Brokeback avalanche.

What a terrific interview of Heath Ledger by Alonso Duralde ["Hot, Hot Heath," January 17]! While Ledger has been doing plenty of interviews recently with national media, he often comes off as reticent, intensely private, and at times even hostile. Happily, the Advocate interview is a great read. Ledger gave a flawless, heartbreakingly moving performance in a film that will be one of the most important of its time.

P.J. HELMUTH Northampton, Mass.

Never in my life did I expect that I would be sitting watching a movie that in so many ways matched my very life--Brokeback Mountain did just that. In 1963, I met my first love while in the U.S. Navy, and for the next 25 or so years we met in central Wisconsin every four, five, or six years. Brokeback Mountain definitely had my jaw dropping in amazement with each scene-and then ultimately the rush of tears as the men's relationship ended the same as mine. Many loving thanks to Heath and Jake--and also to Ang Lee and his insight--for creating the movie of the year.

STAN JAKIEL Richmond, Va.

Brokeback Mountain just came out in Canada, so I couldn't help but write to let you know that this movie touched my feelings on a deeper level. Ennis Del Mar, played by Heath Ledger, perfectly portrays his character, a cowboy from the '60s. I especially wanted to point out how amazingly well Heath managed to pass the heat of passion and love on to the viewers so that I really felt like I had gone through the same feelings and experiences as the characters did in the movie. Brilliant acting, heartwarming music, and breathtaking scenery make, in my opinion, Brokeback and its gorgeous actors the top pick of the year.

ELI GOLDMANN Waterloo, Canada

I was horrified by the depressing, fear-filled Brokeback Mountain. Instead of what your cover-story interviewer called "a big deal for queer audiences," the film at heart is the same old story made in continuity with the Hollywood Production Code's mandate that gays, as guilty sinners, must be shown to suffer punishment. After suffering through Suddenly Last Summer, Cruising, and all the AIDS films, including even this years Rent, here's still one more movie in which audiences see a gay man die. For the love of God, can't someone film a gay love story with a happy ending?

BERT THOMPSON Chicago. Ill.

I just returned home from seeing Brokeback Mountain. After anxiously waiting for several months for the film to open, I can say that it has met all of my expectations and more. Entering the theater, I remember hoping that this film would successfully cross over and attract a large, straight audience and in turn teach tolerance and acceptance to some of those who haven't reached that point just yet. As I was having dinner with my partner after the movie, I realized just how much the world has changed since the early '60s. It certainly isn't perfect, but we have made such great strides in our efforts toward acceptance, it really is amazing! However, just as we strive for our human rights, tolerance, and acceptance, why as gay men do we have such difficulty accepting each other, particularly older gay men? Without their efforts, we would be living in the world that we see in Brokeback Mountain. If we long for a world where we are accepted for who we are, perhaps we should be more accepting and respectful to the men and women who paved the road to where we are today.

GERALD POPKO Baltimore, Md.

Where is the praise for Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain? All the praise seems to be for Heath Ledger's role as half of a doomed couple. Without Jake there is no couple, and I believed Jake as the cowboy who falls in love with an emotionally unavailable man in a repressed time. Without that believable portrayal, who would buy into Heath's torment? Without Jake's Jack, there is no tragedy. I wonder if there isn't some homophobia playing itself out over this clearly gay movie. Jack is the more open one, the one less willing to hide, the one who dreams of a life with a committed partner. Jack is the one who risks and loses everything. People seem to think it is easy for Jake to be emotional, to play gay but not too gay--to show complicated, inconvenient, "can't live without him" love--and to make an audience believe him as all these things. But Heath didn't imply homosexuality in any way that didn't require Jake as a believable partner. Without changing a thing, Heath could have been playing opposite a woman he couldn't love openly. Jake made me cry for all the things Jack gave up and lost. He touched me and made me care. I think that deserves more praise.

JIM HARRON Vancouver, Canada