High Noon and Ballad of Jo - SJC

High Noon and the Ballad of Little Jo are two films that both feature females who do not share the common traits of western women. In High Noon, Amy is the sheriff’s new wife and cannot understand why he would throw his life away for a town that doesn’t want to be saved, she tries to talk to Will Kane to persuade him to leave but words mean nothing to Kane. In the beginning of the movie Amy exhibited common western female traits as she consistently tried to get Kane to talk to her but as classic westerns show “when it comes to the relations between men and women, the Western doesn’t aim to communicate at all” (Tompkins 61). Amy remained this way even after talking to Miss Rodriguez who told her that “if Kane were my man I would grab a gun and help him”. Once the fighting began Amy became less of a talker and more of a doer as she used a firearm and killed one of Kane’s enemies and when captured helped Kane get the advantage on Miller to kill him. Amy then stops talking and becomes like Kane, thus showing more bravery than the other men in the town. Amy is not the alpha-male cowboy in this film, but there is a feminist movement in that Amy fights for her man and wins him.

The Ballad of Little Jo is a movie of a women dressing as a man to survive in the West. Jo becomes the alpha-male cowboy of the film as she always stands up for what she believes in. The only time she faulted in when the masked bandits threatened to kill more of her friends, but when push came to shove Jo faced death and defeated her opponents in battle proving she was the strongest man around. Jo did not enjoy the killing she committed but faced it non-the less and was victorious. This film shows the true modern day feeling towards women as equals as she performs all the actions of men with greater success than the other men in the film.

High Noon/Little Jo -HMB

Both High Noon and The Ballad of Little Jo are films that show a change of attitude for women in the Western. In High Noon two strong women emerge, Amy Kane and Helen Ramirez. Amy is the new wife of the ex Marhsal Will Kane, and is planning on leaving town when news arrives that the miller gang is coming into town. Will Kane chooses to stay to face these men but Amy wants no part of it and gives him an ultimatium to stay by himself or to leave with her. In the end though Amy stays because Ramirez convinces her that she should stay and stand by her huspand. At this choice Amy leaves the train and ends up shooting one of the miller gang in order to protect her huspand. At this moment Amy leaves the sterotype that "ladies talk and talk; that is all they do. It never comes to shooting" (Tompkins 64). Ramirez also breaks the sterotype of women in westerns by not allowing the men to "dominate or simply ignore [her]" (Tompkins 72). Ramirez is an independant women that owns her own business and lives by herself. Although she may take on a lover here or there she is ultimately on her own.

In The Ballad of Little Jo the main character Josephine Monaghan only sheds her western female sterotype by disgusing herself as a man and being "Jo". As a Women Josephine is very vulnerable to the elements and the men, which is when for her protection she transforms herself into Jo. By doing so Jo breaks the Western sterotype that women must be "the weaker sex physically" (Tompkins 64). For throughout the film she proves herself time and time again ofbeing just as strong as the other men.

Both of these films change the status towards women in different ways. In High Noon the women become a more supporting role to the alpha male cowboy and aren't just pushed to the back ground. While in The Ballad of Little Jo the woman actually transforms herself into the role of the alpha male cowboy. Two scenarios with Women that have been unseen in the strong male based Western.

KB-High Noon/ Little Jo

The role of the women in both movies is someone who is constantly ignored and looked down upon. In both films the main women character is forced to give up what she believes in most or loves most to comply with what society or her man figure thinks is ethical and right. In High Noon Amy is forced to give up her strong religious beliefs to win the approval of her husband. Similarly in Little Jo Jo is forced to give up her child and her female identity to survive. The fact that Jo had to give up her entire identity to live shows something about the role of women in history. Jo and Amy had no say in what they wanted or how they should act. Jo was on her own but in the end society made the decision for her. Tompkins discusses this idea of how the woman has no voice. She uses an example saying that a woman was talking and a man tells her that he would appreciate her silence. This shows that the man voice over rules anything the woman has to say. In both films the woman is looked down upon and clearly has no voice in the decisions that are made regarding her life or the well being of her family.

High Noon and Little Jo- KPower

The two films High Noon (1952) and The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) both contain strong female characters that show the change of the female roles in Western films. In High Noon, Amy Kane (Grace Kelly) is shown, at first, to be the typical female; religious, talkative and altogether useless because they are “cowering in the background” (Tompkins 41). She begs Will Kane (Gary Cooper) to not fight with the Miller Posse because she is a Quaker and it is against her religion. However, by the end of the movie, she jumps off the train at the sound of the first shot and runs back to town to see if her husband is safe. She even ends up assisting him by killing one of the men.

In The Ballad of Little Jo, Josephine ‘Jo’ Monaghan (Suzy Amis) takes complete control of her life by dressing up as a male. She continues this charade for the rest of her life. Though many of the other male characters find something to be off about “him”, they are still dominated by “him”. Jo is always in control, such as when she makes Frank Badger cut down the Chinese man that he had strung up. Jo never backs down, thus making her the alpha “male” cowboy, a role that is virtually unheard of for a female.

High Noon, Little Jo - KF

These films show a side of women that the viewer is not used to seeing in a western. The women portrayed in High Noon and The Ballad of Little Jo are very independent and less reliant on men. We first see this when Amy gives Marshal Will Kane an ultimatum. She puts him in a position to choose between his dumb pride, or her. When he declines she stands by her word up until the very end, and only because another woman convinced her to do otherwise. Ramirez shows a great deal of independence and also seems to be respected by everyone whom she interacts with. She tells off the deputy on numerous occasions, and follows up her words with action. She and Little Jo portray alpha male characteristics.
Little Jo shows that she is capable of being independent and alpha male like, but in a different way then Ramirez and Amy. She has to pretend to be a man in order to be treated the way she wants to be treated. She doesn't provide an example for women, she never lets anyone know who she really is. Nonetheless, killing and working off the land are jobs thought only capable of being completed by men and she managed to do these things without being raised to do so like the men around her.

H.N. & L.J.- AM

These two movies present new ideas that are opposite to the westerns that we have previously watched. In High Noon the women take on what are considered to be manly roles. Ramirez owns the saloon, and after hearing of the pending arrival of Miller and his men, she decides to leave town and her lover, the former deputy. Her presence demands power, and respect. She does not allow men to, “dominate or simply ignore” (72 Tompkins) her. Her character is equal to all of the characters that interact with her, especially the men. This is unlike women in previous westerns we have watched. In these westerns there is also another woman, Amy Kane that plays a manly role. Because of her religious beliefs, she is opposed to the thought of her husband killing another man, which results in her decision to leave her husband in order to save her soul. Women having their own opinions and agenda, is a revisionist idea that is presented in High Noon. After hearing the sound of gunfire, Amy runs to the side of her alpha male cowboy to protect him from harm. She ends up killing one of Miller’s men. This is the total opposite of what we have seen in the previous westerns. She doesn’t use words, usually “women must use words as their chief weapon.”(66 Tompkins)

In The Ballad of Little Jo the main character, Josephine cuts her hair and "becomes a man" because of the troubles she encounters on her way westward. In this film, Jo a women literally plays the part of a man. She becomes an AFMCB. Everyone in the film gives her respect and listens to what she says. They think that she is a man, which is part of the reason that they follow her, but nevertheless, she still dominates the characters in the film. She doesn’t back down from any conflict when men come to her and threaten her with death, She rejects their offer and battles with them for her land. She not only, “use[s] words as their [her] chief weapon,” but also uses the gun. (66 Tompkins) These two movies present different attitudes of and toward women and cut out the alpha Male cowboy, to become the alpha Female cowboy.

