Two things that burn my tokhes are one, a three-foot flame, and two, crass exploitation films that shamelessly cash in on a current fad or political hoo-ha. To wit, with all the controversy about gay rights and marriage it seemed almost obligatory that some agenda-driven producer would cash in on the hype. This said, when I went to see the blockbuster “Brokeback Mountain”, I expected to see two hunky cowboys writhing like greased-up eels in the wilderness.

Needless to say, I was pleased that this was not the case. What I saw was nothing even remotely what I had expected. What could have been little more than “Queer as Folk” meets “Big Fauss and Little Halsey” was instead a restrained, sensitive portrayal of the hell that gay men endured in the sixties before there was such a thing as ‘coming out’. Heath Ledger has, as an actor, grown remarkably from his days as a Celtic freedom fighter on “Roar” into an accomplished actor. Jake Gyllenhaal, whose career has been largely unremarkable roles, proves himself to be a many-faceted talent as the sensitive Jack Twist, a perfect contrast to the superficially stalwart, stiff-lipped character played by Ledger. But the majority of the supporting cast is overshadowed by Randy Quaid, whose portrayal of the fat, homophobic sheep rancher who unwittingly throws Heath’s and Jake’s characters into a lifelong downward spiral. He makes up for a lack of dialogue with looks and facial expressions that speak volumes. Ang Lee brilliantly kept the nudity and sex to a minimum, concentrating on the emotional turmoil the relationship causes, not only for the two men but also for their families. The three nude scenes were integral to the plot development, and were directed in such a way that what might have been tasteless and shocking, came off as almost endearing, just enough to get the point across. Be warned, “Brokeback Mountain” is a definite tearjerker for which even the most stoic moviegoers might need two handkerchiefs. This is not…. repeat, NOT a gay love story. Any messages intended to come across do so by bypassing the mind and scoring a direct hit to the heart. Unlike most films of the genre, this one makes you really care about the protagonists. Even the overwhelming beauty of the Wyoming setting pales in comparison to the rare synchronicity of the writers, actors and director who combine to make this one of the most flawlessly executed films I have ever seen.

The two and a quarter hour running time seems much shorter, and the ending is abrupt and leaves the audience lacking a real sense of closure, but to say more would give away too much. What I can say is, even the most devout opponent of issues such as Gay rights will come away from this one with a sense of guilt and maybe even remorse at what society put some people through, much like we did over the civil rights movements of the 60s. It will also make gay couples appreciate how far their cause has come in the past forty years, and how lucky they are to be living in these more tolerant times. If this was Ang Lee’s objective, he accomplished his goal admirably. “Brokeback Mountain” deserves every kudo and award it has received, and more. It is filmmaking at it’s finest.