I hereby present a new gauntlet: your favorite western! Really tough to come up with ONE. For me, the most recent is The Unforgiven (see under favorite films). But as I reflect, the beauty of the old 50's style western was the clarity of morality. Folks were good or bad. The good guys drew their guns and lived. The bad dudes died. But amidst the clearcut, no-nonsense view of right vs. wrong, the heroes always had to decide what to do. High Noon stands out as the classic. Who can forget Gary Cooper seeking help to stand up to the evil ones, only to find his requests denied by the cowards of the city. And the poor hero had to fight or "die a craven coward" in the eyes of his bride to be, Grace Kelly. What a morality play! Go back to the smaller TV films for really awesome ethical struggles...always within the confines of a half hour or so. I think of The Rifleman, the quiet dad who always stood up for what was right. And the Cartrights...father and three sons on the side of the just. Why, even Hugh O'brien in Wyatt Earp rode about with a halo...(in great contrast to the real Wyatt!) Maybe the westers were all great, because they portrayed a time when the line between right and wrong was not blurred. Ah, for the good old days!
I loved westerns as a kid - Cheyenne Autumn, Comancheros, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and a life-long favorite, How the West Was Won (in Cinerama).
ReplyDeleteThen I lost interest. Or maybe pop culture did.
But I do really like those that aren't typical - like the dark and mysterious High Plains Drifter, the classic Magnificent Seven, the sexy Butch Cassidy...
In recent years, I greatly respect The Quick and the Dead, and Appaloosa, the latter being probably the most realistic portrait of those times. And, if it counts as a western, Missing, a little known gem by Ron Howard with Kate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones.
At my older jaded age, I do not prefer the clear line drawn in the sand between right and wrong (ideal though that may be) but the muddy filters of reality and morality. I still have yet to see The Unforgiven.
Yes, the "dark" westerns are indeed an interesting genre. Butch Cassidy was so stylish, with Newman and Redford doing their chemistry...and Catherine, coming off her success in The Graduate, playing the ineffable and fearless Etta. Who can forget the scene where they're escaping into the river, with one declaring he can't swim, and then yelling "Oh shit" as they take the leap to freedom? Good call too, Valerie, on reminding us of High Plains Drifter. What a great Eastwood classic! If only he weren't so abusive toward women! The hero is heroically silent, and we are expected to think him wise and worldly for his lack of words. Loved how Clint deputized the midget and made the town paint itself red to remind themselves of being so cowardly. And I agree with your recognition of the recent Appaloosa. Ed Harris was as gritty and tough as you get (of course he was even better in Pollock). His weakness for the sly, seductively amoral Renee Z was perfect: after all, even the great cowboys, tough as nails, often fell for the barmaid. Remember Matt Dillon flirting with Kitty? Good point on noting the value of the muddy line between right and wrong...that is indeed what creates much of the tension in most films.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw this post topic, the first movie that came to mind was "High Plains Drifter", one of Eastwood's eeriest westerns. From the first scene, there's this brooding force he brings to the movie along with an odd calmness to him.
ReplyDeleteMore recently, I enjoyed "3:10 to Yuma" with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. And my standby for modern westerns will always be Robert Rodriguez' "Desperado." He puts a very comic-booky and cultural filter over a fairly classic and traditional story line. Very cool movie. Lots of fantastic cinematography and sound. O, plus Salma Hayek.
Yes, Greg, I agree with you on HPD....what a Clint Eastwood macho fest! Remember when he shot the three bad guys dead from the barber's chair at the opening of the film? And what about him using the whip to hang a bad dude from the rafters? Great, gritty scenes! Re: 3:10... Yes, another good one. But I prefer the 50's version with Glenn Ford. Somehow, the bravery of the hero is more defined. Very interesting that you'd classify Desperado as a westers....but come to think of it, good call. The south-of-the-border tale plays out just like a western. Remember the shootout in the bar? Wow! One of the best shootouts of all filmdom! And yes, Salma is quite a gal! I really enjoyed how stylized the shots were...with Antonio sweating and Salma running with him. Great stuff.
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