Critical reception of Brokeback Mountain

The film "Brokeback Mountain" received many awards, including three Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Score as well as four Golden Globe awards for Best Motion Picture-Drama, Best Director, Best Song, and Best Screenplay and four BAFTA Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal). The film also received four Screen Actors Guild nominations for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Ensemble, more than any other movie released in 2005.

Awards

*78th Academy Awards: Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), Best Original Score (Gustavo Santaolalla)
*Aurora Film Awards 2005: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), Best Song
*Austin Film Critics Association: Best Adapated Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
*59th BAFTA Awards: Best Film, Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana)
*Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee)
*Box Office Mojo: "The Ten Most Impressive Box Office Performances of 2005": first one [http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2012&p=l.htm] .
*Central Ohio Film Critics Association: "Top 10 Films", Best Lead Performance (Heath Ledger), Best Screenplay
*Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Cinematography (Rodrigo Prieto), Best Score (Gustavo Santaolalla)
*Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film: Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
*(International) Cinephile Society: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, BFCA Film of the Month - December 2005
*Critics' Choice Award: Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams)
*Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association: "Top 10 Films", Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), Best Cinematography (Roberto Prieto)
*Directors Guild of America: Director of the Year Award - Theatrical Motion Picture (Ang Lee)
*European Film Awards: Best Director (Ang Lee)
*Florida Film Critics Circle: [http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2006/cirtics_awards/florida.html] Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), Cinematography (Roberto Prieto)
*GLAAD Media Awards: Outstanding Film - Wide Release
*63rd Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Director - Motion Picture (Ang Lee), Best Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), Best Song (Gustavo Santaolalla and Bernie Taupin, "A Love That Will Never Grow Old")
*Independent Spirit Awards: [http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2006/03/05/independent-spirit.html] Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee)
*Internet Movie Awards: Favorite Picture, Favorite Actor in a Leading Role (Heath Ledger), Favorite Actor in a Supporting Role (Jake Gyllenhaal), Favorite Actress in a Supporting Role (Michelle Williams), Favorite Director (Ang Lee), Favorite Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), Favorite Soundtrack or Music Score (Gustavo Santaolalla), Favorite Song ("A Love That Will Never Grow Old"), Breakthrough Performance (Michelle Williams)
*Iowa Film Critics: Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee)
*Las Vegas Film Critics Society: Best Picture, Best Actor (Heath Ledger), Best Director (Ang Lee)
*London Film Critics Circle: [http://criticscircle.org.uk] Best Film, Best Director of the Year
*Los Angeles Film Critics Association: [http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2006/cirtics_awards/lafca.html] Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee)
*MTV Movie Awards: Best Performance (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Kiss (Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal)
*National Board of Review: Top 10 Films, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal)
*National Public Radio: Bob Mondello's "Top Films for 2005" [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5076591]
*New York Film Critics Circle: Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Actor (Heath Ledger)
*Online Film Critics Society: [http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2006/cirtics_awards/ofcs.html] Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), Best Score (Gustavo Santaolalla), Best Ensemble, Best Cinematography, Best Song, Best Cinematic Moment (finding the shirt), Best Website
*Phoenix Film Critics Society: Top Ten Films, Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role (Heath Ledger), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Michelle Williams), Best Screenplay adapted from another medium, Best Cinematography
*Producers Guild of America: Producer of the Year Award - Theatrical Motion Picture
*San Francisco Film Critics: Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Actor (Heath Ledger)
*Satellite Awards: Outstanding Motion Picture, Drama, Outstanding Director (Ang Lee), Outstanding Film Editing (Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor), Outstanding Original Song (Gustavo Santaolalla and Bernie Taupin, for the song "A Love That Will Never Grow Old")
* "British Film Institute" : Best Film
*Southeastern Film Critics Association: Top 10 Films, Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
*St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association: Best Picture, Best Actor (Heath Ledger), Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
* [http://www.altfg.com/Awards2005/utah.htm Utah Film Critics] : Best Film, Best Director (Ang Lee)
*Vancouver Film Critics: Best Picture, Best Director (Ange Lee)
*62nd Venice International Film Festival: "Golden Lion" for Best Film
*Writers Guild of America Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
*World Soundtrack Awards: Public Choice Award (Gustavo Santaolalla)

Nominations

*78th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Heath Ledger), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Michelle Williams), Best Cinematography (Rodrigo Prieto)
*Amanda Awards (Norway): Best Foreign Feature Film
*American Cinema Editors: Best Edited Feature Film - Drama
*58th BAFTA Awards: Best Actor (Heath Ledger), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams), Best Cinematography (Rodrigo Prieto), Best Score (Gustavo Santaolalla), Best Editing (Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor)
*Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Actor (Heath Ledger), Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Writer (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), Best Song (Emmylou Harris, for the song "A Love That Will Never Grow Old"), Best Composer (Gustavo Santaolalla)
*Central Ohio Film Critics Association: (1st Runner-up) Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Ensemble Cast, Best Formal Design
*Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee), Best Actor (Heath Ledger), Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams)
*Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film: Best Actor (Heath Ledger)
*Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association: (1st Runner-up) Best Actor (Heath Ledger), (2nd Runner-up) Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), (1st Runner-up) Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams)
*David di Donatello Awards (Italy): Best Foreign Film
*European Film Awards: Screen International Award (Ang Lee)
*63rd Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama (Heath Ledger), Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture (Michelle Williams), Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Original Score
*Gotham Awards: Best Picture, Best Ensemble Cast
*Independent Spirit Awards: Best Male Lead (Heath Ledger), Best Supporting Female (Michelle Williams)
*Los Angeles Film Critics Association:(1st Runner-up) Best Actor (Heath Ledger)
*National Board of Review: (1st Runner-up) Best Picture, Best Actor (Heath Ledger)
*National Society of Film Critics:(2nd Runner-up) Best Actor (Heath Ledger)
*Online Film Critics Society: Best Picture, Best Actor (Heath Ledger), Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams), Best Director (Ang Lee)
*Screen Actors Guild: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Heath Ledger), Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Jake Gyllenhaal), Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (Michelle Williams), Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
*Southeastern Film Critics Association: (1st Runner-up) Best Actor (Heath Ledger), (1st Runner-up) Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams)
*USC Scripter Award: Best Realization of a Book adapted to Film (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana [screenwriters] , E. Annie Proulx [author] )
*World Soundtrack Awards: Best Original Soundtrack of the Year (composed by Gustavo Santaolalla), Best Original Song Written for Film ("A Love That Will Never Grow Old")

