I Wish I Knew How To Quit You: 20 Best Brokeback Mountain Quotes

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.

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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

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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 remembers 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

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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 admitting 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 admit 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.

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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.

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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 admit 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 admits it. However, when Ennis returns to Jack’s tent that same night, neither man is surprised.

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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 admits 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 admit and is an incident that shaped much of his life.

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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.

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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.

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Brokeback Mountain picked up eight Oscar nominations, including Best Actor for Heath Ledger and Best Supporting 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

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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.

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

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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.

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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

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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.

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10 “But What We Got Now Is Brokeback Mountain. It’s All Built On That.”

Jack To Ennis

The time Ennis and Jack had together on the mountain ignited their relationship, and it ended up being the happiest they would ever be together. Unfortunately, Jack and Ennis had different ideas of where they thought their relationship could go. Ennis was too afraid to let go of his life, but Jack believed they could’ve made it happen. When they are older, Jack confronts Ennis about the life they could have had together.

They were able to be themselves on that mountain, but then returning to the real world robbed them of that freedom.

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However, now all they have is trying to recapture that first summer together. It adds to the tragedy of the romance that they found happiness so early, and it then evaded them for the rest of their time together. While the mountain setting is only really used in the first act, it is key to the rest of the story. They were able to be themselves on that mountain, but returning to the real world robbed them of that freedom. Brokeback Mountain‘s final moments play into this idea with Ennis having nothing except those memories to look back on.

9 “You Boys Sure Found A Way To Make The Time Pass Up There.”

Aguirre To Ennis & Jack

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The two men at the center of the story, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, fall in love while working together as sheepherders on the titular mountain. While it seems like a secluded paradise for them, they are unaware that their boss, Aguirre (Randy Quaid), is keeping an eye on them. Even before this moment, Aguirre is an unpleasant man who treats his employees with nothing but hostility and anger. It is not surprising that he is even less welcoming after he suspects their relationship.

When Jack returns to Aguirre the next year, looking for work, Aguirre, not-so-subtly, hints that he knows what is happening between those men, and disapproves. Without being explicit about it, he makes the accusation, knowing it will be seen as a threat. Aguirre’s character speaks to the generally bigoted attitude toward the LGBTQ+ community at the time. In addition, it’s a reminder that no matter how secret Ennis and Jack think their relationship is, prying eyes are always out there.

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8 “Jack F**king Twist.”

Ennis To Jack

“Jack f**king Twist,” is a play on Jack’s first and last name and a repeated line Ennis says to his companion throughout the film. It makes for his affectionate greeting or appreciation for Jack but it holds a deeper, subtle meaning for their overall relationship. Each time Ennis says it in a new context, it shows their relationship growing deeper with Ennis’ delivery of the line speaking to his complicated views of Jack.

In one instance, it is said as a greeting as Jack visits his house (when Alma catches them kissing outside), in another instance, it is said in amazement, and it is said in anger at a different moment. As time passes, Ennis’ greeting spans the years of their relationship together, and it shows how much they go through together despite having to keep their distance. It is a small detail but Ennis’ nickname for Jack strengthens the bond they share.

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7 “Brokeback Got Us Good, Don’t It?”

Jack To Ennis

A few years after they first met, Jack takes a trip to visit Ennis, and they fall back into each other’s arms immediately. Although Ennis is married to Alma, he cannot fight his feelings for Jack, and they spend the night together at a motel. It’s one of several meetings after leaving Brokeback Mountain, but during this particular stolen moment, Jack delivers one of the more poignant Brokeback Mountain quotes. Neither man knew what would happen when they saw each other again, but this is confirmation that their first encounter was something deeper than they admitted.

Brokeback Mountain remains the pinnacle of their relationship as it was an escape from their separate realities.

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As they reflect on being back together after so long, Jack says, “Brokeback got us good,” thinking back on the time they found each other. Brokeback Mountain remains the pinnacle of their relationship as it was an escape from their separate realities. On Brokeback Mountain, they could freely be together without fear of repercussions. For the following decades, they chase that time they had together on Brokeback Mountain when it was just them. Looking back, it also suggests Jack saw Brokeback as the beginning of something, but after all their time together, it was just a memory they chased.

6 “Ya Know It Could Be Like This, Just Like This, Always.”

Jack To Ennis

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One of the best Brokeback Mountain quotes speaks to the longing that Jack feels towards Ennis and the idea that they could share a future together. When reuniting and seeing how good it feels to be back together, Ennis sees it as a happy return to something he missed. However, Jack sees it as an opportunity for them to start a real life together. Jack tells Ennis that this feeling doesn’t need to be fleeting, and they can build a life together.

It could be naïvete on his part or that he is willing to find happiness despite what others might think. Either way, it falls on deaf ears as Ennis tragically refuses to throw caution to the wind and live out a secret relationship with his one true love. It is striking that this begins as a simple suggestion from Jack with the small hope Ennis would agree, but the pain of it grows more intense over the years until it becomes a need rather than a desire.

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5 “This Thing, It Grabs Hold Of Us Again At The Wrong Place, At The Wrong Time, And We’re Dead.”