These movies have examples of the alpha male cowboy we have seen played by John Wayne but they also show the roles of women unlike the traditional western. The roles of the women in these movies show many different qualities than in traditional Westerns. The ability to wield a gun, and aid other men are examples of the differences. This affects the character of the alpha male cowboy, and how he never needed anyone: he was a loner. Neither characters in High Noon, or The Ballad of Little Jo demonstrate the qualities that an alpha male cowboy expresses: a silent, hardboiled loner, resourcefulness in his use of the terrain, his ruthless personality as rough as the terrain, it’s His-way or it’s the highway, never following even if that means facing abysmal odds. By not meeting these qualifications the males in these two films do not represent the alpha male cowboy.

This is a rather fast progression from the films that we have seen. JW played a very cookie-cutter AMCB, and in these two films, there is no distinct AMCB. However, the women in the movie have taken on a much stronger roll than ever seen before.

High Noon and Little Jo-C. Phelps

High Noon and The Ballad of Little Jo represent the dramatic change in which Westerns portray women. High Noon has two strong female characters. Helen Ramirez, born in Mexico, is a business woman and has a male servant or assistant. At one point in the movie, she slaps Harvey and demands he not touch her. This is a shift from “the women and children cowering in the background…” (Tompkins 41) to women standing up for themselves. Amy Kane is also strong and independent. At the end, she handles a gun and kills Jim Pierce. This is unusual behavior in Western films. The narrative usually is about men. Tompkins writes, “Westerns pay practically no attention to women’s experience” (41). High Noon is the exception. In one scene, Will Kane is trying to wrangle up deputies, and the parishioners start arguing and discussing death. One man asks all the children to leave. He does not ask the women to leave. In fact, while the men stand up, one by one, to state their case, a woman is included. She is allowed to speak and her opinion is noted. This is a huge change in the attitude men usually have towards women in Westerns. The Ballad of Little Jo’s main character is a woman. She disguises herself as a man, but it is entirely about her experience. This film challenges the notion that “in Westerns (which are generally written by men), the main character is always a full-grown adult male…” (Tompkins 38). Of course, The Ballad of Little Jo was filmed in 1993 and Tomkins is more concerned with earlier Westerns. These films show the transformation from women beginning to be relevant in the narrative to women being the narrative.

High Noon/ Little Jo Ashley Rossi

In the films High Noon and The Ballad of Little Jo, women make an appearance in the Westerns exhibiting strength, capability and sacrifice; these characteristics are contrary to Tompkins idea of women in western cinema. Tompkins believes that women act as props and help to move along plot and emphasize the alpha male cowboy’s strength and heroism. Tompkins said in her chapter describing death, “women are the motive for male activity (it’s women who are being avenged, it’s a women the men are trying to rescue)” and that, ”women stand for love and forgiveness in place of vengeance”(41). However, the women in the films exhibit independence and hardiness. In High Noon, Amy exhibits some strong characteristics. She was firm in her stance against violence and did not want to stay with William Kane. She had planned to take the noon train out of town to leave him; She speaks up and has a reaction to events in the movie and does not just act as a means to facilitate the plot. Yet, her strength is replaced with love when she hears the gun shot fire and returns to town. Despite change of heart due to love for her husband and her decision to return back to town, she is still an emotionally strong women when she decides to pick up a gun and shoot one of Frank Miller’s gang. Yet, she will never be as strong as the other leading woman, Helen Rodriguez. Helen orders men around. She makes decisions by herself and owns a shop. She has relationships with many men but does not allow them to control her. Ultimately, Helen leaves town because it is what is in her best interest. She is a free, clear thinker who does not think emotionally or irrationally. In addition, the film’s use of a woman speaking out in church and having her opinion and idea heard shows the changing ideas of women that occurred in culture as the film was being made (in 1952). In, The Ballad of Little Jo, a woman becomes a man. Josephine Monaghan was originally a lady of society in the east and is able to successfully live as a man in the west down to the very last detail. Her true sex is only discovered in her death. She exhibits all alpha male characteristics. She lives by herself secluded and antisocial; she takes a job as a sheep herder living by herself for four months. Using her own moral compass, she stands up against injustices, like the hanging of the Asian man, Tin Man, and gives up her child to protect it, despite how she misses it. Her love interest dies, like many cowboy’s lovers. She faces constant suffering. The film, made in 1993, shows the complete and total acceptance of women as equals to men in American society.

High Noon - Chris Jones

Thompkin's view of women in westerns is that they are secondary characters who are not respected and in the end are only an extension of the town and what it represents. Women fill their lives with religion and gossip, rarely delving into the affairs of the men. However in High Noon we see women who fill the roles men generally fill. Helen Ramirez, a mexican woman, is the storekeeper of the town and also owns the bar, something associated almost constantly with men. Helen is an example of a liberated woman, far from what Thompkins describes them as. However there is a second female character in this film who goes through a transformation representative of what the women's movement was trying to create, this woman is Amy Kane. Amy Kane starts out as a classical woman, her religion comes first and she hates the old ways of her husband. When the actual showdown is about to happen she chooses religion over her husband and says that she is leaving on the train no matter if Will Kane, her husband is with her or not. However after a discussion with Helen Ramirez she realizes that she cannot stand idly by and let her husband face his enemies on his own and she returns in the end and aids him in his fight. Through this action she removes herself from the old archetype of women and instead makes herself into a peer of her husband, standing by him in his toughest of times. Amy Kane is an ideal representation of what the women's movement wants women to do, step out of the church and house and move into the world and its affairs.

High Noon/Little Jo -- MC

In Westerns we have previously seen women are portrayed as weak and minor characters, seen almost as the damsel in distress who needs saving. But that all changes in High Noon and The Ballad of Little Jo when women take on a much more serious role. Both Amy Kane and Josephine take on greater responsibilities than any women before them, in terms of movies.

In High Noon Amy Kane is the marshal's bride who is originally viewed as the classic woman in western movies, weak, verbose, frightened easily, and as Jane Tompkins says "The message,..., as in the case of women in Westerns generally, is that there's nothing to them" (61) and more importantly "... but when push comes to shove, as it always does, they crumble" (61). But as the movie goes on we see a change in Kane when she departs the train station in order to help her husband. Rather than doing what is expected of her and crumbling like many women would, and are supposed to, do she jumps right into the middle of things to make sure her husband is safe.

The Ballad of Little Jo shows the simplicity of women in Western times, having them either be housewives or whores. But Josephine alters that entirely by becoming a man, changing the way she dresses and talks to people, even withholding any emotional queues. By embracing the masculine side and rejecting the feminine side, Josphine is able to dominate in a world ruled by men. The film was made later than most Western movies but the message reflects the complete change in women through time. By the 1990's women had become totally integrated in society and this movie is a mirror image of that.

Red River - SJC

Red River was produced in 1948 and features two characters that could be considered alpha-male cowboys. Both Tom Dunson and Matt Garth features characteristics exhibited by alpha-male cowboys. According to Sue Matheson an alpha-male cowboy must be strong, quiet and moral. Tom Dunson is the older cowboy and is first introduced to the audience as a strong man who kills Indians and Mexicans to claim his land. Tom also fits the quiet characteristic as he rarely talks about his emotions; instead he prefers using his gun to express his opinion. While he does meet the first two requirements he struggles slightly with the morality concept. After Matt Garth defends the cattle and the men and changes the final destination Tom swears to kill Matt. Tom had raised Matt since he was a child and was betrayed because he refused to consider the safety of the men. Tom does fit most of the alpha-male cowboy characteristics but is slightly questionable on his morality.

