BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Final screenplay dialogue with relevant action, transcribed from film on DVD 5/2006. Some interpretations of speech are my own and others may not agree.
Scene in front of trailer:
JACK pulls up in a rattletrap pickup that dies just as he stops. He gets out and kicks the back tire, while ENNIS (who's leaning against the trailer waiting for AGUIRRE) looks on.
JACK Shit!
Scene at door of trailer (AGUIRRE looks down at ENNIS and JACK):
AGUIRRE If you two pair of deuces are lookin' for work, I suggest you get your scrawny asses in here pronto.
Scene in trailer:
AGUIRRE Up on Brokeback, the Forest Service got designated campsites on the allotments. Them camps can be 3, 4 miles from where we pasture the woollies. Bad predator loss if there's nobody lookin' after them at night. Now what I want is the camp tender to stay in the main camp where the Forest Service says, but the herder, he's gonna pitch a pup tent on the Q.T. with the sheep, and he's gonna sleep there. You eat your supper and breakfast in camp, but you sleep with the sheep, hundred percent, no fire, don't leave no sign. You roll up that tent every mornin' case Forest Service snoops around. (indicates JACK as herder)
(on phone) Yeah? No. No. Not on your fuckin' life.
You got your dogs, your 30/30, you sleep there. Last summer I had goddamn near 25% loss. I don't want that again. (indicates ENNIS) You . . . Fridays at noon be down at the bridge with your grocery list and mules. Somebody with supplies will be there at the pickup. (tosses watch to ENNIS) Tomorrow mornin' we'll truck you up to the jump-off.
Scene in front of trailer:
JACK Jack Twist.
ENNIS Ennis.
JACK Your folks just stop at Ennis?
ENNIS Del Mar.
JACK Nice to know you, Ennis Del Mar.
Scene in bar:
JACK My second year up here. Last year one storm the lightnin' killed 42 sheep. Thought I'd asphyxiate from the smell. Aguirre got all over my ass like I was supposed to control the weather. But beats workin' for my old man. Can't please my old man, no way. That's why I took to rodeoin'. Do you ever rodeo?
ENNIS You know . . . I mean, once in a while, when I got the entry fee in my pocket.
JACK Yeah. Are you from ranch people?
ENNIS Yeah I was.
JACK Your folks run you off?
ENNIS No, they run themselves off. There was one curve in the road in 43 miles, and they missed it. The bank took the ranch, and my brother and sister raised me, mostly.
JACK Shit. That's hard.
ENNIS (reaches for lighter) Can I? Thank you.
Scene at trailhead:
BASQUE Don't let them stray. Joe'll have your ass if you do. One thing, don't never order soup. Them soup boxes are hard to pack.
ENNIS Well, I don't eat soup. (Sees Jack on jumpy horse.) You wanna watch it there. That horse has a low startle point.
JACK Doubt there's a filly that can throw me. Let's get, 'less you wanna sit around tyin' knots all day.
Scene in camp:
JACK Oh shit. Can't wait till I got my own spread, and I won't have to put up with Joe Aguirre's crap no more.
ENNIS I'm savin' for a place myself. Alma and me, we'll be gettin' married when I come down off this mountain.
JACK Shit, that stay with the sheep, no fire bullshit. Aguirre got no right makin' us do somethin' against the rules.
Scene in camp:
JACK (riding out on a Friday) No more beans.
Scene at herd:
JACK (shooting at a coyote and missing) Dammit! Shit!
Scene at bridge:
ENNIS I don't know.
BASQUE Something wrong?
ENNIS Yeah, so why didn't we get the powdered milk 'n the spuds?
BASQUE That's all we got.
ENNIS (handing over the list) Well . . . here's next week's.
BASQUE Thought you didn't eat soup.
ENNIS Yeah, I'm sick of beans.
BASQUE Too early in the summer to be sick of beans.
ENNIS (to horses, coaxing them to walk) Come on.
Scene on trail:
ENNIS (to mules) Come on. Come on.
Scene at bridge:
ENNIS (thrown off horse, startled by a bear, with mules running off) Hold it--whoa, whoa. Shit. Whoa. Come back here!
