This year marks the 10th anniversary of the famous gay romance that went out of the closet and crossed the boundaries of box office and critics-indeed, Brokeback Mountain made history with a gross of $178 million worldwide.
After ten years, director Ang Lee and producer James Schamus told Variety how the movie, featuring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as cowboys in a same-sex relationship, started and left a great impact on their lives.
"I cried at the end of reading the short story, and I couldn't figure out why I was so moved. The language was unfamiliar to me," Ang Lee recalled. "Actually, nothing was familiar to me. But the idea of a mysterious romance up on Brokeback Mountain - one that once you leave, you are always pursuing and can never get back - always haunted me."
The director remembered how Gyllenhaal's lines "All we got is Brokeback Mountain" deeply moved and compelled him to make the movie.
Meanwhile, Schamus shared how they tried to raise the production budget for six years because of its unconventional LGBT content. Then finally, they were able to settle for a cost below $15 million.
Schamus and Lee also recalled how they casted the stars, particularly Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and Ledger.
"I remember when I met Heath. He came to my apartment, in Columbia University housing. He arrived at my front door, and we'd been joking around about the tent scene where he spits in his hand. I pretended to spit in my hand before I shook his hand, and said, 'Come on in, man. We're doing this.' I was such a fan already," Shamus said.
"Jake met me, and I thought he was great for the part for a romantic love story. Heath came in and wanted to do it right away. I think he told me that he learned from one of his uncles, who is also a very macho, homophobic gay, much like Ennis, and also a rancher," Lee added.
Lee revealed that as soon as Williams walked in, he already knew she was meant for her part. Meanwhile, Hathaway used her lunch hour during the shoot of a parade scene for The Princess Diaries 2. As a result, she auditioned with a lot of clothes and make-up, but still, she got the part.'
"I also thought it would be an arthouse film with a very small audience. I was nervous about the subject matter hitting the shopping mall, and I was surprised at its success," Lee said. "I think it has something to do with the fact that it's a poignant love story."
Brokeback Mountain received three Academy wins, namely Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana), and Best Original Score (Gustavo Santaolalla). It was also nominated for Best Actor (Heath Ledger) Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams), and Best Cinematography (Rodrigo Prieto).