The second alpha-male cowboy is Matt Garth. Matt Garth was found by Tom after escaping the Indian assault; he is later seen 15 years later riding in from the wilderness. Matt is very strong and Tom even admits Matt is a better shot than he. Matt also meets the morality trait as he stands up to Tom to defend the men and protect their safety. In addition to considering the men in the cattle drive he also planned to give Tom the money he earned from the cattle. Being fair and paying a man what he earned is a moral action and so Matt fulfills two of the requirements to be the alpha-male cowboy. Where he fails is the silence. Matt is seen talking and falling for Tess a strong female he meets during an Indian raid on another caravan. Matt talks about his feelings and eventually falls in love with Tess. This talking about emotions is not a traits expressed by alpha-male cowboys in most westerns.

Now when determining which male is the alpha-male cowboy it become evident that neither character fulfills all requirements of the alpha-male cowboy and so with both characters being slightly flawed they are both equal and so two alpha-male cowboys exists in the film Red River.

red river

In The Movie Red River, there are two alpha male cowboys, Tom Dunson (played by John Wayne) and Matthew Garth (played by Montgomery Clift). Matthew Garth is Tom Dunson’s adopted son. Although related, and both alpha male cowboys, they are very different, with the biggest difference being their sense of judgment and their moral compass. It is clear that Tom Dunson is a true alpha male cowboy, as Matheson would argue, as he is “the fittest and the strongest” (Matheson 891). However, it is not as clear that Matthew Garth is an alpha male cowboy, as he is reliant on others, through him expressing himself. Jane Tompkins argues that if someone expresses themselves, then they are not independent, and therefore not an alpha male cowboy. He is constantly criticized throughout the movie for being too “soft”. Sue Matheson would not label Garth as an alpha male cowboy as he dependant on other and is soft, therefore not hardboiled as the alpha male cowboy should be.

Red River LJ

In Red River there are two notable cowboys, Dunson and Matt. Dunson is the stereotypical alpha male cowboy, to a fault. His tireless devotion to duty goes beyond anything else, which makes him inflexible and tyrannical. "To Dunson in was just another job." Matt is younger, more flexible, possibly more fit for the role of alpha male than Dunson is due to his age. However, it is important that Matt always defers to Dunson, and the respect for Dunson that he shows even after taking charge of the drive is indicative of the power Dunson has over the other cowboys. I believe the film highlights the fact that Westerns realized they had to change. Heroes can't afford to get old, they are heroes because they have certain traits that interest and appeal to the audience at the time of their creation. Like a toy pistol and cowboy hat, interests change and we therefore stop playing with the latter two by substituting them with a Batman costume. Dunson is the old alpha male cowboy who loses the woman of his life, and therefore is left with "the job". Matt is practically a son to Dunson. However, despite his deferrance to him, he may be the better shooter, the better cowboy. He takes the initiative when he feels that Dunson is being morally wrong, and also gets the girl. This (personally) disqualified Matt from being the alpha male cowboy, but only because the traditional sense of the hero never gets the girl. This movie is all about the fact that alpha male cowboys must change, and this change is most embodied in the unusuallly (for the time) strong female role, Tess. Tess is not only strong and independant, but also offers Dunson a child for Matt's sake. Thus we are given a strong female that will also offer her body for personal gain. The difference between the latter and a prostitute is quite important.

Red River- KB

Red River shows the desire to be an alpha male. In this film their is clearly one alpha male, Dunson. Garth aspires to be a alpha male but he does not fit the description. Thompson defines an alpha male as someone who has control and is looked up to as a perfect being. Dunson fits this description perfectly, throughout the entire film Dunson exemplifies what it is to be an alpha male. He takes control and always has his eye on the main goal. He didn't let his emotions of his girl get in the way he knew what was right for both of them and the main goal and that was for her to stay behind. Garth aspires to be an alpha male however does not have the correct attitude. He does not take control of situations and is more interested in his own success rather than the common good. Red river clearly shows the typical alpha male in the attitudes and actions of Dunson.

Red River - KF

Red River is another film in which there is a possibility of two alpha male cowboys. This of course would be played by Tom Dunson and Matt Garth. The biggest difference in them is their sense of judgement and moral compass. Tom seems to do whatever it takes to meet an end, no matter what the means. Matt on the other hand no only wants to succeed in their journey, but he also looks after his fellow cattle drivers. Tom proves to be too harsh and too cruel to control the men in a reasonable fashion. Matt then fufills the role as the alpha male cowboy and overthrows Tom. In the end, Dunson is hardly even a cowboy anymore, he is a villian, out for vengeance and death. Matt, stays true to his morals and refuses to face off against Dunson. This proves that he is the more suitable canidate to hold the title of alpha male cowboy.

Red River- HMB

In Red River there are two main characters, Thomas Dunson, played by John Wayne, and Matthew Garth, played by Montgomery Clift. Throughout the movie each character takes a turn in the alpha male cowboy role. Matheson describes the alpha male cowboy as one who is "the fittest and the strongest" as well as an "anti-social loner" (Matheson 891). Tompkins in West of Everything outlines the cowboy as someone who is required "to be hard, to be tough, to be unforgivin" just like the land he rides on (Tompkins 73). The Western also "stems from an acceptance of death" something that an alpha male cowboy must show.

Dunson appears as the alpha male cowboy in the beginning of the film. He breaks away from the caravan and leaves his girl behind, fitting the need for the cowboy to be a loner. When the cattle drive first starts he is the one everyone looks to for the hard hand of reason when things get tough or messy which illustrates his ability to be the strongest. Yet near the end of the cattle drive Dunson shows more characteristics of the villian than the hero. The villian is described as "manipulative, callous, [and] remorseless" (Matheson 892). Dunson begins pushing his men harder and enforcing stricter consequences that seem to be outside the lines of even an alpha male cowboys inner moral compass.

It is at this moment that Garth picks up the slack and steps into the shoes of the alpha male cowboy. He forcefully takes the lead of the cattle herd and changes the destination of the whole trip. Garth does this because it is what is best for the men. He also expresses himself as the best gun man but only uses his skills when absolutely necessary. For instance when he shot Dunson's hand to keep him from killing yet another man. At the end of the film though Garth gets the girl which goes agaist the idea that the alpha male cowboy is someone isolated from others. Both men show an understanding that people die in their profession and accept it as a fate a man cannot excape. Throughout the film it is apparent that the alpha male role switches back and forth between the characters of Dunson and Garth.

Red River- KPower

The presence of an alpha male cowboy is necessary in every western film, Red River being no exception. However, in the film, the possibility of two alpha males being present is obvious and central to the movie’s story.

In the beginning of the film, it is obvious that the alpha male is Tom Dunson (John Wayne). He is a strong man who decides to leave the wagon train that he is riding with because he believes that there is good land for raising a herd. Before riding off into Indian Territory, Dunson says farewell to his lady, Fen, despite her pleas to bring her along, thus fulfilling Tompkins requirement that a hero “have few or no social ties” (Tompkins 73). Dunson and his friend Nadine set out to find the perfect land, and when they do, Dunson quickly claims it as his own. Dunson kills one of the messengers of the man who claims to own the land, and as is later discovered, seven other men who try to take the land from him. This proves him to be the “callous [and] remorseless” (Matheson 896) alpha male that the Western land creates. Throughout the movie Dunson proves to have “his own moral center” and “exhibit a highly antisocial and disordered personality” (Matheson 897). He kills men who quit the job early, threatens to whip the man that starts the stampede and had every intention of hanging two men who stole from him, all without second thought or remorse.

