis was more complex; a masculine and homophobic character. Ledger said, "The lack of words he [Ennis] had to express himself, his inability to love", made the role enjoyable.[29] Ledger, who grew up around horses, researched his character's personal traits, and learned to speak in Wyoming and Texas accents.[29][30] Lee gave Ledger and Gyllenhaal books aboutcowboys who were gay or shared similar experiences as the characters depicted in Proulx's story.[25] Gyllenhaal later said:
That what ties these two characters together is not just a love, but a loneliness. I think primarily it was deep loneliness. And what I always say about that movie [Brokeback Mountain], which I think maybe over time is more understood, is that this is about two people desperately looking for love. To be loved. And who were probably capable of it. And they just found it with someone of the same sex. And that does not dismiss the fact that it is about, really, primarily, the first kind of very profound gay love story. Hopefully it can create an equality of an idea: that is, it's possible that you can find love anywhere. That intimacy exists in so many places that convention and society won't always allow us to see. And we won't allow ourselves to see, because of what criticism—and danger, really—it might provoke.[25]
Lee interviewed between 20 and 30 actresses for the roles of Alma and Lureen.Michelle Williams was one of the first to audition for the role of Alma, and Lee thought she was perfect for the part.[10]Anne Hathaway, who was filmingThe Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement at the time, showed up to the audition during her lunch break. She was wearing aball gown and hairpiece "that was way over the top", but she still felt focused for the audition.[18] At first, Lee did not think she was an obvious choice, but he was convinced with her audition and cast her as Lureen. Hathaway lied to Lee about her knowledge of horse riding in order to be cast.[31] She took lessons for two months to prepare.[32]
Lee was happy with Ledger and Gyllenhaal portraying Ennis and Jack, respectively, because he thought their "young innocence" will help carry a love story until the end. Lee added, "I think these two are among the best in their age group [...] Jake plays the opposite of Heath and it creates a very good couple in terms of a romantic love story. The chemistry, I think, is great."[21] Once all four leads were cast, Lee remembered being impressed with their maturity despite their young age; "It really scared me how good they were".[10]
Initially, Alberta's environmental department prohibited the crew from bringing domestic sheep into the Rockies, due to a risk of disease harming the local wildlife. The authorities eventually gave permission for them to shoot on one mountain, as long as they transported the domestic sheep in and out, every day. A biologist was hired to supervise this process.[10]
Lee prefers working withcinematographers who are open minded, eager to learn, and able to show an interest in the story and content before talking about the visuals.[38] Therefore, he selectedRodrigo Prieto for the job; saying, "I think he's versatile, and I wanted somebody who could shoot quickly [...] he was able to give me the tranquil, almost passive look I wanted for Brokeback. I believe a talent's a talent".[38]
Ledger and Gyllenhaal, who were friends beforeBrokeback Mountain, were mostly unconcerned with the intimate scenes.[30] The first sex scene between Ennis and Jack took 13 takes to meet Lee's expectation. The director would keep his distance from them during filming, allowing the actors to be free and spontaneous. Lee said, "I don't talk too much [to them] except for technical notes. So they [the intimate scenes] are a lot easier to deal with".[21] Ledger was observant of Lee's directing style, saying, "There's two sides to Ang's direction — there's the pre-production, which is incredibly thorough and private, and then there's the shooting side, when he just doesn't say anything at all."[29] Ledger said that this helped him try harder duringtakes.[29] Gyllenhaal echoed Ledger's sentiment; "He just totally disconnects from you while you're shooting", but praised Lee's directorial skills.[25] In regard to acting, Ledger was sometimes disrupted by Gyllenhaal's acting style; Gyllenhaal tended toimprovise whereas Ledger preferred to be highly prepared.[10][18] The director allowed Ledger to see his performance on the camera monitor so that he could improve.[30]
During the last scenes where Ennis meets Jack's parents, production designerJudy Becker was tasked in finding a suitable house. Lee took inspiration from paintersAndrew Wyeth andVilhelm Hammershoi for the white interior walls. Using two cameras, Lee would capture the actors from both angles, and then change lenses and repeat. "When you edit it together, you can apply certain emphasis to certain reactions, emotions", Lee said.[38] Ossana remembers that the last scenes were emotional for Ledger and personally affected him. The actors who played Jack's parents,Roberta Maxwell andPeter McRobbie, said Ledger was very quiet and gave a "powerful performance".[10]
...in the old-school way, people really used to spend their time together. They became a family. And that's what Ang created on the movie. It's why we are all still close — not just bonded by the success of the film, but bonded by the experience. It was an intimate project in that way. We'd wake up and make breakfast for each other, and hang out.
