“BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN” MEETS IMMATURITY
By Isaiah Z. Sterrett (01/27/06)
SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES pitching yet another dimwitted fit over a film as utterly harmless as “Brokeback Mountain” should learn to channel their energy elsewhere. Ang Lee’s new movie—in addition to being a beautiful, captivating story—is arguably less important to America than dirty bombs, the upcoming Congressional races, or Sam Alito. I’m still waiting for someone to explain the “threat” posed by gay men.
The numerous liberals who, in the name of “humor” have mocked “Brokeback,” are equally deserving of ridicule. To be sure, there is nothing funny about “Brokeback Mountain.”
Last year at this time, a handful of vocal right-wingers were spitting mad over “Million Dollar Baby,” the Best Picture winner and one of the finest, most heartbreaking stories ever told onscreen. The Big Lie was that it endorsed euthanasia, which of course it didn’t. It endorsed love, self-sufficiency, and compassion; euthanasia was merely a plot point. In a similar vein, “Brokeback” is not “about” homosexuality. It is about the hardships of love, a universal topic and one completely worthy of exploration by Hollywood.
As I’ve noted previously, I support the legalization of same-sex marriage, not because I think it’s a fundamental right (it is not), but because I believe in fairness. It’s not fair for the government to base decisions on sexual orientation. It’s that simple.
Still, regardless of what I or anyone else may think about gay unions, “Brokeback Mountain” does not even touch the subject. The movie, as Emmylou Harris’ magnificent song notes, is about “a love that will never grow old.” That’s hardly something to screech about.
But since when did that stop ideologues? Conservatives claiming to personify morality and liberals pretending to be “journalists” and “comedians” have taken a beautiful film and tried to twist it into immoral trash. For this, they should be ashamed.
The disgusting conservative commentator Michael Savage has referred to the movie as “Bareback Mounting.” In a pathetic response, liberal Chris Matthews characterized Savage as “wonderful” on Don Imus’ show, which led Imus to add that one his employees refers to the film as “Fudgepack Mountain.”
David Letterman, the fairly apolitical funnyman—who, ironically, is never very funny—decided to air the “Top 10 Rejected Titles” for the movie. Among the selections were “Oklahomo” and “Little Bathhouse on the Prairie.”
Maturity is certainly plentiful, isn’t it?
Conservative Ben Shapiro, a genuinely nice person and a very strong writer, called the movie “stomach-churning,” writing that “critics love it, mostly because critics love anything that pushes homosexuality as normal behavior.” In addition to being wrong, Shapiro’s argument is completely absurd. It is not “normal behavior” to live in D.C. and vote for Republicans—but certainly Shapiro would support such behavior. Sometimes things that are abnormal are wrong, but never is something wrong solely because it happens to be abnormal.
Moreover, since when do movies have to depict morally pure behavior? What is more moral: “Brokeback Mountain,” a movie about love, or “The Godfather,” a movie about killing for power?
Liberal Larry David, co-creator of Seinfeld, has written that “Cowboys would have to lasso me, drag me into the theater, and time me to the seat” for him to watch it. This is both unfunny and stupid. Why would anyone assume that a movie directed by Ang Lee and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger would be less than good?
“Brokeback Mountain” is no “Casablanca,” “Gone With the Wind,” “Citizen Kane,” “Schindler’s List,” or “Forest Gump.” But it is certainly innovative, beautifully photographed, intelligently written, and acted most impressively. Additionally, it is very true to the Annie Proulx short story upon which it is based. There is certainly nothing “stomach-churning” about it. What’s stomach-churning are the people, conservatives and liberals alike, trying to make political statements—or comedy—by opposing it. “Brokeback Mountain” deserves high praise—not sophomoric jeers.
© Copyright 2006 by Isaiah Z. Sterrett
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