Scene at camp:
ENNIS (to horse) Whoa there, whoa. All right. Fuck it. Okay, you bastard.
JACK Where the hell you been? Been up with the sheep all day, I get down here, hungry as hell and all I find is beans.
(ENNIS mumbles as he walks past; Jack sees head wound.)
JACK What in the hell happened, Ennis?
ENNIS I come on a bear is what happened. Goddamn horse spooked and the mules took off, and scattered food everywhere. Beans is about all we got left.
(JACK tries to hand water canteen to ENNIS.)
ENNIS Got whiskey or somethin'? (Takes a drink of whiskey.) Dumbass mule. I can't believe that. Goddamn.
JACK (wets bandana and tries to dab ENNIS's head). Let me see.
ENNIS Shit.
JACK Well, we gotta do somethin' 'bout this food situation. Maybe I'll shoot one of the sheep.
ENNIS Yeah, what if Aguirre finds out, huh? We're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em.
JACK What's the matter with you? There's a thousand of 'em.
ENNIS I'll stick with beans.
JACK Well, I won't.
Scene in meadow:
(ENNIS shoots an elk.)
JACK Woowee!
ENNIS Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'.
JACK Let's get a move on. Don't want the Game and Fish catch us with no elk.
Scene in camp:
JACK (returning to camp on horse) Come on. Shit. (Dismounts.) Yeah, I'm commutin' four hours a day. I come in for breakfast, and go back to the sheep, evenin' get 'em bedded down, come in for supper, go back to the sheep, spend half the night checkin' for damn coyotes. Aguirre got no right to make me do this.
ENNIS You wanna switch? I wouldn't mind sleepin' out there.
JACK That ain't the point. The point is, we both oughta be in this camp. Goddamn pup tent smells like cat piss or worse.
ENNIS I wouldn't mind bein' out there.
JACK Well, I'm happy to switch with you, but I warn you, I can't cook worth a damn. I am pretty good with a can opener, though.
ENNIS You can't be no worse than me, then. (Dishes up food for Jack.) Here you go.
Scene in camp:
(ENNIS ready to ride off.)
JACK You won't get much sleep, I'll tell you that.
ENNIS Yup. (To horse) Come on.
Scene in camp:
(JACK opens a can of beans as as ENNIS scrubs down with his shirt off.)
ENNIS Shot a coyote up there. It's a big son of a bitch, balls on him size a apples. He looked like he could eat himself a camel. You want some of this hot water?
JACK It's all yours.
Scene in camp:
(JACK takes a piss at edge of camp as Ennis finishes his can of beans.)
ENNIS Mmm.
(JACK walks up and taps on his rodeo belt buckle.)
ENNIS I don't rodeo much myself. I mean, what's the point of ridin' some piece of stock for eight seconds?
JACK Money's a good point.
ENNIS True enough, if you don't get stomped winnin' it, huh?
(JACK pours some whiskey in ENNIS's cup.)
ENNIS Thank you.
JACK Well, my ol' man was a bull rider, pretty well known in his day, though he kept his secrets to himself. Never taught me a thing, never once come to see me ride. Your brother and sister do right by you?
ENNIS They did the best they could after my folks was gone, considerin' they didn't leave us nothin' but 24 dollars in a coffee can. I got me a year of high school before the transmission went on the pickup. My sis left. She married a roughneck, moved to Casper. Me and my brother, we got ourselves some work on a ranch up near Worland until I was 19, and then he got married. No more room for me. That's how come me end up here. (Notices JACK smiling.) Whut?
JACK Friend, that's more words than you've spoke in the past two weeks.
ENNIS Hell, that's the most I've spoke in a year. My dad, he was a fine roper. Didn't rodeo much, though. He thought rodeo cowboys was all fuck-ups.
JACK The hell they are! (Gets into ENNIS's face and whoops.) Yee-haw!
ENNIS There you go.
(JACK continues to whoop and carry on.) I'm spurrin' his guts out, wavin' to the girls in the stands! He's kickin' to high heaven, but he don't dashboard me, no way! (Stumbles and collapses in laughter.)