Executive producer Michael Hausman rentedAirstream trailers for the cast and crew to sleep in. He created an on-set atmosphere which mimicked a summer camp, where people could bond and feel close. Hausman recalled that they would sit around the fireplaces, cook food and go fishing on the creek.[10] The production was not without commotion; the cast suffered several injuries during filming. Williams sprained her knee in the early days of filming, therefore, her character's movements were altered to be either sitting or standing most of the time. Ledger also injured his hand when he punched a wall for a scene.[18] During a kissing scene, Ledger almost broke Gyllenhaal's nose.[21] TheAmerican Humane raised concerns that animals were treated improperly during filming, alleging that sheep were handled roughly and that anelk appeared to have been "shot on cue". They learned that the elk was shot withanesthetic, violating standard guidelines for animal handling in the film industry.[39]
Production wrapped up on August 5, 2004. Two additional establishing shots were filmed in early January 2005, before thepicture was locked on January 14.[33]
During post-production,Geraldine Peroni andDylan Tichenor served as film editors, but Peroni died in August 2004 and Tichenor took over.[40] The pair relied onMedia Composer for editing, and sound engineerEugene Gearty usedPro Tools for the creation of sound effects.[40] Buzz Image Group were hired to create 75visual effect shots, includingcomputer-generated clouds, landscapes and sheep; the work took place between September 20 and December 23, 2004.[33][38] For the film's theatrical poster, Schamus took inspiration fromJames Cameron'sTitanic, which depicts twostar-crossed lovers.[41] The sound design and editing were completed on March 9, 2005, with the final master for the film being delivered to print manufacturers on April 8.[33]
Gustavo Santaolalla scored the film's soundtrack, which consists of 17 tracks as well as songs fromBob Dylan andRoger Miller. The score was recorded on February 7, 2005, and the album was released on October 25.[33][42] Based on the story and one conversation with the director, Santaolalla was able to score the music before filming began.[43] He said, "I mean if you are connected to the story and to the director, it makes a lot of sense because somehow you know, the music then becomes a part of the fabric of that film from the very beginning."[44][45] He also used a real orchestra and played his own guitar.[46]
The film received alimited release in the United States on December 9, 2005,[47] and grossed $547,425 in its first weekend.[48] Over the Christmas weekend, and beginning of January 2006, the film expanded into more domestic theaters. On January 20, the film opened in 1,194 theaters, then 1,652 theaters on January 27, and 2,089 theaters on February 3, its widest release.[48]
Brokeback Mountain was released in one theater in London on December 30 and received a wider release in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2006.[49][50] The film was released in France on January 18, to 155 theaters, expanding to 290 by the third week. In its first week of release,Brokeback Mountain was in third place at the French box office. In Italy, the film grossed more than€890,000 in three days and was the fourth highest-grossing film in its first week.[48] The film was released in Australia on January 26, where it ranked fourth place at the weekend box office.Brokeback Mountain was released in many other countries during the first three months of 2006.[51] During its first week of release in Hong Kong,Brokeback Mountain was ranked first place at the box office, earning more than US$473,868 ($22,565 per theater).[52] The film opened in Lee's native Taiwan on January 20. The film grossed $83 million in North America and $95 million internationally, for a worldwide $178 million. It is the highest-grossing release for Focus Features.[48][53]
The film was re-released in theaters on June 22 to 25, 2025, to celebrate its 20th anniversary.[54]
The film has been given different titles in accordance to different languages and regions. For the film's release in French, Italian and Portuguese, it was titledLe Secret de Brokeback Mountain,I segreti di Brokeback Mountain andO Segredo de Brokeback Mountain (The Secret(s) of Brokeback Mountain), respectively.[55][56][57] InCanadian French, the title isSouvenirs de Brokeback Mountain (Memories of Brokeback Mountain).[58][59] The film received two Spanish titles:Brokeback Mountain: En terreno vedado (In a forbidden terrain) for its release in Spain[60] andSecreto en la Montaña (Secret in the mountain) for its release inLatin America.[61] InHungarian, the title wasTúl a barátságon (Beyond friendship).[62]
I think they are genuinely happy to see a Chinese director win an Academy Award with good artistic value. I think that pride is genuine, so I would not think that's hypocritical at all [...] I don't know how to describe it, it's just something else. So what can I say?