Matt Garth is generally seen as Dunson’s adopted son. He arrives in the film as a young boy who witnessed the burning of the wagon train that Dunson and Nadine had left. At first, he appears to have lost it, but when Dunson slaps him across the face, he quickly responds by pulling out his gun. Dunson then decides that coupled with his cow, Matt will join the group and start their own herd. It is implied, and later stated, that Dunson makes Matt his protégé and teaches him how to shoot. Matt has many of the characteristics required to be an alpha male cowboy, such as when he asserts his dominance over Dunson by preventing him from hanging the thieves and by taking the herd, however he ends up being too “soft” to become the true alpha male by not being able to fight Dunson until Tom takes his gun away. Even then, it is apparent that the fight between the two men will not lead to the death of Matt, as Dunson promised to do when Matt took the herd. Dunson still views Matt as a son, and Matt still has great respect for Dunson.

At the end of the movie, Matt made a valiant effort to become the alpha male, but his inability to become hardboiled, coupled with his romance with Tess prevents him from taking the role. Dunson, while initially the clear alpha male, loses his dominance in the middle of the film, but manages to regain it when he instructs Matt to marry Tess.

Red River-C. Phelps

Red River gives us insight into the complexity of the alpha male. Tom Dunson is clearly an alpha male. He is a "self-made man and rugged individualist" (Matheson, ProQuest, 8). The second possible alpha male would be Matthew Garth. Unfortunately he does not fit the bill. Jane Tompkins would argue he is not an alpha male because he expresses himself. The scene with Garth and his new love interest, sitting on a rock in the rain, is a great example. He explains his feelings and opens himself up about Tom Dunson. This is not a trait of the alpha male. According to Tompkins, "language is false or at best ineffectual; only actions are real" (Tompkins, West of Everything, 51). Throughout the movie he is being told he is "soft." And because of this, Sue Matheson would not allow Garth to be labeled an alpha male. He is soft not "hardboiled."

No Two in Red River

In the movie Red River, there are hypothetically two alpha male cowboys- the first appears right away and it is extremely obvious. The second does not appear until a few minutes in. Tom Dunson (John Wayne) is the definite alpha male from the beginning and he has his usual characteristics that seem to be present in all Westerns. He is strong, confident, masculine, and as Matheson describes him, “the fittest and the strongest” (Matheson, 891). Tom Dunson shows his confidence immediately when Matt asks him who the huge stretch of land belongs to and he responds, abruptly “to me!” and goes on to explain what he is going to do with the land. When Tom Dunson responds to Matt so matter-of-factly, to a completely viable question, it is obvious that he thinks of himself as superior. Matheson also describes “the Wayne persona is an antisocial loner” (Matheson 891). This is true from the very start of the movie when Tom’s love interest is begging to go with him and Tom simply says no but with an iron fist-- he is completely capable of being on his own.

Matt, comes into the movie as a small boy whom Tom takes into their small traveling pack. When Tom kills his first enemy in the presence of Matt, it becomes clear that Matt could potentially become another alpha male. Matt asks Tom how he knew the other man was going to draw and Tom replies that he could see it in his eyes and tells Matt to remember that and Matt says, “I will." It is obvious that Matt is taking in everything that Tom does in order to become just like him.

The alpha male cowboy is supposed to be emotionless. Fear is something that the cowboy is never supposed to show. After Matt took over the cattle drive Tom stated he would be back to kill him. When Matt’s love interest in the movie comes to see him, she notices that he is shaking. It is very clear that Matt is afraid of Tom's arrival.

Towards the end of the movie, Tom comes in with a gun, and eventually puts it down and starts hitting Matt. The whole time he is yelling at Matt to speak and to hit him back. Matt just lets Tom hit him and scream at him, not willing to fight back. Rather than trying to assert his dominance like a true AMOG (alpha male of the group) and fight back, he took the punches because he knew he would lose, and that ultimately he wronged Tom by basically starting a mutiny against him. Rather than trying and losing, he just gave up entirely.

Finally at the end of the movie it is implied that Matt will marry his love interest in the movie. Even Tom tells Matt, asserting his dominance, that he better marry her. The cowboy can have a love interest but when the movie ends the alpha male cowboy is always alone. Even though at the beginning of the movie there appears to be two alpha male cowboys, as the movie progresses the viewer realizes there is only one.

Red River -- Matt C.

The story of Red River brings about the possible topic that maybe there are two alpha male cowboys in this movie. In the beginning, it is quite obvious to see that there is only one alpha male cowboy in the character Tom Dunson; however, by the end we see a shift between Dunson and his protege, Matt Garth, so that the line is blurred as to who is the true alpha male cowboy.

When the movie begins, Dunson is doing what alpha male cowboys do best, lead and work. He is a hard man who expects people to follow his commands the second he gives them. Dunson made himself the way a cowboy is supposed to be out in the West, as Sue Matheson puts it, "only the fittest, the strongest, and the most ruthless survive in the noir frontier" (Matheson 891). Soon though Fen, Dunson's love is killed by Native Americans driving the idea across the audience that because Dunson is the alpha male cowboy he is destined to be alone with only nature as his mistress. The death of his love does not stop Dunson from doing what is the right decision; he adopts Matt Garth toward his way of living and inevitably brings the dissolution of his own alpha male status and the transformation of Garth's cowboy status.

After years of working with Dunson, Garth has developed the same skill sets that Dunson has, being a leader and becoming able to draw a gun faster than anyone else. Yet, something still prevents Garth from becoming the true alpha male cowboy once and for all and that is the fact that he is still considered "soft". Rather than focusing on getting the task done on hand, he worries that all the men's feelings will become problematic. But when he mutinies against Tom and takes over control of the cattle drive we see a huge leap of independence from Matt and a desire to see the job done and everyone alive, or in other words following his own moral compass. When Matt goes back to face Dunson after all was said and done that's when he becomes the true alpha male cowboy because he stands up to Tom once and for all for doing what was the right choice. Matt knew that Tom wouldn't kill him after all they've been through and when he doesn't draw his weapon that's when he surpasses Tom. If Dunson had shot Matt right then and there then he would have been considered the alpha male cowboy again because he did what was necessary without worrying about other obstacles but because he didn't and Matt did do what was necessary to accomplish the goals Matt is considered the alpha male cowboy at the end.

Red River-CJ Nicholas

An alpha male is essential to every Western, but what makes Red River different is the possibility of two alpha males; Dunson and Matt. While both have the characteristics of an alpha male as described by Matheson and Tompkins, I feel as though the role of the dominant cowboy changes throughout the movie from Dunson to Matt.
The start of the movie shows Dunson leaving his love Fen in order to fulfill his obligation to work, like all alpha males. Furthermore, Fen is murdered by a band of war Comanches, proving the idea that the western alpha male is alone. As Matheson claims, the alpha male is a "rugged individualist" and tends to live a life of "isolation". The strongest claim however that would make Dunson the alpha male of Red River, is his moral compass and desire to take Matt under his wing as an adopted son. It takes a strong "moral center" to be considered a "real man". This moral center and ability to act in the interest of the "highest good" eventually dissolves as the movie progresses and Dunson loses his control of the cattle drive and in essence so does his status as alpha male. The ability to make decisions and be firm in one's actions; two strong qualities of an alpha male, are taken from Dunson.
Instead, it is Matt that becomes the confident leader. After years of being submissive to the will of Dunson, the previous alpha male, Matt becomes the decision maker and a man of action. He stands up to Dunson and follows his own whim to the railroad. As Tompkins states, Matt now has "a sense of himself" (81) that he found throughout his travels with and without Dunson. Aside from Matt's ability to act and show confidence in the face of uncertainty, he also possesses another trait of the alpha male; silence. Tompkins states "silence establishes dominance" and "for a man to speak jeopardizes his status as potent being" (60). When Matt is in his hotel being warned of the return of Dunson by Tess, she spills into an intense rampage of words and all Matt does is kiss her.
With the progress of the movie, the role of the alpha males changes from son to father with the symbolic transfer of the cattle drive. While Matt learned from Dunson in the beginning of the movie, it is Dunson who learns from Matt that revenge is not always the solution, but instead a clear head.

