Week 2 in my FLM 200 class comprised of exploring the Western genre by watching both Stagecoach [IMC DVD 791.4362 S779 1997] and The Searchers [IMC DVD 791.43 S439 1997]. In addition, we also covered the topic of mise-en-scene, a french term which covers everything that goes into creating the setting, or look, of specific shots during the film. Specifically, when watching a Western film, this can range from the props used (six-shooters), the clothing worn (chaps and cowboy attire), the setting (the frontier), and various other aspects. By incorporating these specific details, the audience is able to better understand the characters and the world in which they live.
The films we watched were wonderful examples of Western movies. It was interesting because they were both directed by the same person, John Ford, and both starred John Wayne, but they had very different messages about the West and what life was like living out there. The older movie, Stagecoach, was, to my mind, a classic Western. Dallas, a local prostitute is kicked out of town and takes a stagecoach with several other characters. She however is ostracized until she meets Ringo (John Wayne), an escaped outlaw. In between shootouts with the Indians and shootouts between other criminals, Dallas discovers that she has a chance for happiness with him. In this way, the movie gives the audience the perception that things can work out, even for people such as Dallas and Ringo, who are marginalized in society.
Fast forward to one of John Ford’s later movies, The Searchers. This movie stars John Wayne as well, but he is older and has become cynical after time spent fighting. He comes to visit his brother, and later his brother’s family is attacked and the young girls kidnapped by a local native tribe. Ethan, John Wayne’s character, is determined to find the girls and bring them home, but it takes him 5 years before he manages to find them. As the movie progresses, you realize that Ethan is hoping that the girls are dead, because that is preferable to them living with the natives as slaves. While Ethan is the protagonist (and later hero) of the movie, he does not have the same hope-filled future that Ringo in Stagecoach possesses, and that is the main indicator of John Ford’s change in his perception of the American West. Right and wrong is no longer so black and white, and the characters are faced with their own internal struggles that don’t simply disappear with the ending of the movie.
Both movies were very good in their own way and helped to illustrate the change in perception of the West for many people during this time period. During week 3 we will be exploring film noir with a couple different movies. Check back in next week, and keep following along at https://letterboxd.com/peterstanley/list/1001-movies-you-must-see-before-you-die/ .
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