ADAPTED by the writer of western epic Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry, from a short story by Annie Proulx, who wrote The Shipping News, Taiwanese director Ang Lee s latest film has its feet set firmly in American literary tradition, despite being that most

ADAPTED by the writer of western epic Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry, from a short story by Annie Proulx, who wrote The Shipping News, Taiwanese director Ang Lee's latest film has its feet set firmly in American literary tradition, despite being that most untraditional of tales, a gay cowboy love story.

Heath Ledger and Jake Gylenhaal play two young cowboys in the early 1960s, who are thrown together on a herding job.

They appear very different characters with Gylenhaal carefree and boisterous, Ledger brooding and taciturn. But they get on well together - so well in fact that they end up having sex, despite both of their protestations that they aren't gay.

The next time they meet they are both married with children but the attraction remains.

Apart from the fact that the two lovers are both men, the film is otherwise a pretty straightforward tale of star-crossed lovers.

Lee captures the western mood well and both the leads turn in fine performers. It's a very well made film, thoughtful and well acted, although without the gay element, which has predictably caused controversy in the Mid West, it probably wouldn't stand out much from the pack.