The Western

David Carter

• Publisher: Kamera Books
• Year: 2010
• ISBN:
  9781842433881
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Film & Video

From the very beginnings of cinema in America the Western has been a central genre. The hazardous lives of the settlers, their conflict with Native Americans (the Indians), the lawless frontier towns, outlaws and cattle rustlers, all found their way into the new medium of film. Folk heroes and heroines, such as Jesse and Frank James, Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp, Calamity Jane and Annie Oakley, were all eagerly seized on by filmmakers. From the popular to the more literary, writers such as Zane Grey, Owen Wister and James Fennimore Cooper were plundered for storylines. The Western became popular worldwide because it offered escape, adventure, stunning landscapes and romance; also themes that resonated such as survival, law and order, defence of family, and dreams of a new and better world. David Carter's book starts with an introduction to the real American West and its famous historical figures, and traces the development of the genre from popular literature, through the early silent films, the sound era, the Golden Age of classic Westerns, TV and 'spaghetti westerns', to the self-reflexive and revisionist Westerns of recent decades. It provides a basic work of reference for all the major directors and noteworthy films of the genre. The great Hollywood directors are all here, such as John Ford, Howard Hawks, Raoul Walsh, Michael Curtiz, Sam Peckinpah and Henry Hathaway, and great stars including John Wayne, James Stewart, Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Jane Russell and Clint Eastwood.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF WESTERNS: FROM HEYDAY TO MATURITY

During the 1940s and 1950s, the western as a genre took off, becoming big box office and featuring the major stars of the day, some of whom, such as Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, John Wayne and Gary Cooper, specialised in westerns above all other types of film. Though they may have played a range of roles in different film genres, it is for their performances in westerns that they are mainly remembered. Other major actors too contributed memorable performances in the genre: Alan Ladd, Glenn Ford, James Garner, Henry Fonda, Jack Palance, Dale Robertson and Robert Ryan, not to mention the actor who was later to be president, Ronald Reagan. Countless other leading Hollywood stars featured prominently in westerns at some time in their careers, including leading ladies such as Joan Crawford, Jane Russell, Maureen O’Hara, to mention a mere few. Then there were those stalwarts who provided colourful support to the main stars with a rich range of often eccentric performances in what became known as ‘character’ roles: Victor McLaglen, Walter Brennan, Warren Oates, Dan Duryea and the inimitable George ‘Gabby’ Hayes, amongst others.

While changes took place in the character of western films over the next few decades – and these will be traced as they reveal themselves – it is increasingly difficult to break the films down into categories or types. It is certainly true that in the best films there was a progressive complexity in the depiction of moral issues, character, motivation, the plight of the Native American Indians, the role of women, and the issues of law and order. Some critics have attempted to distinguish between what might be termed the ‘heyday’ of the western, in the 1940s and 1950s, when it was certainly at the height of its popularity, and the later years of the ‘mature epics’ in the 1960s and 1970s. It has been argued that the westerns produced in the first decade after the Second World War in particular often deal with more controversial themes. By the later 1960s especially, the treatment of Native American Indians by the whites was presented more critically, and violence and sexuality not only became central themes but they were more graphically depicted. That said, this was true of films in all genres at the time.

From the 1940s on, not only had stars dominated the public interest but certain directors were considered as authors of their own works, developing a coherent body of films reflecting a general philosophy of life (the ‘auteur’ concept of filmmaking). It therefore makes for a more coherent representation of the development of the western in this so-called ‘Golden Age’ to analyse it by the output of its main directors, not in the entirety of that output, but through consideration of their major works within the western genre.

First, though, some tribute must be paid to those actors and crews who produced good quality entertainment films, known as ‘B’ westerns, which often filled up the second part of a double bill during the 1940s and 1950s. Many hundreds of them were produced in any one year during those decades. Most are lost or no longer readily available. Many of their leading actors made entire careers as stars of ‘B’ westerns, such as Johnny Mack Brown. Two actors in ‘B’ westerns became famous, went on to make some memorable features and live on in the popular imagination: William Boyd, with his character of Hopalong Cassidy, and Roy Rogers. There is unfortunately insufficient room within the scope of the present book to analyse this aspect of the genre. Some guidelines for further study are supplied in the books listed in the section on resources.