—Ang Lee, responding to being celebrated in China for winning the Best Director Academy Award, although the film was not released there.[63]
The film was met with mixed responses in some regions, particularly China and Islamic nations of western Asia. According to reports, the film was not shown in theaters in China, though it was freely available inbootlegDVD andVHS. The Chinese government said the audience would have been too small; the foreign media accused the government ofcensorship.[64][65] The word "brokeback" (Chinese:断背;pinyin:duànbèi) also entered the Chineselexicon as aslang for homosexuality.[66]Brokeback Mountain was dubbed "thegay cowboy movie" by the press, a term that was propelled into the American vernacular.[26] The film was also released inTurkey.[67]
In the Middle East, distribution of the film became a political issue.Homosexuality is criminalized in most Islamic nations and istaboo in the few countries where it is legal.Lebanon was the only Arab country to show the film, although in a censored format. The film was officially banned from screenings in theUnited Arab Emirates; however, the DVD of the film was permitted to be rented from stores such asBlockbuster Video.[68][69]
On December 8, 2008, the Italian state-owned television channelRai Due aired a censored version of the film, removing all the scenes with homoerotic references. Viewers protested, saying the deletions made the plot hard to follow. TheArcigay organisation accused the channel of homophobic censorship.[70] The state-owned television networkRAI said the Italian film distributor had mistakenly censored the film. RAI showed an uncensored version of the film on March 17, 2009.[71]
Brokeback Mountain was the first major film to be released simultaneously on both DVD and digital download via the Internet.[72] It was released in the United States on April 4, 2006.[73] More than 1 million copies of the DVD were sold in the first week, and it was the third-biggest seller of the week, behind Disney'sThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe andKing Kong.[74] Although the ranking fluctuated daily, by late March and early April 2006,Brokeback Mountain had been the top-selling DVD onAmazon.com for several days running.[75]
The DVD inEurope was released in the UK on April 24, 2006.[76] This was followed by France in July, and Poland in September, a considerable time after the theater release in both countries.[77]Brokeback Mountain was re-released in a collector's edition on January 23, 2007.[78] On the same day, it was also released inHD DVD format.[79] The film was released onBlu-ray in the UK on August 13, 2007, and in the U.S. on March 10, 2009.[80][81] The Blu-ray contains special features including interviews with the screenwriters, director and a short documentary about composer Gustavo Santaolalla.[82]Kino Lorber released the film onUltra HD Blu-ray on July 16, 2024.[83]
Brokeback Mountain was released to critical acclaim.[84] On thereview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 88% based on 253 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "A beautifully epic Western,Brokeback Mountain's love story is imbued with heartbreaking universality, helped by moving performances by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal."[85] OnMetacritic, the film has a rating of 87/100 based on 41 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[86]
David Ansen ofNewsweek gave the film a positive review, praising the faithful screenplay. He adds, "There's neither coyness nor self-importance inBrokeback Mountain—just close, compassionate observation, deeply committed performances, a bone-deep feeling for hardscrabble Western lives. Few films have captured so acutely the desolation of frustrated, repressed passion."[87] Writing forThe Guardian,Peter Bradshaw praised Ledger and Gyllenhaal for their complementary performances. Bradshaw thought the film was "extremely moving, tragic even, and sensitive towards the feelings of the simple wives who attempt to understand their troubled husbands."[88]Ann Hornaday ofThe Washington Post was equally positive, opining that the two lead actors' performances were unforgettable. In particular, she thought Ledger was impressive in his portrayal of a reserved and emotionally affected Ennis. Hornaday also praised the costumes and sets, writing "The Wyoming vistas are flawlessly manicured, Ledger and Gyllenhaal perfectly costumed and coiffed; even Ennis and Alma's sad little apartment over a laundromat seems to have been designed to death."[89]
