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Sundown17 · 05-23-2004, 10:17 AM

Just to add in my two cents. Billy Joe's gay sexual encounter was during a county fair where liquor was consumed and confusion ran rampant. It was with a well known and respected man of the community. It bordered on rape as the older man was the agressor and Billy Joe was intoxicated. But Billy Joe seemed to feel it was consensual, thus the guilt and suicide. Prior to the fair, Billy Joe and Bobbie Lee (the young lady singing the song) had been seen acourtin' around town. While the sexual tension between them was thick and often toyed with, it was never consummated. Bobbie Lee left town after Billy Joe's suicide out of "restless yearning" for a life beyond Tallahatchie County. The irony was that the man who Billy Joe had had the sexual encounter with, gave Bobbie Lee a ride to the bus station and during the ride they discussed the fact that her leaving would make it look like Billy Joe had indeed jumped off the bridge because he had gotten her pregnant and she was leaving town to have the baby. Bobbie Lee, knowing the true reason for the suicide (Billy Joe had told her during that argument on the bridge where the rag doll "Benjamin", met his fate), said that at least it was a safer story than the truth was, for everyone's sake.

It's a book as well as a movie, written by Herman Raucher. No doubt, because of the Bobbie Gentry song and some poetic license was taken. It's one of those campy stories that I am almost ashamed to admit is a particular favorite of mine. Partly because of it's campiness and partly because something about the actor that plays Bobbie Lee's father reminds me of Gord. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a Shakespearean-coming-of-age-drama-thick-with-Greek-tragedy-undertones set in the 1950's American South.

Now, Bru, aren't you glad you asked?

Diane

[This message has been edited by Sundown17 (edited May 23, 2004).]

05-23-2004, 10:17 AM	#10
Sundown17 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 153	Just to add in my two cents. Billy Joe's gay sexual encounter was during a county fair where liquor was consumed and confusion ran rampant. It was with a well known and respected man of the community. It bordered on rape as the older man was the agressor and Billy Joe was intoxicated. But Billy Joe seemed to feel it was consensual, thus the guilt and suicide. Prior to the fair, Billy Joe and Bobbie Lee (the young lady singing the song) had been seen acourtin' around town. While the sexual tension between them was thick and often toyed with, it was never consummated. Bobbie Lee left town after Billy Joe's suicide out of "restless yearning" for a life beyond Tallahatchie County. The irony was that the man who Billy Joe had had the sexual encounter with, gave Bobbie Lee a ride to the bus station and during the ride they discussed the fact that her leaving would make it look like Billy Joe had indeed jumped off the bridge because he had gotten her pregnant and she was leaving town to have the baby. Bobbie Lee, knowing the true reason for the suicide (Billy Joe had told her during that argument on the bridge where the rag doll "Benjamin", met his fate), said that at least it was a safer story than the truth was, for everyone's sake. It's a book as well as a movie, written by Herman Raucher. No doubt, because of the Bobbie Gentry song and some poetic license was taken. It's one of those campy stories that I am almost ashamed to admit is a particular favorite of mine. Partly because of it's campiness and partly because something about the actor that plays Bobbie Lee's father reminds me of Gord. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a Shakespearean-coming-of-age-drama-thick-with-Greek-tragedy-undertones set in the 1950's American South. Now, Bru, aren't you glad you asked? Diane [This message has been edited by Sundown17 (edited May 23, 2004).]