Despite being released over two decades ago, Brokeback Mountain, which was nominated for Best Picture at the 2006 Oscars, is still receiving recognition for its caliber in the romance genre.
Collider recently released a ranking of the “10 Best Romantic Movies in Film History,” which spotlighted films like The Princess Bride (1987), Roman Holiday (1953), and Moulin Rouge! (2001). The publication named Brokeback Mountain, which stars Heath Ledger as Ennis Del Mar and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack Twist, the “best romantic movie in film history.”
The Ang Lee-directed film, which is an adaptation of Annie Proulx‘s 1997 short story, holds a score of 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and 87 on Metacritic.
Heath Ledger Shared Why He Was Drawn to the ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Script
Ledger, who died in 2008 at the age of 28, discussed taking on the role of Ennis in a 2005 interview on Charlie Rose. The actor, who snagged an Oscar nomination for playing the ranch hand, explained that he was drawn to the film’s script because it was unique and “a story of forbidden love.”
‘I mean, I remember when I first read the script, I put it down, and I had a lump in my throat. It really affected me, and I was excited to have the possibility of making this purely because I felt like it was a story that had never been put to screen,” explained Ledger during the 2005 interview.
In addition, Ledger described Ennis as “a character of potential.” He then explained that the film is about “what [Ennis] doesn’t allow himself in life.”
“My character was basically figuring out why he had this inability to love and to express,” said Ledger.
He went on to say that he soon realized Ennis’ quiet nature was due to his internal struggles as he grappled with his love for Jack.
“He was battling himself, battling his genetic structure, battling the generations before him. His father and his father’s father and their opinions. And their fears ultimately were so deeply embedded into the soul of this man that it restricted him from ever expressing,” said the actor.