Roger Ebert gaveBrokeback Mountain a rating of four out of four stars in his review. Ebert was impressed with the level of attention to the characters, and thought that the film was as observant as the work by Swedish filmmakerIngmar Bergman.[90] Writing forThe Sydney Morning Herald,Sandra Hall praised the screenplay and called Ledger and Gyllenhaal "finely tuned". Noting that it is a slow film, Hall thought the filmmakers had adapted Proulx's story without missing any nuances.[91]USA Today's Mike Clark observed thatBrokeback Mountain was directed and photographed with restraint, and praised its old-fashioned quality, and "unassuming but people-oriented" nature.[92] The film also received a positive reaction fromChristianity Today; the reviewer gave the film 3 out of 4 stars.[93] In a mixed review, Ed Gonzalez ofSlant magazine thought the film was too long,[94] and the critic fromTime magazine felt that the story became less intense towards the end.[95] Conservative radio hostMichael Medved described it as "extremely well done" and that as a film, it was "better than theagenda".[96]
Several conservative politicalpundits, including commentatorsBill O'Reilly,John Gibson, andCal Thomas, shared Medved's view of the "agenda". Gibson made jokes about the film on hisFox News Radio program for months after its release. After the death of Ledger in 2008, Gibson was criticized for mocking the deceased actor, and later apologized.[97] Conservative radio hostRush Limbaugh referred to the film as "Bareback Mountain" and "Humpback Mountain".[98]Don Imus referred to the film as "Fudgepack Mountain".[99] Several conservativeChristian groups, such asConcerned Women for America (CWA) andFocus on the Family, criticized the film for its subject matter. Following the success ofBrokeback Mountain,Capote, andTransamerica at theGolden Globes Awards in 2006, Janice Crouse, a CWA member, cited these films as examples of how "the media elites are proving that their pet projects are more important than profit", and suggested they were not popular enough to warrant critical acclaim.[100]
Film criticGene Shalit, ofThe Today Show, described the character of Jack Twist as a "sexual predator" who "tracks Ennis down and coaxes him into sporadic trysts."[101] TheLGBTQ media groupGLAAD said that Shalit's characterization of Twist was like calling Jack inTitanic a sexual predator due to his romantic pursuit of Rose.[101][102] Shalit's openly gay son, Peter Shalit, wrote an open letter to GLAAD: "He [Gene] may have had an unpopular opinion of a movie that is important to the gay community, but hedefamed no one, and he is not ahomophobe."[103] Gene Shalit later apologized for his review: "I did not intend to use a word that many in the gay community consider incendiary... I certainly had no intention of casting aspersions on anyone in the gay community or on the community itself. I regret any emotional hurt that may have resulted from my review ofBrokeback Mountain."[102]
Some commentators accused the filmmakers for hiding content about the film in advertising and in public events, such as press conferences and award ceremonies.New York Daily News writer Wayman Wong, Dave Cullen andDaniel Mendelsohn argued that the director, cast, andpublicists avoided using the wordgay to describe the story, and noted that the film'strailer did not show a kiss between the two men but showed a heterosexual love scene.[104][105] The film's significance has been attributed to its portrayal of a same-sex relationship focused solely on the characters, as the film does not refer in any manner to the broader history of variousLGBT social movements.[106] It emphasizes the tragic love story aspect, and many critics have compared Ennis and Jack's drama to classic and modern romances such asRomeo and Juliet orTitanic, often using the term star-crossed lovers.[107][108][109]