ENNIS (also laughing) I think my dad was right.
Scene in new camp:
ENNIS Tent don't look right. (Works on it.)
JACK Well, it ain't goin' nowhere. Let it be. (Plays harmonica.)
ENNIS That harmonica don't sound quite right either.
JACK That's 'cause it got kinda flattened when that mare threw me.
ENNIS Oh yeah? I thought you said that mare couldn't throw you.
JACK Ah, she got lucky.
ENNIS Yeah, well, if I got lucky, that harmonica would've broke in two.
Scene in camp:
JACK (singing) "I know I shall meet you on that final day, Water Walkin' Jesus, take me away . . ."
ENNIS (taps rhythm of song out) Very good.
JACK Oh yeah. My mama, she believes in the Pentecost.
ENNIS Oh yeah? Exactly what is the Pentecost? I mean, my folks, they was Methodist.
JACK The Pentecost. I don't know. I don't know what the Pentecost is. Mom never explained it to me. I guess it's when the world ends and fellas like you and me march off to hell.
ENNIS Speak for yourself. You may be a sinner, but I ain't yet had the opportunity. (takes the whiskey) Thank you.
Scene in camp (dead of night):
ENNIS (drunk) Shit. I'm goin' to go up to the sheep now.
JACK (drunk) Give 'em hell.
ENNIS No, I'm . . . I can hardly stand. It's too late to go to them sheep. Well, you got a extra blanket? I'll just roll up out here and grab 40 winks, and I'll ride out at first light.
(JACK throws ENNIS a blanket.)
ENNIS Oh that's good.
JACK You'll freeze your ass off when that fire dies down. You're better off sleepin' in the tent.
ENNIS Yeah. (Ignores JACK)
JACK All right.
Scene in and out of tent:
(JACK wakes up, sighs. Hears ENNIS outside, teeth chattering.)
JACK Ennis!
ENNIS Wha . . .
JACK Just quit your hammerin' and get in here.
(ENNIS staggers into tent.)
(As "first night in tent" develops, a little dialogue is exchanged.)
JACK Come on, come on.
ENNIS What're you doin'?
Scene in camp:
(ENNIS is getting ready to ride out.)
JACK (walks up) See you for supper.
ENNIS (ignores him; talks to horse) Yah. Come on. (Rides out.)
Scene overlooking herd:
ENNIS This is a one-shot thing we got goin' on here.
JACK It's nobody's business but ours.
ENNIS You know I ain't queer.
JACK Me neither.
Scene in camp, later that night:
(JACK in tent, shirt off. ENNIS slowly gets up and comes in for "second night in tent." They embrace.)
JACK I'm sorry. Lie back. Come on.
Scene in camp:
AGUIRRE Twist, your Uncle Harold's in the hospital with pneumonia. Docs don't expect he'll make it. Your ma sent me to tell you. So here I am.
JACK Bad news. There ain't nothin' I can do about it up here, I guess.
AGUIRRE There's not much you can do down there either. Not unless you can cure pneumonia.
Scene in camp:
(reaction to hail storm)
JACK Goddamn! Jesus!
(both run into tent)
ENNIS Them sheep'll drift if I don't get back up there tonight.
JACK You'll get pitched off your mount in a storm like this. You'll wish you hadn't tried it. It's too cold! Close it up!
Scene on mountain in front of blended herds of sheep:
ENNIS Well, what're we supposed to do now, huh?
JACK Get on in there and untangle them Chilean sheep out from ours, I guess.
Scene in the herd:
JACK (looking for color markings on sheep) Oh, where is it? Shit! God, half the goddamn paint brands are wore off.
ENNIS We gotta try, at least we can get the count right for Aguirre.
JACK Fuck Aguirre.
ENNIS Oh yeah, fuck Aguirre. What if we need to work for him again, huh? You think of that? We gotta stick this out, Jack.
Scene herding the retrieved sheep:
ENNIS (responding to JACK's harmonica playing, but smiling) You'll run them sheep off again if you don't quiet down.
