....if she wanted nothing to do with him?
and why did she cower in his presence when he returned? (im guessing it has somethign to do with what rob steiger says about the beloved and belover.)
and why did the brokeback turn on her? why was he so obsesed with macy?
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Amelia was raised by a father, her mother was dead so she never learned what being a woman was all about. Her father taught her the only thing he knew...how to make and keep money. She married out of ignorance of what was expected of her as a wife and looked at the union as nothing more that how to become more wealthy. She saw a good money making deal.
Why did she cower in Marvin's presence.. She knew he came back to do her wrong because those were the last words she heard him say before he left town ten years before. Besides, She was in love with Cousin Lymon and his affections were turned elsewhere when Marvin returned. As she grew in love for Lymon I believe she began to understand what Marvin may have felt for her. Remember when Lymon found out that Amelia had been married and how Marvin's brother said to her "He loved ya Miss Amelia" and she got tears in her eyes. She had learned what the pain that unrequited love could bring by that time.
Lymon turned on her? he never turned toward her. He used her, that was all. She did everything for him. He found a soft spot and he was going to drain it for everything it was worth! Remember when she tried to kiss him out at the still. he laughed and pulled away. Amelia used Marvin for material gain, Lymon used Amelia for material gain and Marvin used Lymon to get back at Amelia for hurting him.. This film was about broken people who unfortunately misplaced their love as broken people usually do. In the book, Marvin ended up selling Lymon to a travelling carnival.
Why was he so obsessed with Marvin? Marvin had been to prison and Lymon knew that in prison men had sex with men ...Lymon was gay. Marvin recognized that as soon as he stepped off the truck and looked back to see Lymon following him with stars in his eyes. Marvin was hip to the relationship between Lymon and Amelia and saw a perfect way to destroy Amelia.
Good book ....read the story.
Wow! That certainly answers a lot of questions! Thank you.
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You're very welcome - Belated as it is. I just finished watching this film once again on IFC and checked the board here to see if any more posts were available to reply to. This film is actually a disappointment. I mean, Willie Nelson's Ranch as a setting? They didn't even hide the fencing. Please, Merchant Ivory People!
This is Carson McCullers at her best... Too Bad They Screwed It Up
Whither goest thou, America, In thy shiny car in the night? ~ Jack Kerouac
It's interesting to find out this was filmed on Willie Nelson's ranch in Texas. I like mysteries set in the Deep South. I would rather that it had been filmed in Georgia where the story is set. It would have added more authenticity knowing that the film had been shot there rather than Willie's ranch.
shareWhy was he so obsessed with Marvin? Marvin had been to prison and Lymon knew that in prison men had sex with men ...Lymon was gay. Marvin recognized that as soon as he stepped off the truck and looked back to see Lymon following him with stars in his eyes. Marvin was hip to the relationship between Lymon and Amelia and saw a perfect way to destroy Amelia.crow_jayne I love everything you're written about The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe, except for the the above comment.
Homosexuality permeates her work! Reflections in a Golden Eye? Have you seen that? So much of her work was homosexually charged. Hidden in very clever, subtle but obvious ways..
Do you recall the scene in the film where Lymon and Marvin were walking and they stop, Marvin sits on a rock and Lymon washes the sweat from his face with a hankerchief and then asks Marvin why he never sweats? Marvin has pulled out a marijuana cigarette. Lymon goes on to show Marvin the chain watch that Amelia had given his as a gift. Marvin grabs it when he realizes that it's the same watch with the photo in it that had belonged to him and then Marvin throws it with all his might across the field. Lymon gets an obvious turn on by this show of powerful anger and masculinity from Marvin and asks him if he "wants to know where Miss Amelia's still is?" ( to my way of thinking that was the same as Lymon asking Marvin if he wanted to get drunk and screw) Marvin replies "Maybe..Where is it" Lymon says "I'll take ya there if you want to go" That exchange had little to do with the still. Marvin knew about Lymon (Marvin was educated in such things)and Lymon had finally got up the courage to hit on Marvin and, Marvin accepted. That exchange was engorged with sexual overtones. Ms. McCullers was gifted with clever ways of using the double entendre... The next scene is Marvin moving in to the home of Amelia and the scene after that we see Amelia sitting on her little bed listening to the laughing and playing between Marvin and Lymon as she holds pillows over her ears. I believe it was homosexual S&M. Lymon adored Marvin as Marvin abused him. Marvin all the while punishing Amelia by stealing away Lymon and dangling the relationship under her nose and in her own house. There's a scene where Marvin refers to Amelia as "MISS Amelia" He was teasing her with the fact that there had never been sexual contact between Lymon and Amelia and Marvin knew this because Lymon had told him. I never quite got the reason why Lymon egged Marvin and Amelia into that fight at the end... you could have a point and I could be missing a point bigtime!
What you said adds a new way of looking at that relationship but that still wouldn't exclude the homosexual element
Good Answer Too
shareGood Answer :)
shareI agree with what everyone has said, but I just wanted to add my two cents considering I'm studing this story right now.
Amelia married Marvin for money, as people have said, and because it was expected of her, but also because she was a dominant female who perhaps subconsciously realized that she would be able to dominate that relationship. During their first round, she absolutely did.
I don't know if she necessarily cowered when he returned, as I don't think she was ever especially afraid of him. He was the "lover" and she the "beloved" in that situation, and as a result she merely looked down on him and considered him a nuisance. She was only afraid of Lymon, the only person in the equation who could really hurt her. I think the only reason why the two didn't fight earlier was because of Lymon's subtle influence-- "get him a drink", etc. She didn't hurt Marvin, or attempt to, until later all because she knew it would upset Lymon.
Like everyone said, the brokeback was never truly devoted to Amelia. He took advantage of her; he was a trickster, as evidenced by his numerous forms of entertainment, and consequently a very good actor. Plus, he was much more feminine in comparison to Amelia, and so he gravitated towards her. When Macy shows up, he exudes the masculinity he had shed all those years ago to win Amelia over. Macy is excited by Marvin's past, by his brute persona, and because he is now taking over the alpha male role.
This story is mostly about love, marriage, and the pitfalls of both, but it also questions the idea of "gender". In my class we studied the parallels between this story and Gone with the Wind-- a strong, shrewd female (Scarlett) who loves a feminine male she can't have (Ashley) and takes advantage of the love of a fearsome male (Rhett)who basically gives up his bad reputation just to gain her approval. It's very interesting when you compare the two.