Proulx praised the film as "huge and powerful", adding, "I may be the first writer in America to have a piece of writing make its way to the screen whole and entire. [...] I was astonished that the characters of Jack and Ennis came surging into my mind again".[110]
Critics' lists of 2005
Brokeback Mountain appeared on numerous American critics' lists as one of their favorite films of 2005.[111]
The film was picked as one of the 400 nominated films for theAmerican Film Institute listAFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition).[113]Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade, best-of list.[114] In a 2016 international poll conducted byBBC,Brokeback Mountain was ranked the 40th greatest film since 2000.[115] In 2019,The Guardian ranked the film 66th in its 100 best films of the 21st century list.[116] In 2025, the film ranked number 17 onThe New York Times' list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century" and number 30 on the "Readers' Choice" edition of the list.[117][118]
On January 6, 2006,Utah Jazz ownerLarry H. Miller removed the film from theaters at the Jordan Commons entertainment complex inSandy, Utah. Miller said the film's content had no resemblance of a traditional family, which he believed is "dangerous".[119][120] Focus Features threatened legal action and announced it would no longer do business with him.[120]
On March 23, 2006,Randy Quaid, who portrayed Joe Aguirre in the film, filed a lawsuit against Focus Features for misrepresentingBrokeback Mountain as "a low-budget,art house film with no prospect of making any money", in order to secure his role for a cheaper rate.[121] On May 4, Quaid's publicist said he dropped the lawsuit as the company agreed to pay him a settlement; the company denies this, however.[122]
AfterBrokeback Mountain lost the Academy Award for Best Picture toCrash, some critics accused the Academy of homophobia and for making a non-groundbreaking choice.[126] Commentators includingKenneth Turan andNikki Finke derided the Academy's decision,[127][128] but Roger Ebert defended the decision to awardCrash Best Picture, arguing that the better film won.[129] Proulx wrote an essay expressing disappointment in the film not winning Best Picture. She also opined thatPhilip Seymour Hoffman's performance inCapote required less effort than that required of the actors inBrokeback Mountain.[130] Following the loss, more than 800 supporters raised up to $26,000 to place an advertisement in theDaily Variety.[131] The advert thanked the filmmakers "for transforming countless lives through the most honored film of the year."[132][133]
The film is one of several highly acclaimedLGBT-related films of 2005 to be nominated for critical awards; others includeBreakfast on Pluto,Capote,Rent, andTransamerica. It was voted the top film involving homosexual relationships by readers atTheBacklot.com.[134] In 2010, theIndependent Film & Television Alliance selected the film as one of the 30 Most Significant Independent Films of the last 30 years.[135]
In 2015,The Hollywood Reporter polled Academy members on controversial past decisions, in whichBrokeback Mountain won the revote for Best Picture.[136][137]
Critics and the cast and crew disagreed as to whether the film's two protagonists werehomosexual,bisexual,heterosexual, or should be free of any sexual orientation classification. The film was frequently referred to in the media as the "gay cowboy movie", but a number of reviewers noted that both Jack and Ennis were bisexual.[138][139][140] Sex researcherFritz Klein said that the film was "a nice film with two main characters who were bisexual" and suggested that the character of Jack is more "toward the gay side" of the spectrum and Ennis is "a bit more toward the straight side".[141]
Gyllenhaal said in 2006 that Ennis and Jack were straight men who "develop this love, this bond," saying in aDetails interview: "I approached the story believing that these are actually two straight guys who fall in love."[141] However, in 2015, he toldThe Hollywood Reporter that this was a "gay love story", and that his character was the more "overtly gay" of the two.[142] Ledger toldTime magazine in 2005: "I don't think Ennis could be labeled as gay. Without Jack Twist, I don't know that he ever would have come out. I think the whole point was that it was two souls that fell in love with each other."[143]
