The most memorable Brokeback Mountain quotes center around Jack and Ennis' love for one another, a love made clear in a film ahead of its time. When released, Brokeback Mountain was one of 2005's most talked-about movies. Almost two decades later, Ang Lee's epic romantic drama is viewed as a stunning achievement and a ground-breaking film in mainstream Hollywood. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal star as Ennis and Jack, two men falling in love while working as sheepherders during the 1960s.

Brokeback Mountain is a beautiful and moving story about a love deemed unacceptable in their society. The neo-Western romantic drama is an LGBTQ+ movie that changed cinema forever and has a breakout cast, starring not only Ledger and Gyllenhaal, but also Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway, Linda Cardellini, Randy Quaid, and Anna Faris. Thanks to its beautiful and heart-wrenching story, the movie makes for an unforgettable viewing to experience, with some memorable Brokeback Mountain quotes.

20 "C'mon Now, You're Sleepin' On Your Feet Like A Horse. My Mama Used To Say That To Me When I Was Little."

Ennis To Jack

Ennis is a fascinating character, with the performance by Heath Ledger showing the various layers of this man even though he keeps most of his thoughts to himself. Ledger shows the inner struggle of Ennis so well, yet he also allows himself to let his guard down at times and be true to himself when he is around Jack. That includes this small moment when Ennis thinks back to their time together on Brokeback Mountain.

After learning about Jack's death, Ennis re a time when Jack was standing in the camp, falling asleep while standing up. Ennis embraced him and shared this memory of his mother as well as a song she used to sing. It is an intimate moment these two shared that shows Ennis could be more open to Jack than anyone else. There is a sense that Ennis never told that to another person and it's unlikely he ever would.

19 "What I Don't Know - All Them Things That I Don't Know - Could Get You Killed If I Come To Know Them."

Ennis To Jack

The final meeting Ennis and Jack have on Brokeback Mountain is one filled with tension and anger as they struggle with the reality of the years they have spent together. Among the angry accusations and hurtful revelations that come out of this moment is Jack itting to Ennis that he has sought out other male lovers in the past knowing that he could only be with Ennis once every few years.

Ennis's reaction shows that he considers what he and Jack have to be something special that cannot be replaced.

The revelation is not meant to make Ennis jealous, but rather show him the pain Jack is going through. However, Ennis shows an angry side of his love, threatening Jack if he truly were to it such a thing. It is an interesting reaction given that both of these men are married to women and have families. However, Ennis's reaction shows that he considers what he and Jack have to be something special that cannot be replaced.

18 "It's Because Of You Jack, That I'm Like This! I'm Nothin'... I'm Nowhere..."

Ennis To Jack

By the time Ennis and Jack meet for their last reunion together, they are both in very different places in their lives, yet both are miserable. Jack is happy to have this time with Ennis, but he is also beginning to question what this relationship truly is. On the other hand, Ennis has more or less lost his family and goes through life without happiness save for these rare moments with Jack.

With Jack continuing to question their relationship and the pain it causes, Ennis begins to break. Heath Ledger's amazing performance continues to shine through as Ennis is clearly heartbroken but still trying to hold onto the tough exterior. He blames Jack for the ruin of his life as if Jack seduced him down this path. However, it is clear that Ennis is coming to the realization that he denied himself the life of happiness he could have had with Jack.

17 "This Is A One-Shot Thing We Got Goin' On Here."

Ennis To Jack

The first sexual encounter between Ennis and Jack is an intense one with the two men navigating the moment with awkwardness and confusion. In the aftermath, Ennis is filled with guilt while Jack tries to ease his mind. Scared of what he allowed himself to do, Ennis simply dismisses the moment as a one-time thing that will never happen again.

While it is a typical reaction to someone who is afraid to it what they want, it is also a foreshadowing to the truth that Ennis is going to deny himself for much of his life. He is overcome with fear and tries to tell himself this isn't what he really wants. There is a feeling that both he and Jack know the truth behind what is being said, though neither man its it. However, when Ennis returns to Jack's tent that same night, neither man is surprised.

16 "My Daddy, He Made Sure Me And Brother Seen It. Hell For All I Know, He Done The Job."

Ennis To Jack

While there is a lot of shame that Ennis has to deal with in himself, wanting to hide their secret from the world is not born out of an irrational fear. It all goes back to when he was a young boy and he saw the bodies of two local men who were suspected of being in a relationship. They were brutally tortured and murdered with their bodies left on the side of the road.