Scene in camp:
ENNIS (riding up as JACK stows tent) What are you doin'?
JACK Aguirre came by again. Said my uncle didn't die after all. Says bring 'em down.
ENNIS Bring 'em down? Why, it's the middle of August.
JACK Says there's a storm comin', movin' in from the Pacific. Worse than this one.
ENNIS That snow barely stuck an hour, huh? Besides, the sonofabitch, he's cutting us out of a whole month's pay. It ain't right!
JACK Well, I can spare you a loan, bud, if you're short on cash. Give it to you when we get to Signal.
ENNIS I don't need your money, huh? You know, I ain't in the poorhouse. Shit!
JACK All right.
Scene near camp:
JACK (approaches ENNIS sitting outside camp) Time to get goin', cowboy.
(ENNIS gets up and JACK trips him with lariat throw. ENNIS yanks on rope and pulls JACK off his feet onto him.)
ENNIS Come here. This ain't no rodeo, cowboy.
JACK Shit!
(JACK accidently elbows ENNIS in the face, and his nose spurts blood. JACK reaches out and wipes some of the blood with the sleeve of his shirt.)
JACK Ennis, Ennis. Come here. You okay?
ENNIS Yeah.
(ENNIS knocks JACK down with a punch in the face.)
Scene at trail head, at sheep pens:
AGUIRRE (talking to ENNIS and JACK) Some of these never went up there with you. The count ain't what I'd hoped for, neither. You ranch stiffs, you ain't never no good.
Scene in parking lot in front of AGUIRRE's trailer:
ENNIS (under hood of JACK's truck) You wanna give it some gas?
(Car starts and ENNIS closes hood.)
ENNIS I can't believe I left my damn shirt up there.
JACK Yeah. You gonna do this again next summer?
ENNIS Well, maybe not. Like I said, me and Alma's gettin' married in November. So I'll try to get somethin' on a ranch, I guess. And you?
JACK Might go up to my daddy's place, and give him a hand through the winter. Or I might be back. If the Army don't get me.
ENNIS Well, I guess, see you around, huh?
JACK Right.
(JACK drives off and ENNIS starts walking out of town. Stops and walks to the side of the road, wretching and punching the wall.)
ENNIS God damn, god . . . (A COWBOY walking by starts to come over.) What the fuck you lookin' at, huh? (COWBOY walks on.)
Scene in church at Riverton:
CONGREGATION (led by MINISTER) . . . and forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever.
ALMA Amen.
MINISTER Under the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you man & wife. You may kiss the bride . . . & if you don't, I will.
Scene on a hill, a winter's day:
(ENNIS & ALMA are on a toboggan that turns over.)
ENNIS You all right? (He roughhouses with her.)
ALMA No. Stop! No. Please don't.
Scene on a highway construction crew:
TIMMY (to ENNIS) My old lady's tryin' to get me to quit this job. She says I'm gettin' too old to be breakin' my back shoveling asphalt. I told her strong backs & weak minds runs in the family. She didn't think that was too funny. I told her, it keeps me fit.
Scene at a drive-in movie playing SURF PARTY:
(We hear the following dialogue from the film while ENNIS & ALMA watch. ALMA is now pregnant.)
HE Morning.
SHE Morning.
HE Pulled in last night. Didn't want to wake you up.
SHE Oh now, I was just . . .
HE I thought I'd tell you before the sergeant showed up. Parking this trailer on the beach is illegal.
Scene in Aguirre's trailer:
AGUIRRE (looks up as JACK walks in) Well, look what the wind blew in.
JACK Hi, Mr. Aguirre. I'm wonderin' if you was needin' any help this summer.
AGUIRRE You're wasting your time here.
JACK What, you ain't got nothin'?
AGUIRRE Ain't got no work for you.
JACK (starting to leave but turning around) Ennis Del Mar ain't been around, has he?
AGUIRRE You boys sure found a way to make the time pass up there. Twist, you guys wasn't gettin' paid to leave the dogs baby-sit the sheep while you stemmed the rose. Now get the hell out of my trailer.