The Evolution of Western Genre

by

Jo Van Ort

The intrigue of the western is deeply ingrained in American culture. In fact, it is a

uniquely American genre of film. Developed from a mixture of legends and historical accounts,

it depicts the courageous virtues of those who pioneered the American western frontier in the

1800’s (All Movie Guide). This fascination reflects both the expeditions of Lewis and Clark and

the leatherstocking novels of James Fenimore Cooper. A vast waterless seascape, the western

frontier symbolized a means towards personal freedom and individuality while also extending

the adventurous challenges of civilizing an untamed wilderness. The romantic notion of the

western hero, who not only survived in this gritty new world, but was morally compelled to

resolve any conflicts, is identifiably appealing. In Montana, Senator Conrad Burns (R.,

Montana) summed it up like this: “There is a little bit of cowboy in all of us. The cowboy’s kind

of spirit is held in high esteem among free people” (Lund).

The spirit of the western hero is indeed inherent in our American culture, but the genre of

the western film includes many other elements as well. Similar in all western film is the setting,

with occasional variation. Often the stark, deceptively simple stage of the wild frontier itself

appears as the main character. Ever present the endless horizon, filmed in wide lingering shots,

illustrates the vast isolation of the lonely hero on the landscape. The dusty, one-street town with

its boardwalks, the horses and cattle, even the gritty, worn look of the period costumes extends

the feel of the era indigenous of the time.

The second primary character in western film is the reluctant hero who comes into town

and resolves the conflict using his ingenuity and skill. Although the hero and the villain may be

equally competent in their skills, the hero retains the advantage since nobility and virtue are

components built into his character. Based on the universal theme of life and death and cast on

the simple stage of the land, the western epic is consistently action-based. Indeed, action plays a

predominant role over dialogue with images providing the larger story, often inferring moral or

historical values. Violence plays a significant role in the action “with guns constituting the

visible moral [center] . . . and [the continual] possibility of violence” (French). Generally a

resolution to the conflict is required, and the hero fulfills the challenge. A romantic interest is

also often intertwined with the story, but the main overriding sentiment in the western film is that

of “moving on.” This parallels my belief that the genre in the western film also “moves on,”

continually evolving to keep up with the pace of humanity’s ever-changing cultural and social

issues.

As early as 1869, western influence became a part of our American culture. Starting with

dime novels and expanding into songs, art and literature, the western became a generic film

staple in the early 1900’s. These initial films were basic tales about the triumph of good over

evil, man versus nature, and white American struggle against hostile Native peoples. At the core

of these films was a moral issue the resolution of which, as John Wayne said in The Alamo,

“speaks well of men.” However, in the older westerns, as in the old west itself, there were no

scruples about racism, and the Indians were considered a threat and an obstacle (Lejeune).

The 1950’s ushered in the golden age of the western, where violence was no longer the

point. Ruthless redskins were transformed into an oppressed people, and the genre was pushed

towards a more complex, psychological consideration of individuals, families, and communities.

The movie Shane represents an excellent example of the moral dilemmas portrayed during this

era. Instead of who had the fastest gun in the west, now the genre focused on the effects of the

killings. Western film was pushed into an intellectual realm where psychological depth and

complexity replaced simple heroism.

In the 1960’s, the genre continued to evolve, demonstrating more complex characters that

tended to be extraordinarily violent and even anti-heroic compared to those of the earlier films.

Sergio Leone produced his brutal, corpse-strewn “Spaghetti Westerns” to satisfy the public’s

demand for tales of blood and revenge. Clint Eastwood, a major icon of this genre, also

demonstrated a cold-blooded character in his multitudes of films reflective of this era. Thus, we

witnessed the genre’s evolution from the heroic tales of honorable gunmen defending struggling

communities, to the brutal violence of the outlaw anti-hero whose macho character may be

ultimately doomed.

With the increased social awareness of the 1970’s came the so-called “Revisionist

Westerns,” such as the film Tombstone, which attempted to portray historical events and

attitudes in the western film in more realistic terms (All Movie Guide). In fact, the western even

parodied itself during this era in such films as Mel Brook’s Blazing Saddles.