Red River- Chris Jones

In Red River we are presented with a question, can their be two Alpha Male Cowboys in a film? In short yes there can be, however there are certain things that must be present within the film for it to happen. Matheson stresses to us that in the West, "Might is Right" meaning that whoever is the strongest is right. With these three short words we can see an outline of the Alpha Male Cowboy already. He is the strongest person in the film, and therefore he is right. However an Alpha Male Cowboy does not just become that strong, he learns it, be it on his own or from the help of others such as a mentor. In Red River we our two main male characters the first of which is Dunson, who is an aging cattle herder and Matt the adopted son of Dunson who is quickly becoming his equal. In the actual events of the movie we see Matt challenge Dunson's ideas and also that he has become a better shot than Dunson. Immediately these facts might say to us that Matt has already become an Alpha Male Cowboy but in truth Matt still defers to Dunson because it is Dunson who holds the official power because his name is on the brand for the cattle drive. It is not until the end of the movie that Dunson acknowledges Matt as his equal by putting both of their names on the brand. Generally this would be seen as Dunson handing the Alpha Male Cowboy status over to Matt and therefor at any time in the movie there is only one Alpha Male Cowboy, but due to the close mentor relationship between Dunson and Matt it can be argued that during the course of the movie Matt is a sort of Alpha Male Cowboy in training. If you follow this logic there are two Alpha Male Cowboys in the film, Dunson as the aging Alpha Male on his way out and Matt as the up and coming man with something to prove.

High Noon, Little Jo LJ

I couldn't help but think of Citizen Kane because of the protagonist's name in High Noon. Marshal Kane in High Noon is the last defender of innocence in a town rife with corruption. Unlike most alpha male he is someone who supports the town and law. The film also introduces two women, Kane's wife and his ex-lover. Amy is a quaker and therefore committed to being non-violent. At the end of the movie however, she foregoes her religious views and their constraints and kills a man. Like how we've seen cowboys be urged to express themselves and break from their silence, this shows a woman breaking away from the restraints of faith to do what she feels is right. Helen Ramirez, the former lover, feels like a tomboy, but only because she is able to command her own presence among cowboys. She is the one who is more secular and thus accurately chides Amy for her failure to support her husband in a time of trial. Ramirez is also notable for the way she USES her womanhood to her advantage.

Little Jo for me is a very feminist message. Women have dressed and acted like men in order to serve as soldiers in conflicts of various historical times. Like the story of Mulan, the fact that the story of overcoming male biases and misogyny makes the film an argument for womens rights and equal treatment more than anything else. It's almost as if the protagonist had always fought to be left alone, but the men in her life offer frequent obstacles. The only real man that Jo confides in after she is banished in the beginning of the tale is a minority, someone that can understand the oppression she is going through.
Both films make statements about the growing prominence of women in the 1950s to the 1960s. One would think that "the prostitute" would be portrayed in a negative light whilst the pure and innocent quaker would be portrayed as good. However High Noon portrays Helen as the more flexible, able woman whilst making Amy the one who is faithful to a fault (Though she changes her mind). This brings to the forefront that Helen's job is not so important as her influence over the town and highlights the bias one creates about her as soon as we find out she is a prostitute.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - SC

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance displays the difference between men who live in the West and those men who live in the East. When Stoddard first arrives in the West he is attacked by Liberty Valance and is beaten badly. Stoddard was unprepared for the type of lawlessness that occurs in the West and had no means of protection. Even when confronted with an enemy who wishes to kill him Stoddard is still hesitant to perform the type of justice the West demands. Matheson explains that “Stoddard is associated with the feminine” (Hardboiled 903). According to her previous arguments women were usually reading stories of religion and attending church groups. I believe this is a proper analysis since he is seen throughout the movie performing feminine tasks as well as showing affection toward Hallie, something a true alpha male cowboy would never publically display.

There exist two alpha-male cowboys in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Liberty Valance and Tom Doniphon. Liberty Valance is a ruthless, remorseless antisocial psychopath who does what he wants when he wants. Liberty is a different kind of villain, while he is dressed in very proper clothing and displays proper manners and an interest in women, he “simply does not walk like a human being; the outlaw lumbers about lie an ape with his silver-headed cat-o’-nine –tails” (Hardboiled 895). Matheson is correct in her analysis of Liberty has he displays extreme disregard for the law of even dignified men. When he fought Stoddard instead of ending Stoddard’s misery, Valance decided to play with his kill shooting around him and letting Stoddard believe he might survive a one on one duel. This did lead to his down fall when Doniphon interfered but he displayed his true colors in his last moments of life.

The second alpha-male cowboy is Tom Doniphon. Matheson claims that Stoddard is correct when he claims that “there really is very little difference between Doniphon and Liberty Valance”(Hardboiled 896). While Matheson backs her argument up with some supporting details he later points prove her wrong as there is a distinct difference between Liberty and Doniphon. Doniphon does display characteristics that Liberty holds as well, he kills Liberty in cold blood and has accepted that without hesitation, a characteristic Liberty also shared. The difference and where I disagree with Matheson is the reasoning behind the action. Liberty kills and robs for this own gain, making him the villain of the West who abuses his power. Doniphon on the other hand kills Liberty out of duty. He knows that Hallie wants Stoddard alive and Liberty will surely kill Stoddard in a fight so he takes matters into his own hands and saves Stoddard. He then allows Stoddard to take his love and leave for a better life also out of duty. He was fully prepared to allow Stoddard to leave the town without the truth, except Stoddard couldn’t live with the idea of being a murder so Doniphon tells him in secret. Another act out of duty, Doniphon did not personally gain from his actions and in reality he lost his love and fame because of them; but he performed them anyway solely out of what needed to be done making Doniphon the only true alpha-male cowboy in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

The Man who shot liberty valance- KB

Matheson argues that the cowboys are shown to be heroes with their limited vocabulary and lack of knowledge. Matheson discusses how the cowboys do not have time to read and get education so they are forced to use language that lacks intellect. Stoddard is seen as a hero because of how he sets up the make shift school and teaches them the value of education. The definition of heroes changes depending on the situation and culture. Cowboys are considered heroes because of their lack of knowledge while in other situations knowledge equals power.

