Rooster Cogburn-C. Phelps

Rooster Cogburn, filmed in 1975, brings "the other" into the narrative. The first scene, with Rooster in a courtroom and an African-American clerk in the background, the judge says "the west is changing and your not changing with it". Well, in 1975, the cowboy was changing. There was still racism, which can be seen when Rooster calls his servant, "China-man". The Indian is still a sidekick and takes orders. And he still looks at women as below him and uses comments like, "around here we value a spirited woman almost as much as a spirited horse". But, the alpha male can see Eula as a "strong minded woman" and independent with intelligence. She makes it clear that she is strong. In one scene, Rooster is ordering her to leave the settlement for safety. She refuses and asks if he will use brute force. When Rooster replies he will, Eula says "you might be physically stronger but that is it". During the 70's women were attending the same schools as men and were working in the same corporate world. Eula is a reflection of this culture.