Deleted Scenes - Hippie Rescue

Travel Directions:
From Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada Hwy), take Exit 156, “Jumping Pound Road.” Go south on Jumping Pound Road to a “T” intersection. Turn right (west) on Township Road 244, go 1.9 km, crossing a bridge. Turn right at the intersection marked by the “501 31 No Exit” sign and proceed 0.6 km to a rustic barbed wire gate on the right side of the road. (Do not go as far as the cattle guard.) Do not open the gate. Instead, park nearby and climb the fence to the right side of the gate. Follow vehicle tracks 0.3 km downhill to the clearing. The camera was on the south side of the creek.

Remarks:
The full Hippie Scene was one of the most technically demanding scenes in the film. The coordination of the vehicle, the horses, and the rescue logistics, as well as five actors in the water, consumed a tremendous amount of time. Originally scheduled for two days, the ill-fated Hippie Scene took almost a week to shoot. As a consequence, the shooting schedule (and budgets) ran over.

109 107 CONTINUED: 109 107

... and the bus, music blaring, heads right into the water. Makes it half way across ... stops, water at window-height. Yells are heard.

JACK
(drawing rein)

Hell, better go down and see what’s what.

ENNIS

See if you can get a rope on the bumper.
I’ll offload who I can.

The horses are none too keen to go into the water ... but ENNIS and JACK insist, spur them in.

JACK gets to the rear of the buss--when he bends over to hook his rope through his bumper, his hat falls off and floats away.

ENNIS expertly gets his horse alongside the bus, looks inside to see a bearded, beaded Dead-head at the wheel, and two beautiful hippie coeds giggling, crowded together in the front seat.

HIPPIE

Guess I overestimated the power of the bug, man!

ENNIS holds out his arms.

ENNIS

Come on now, through the window, girls first ... I can take the two of you together.

The girls giggle at ENNIS’S unintended double-entendre.

GIRL 1

Thanks, man!

As she pushes her way out through the window, we see her braless profile fall into ENNIS’S arms.

(CONTINUED)

109 107 CONTINUED: 109 107

ENNIS ferries the girls back to shore, heads back to the van.

JACK, frustrated, rides back to the shore, takes off his boots and wades back in with the rope, manages to get it over the bumper.

ENNIS goes over to help JACK, who is wading out.

JACK
(annoyed)

My hat’s probably to Laramie by now.

ENNIS
(smile)

Top hands ain’t supposed to love their hats.

JACK ignores this.

ENNIS rides around to the driver’s side of the VW bus.

ENNIS

You might want to make sure you’re in reverse, mister.

The MAN gives ENNIS the peace sign.

HIPPIE
(sense of humor)

Sure, partner.

110 EXT: BIG HORN MAOUNTAINS [sic], WYOMING: CREEK: DAY: A FEW MINUTES LATER: 1973 110

The man and women are unpacking a picnic.

HIPPIE

Hey, break bread with us, western heroes.

ENNIS

Thanks, but we gotta make camp by sundown.

(CONTINUED)

110 107 CONTINUED: 110

GIRL 1

You sure? (seductive) We love to share.

HIPPIE

They do man. I’m cool with it.

GIRL 1

Whaddya think?

ENNIS

I suppose not. We’d best be goin’.

GIRL 2

You don’t have to be hung up around us.

JACK

Thanks, but Ennis here, he’s just pretty well hung up.

ENNIS shoots JACK a glance.

JACK

But you all take care now.

[Script excerpt]

Subtlety be damned. Beads, beards, a VW bus, the American flag in the rear window, the “peace” sign, no bras; this is really the 70s! To many, the superficial puns (“taking both girls,” “well hung,” and “love to share”) seem very much out of place here in a film where sex is never taken lightly. This incongruity was undoubtedly a consideration in deleting this scene.

Heath Ledger said publicly that he hoped the Hippie Scene “never sees the light of day.” Ang Lee has reportedly said, “If I’d wanted people to see it, I would have put it in my film.” Others who were involved in its production have shared similar reservations.

Important:
Always obtain appropriate permission before entering private property. Exercise special caution in areas where livestock may be present.

Deleted Scenes - Hippie Rescue

Photo by Kimberley French.

Contributed photo

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