THE MAJOR DIRECTORS AND THEIR FILMS

Not all directors of westerns are considered here, but only those who contributed significantly to the genre, by their extensive output, quality of filmmaking or influence. The lists are alphabetical according to director’s family name, with dates. This is followed by a brief biography and useful additional information. The films are listed chronologically. A few westerns made in the 1930s are also included if they are generally considered to be important works, although this section is primarily concerned with the development of the western from the 1940s onwards. One film from 1928 is included under Raoul Walsh, and in a few cases some films from recent decades have been included, to provide an overview of the director’s output in the genre. Some of the films are also considered later in this book, in which case a reference to the relevant chapter is included. Films in black and white are designated thus: B&W. All others are in colour.

ROBERT ALDRICH

b. 1918. d. 1983.

Aldrich joined RKO Pictures in 1941 as a production clerk, and worked his way up to production manager and associate producer. In the 1950s he wrote and directed TV series. His first feature film was Big Leaguer (1953). He eventually set up his own production company, and among his best-known films as director are The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), the thriller Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), and the Second World War drama The Dirty Dozen (1967). Of his westerns the most well known are the two released in 1954: Apache and Vera Cruz.

Apache (1954)

Written by: James R Webb

Plot: Massai (Burt Lancaster) is the ‘last Apache’, in terms of a fighting warrior. After the surrender of Geronimo (Monte Blue), he is captured. He manages to escape and tries to make his way back to his homeland and rejoin his wife (Jean Peters). He attempts to fight single-handedly against the US Cavalry, but is finally forced to surrender.

Comments: The studio forced Aldrich to change his original ending, which would have presented the US army in a negative light: shooting Massai in the back and killing him. Burt Lancaster turned in one of his particularly heavy performances in a film which is interesting for its attempt to show that not all Indians believed unequivocally that they should fight against the white men in order to preserve their traditional ways of life. Some followed the principle that the only way to survive was to imitate the white men’s ways.

Vera Cruz (1954)

Written by: Roland Kibbee and James R Webb

Plot: Two American mercenaries, Trane (Gary Cooper) and Erin (Burt Lancaster), fight together during the Mexican revolution. A peasant girl, Nina (Sarita Montiel), wants them to fight on the side of the peasants but the Marquis de Labordere (Cesar Romero) wants them to fight for the Emperor Maximilian. The countess Marie Duvarre (Denise Darcel) persuades them to escort her to Vera Cruz. She eventually reveals that her real purpose is to take a shipment of gold to the Emperor’s army.

Comments: Despite its rather convoluted plot and the unprincipled behaviour of almost everyone concerned, the film was a great success at the box office, doubtless because it featured two famous stars together. The cinematography by Ernest Laszlo alone makes it worth viewing.

The Last Sunset (1961)

Written by: Dalton Trumbo

Plot: Sheriff Dana Stribling (Rock Hudson) is pursuing the outlaw Brendan ‘Bren’ O’Malley (Kirk Douglas), who has killed his brother-in-law. O’Malley eventually rejoins an ex-lover Belle Breckenridge (Dorothy Malone) and is now attracted to her daughter Melissa (Carol Lynley). Stribling finds himself falling for Belle, and Belle reveals that Melissa is actually O’Malley’s own daughter. The film culminates in a shoot-out between Stribling and O’Malley.

Comments: Featuring characters that are complex and darkly motivated, the film touches on the sensitive subject of incestuous desire. Its title suggests the end of an era and way of life.

4 for Texas (1963)

Written by: Robert Aldrich

Plot: Zack Thomas (Frank Sinatra) and Joe Jarrett (Dean Martin) compete with each other to control a town’s casinos. They eventually have to support each other in the interest of destroying a ruthless banker, Harvey Burden (Victor Buono), and his henchman Matson (Charles Bronson).

Comments: Love interest (it is more a matter of titillation) is provided by Elya (Anita Ekberg) and Maxine (Ursula Andress). Displays of cleavage seem to have loomed larger among the producers’ priorities than acting skills. The film provides fairly harmless fun but little more.

Ulzana’s Raid (1972)

Written by: Alan Sharp

Plot: An Indian fighter, Ulzana (Joaquin Martinez), is terrorising the settlers in Arizona. McIntosh (Burt Lancaster), a veteran army scout, is employed to try and stop him. He also has to act as mentor to a young Christian lieutenant, Garnett DeBuin (Bruce Davison), who is shocked by the gruesome acts perpetrated by Ulzana.

Comments: Generally the film avoids depicting violence on screen, though it is famous for one scene in which some Indians tear out a man’s heart and toss it to each other. Terrorism is portrayed as reducing both terrorist and pursuer to the level of crude violence.

The Frisco Kid (1979)

Written by: Michael Elias and Frank Shaw

Plot: An orthodox Polish rabbi, Avram Belins...