Others said they felt the characters' sexuality was meant to be ambiguous. Clarence Patton and Christopher Murray of New York'sGay City News wrote that Ennis and Jack's experiences were metaphors for "many men who do not identify as gay or even queer, but who neverthelesshave sex with other men".[144]Entertainment Weekly wrote that "everyone called it 'The Gay Cowboy Movie' until they saw it. In the end, Ang Lee's 2005 love story wasn't gay or straight, just human."[114] Tom Ciorciari of EFilmCritic.com wrote: "We later see Jack eagerly engage Lureen sexually, with no explanation as to whether he is bisexual, so in need of physical intimacy that anyone, regardless ofgender, will do, or merely very adept at faking it."[145]
LGBT non-fiction authorEric Marcus dismissed "talk of Ennis and Jack being anything but gay as box office-influenced political correctness intended to steer straight audiences to the film". Roger Ebert believed that both characters were gay, but doubted it themselves: "Jack is able to accept a little more willingly that he is inescapably gay."[146] Producer James Schamus said, "I suppose movies can beRorschach tests for all of us, but damn if these characters aren't gay to me."[141]Brokeback Mountain author Annie Proulx said, "how different readers take the story is a reflection of their own personal values, attitudes, hang-ups."[147][148]
When Ledger and Gyllenhaal were asked if they feared being cast in controversial roles, Ledger stated that he was not afraid of the role, but rather he was concerned that he would not be mature enough as an actor to do the story justice. Gyllenhaal has stated that he is proud of the film and his role, regardless of what the reactions would be. He considered rumors of him being bisexual flattering, stating: "I'm open to whatever people want to call me. I've never really been attracted to men sexually, but I don't think I would be afraid of it if it happened."[149] Lee described himself as shy upon shooting the first sex scene and initially found it technically difficult but praised Ledger and Gyllenhaal for their professionalism.[150] Ledger's performance was described byLuke Davies as a difficult and empowering portrayal given the environment of the film: "InBrokeback Mountain the vulnerability, the potential for danger, is so great – a world so masculine it might destroy you for any aberration – that [Ledger's] real brilliance was to bring to the screen a character, Ennis Del Mar, so fundamentally shut down that he is like a bible of unrequited desires, stifled yearnings, lost potential."[151]
Author Jim Kitses quoted Diana Ossana's acknowledgment of how the film "subverts the myth of the American West and its iconic heroes."[152] He commented: "What drives the emotional attack of the film is the inadequacy of its characters to articulate and understand, let alone control, the experience that strikes them like a storm. American cowboys—of all people—have no business falling in love with each other. Practical and conservative types of a rough and ready manhood are by no means ready for man-love."[152]
Brokeback Mountain was lauded as a landmark inLGBT cinema and credited for influencing several films and television shows featuring LGBT themes and characters.[153][154] InOut at the Movies, Steven Paul Davies explains that as a result of the film's success, "most major film studios have been clamouring to get behind new, gay-themed projects... thanks toBrokeback, film financiers will continue to back scripts that don't simply rely on gay stereotypes...and that will certainly be progress." Davies citesMilk,Transamerica, andI Love You Phillip Morris as examples of such films.[155] In 2018,Brokeback Mountain was selected for preservation in the United StatesNational Film Registry by theLibrary of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[156] The February 2020 issue ofNew York Magazine listsBrokeback Mountain as among "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars."[157]