Post-Academy Awards reaction

Some critics accused the Academy of homophobia for failing to award the Oscar for Best Picture to Brokeback Mountain and instead giving it to a rival nominee, "Crash":
* Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: "In the privacy of the voting booth, as many political candidates who’ve led in polls only to lose elections have found out, people are free to act out the unspoken fears and unconscious prejudices that they would never breathe to another soul, or, likely, acknowledge to themselves. And at least this year, that acting out doomed "“Brokeback Mountain.” [http://theenvelope.latimes.com/awards/oscars/env-turan5mar05,0,5359042.story]
* Nikki Finke, Los Angeles Weekly: "I knew there was a chance that, even without seeing the movie, Oscar voters could feel guilt-tripped or succumb to a herd mentality to vote for the “gay-cowboy” movie and strike a blow against Republican wedge politics and extremist religious hatemongering. But they didn’t, and "Brokeback" lost for all the Right’s reasons." [http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/what-did-i-tell-you/]
*Peter Howell, Toronto Star: "Sunday's selection of "Crash" over "Brokeback Mountain" for Best Picture was the first time in memory that fear seemed to be the guiding impulse for awarding Oscar's top prize. Faced with the choice between a feel-good movie about the evils of racism and a troublesome film that challenged prejudices about homosexual love, Academy voters grabbed their security blankets and starting sucking on their thumbs." [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1141944645359]

Author E. Annie Proulx has also blamed right-wing influences for the film's failure to win Best Picture:

:"The people connected with Brokeback Mountain, including me, hoped that, having been nominated for eight Academy Awards, it would get Best Picture as it had at the funny, lively Independent Spirit Awards. We should have known conservative heffalump Academy voters would have rather different ideas of what was stirring contemporary culture. Roughly 6,000 film industry voters, most in the Los Angeles area, many living cloistered lives behind wrought-iron gates or in deluxe rest-homes, out of touch not only with the shifting larger culture and the yeasty ferment that is America these days, but also out of touch with their own segregated city, decide which films are good. And rumour has it that Lions Gate inundated the Academy voters with DVD copies of "Trash" - excuse me - "Crash" a few weeks before the ballot deadline. Next year we can look to the awards for controversial themes on the punishment of adulterers with a branding iron in the shape of the letter A, runaway slaves, and the debate over free silver."The writer has also pondered whether Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance, though "brilliant," involved the easier acting skill of "mimicry" (by implication, unlike Heath Ledger's Oscar-nominated Brokeback Mountain performance, in which he invented the clenched-jaw & mannerisms of "Ennis Del Mar"). [http://books.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1727309,00.html]

Supporting the charge of homophobia were media reports that some members of the Academy were so opposed to the subject matter of the film that they refused to even view "Brokeback Mountain" before voting. [cite web | first=Steve | last=Pond | title=AMPAS policy: If you skipped "Brokeback," you shouldn't have voted | accessdate=2005-05-11 | url=http://oscarbeat.latimes.com/awards_oscar/2006/03/ampas_policy_if.html ]

By contrast, Roger Ebert defended the selection of "Crash" as Best Picture in a post-Oscar editorial::"It is noticeable how many writers on 'Hollywood's homophobia' were able to sidestep "Capote", which was a hard subject to miss, being right there on the same list of best picture nominees. Were supporters of "Brokeback" homophobic in championing the cowboys over what Oscarcast host Jon Stewart called the 'effete New York intellectual'? Of course not. "Brokeback Mountain" was simply a better movie than "Capote". And "Crash" was better than "Brokeback Mountain", although they were both among the best films of the year. That is a matter of opinion. But I was not 'discomfited' by "Brokeback Mountain". ... 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. [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060306/OSCARS/603070301] "

The Ultimate Brokeback Forum [http://www.davecullen.com/brokebackmountain] , a web forum of several thousand members, self-financed and designed a grass roots, full page ad in the May 10, 2006 issue of Daily Variety, thanking the creators of Brokeback Mountain, listing all of the significant Best Picture Awards the film received. This particular issue of Daily Variety was covered by such news organizations as "The New York Times", "Newsweek", and the UK newspaper "The Daily Telegraph".

See also

* "Brokeback Mountain" soundtrack: description of related soundtrack recordings.
* "Brokeback Mountain" short story: description of original/amended Proulx story.

References