Ennis To Jack

Ennis’ biggest fear in Brokeback Mountain is that someone will find out about his and Jack’s relationship, and for good reason. For Ennis, a threatening cloud hangs over his entire relationship with Jack. He doesn’t trust the world to just accept their love and their relationship for what it is. In that way. Ennis, though more closed off, has a more realistic view of things compared to Jack.

Ennis relays his fears about his romantic feelings to Jack, and that if they were ever caught, the consequences could be dire. Despite his deep, painful love for Jack, he fears getting too close. However, while Ennis presents himself as someone who doesn’t need the same loving relationship Jack is after, this quote also highlights that he knows there is an uncontrollable nature to his feelings. The idea of it “grabbing hold” of him shows the intensity and passion he has in this romance despite his hard exterior.

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4 “Sometimes I Miss You So Much I Can Hardly Stand It.”

Jack To Ennis

The true tragedy of Jack and Ennis’ relationship in Brokeback Mountain unfolds as the movie plays on. As the two men get older, their visits to see each other get less frequent, but their longing and love for each other never diminish. While Ennis continues to bury his feelings as deeply as he can, Jack becomes more desperate for them to be together, highlighting the pain he has endured because of his love for Ennis. He continues to wait for him, not willing to give up on the idea that they could truly be together someday.

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As older men, they meet for their usual camping trip and talk about their lives. When it becomes clear their next reunion will be delayed, all the frustrations Jack has held in come pouring out. Jack makes a personal and heartbreaking admission about how badly he misses Ennis, and that he can no longer bottle it up and stand the pain. It begins as anger, but as Jack continues to bare his soul, he becomes more vulnerable.

3 “If You Can’t Fix It, Jack, You Gotta Stand It.”

Ennis To Jack

Heath Ledger gives such an amazing performance in the film, with so much of it being subtle and internalized. In Brokeback Mountain, Ennis denies himself happiness. He fears what might happen if he follows his heart. Therefore, he keeps his hopes and dreams tucked away, never to speak about them. In that way, he is the complete opposite of the more hopeful and open Jack. Every time Jack talks about having a life together or how painful it is to be apart, Ennis reaffirms they have to make the best of the situation and live with it.

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This becomes more and more heartbreaking as audiences see what these two are denying themselves because Ennis is afraid. It also speaks to the portrayal of stereotypical masculinity presented in the movie. Ennis puts on a strong facade and acts as if he is following his own advice and just living with the cards he has been dealt. However, so many times throughout the movie, when Ennis is alone, the audience sees the pain and anguish he is in for denying himself this relationship.

2 “Jack, I Swear.”

Ennis To Himself

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It may be short, but it’s one of the saddest Brokeback Mountain quotes. At the movie’s end, Ennis learns of Jack’s death and visits his parents. In Jack’s bedroom, he finds a shirt that belonged to Ennis that Jack kept all these years. While Jack’s parents refuse to have his ashes spread on Brokeback Mountain, they allow him to take the shirt. Now divorced and living alone, Ennis hangs up the shirt with a photograph of Brokeback Mountain. Crying, he says, “Jack, I swear.”

Ennis promises to do what Jack has been telling him for years and try to be happy.

It is an unspoken promise, but the audience understands what he means. Ennis promises to do what Jack has been telling him for years and try to be happy. It is also a reassurance that, though he couldn’t show it, he still loved Jack after all these years. Brokeback Mountain is seen as a tragic love story for many people and it’s not hard to see why as Jack and Ennis never get the life they wanted together. However, it is also a bittersweet movie as Jack has taught Ennis something about himself that no one else could have.

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1 “I Wish I Knew How To Quit You.”

Jack To Ennis

This is by far the most memorable of all the Brokeback Mountain quotes and a line that has become iconic in film history, well-known by people who haven’t even seen the movie. It has been repeated and parodied many times, but in the film itself, it is a gut-wrenching final moment between Jack and Ennis. During their last trip together before Jack tragically dies, Ennis and Jack fight over what they have lost throughout those years and how painful it has been, especially for Jack.

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As Jack says this line, it’s a moment of realization that things would be easier for both of their lives if only they didn’t love each other so much. However, one cannot choose who one loves. Unfortunately, Jack and Ennis never got the chance they deserved. It is a heartbreaking yet beautiful line that shows, that despite all the pain, Jack still has to admit he loves Ennis. This leads to Ennis breaking down as well and insisting he wants Jack to leave him. It’s a rare display of emotion from Ennis, showing Jack that he loves him as well.

Brokeback Mountain RDramaRomance

From director Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain tells the story of a forbidden love between two cowboys beginning in 1960s Wyoming. The film stars Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, who after being hired for a summer job herding sheep, begin a romantic relationship that lasts two decades. As the two struggle to cope with their feelings for each other against the pressures of a society that will never accept them, various tragedies and other obligations threaten to pull them apart for good. Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams also star. 

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*Availability in US Director Ang Lee Release Date December 9, 2005 Studio(s) Focus Features Writers Larry McMurtry , Diana Ossana Cast Jake Gyllenhaal , Heath Ledger , Michelle Williams Runtime 134 minutes Expand

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