The pair of shirts worn by Ledger's and Gyllenhaal's characters were sold oneBay on February 20, 2006, for US$101,100.51. The shirts were sold to benefit children's charityVariety.[158] The buyer,Tom Gregory, film historian and collector, described the shirts as "theruby slippers of our time", referring to an artifact fromThe Wizard of Oz film.[159] In 2009, Gregory loaned the shirts to theAutry National Center in Los Angeles for its series,Out West, which explored the history of homosexual, bisexual and transgender people in theOld West. The series included a gallery tour, panel discussions, lectures and performances, with events held in four installments over the course of 12 months. According to the Autry, the series was the "first of its kind" for a western heritage museum.[160]
A book,Beyond Brokeback: The Impact of a Film (2007), is a collection of personal stories of how people were influenced by the story and film, compiled from members of the Ultimate Brokeback Forum website. In an associatedOut West series program, the Autry screenedBrokeback Mountain in December 2010 to commemorate the film's fifth anniversary and held a staged reading ofBeyond Brokeback by historian andOut West organizer Gregory Hinton.Beyond Brokeback has been presented as a staged reading at other venues, such asRoosevelt University inChicago, on November 13, 2011, together with a panel discussion and screening of the film.[161] An American opera,Brokeback Mountain, was composed byCharles Wuorinen with alibretto by Annie Proulx. Written in English, it premiered at theTeatro Real inMadrid on January 28, 2014. It was championed by impresarioGerard Mortier, who had commissioned it.[162][163]A play, based on Annie Proulx's short story, written by Ashley Robinson with songs by Dan Gillespie Sells, opened on May 10, 2023, at@sohoplace in London'sWest End.[164]
Several years after the film's release, Proulx said she regrets writing the story. She said that people have sent her too muchfan fiction presenting alternative plots.[165] Some authors, mostly men claiming to "understand men better than I do", often send their works.[165][166] She said:
[The film] is the source of constant irritation in my private life. There are countless people out there who think the story is open range to explore their fantasies and to correct what they see as an unbearably disappointing story [...] They constantly send ghastly manuscripts andpornish rewrites of the story to me, expecting me to reply with praise and applause for "fixing" the story. They certainly don't get the message that if you can't fix it you've got to stand it. Most of these "fix-it" tales have the character Ennis finding a husky boyfriend and living happily ever after, or discovering the character Jack is not really dead after all, or having the two men's children meet and marry, etc., etc.[166]
^"Brokeback Mountain".Amazon. April 4, 2006.Archived from the original on October 2, 2019. RetrievedJuly 23, 2007. Reference content retrieved on July 23, 2007, no longer supports Amazon.com sales ranking statement.
^Ebert, Roger (December 14, 2012)."The fury of the 'Crash'-lash".rogerebert.com.Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. RetrievedJanuary 6, 2025.I chose 'Crash' as the best film of the year not because it promoted one agenda and not another, but because it was a better film.
^Blank, Ed (January 25, 2007)."Ed Blank's DVD reviews".TribLIVE.com (Brokeback Mountain).Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. RetrievedFebruary 19, 2016.
^Williams, Ken (May 31, 2006)."Brokeback Mountain".The Daily Page.Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. RetrievedJuly 24, 2007.
Proulx, Annie; McMurtry, Larry; Ossana, Diana (2005, 2006).Brokeback Mountain: Story to Screenplay. London, New York, Toronto and Sydney: Harper Perennial.ISBN978-0-00-723430-1.
Packard, Chris (2006)Queer Cowboys: And Other Erotic Male Friendships in Nineteenth-Century American Literature. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.ISBN1-4039-7597-3.
Cante, Richard C. (March 2008). "Introduction"; "Chapter 3".Gay Men and the Forms of Contemporary US Culture. London: Ashgate Publishing.ISBN0-7546-7230-1.
Rich, B. Ruby (2013). "Ang Lee's Lonesome Cowboys".New Queer Cinema: The Director's Cut. London: Duke University Press.ISBN978-0-8223-5428-4.
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