Currently, as throughout its history, the western genre has maintained many of its

fundamental genre elements, remaining authentic to its historical roots. However, as the

priorities of moral values and social issues fluctuate in American culture, the western film

reflects these shifts in its portrayal of American psychological introspection.

The following examples illustrate the western’s evolution in terms of its treatment of

social issues while exhibiting the sustaining elements traditional to western film.

Stagecoach

A traditional western released in 1939, Stagecoach became a prototype for all western

movies that followed it. It is the story of nine very diverse characters making their way across

hostile Indian lands in a stagecoach. The vast landscape of the majestic Monument Valley in

Arizona dominates this film as the stagecoach journeys to Lordsburg. The Ringo Kid, a wanted

outlaw played by John Wayne, is encountered along the way and gives himself up peaceably to

become a part of the microcosm of the stagecoach. Ringo is presented as an honorable and

misunderstood outlaw, ultimately willing to fight for the very society that shunned him. He is

not perceived apprehensively as a threat; in fact he becomes an asset to the survival of the

passengers, as the real danger of Geronimo’s presence becomes known. The contemplation of a

possible Indian attack lies heavily with the passengers who exchange knowing looks of anxiety,

without the need for much dialogue.

John Ford’s direction brought the gritty, dangerous, action-packed reality of

crossing the hostile western frontier to his audience by employing scenes of the stagecoach

racing madly across the prairie, just barely keeping ahead of the pursuing savages. The nine

characters of this exciting, western film reveal a range of social issues such as sexual and social

prejudice, alcoholism, childbirth, greed, shame, redemption and revenge (Bozzola).

Shane

Produced in 1953, Shane is the story of a mysterious drifter who becomes involved in the

range wars of a homesteading community. Shot in the magnificent shadows of the Grand Tetons

in Wyoming, this film explores the powerful land conflict between the cattlemen and the

homesteaders. However, both parties are portrayed in this film as somewhat reasonable in their

beliefs. Even the villain, Emile Meyer, the cattle baron, appears rational as he explains his

dislike of the homesteaders who threaten to eliminate his wide-open spaces. Shane, the hero

with a mysterious past, is eventually pitted against the cattlemen’s hired assassin, and although

he is no longer a gunslinger, he straps on his gun belt one more time to resolve the conflict.

The impressionable, adolescent boy Joey, who idolizes Shane, witnesses the

action-packed fistfights and ultimate shoot-out. Shane must remain a martyr against all the

pressures confronting his virtue. The unexplored attraction between Shane and Marion, Joey’s

mother and the wife of a landowner, reflects the moral values of trust and honesty valued in a

marriage in the 1950’s. Shane is the reluctant hero, doing what he must to resolve the conflict

with the least amount of bloodshed. When all is said and done he confidently rides off into the

new dawn, retaining his dignity, as Joey calls after him, his words echoing into the rugged

beauty of the Tetons. This film is a more complex psychological drama, for much is left

unspoken in the dialogue.

Hud

Still incorporating some of the traditional genre of the western, the film Hud, produced in

1963, delves deeply into the psychological complexities of a dysfunctional Texas family.

Thrown into conflict over their disease-stricken cattle and threatened livelihood, each character

illuminates their innermost selves by projecting their emotional reactions regarding the herd’s

illness and their dire situation. Homer, the patriarchal father/grandfather, has the moral fortitude

to do the right thing, yet by destroying his cattle, he risks losing everything but his dignity. Hud,

on the other hand, is willing to start an epidemic by selling the cattle. He is a cold, callous,

unprincipled man. This difference in the values of the two men drives a deep wedge between

them. Hud is greedy and materialistic, symbolic of a more modern character: “a selfish, snarling,

smoothie who doesn’t give a hoot about anyone else” (Crowther). The Texas landscape, with its

cattle drives and western trappings, gives the film the appearance of a modern western, but

actually the true focus of the film is about the contemplation of the human condition. The

predominant conflict lies in the determination of who will influence the impressionable

nephew/grandson. Ultimately he leans towards the traditional values of his grandfather, leaving

Hud to wallow in his own crudities and greed. Hud is the anti-hero- the character we love to

hate.