Red River Ashley Rossi

The two alpha male cowboys in the Red River are Thomas Dunson, played by John Wayne, and Matthew Garth, played by Montgomery Clift. The two cowboys meet fourteen years ago and Matthew becomes a son to Dunson. Together they build a cattle ranch; and with little market for beef in the West, the two cowboys head east with a fellow western men. Dudson is clearly an alpha male cowboy. Since he adopts Matthew, Dudson raises Matthew to be an Alpha Male cowboy as well. As argued in Tompkins work and as supported by Matheson, the cowboys’ strong and silent attitude, their lack of religious motivation, their life of solitude, and their opinionated perception of the law, show their alpha male tendencies. In Tompkins’ West of Everything, she discusses that the a strong and silent personality is the signature trait of an alpha male cowboy. Since “words cannot express the truth about things”, the actions they take are much more important (Tompkins, 53). In the end scene, they use as little words as possible and proceed to a shoot out. Both cowboys also blatantly see the world as “blood, death, a cold wind blowing, and a gun in the hand” (Tompkins, 48). When some of the men try to go back West during the drive, Dudson shoots them. Matthew also realizes the harshness of the world and faces the realities of life after he rebels against Dudson. The ease of death and murder combined with the burial practices prove the cowboys are the alpha males. One of the men on the journey says,“ Fill a man full o' lead, stick him in the ground an' then read words on him. Why, when you've killed a man, why try to read the Lord in as a partner on the job?”. His statement shows the lack of God in the West and a misunderstanding as to why they should even read out of the bible at a man’s grave. Their focus on materialism also shows a stray away from religion. Throughout the movie the alpha male cowboys refer to the cattle as beef—the name for the cows material and financial value. They see things as , according to Tompkins, “a world of men and things, where male adults in the prime of life fine ultimate meaning in doing their best together on the job” and in this case the job is the treacherous drive east. Matheson points out in her work that the cowboys’ life of solitude and the perception of the law and morals determine the alpha males. The fourteen years they spent together on the ranch, with the only real company of Groot Nadine. To the viewers knowledge they never leave the land, and if they do it is to follow trails. Her perception of the law is cowboys are considered men “because their behavior is fundamentally ethical”(Matheson). Dudson thinks he was doing a good deed by creating a ranch and wanting to leave it to his only “son” Matthew. Dudson felt betrayed when he had created this ranch for him, only to have Matthew kick him off the dive and take the cattle to Kansas. Matthew believed he was going the ethical thing by looking out for the men and not leading them down a more dangerous path. Both men act as alpha male cowboys in the eyes of Matheson and Tompkins. Luckily, unlike some western films, both alpha males are left a live in the end—despite Dudson’s desire to kill Matthew and the suspenseful shoot out.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance- Chris Jones

In the film 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" we are presented with two characters who could possibly fit into the archetype of the alpha male cowboy. However through an examination of Matheson's article we can see a clear distinction between the two and the true alpha male cowboy becomes obvious. First we have Liberty Valance who is an outlaw in the movie and rules the town through power and fear. He is said to always have ornate clothing on, all black, and his hat has a silver lining on it. Matheson immediatly comes to mind in that she says how the villain in a western movie is an overdone version of the alpha male cowboy. Valance fills this idea because he makes a point to look impeccable at all times, but that same fact is what makes it obvious to us that he is NOT the alpha male cowboy. The alpha male cowboy is not meticulous about his appearance, he can be dusty and he won't care about it, however we never see an alpha male cowboy as "dirty". Valance has taken this idea of not being dirty and taken it to the extreme and now just presents us a clear juxtaposition to the true alpha male cowboy, Tom Doniphon. Doniphon is an outsider in the town, generally accepted by the people but he never strives to be accepted like Valance does. Doniphon's appearance is less well kept than Valance's but he is still generally clean. This is the exact example which Matheson uses in her article to show us the difference between the alpha male cowboy and the pretender because the alpha male cowboy does not strive to be accepted, nor does he preen over how he presents himself. The alpha male cowboy is an alpha male not through an active effort by him but instead is an alpha male because his true personality make him one

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Mark Miller

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a very interesting movie, as it has two rival alpha male cowboys, Tom Doniphon and Liberty Valance, and a man who is essentially an anti-cowboy, Ransom Stoddard. Matheson would characterize the two alpha male cowboys, Tom Doniphon and Liberty Valance, as sociopaths. It is easy to see how Matheson’s assessment would apply to Liberty Valance ,as he is the “typical” villain that she describes in her article, The West-Hardboiled: Adaptations of Film Noir Elements Existentialism, and Ethics in John Wayne’s Westerns, as Valance attempts to shoot at every problem he encounters before trying to solve it by other means, and at the same time, pushing away every person away that has every been close, or at least attempted to be, to him (except his ‘gang’). Matheson’s assessment toward Tom Doniphon would be the same as it is for all her hero cowboys, a sociopath misfit due to the profession that he has chosen. Sue Matheson often criticizes the protagonist of famous Western films, but in this case it is different as Sue Matheson would not be able to criticize Ransom Stoddard as he stands for everything that Matheson wishes the cowboy would become; dedicated to his family and always trying to solve problems in a non-violent way (mostly through law), rather than looking to shoot it, with the only thing consistent and faithful in a cowboy’s life, his gun.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
In the Man who shot Liberty Valance we have two alpha male cowboys, (Tom Doniphon and Liberty Valance) and Ransom Stoddard. The entire movie is about the death of Liberty Valance, the town oppressor, and the two men who shot him, enabling the “town” to prosper. The movie as well as the character of John Wayne revolves around the fact that we know who really killed Liberty Valance and who didn’t, and the difference between the two “heroes”.
Liberty Valance is the sociopath that Sue Matheson talks about in The West Hardboiled… he is stylishly dressed, manipulative and oppressive, but also “a man of the desert” who receives acknowledgement for being “the toughest man south of the Picketwire – next to me.” by Tom Doniphon. Being the second toughest man and one who is skilled in the ways of the cowboy, one wonders what the implied difference between Doniphan and Valance is. One may be that both are pragmatic, and will take the law into their own hands as they see fit, but Valance is someone who has completely given himself over to this ideal (“the strong survive”). As if, in striving to survive in the desert and become the alpha male, Valance has shed all good and humility and become inhumanely manipulative, believing (correctly) that his strength and ability gained in the desert puts him above the law in the West (implied by Appleyard’s complete inability to do anything).
If there is someone who can beat him, it’s definitely not Ransom Stoddard. Ransom Stoddard is alike to Martin Pawley from The Searchers in that he believes in the objective good (Rule of the Law) He feels guilty about the prosperity of his career and the town because it is founded on murder (the ends do not justify murder), and makes the audience feel that he is somewhat too naïve. This is because, to the audience and Tom Doniphon especially, as righteous and just as Ransom Stoddard may be, he is too naïve and ignorant of the ways of the west to defend his ideals or himself (“I’ll teach you law. Western Law…”). But Ransom Stoddard’s innocence also represents that which Tom Doniphon cannot have, or perhaps lost somewhere in the process of becoming the cowboy that he is. Tom Doniphon is educated, has great ambition, becomes a hero and ultimately gets the girl. One may think that Stoddard is different from Martin Pawley because Stoddard never tried to be a cowboy, but that would be wrong. The crux of the movie is the duel, the moment of reckoning, and it comes about when Stoddard gives up on his ideals and realizes that he must resort to the cowboy way of doing things, with a gun. He shows up in an apron and is humiliated in the first few moments of the duel. He shoots at Liberty Valance, becomes a hero of the town and goes on to a successful career. Perhaps he is almost crucial to the town’s prosperity, as his honest ways is what gains the town’s trust (one can imagine that Tom could have shot Liberty just about any time and not inspire anyone). To the characters in the movie, he is their champion and avatar of “good” because he stands for higher ideals, unlike the existential and relative justice of the pragmatic alpha males.
The man who really shot Liberty is Tom Doniphon. He is the hero that is caught in an ironic double bind as Sue Matheson states in The West Hardboiled. Like Valance he is self-centered, antisocial and pragmatic; allowing him to shoot Liberty Valance, but he also allows Stoddard to live. It is not the champion who is able to win the day (the objective good), but rather the man of the wild. The alpha male cowboy of Liberty Valance is an anti hero. He does not receive due recognition, the girl or even a glorious ending. But this is what establishes him as the hero in the audience’s eyes. Perhaps this is also why only these three men and Pompey are the only ones present at the duel. The duel is the moment of truth, the point at which good and evil are laid bare and they face off, and often in movies there will be an audience, but instead there are three, the insufficient moral good, the cowboy, and the bad. Perhaps because the end is so tragic, John Wayne is more firmly established in our minds as the hero. The prompt way in which the journalist refuses to acknowledge the truth is almost brutal, because even in death Tom will not be recognized. But to those that matter, the real hero is apparent. What is ultimately tragic is that Tom went on to live quietly, in misery. The Cowboy is obsolete, and once the individual that stood for that ruthless mechanism of the wild, aptly named Liberty, is killed, Tom Doniphon is thereby obsolete as a result of his own actions. Tom Doniphon is therefore the man who used his ability to save the day, end the cowboy (therefore his own livelihood), establish Stoddard as champion and gave all he had for those involved. He is the man who shot Liberty Valance.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - HMB