As Ennis tells Jack this story, he reveals that his father showed the grisly scene to his sons on purpose, as if to tell them that this is the fate that awaits homosexuals. Ennis also its that his father could very well be one of the men responsible for the crime. Though Ennis tells the story as a dark childhood memory, it is clear that it had more of an impact on him than he is willing to it and is an incident that shaped much of his life.

15 "It's Nobody's Business But Ours."

Jack To Ennis

After a lot of lead-up while working together on Brokeback Mountain, Ennis and Jack finally have sex with each other. However, Ennis worries about what others will think and the need to keep it a secret. In one of the most memorable Brokeback Mountain quotes, Jack reassures him that no one will find out, but also insists that it is just their business. This hints at the tragic divide between these two men and speaks to their characters.

Ennis continues to live in fear of society, which informs what he believes should be the trajectory of their relationship. Jack encourages them to live together and be happy. He feels that other people have no right to judge them and is more willing to embrace the love they share. It also speaks to the tragedy of the world they live in. The love that they share with each other should not be the business of other people, but the reality is much different and hints at the outside world encroaching on their romance.

14 "Friend, That's More Words Than You've Spoken In The Past Two Weeks."

Jack To Ennis

Some of the best Brokeback Mountain quotes come before Ennis and Jack get romantically involved. Prior to their romantic relationship, Ennis and Jack share great chemistry while alone on the mountain, getting to know each other. These early scenes are charming, and it is interesting to see the reserved character of Heath Ledger's Ennis open up to his new friend.

Brokeback Mountain picked up eight Oscar nominations, including Best Actor for Heath Ledger and Best ing Actor for Jake Gyllenhaal.

As the two share a quiet moment together, Ennis becomes more vulnerable and Jack jokes that he's spoken more words in that sentence than their entire time together. The moment helps both characters open up to one another, and with Ennis' guard down, it is easy to see how things progress. Ennis getting closer to Jack becomes even more special and heartbreaking in the rest of the movie, as it is shown that he never found that same connection elsewhere.

13 "For As Long As We Can Ride It. There Ain't No Reins On This One."

Ennis To Jack

As the years go by, marked by Ennis and Jack's occasional romantic meet-ups, the difference in how they view their love story — or lack thereof — develops into a greater divide. In Brokeback Mountain, Jack is under the impression that they will eventually be together. However, Ennis fears the public and what it would mean to leave his life behind, making it clear that he never sees a happy and normal relationship as a possibility.

The true pain of Ennis's character is shown as he feels they have no control.

During an intense confrontation, Ennis delivers this devastating line that lets audiences understand his expectations. The true pain of Ennis's character is shown as he feels they have no control over where this relationship goes. They can continue sharing moments for as long as possible, but it will not last. It is interesting that he uses the metaphor of horse riding to discuss their relationship, tying it to its Western movie genre, perhaps as a way of Ennis coping with a subject he is not entirely comfortable talking with.

12 "You Didn't Go Up There To Fish."

Alma To Ennis

Michelle Williams portrays Alma, Ennis' wife. They have marital struggles, but things become worse when Alma accidentally spots Ennis and Jack kissing outside their house when they reunite. It's easy to forget that Brokeback Mountain is a movie about infidelity, but, like Ennis, Alma buries her husband's shocking infidelity deep down inside herself — at first.

The two eventually get divorced, with Alma taking custody of the kids and marrying her store manager, Monroe. When Ennis visits, Alma reveals she knows his fishing trips were a lie. While it is appropriately harsh given that Alma finally voices her anger at his disloyalty, she also expresses disgust that it was with another man. This confirms the worst fears Ennis had as someone he loved discovered his secret and judged him for it. It is fitting that he responded to her accusation with anger before storming out.

11 "There Ain't Never Enough Time."

Jack To Ennis

Jack and Ennis' relationship grows more complicated because of how both men believe it can play out in different ways. For Ennis, stealing these moments with Jack keeps him going and offers him a small taste of happiness. In addition, he seems somewhat content with these brief meetings. However, over time, all Jack focuses on is the time they are losing together. In one of the most memorable Brokeback Mountain quotes, Jack laments that these fishing trips are not enough and there is never enough time for them to be together.

Despite the fact that their romance has spanned many years and the majority of their adult lives, they have never really gotten the chance to embrace it. Jack sees time running out and is devastated that it doesn't seem like they'll ever have that time together. It is a heartbreaking sentiment made worse because it is also the last time they will see each other. One of Jake Gyllenhaal's best movie performances sells this moment even more.