Matheson has several main points in her article "The West Hard Boiled", one of which is that the viewer can tell what was happening in the world at the time the film was made. She makes the argument that the actions of the main characters can present "scathing portrayals of obese capitalists engaged in perpetuating social injustice and economic exploitation" during the Great Depression. She also gives the example of Pierce and Jackson (of The War Wagon) who are easily identified as part of "the Establishment" during a time of postwar disillusionment and protests against the Vietnam War.
Another point made in her article is that while John Wayne was viewed as the American hero in his movies, the characters that he portrays are not ones that actually represent the American ideal of an alpha male. Wayne is often a "destabilized, alienated figure, [a] socially marginalized [man] caught in [a] double bind- in short, the modern existential anithero." Wayne's characters, such as in The Big Trail and The Searchers, create their own law by carrying out what they believe is justice. These characters live outside the realm of outlaw, but they also do not abide by the American law. They follow the law of the West and it they are considered "a paragon of virtue on the frontier."
Matheson has several main points in her article "The West Hard Boiled", one of which is that the viewer can tell what was happening in the world at the time the film was made. She makes the argument that the actions of the main characters can present the events of the Great Depression. She also gives the example of Pierce and Jackson (of The War Wagon) who are easily identified as part of "the Establishment" during a time of postwar disillusionment and protests against the Vietnam War.
ReplyDeleteAnother point made in her article is that while John Wayne was viewed as the American hero in his movies, the characters that he portrays are not ones that actually represent the American ideal of an alpha male. Wayne's characters, such as in The Big Trail and The Searchers, create their own law by carrying out what they believe is justice. These characters live outside the realm of outlaw, but they also do not abide by the American law. They follow the law of the West and it they are considered virtuous in the world of the frontier.
Matheson also makes the point that most of the alpha male cowboys are actually the modern existential anti hero. They are usually damaged men, alienated from society and caught in some sort of double bind. The alpha male proves to have his own moral center; he is the law. He settles his own problems; he does not ask for assistance, and nor does he want it.