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has three strong male characters, Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), Ransom "Rance" Stoddard (James Stewart), and Liberty Valance (Lee Martin). Doniphon and Valance can be considered to be the two alpha male cowboys of the storyline while Stoddard is the civilized man thrown into the mix.

Matheson describes Libery Valance as a "severely disabled psychopath" someone is is "manipulative, callous, remorseless..." (Matheson 892). This assement of Valance seems dead on. In the movie he shows his manipulation everytime he shows up in town, even the shariff doesn't dare confront this man. Valance's lack of remorse is apparent on several occasions throughout the movie. On two accounts he is whipping a defenseless man and would not have ceased to stop besides for the fact that one of his sidekicks pulls him away. During his final scene Valance is shown mocking Doniphon before he attempts to murder him. Valance is never seen showing regret in any fashion throughout the movie.

"There is very little difference between Doniphon and Liberty Valance" (Matheson 896) claims Matheson. That actually Doniphon is his own "moral center" because he can "live with the fact that he cold-bloodedly murdred another human being" (Matheson 896). Matheson even goes as far as to describe Doniphon with the same characteristics that make Valance a psychopath. I disagree with this assesment. Although Doniphon is his own moral center, doing what he believes is right and acting as someone above the law, he doesn't feel unremorseful. His place catching fire is symbolic of his remorse, and the regret he feels about his hand in the death of Valance. Whether he burns down the house because he knows he lost the girl or because he feels guilty about taking a life in cold blood, his remorse is still there. And that feeling is exactly what sets him apart from Valance.

Stoddard ends up placing himself on the other side of the law, just like the two alpha male cowboys. He has the morals of the law holding him back to a point, but at the end of the day he gets a gun in order to "settle his problem with Valance like 'a man'" (Matheson 896). Showing that the west way of thinking corrupts even those who started out with civilized values.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

It is evident that there is, in fact, two alpha male characters in this movie. Stoddard and Doniphon play the heroes, and Valance plays the role of the villan. Matheson claims that Valance and Doniphon are very similar in nature. When comparing these two to a traditonal cowboy, they both fall shy in some aspects. Valance has almost all the qualities of a cowboy with the exception of his cruel and indecent personality. Doniphon is tough, rugged, and even works out in the wild terrain, but he is not bound to the land like other cowboys are. Most cowboys never consider settling down because they are off righting wrongs and living off the land. Doniphon, on the other hand, not only wants to settle down and marry, he goes as far as to building an extension on his house to accompany her. He is planning to get married and take that step towards civilization and away from the rugged land. In this western it seems that the bad guy could be the most prominent cowboy.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Through out the movie, there was a tug of war between the old traditional law of the gun versus the new idea of the law of the book. Represented by the three different cowboys, if you consider Rance Stoddard as the third cowboy. Rance represents the law of the book, and the new way things were done. Liberty Valance, a play on words in and of itself, is an outlaw cowboy with the attitude that he is always right and his gun is the law of the land. Tom ruled the land using his gun, but it was a common law rule; he only took a life when it was absolutely necessary.

At the beginning, we see a man from the east come to the south with a law degree. He was made fun of several times because he attached "Attorney at Law" to the end of his name. Liberty had a problem with this new lawyer for several reasons. The law of the book was now on Liberty's turf, a turf that he had run for several years. He feared no one but Tom. Rance made it his mission to take down Liberty using methods that did not require a gun.

As the movie progresses we see the protagonist, Tom make several predictable moves, such as turning down the election. But a change also progressed around this point. It was a know fact that Liberty fit Matheson's description due to Rance having to pick up a pistol to defend himself. However, by the end of the film, he realizes he “has to settle his problem with Valance like ‘a man.’ In doing so, he places himself outside the law” (Matheson 896)

I agree with a large portion of Matheson’s article, but with regards to her description of Doniphon and his similarities to Liberty Valance, I find myself questioning her claims. Matheson says, “Like Valance, Doniphon is callous, remorseless, and manipulative” (Matheson, 897). Although Doniphon may be these things when it comes to killing another man, I do not think he lives his life entirely without a care and without remorse. His feelings toward Hallie are a direct representation of care his care for another person. Tom letting Hallie be with Stoddard instead of him, just goes to show that he does care. He explains the reasons for why he kills Valance and the underlying reason is because he cares about Hallie and her well being. Matheson also explains the way Doniphon pushes Stoddard to be a better man because he knows Hallie needs a good man.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Ashley Rossi

Matheson would assess lawyer Rance Stoddard and the two alpha male cowboys, Tom Doniphon and Liberty Valance, in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance on three basic levels social behavior, masculinity, and moral code (perception of the law). Form a societal perspective; the two alpha male cowboys display antisocial tendencies. The most obvious exhibition of antisocial behavior is seen in Liberty Valance’s personality. He is shown in the movie with only two sidekicks, few companions and no desire for compassion or citizenship. The viewer first hears of Valance in Stoddard’s tale of his first trip to Shinbone and how he was barbarically robbed. Matheson considers Valance as a “severely disabled psychopath”. Although Tom Doniphon exhibits similar antisocial behavior, his initial desire to marry Hallie in the future shows a softer emotion that could potentially breed more kind relationships. However; in the films end, with Doniphon’s burning of the house that he was building for Hallie, Matheson concludes the alpha male cowboy is “manipulative, callous, remorseless, parasitic” and exhibits “poor behavioral controls”.  Stoddard, on the other hand, is very social. He begins a school to educate the people of Shinborne and works in a restaurant. He openly shows affection for Hallie and encourages her to learn how to read. Stoddard’s social behavior connects slightly with Matheson’s analysis on masculinity. Although he does not possess the ruggedness of Valance or Doniphon, he is more of a man than Valance will ever be. In her conclusions she determines that Stoddard and Doniphon are “men” where as Valance is not a “man”. Some viewers may consider Valance more of a man than Stoddard simply because Valance is more prone to violence, unlike Stoddard, who is gentler. Stoddard is often seen in an apron and is a lousy shot. However, according to Matheson’s assessment, “men are men because their behavior is fundamentally ethical”. Both Stoddard and Doniphon’s behaviors are fundamentally ethical; even if Stoddard does wear an apron to a shoot out, he is still a "man". They look out for the “highest good” whereas Valance is looking out for himself with complete disregard for all of those around him. Stoddard is elected to help the people of Shinebone reach statehood and stand up against Valance. Doniphon puts his wants aside for the wants of Hallie and the needs of the citizens of Shinbone. When masculinity is related to settling various problems, it brings into discussion the differences between the alpha male cowboys' and the lawyer's moral code. The lawyer relies on books, law and justice where as Valance and Doniphan believe “might is right”. Doniphon says verbatim to Stoddard that, “You'd better start packing a handgun. ... I know those law books mean a lot to you but not out here.” Those in the West, according to Matheson must understand that “[a man] is his own moral center”. This idea is a struggle for Stoddard to understand considering his East Coast upbringing and value on obeying the law. Although there are sharp differences between the cowboys and the lawyers in Matheson’s analysis when it comes to the law and social behavior, the argument of masculinity is more ambiguous. Might and sheer muscle does not determine a man, the fundamental ethics do instead. I agree with Matheson’s arguments and can see the slight similarities between Stoddard and Doniphon despite their contrasting views. In addition, I can also see her stronger connections between Valance and Doniphon.  

