Janice
Scott-Blanton, the author of My Husband Is on the
Down Low and I Know About It, filed a $250 million
lawsuit claiming copyright infringement against
Universal and the studios that financed and
distributed Brokeback Mountain, reports
BlackNews.com.
Scott-Blanton
claims there are over 50 substantial similarities
between her novel and the Academy Award-winning film. An
early bar scene in the movie reminded Scott-Blanton of
a scene from her novel, but she chalked it up to
coincidence until further scenes, including the first
sexual encounter between Jack and Ennis, reminded her of her
novel.
In Brokeback
Mountain Alma confronts her husband Ennis about
his homosexual activity during Thanksgiving dinner and
tells him she purposely wrote a note and put it on his
fishing line for him but he never found it. According
to Scott-Blanton, this scene is strikingly similar to
a scene in her novel wherein her character
Annette confronts her husband James about his homosexuality
on their ninth anniversary. James tells her he wrote a
confession in his journal purposely, knowing she was
secretly reading it. Both scenes are set in a kitchen.
Scott-Blanton
will argue in court that the film is strikingly similar to
her novel in terms of characters, plot, themes, and
sequence of events. (The Advocate)