Tombstone

Labeled a “Revisionist Western” because of its portrayal of legendary history and

attitudes, Tombstone, produced in 1993, is a film about taming the west. Set at the legendary O

K Corral in Tombstone, Arizona this film incorporates some of the original authenticity of the

traditional western genre. The town is being run by a bunch of brutal outlaws called the

Cowboys. Their red sashes symbolize their membership in this lawless brigade known for

shooting innocent by-standers. The so-called retired Earp Brothers, Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan

along with Doc Holiday, reluctantly accept the challenge to bring peace back to the terrified

townspeople. It is essentially a tale of good versus evil. Kirk Russell’s, Wyatt Earp and his

deputies depict the symbolism of the horsemen of the apocalypse as the film portrays them

galloping openly across the landscape and directly towards the viewer (Ramsey). This film is

full of action with numerous fistfights and lingering shots of eye contact between characters,

implying anticipated action. The costumes and set of this film remain authentic to western

genre. Although many of the social and moral issues were credible to the time, they are cleverly

integrated into the film to encompass modern social issues as well.

The Quick and the Dead

Produced in 1995, this film is about a mysterious female gunslinger who rides into

Redemption to compete in an annual quick-draw contest. However, her real intention is to seek

revenge on the town’s outlaw-mayor for unjustly killing her father when she was only a child. In

this frontier hamlet, populated with gunslingers and terrified townspeople, the action of the

shooting contest parallels that of the Roman gladiator fights, with the corrupt mayor personifying

a Caesar. He controls everything, even the regularity of bloodshed. The social issues regarding

injustice and confrontational revenge are expanded in this film by allowing the hero-image (who

is almost always a white male) in this case to be shared by the preacher, Russell Crowe and a

woman, Sharon Stone. Her performance is strong and gritty, symbolizing an independent female

capable of taking care of business, both in the old west and the present. This exhibits a radical

revision of the western’s conventions.

Closing Thoughts

Like all of American film, the Western genre reflects the social changes of a century.

While retaining its foundational integrity, the genre has blended and integrated more

sophisticated social issues into the western story line, staying current with each passing decade.

By rewriting the story of the old west, current issues concerning American social and moral

values can be addressed. Clearly, the evolution of the western genre is a patriotic statement of

Americanism: we are an adventurous, freedom-loving people, with strong personal and social

values. The western film embodies that philosophy, and the cowboy spirit lives on.

Work Cited

All Movie Guide. 10 Nov. 2002 Keyword: Western. Keyword: Stagecoach. Keyword:

Tombstone. <http://allmovie.com>.

Bozzola, Lucia. “Stagecoach”. All Movie Guide. 16 Nov. 2002 <http://allmovie.com>.

Crowther, Bosley. Rev. of Hud, by Larry McMurtry. New York Times Reviews. 29 May 1963:

366-7.

French, P. “Westerns”. CMCR/Centre for Mass Communication Research (n.d.) : 19 8 Nov.

2002 <http://www.mediantics.com>.

Hud. Dir. Martin Ritt. Videocassette. Paramount Pictures. 1963.

Lejeune, Anthony. “The Rise and Fall of the Western: The Disappearing Cowboy”. National

Review. 31 Dec. 1989 Vol. 41. Issue 25: 23-6. Ebsco Host. Hinckley Library,

Powell, Wy. 6 Nov. 2002 <http://web.7epnet.com>.

Lund, Herta L. “Todays Embattled Cowboys”. National Review. 31 Dec. 1989. Vol.41.

Issue25: 26 Ebsco Host. Hinckley Library, Powell, Wy. 6 Nov. 2002

<http://web.7epnet.com>.

Ramsey, Lucinda. “Tombstone”. All Movie Guide. 16 Nov. 2002

<http://allmovieguide.com>.

Shane. Dir. George Stevens. Videocassette. Paramount Pictures. 1980.

Stagecoach. Dir. John Ford. Videocassette. 20th Century Fox. 1967. The Quick and the Dead. Dir. Sam Raimi. Videocassette. TriStar Pictures. 1995.

Tombstone. Dir. George P. Cosmatos. Videocassette. Hollywood Pictures. 1993.