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance-C. Phelps

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has two alpha male cowboys (Tom Doniphon and Liberty Valance) and a lawyer from the East (Ransom Stoddard). Liberty Valance is a"psychopath" in Sue Matheson's eyes. His "behavior is beastly" (Matheson, The West-Hardboiled, 2005, 4). I agree with this analysis. But, I do not agree with her analysis of Tom Doniphon. She compares Doniphon to Valance as if they are the same: "there really is very little difference between Doniphon and Liberty Valance" (Matheson, The West-Hardboiled, 2005, 5). I think this movie represents three levels of moral conduct. Valance is a psychopath, Doniphon is amoral and Stoddard immoral. I can see her point about Doniphon not being concerned with being a cold-blooded killer, but he was defending another. In one scene, Valance rides off shooting his gun randomly at the Shinbone citizens. Doniphon would not do that. In his own moral world, that would be wrong. As with Stoddard, he knows that allowing people to think he shot Liberty Valance is wrong but can justify it. He is making the "world" a better place. I think there is a moral difference between all three characters. When it comes down to it, they all used a gun to solve their problems, but in very different ways.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - CJ Nicholas

The first alpha male in the film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is Tom Doniphon, who is unsurprisingly played by John Wayne. Growing up in Shinbone; a practically lawless town in the newly settled west, Doniphon learns to rule by law. Matheson claims "the individual does not enforce the law; he is the law". Doniphon is a prime example of the film noir anti hero as described by Matheson. His deeds are not always pure such as when he murders Liberty Valance not for the good of the town, but because Hallie wants Stoddard alive. Likewise he chooses not to accept the political nomination that could help bring statehood because it would interfere with personal interests. However, as the movie progresses Doniphon proves that he can act in good faith. He is as moral as the cruel west can allow, acting in a manner that others around see as admirable, or acting for "the highest good". Because of this Matheson would call Doniphon not just an alpha male but the unsung hero of the movie.
On the hand there is the alpha male Liberty Valance. He, like Doniphon, believes in ruling by law. In fact they share many similarities as both are "callous, remorseless, and manipulative", and both have seen cold blooded murder at their hands. What separates Valance from Doniphon and the villain from the hero according to Matheson is their ability to act in honor of the "highest good". She goes on to claim "Valence's antisocial behavior prevents others from leading fulfilled lives". By crippling the ability of an entire town to progress and and live freely, he blatantly violates the most fundamental aspect of virtue ethics and earns the title of villain. Valence prevents Peabody from his dreams of an aspiring newspaper editor and almost stops the town aspirations for statehood.
Rance Stoddard is in an entire different class than both Doniphon and Valence. He believes in rule of law and is weary to act against the universal morals ingrained in his head which are so obviously absent from everyday life in the chaotic west. While Doniphon and Valence created their own character through personal action and acting according to their personal morals and beliefs, Stoddard became who he was through the actions of others. He survives the shootout with Valence because of Doniphon. He lives on with Hallie because of Doniphon. He becomes successfully involved in politics because of Doniphon. Ironically Stoddard eventually succumbs to the corruption of the west by agreeing to a shootout with Valence and later accepting that his elevation to Senator and beyond was only possible because of Doniphon who receives no credit. Stoddard though according to Matheson is not the hero but more so an example of the pains and lawlessness of the west. He does not embody the existential idea that our morals are relative to our surroundings and that we make our own meanings in life. He does not act in honor of the highest good by the end of the movie when he is content with his successful life due to the action of Doniphon. In the end, the only hero could be Doniphon for his realization that acting in honor of the highest good was the only route possible, and more importantly he acts whereas Stoddard's situation is the result of Doniphon.
This characterization according to Matheson is true because a man is the "sum of his actions". In a lawless and ruthless west in which a man can only act as good as his surroundings allow, acting towards "fulfilling one's human potential" is all a man can do. In this film, that is exactly what Doniphon does.

Liberty Valance - Matt C.

The struggle to be the top cowboy in town is a fierce battle between Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) and Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) winds up mixed in with this situation when he travels west into Shinbone, and soon finds himself caught amidst this power struggle. The plot revolves around these three central characters and how each's relationship with one another affects everything in the town. When we first meet Liberty Valance we can quickly identify him as the antagonist of the story simply by the way he dresses, acts, and his overall personality. Sue Matheson identifies Liberty Valance as "...manipulative, callous, remorseless, parasitic, pathological liars with poor behavioral controls" (892). For example, when Liberty robs Stoddard's stagecoach he not only humiliates the company but disrespects an older woman even though she is innocent. In addition, Valance is also a loner, avoiding any type of interaction with people save for brief moments when he is drinking at the resturant/saloon or playing cards. These actions make Liberty a clear-cut outlaw who shows that "...in the West, might is right" (Matheson 895).

Along with Liberty Valance there is Tom Doniphon, the other alpha male cowboy vying for power in the good town of Shinbone. While he shares many traits as Valance does, he also emphasizes the a different set of qualities that an alpha male is supposed to show. As Matheson says, "Like Valance, Doniphon is callous, remorseless, and manipulative" (896) and Ransom Stoddard also sees the connection between the two men as well claiming that "...there really is very little diference between Doniphon and Liberty Valance. Both men settle their problems in the same fashion. In Shinbone, the individual does not enforece the law; he is the law" (Matheson 896). However, what makes Doniphon different than Valance is that Doniphon has a moral center. When the time comes he does not let his own personal feelings make judgment but instead performs an act of good faith which, while ruining his own personal happiness, causes the town to become a thriving community.

Ransom Stoddard is the man caught inbetween this giant jumble of action between Valance and Doniphon. He plays the part of the hero in the story but unfortunately for him, being the hero does not make him an alpha male. Stoddard does not show the classic alpha male qualities that make a cowboy a cowboy; the merciless reputaion, crude attitude, and perhaps most importantly isolationist nature that make the cowboy a cowboy is all lacking from Stoddard's characteristics. Stoddard is not afraid to mingle with people, as is seen with him wanting to open a law practice and becoming senator and he finds himself incapable of succumbing to the corruption of the town. He finds it difficult to follow Doniphon's way of living, as Sue Matheson quotes him saying "'You all see to know about this fellow Liberty Valance. He's a no good gun-packing murdering thief and the only advice you can give to me is to carry a gun'" (896).