Heros In Western Films

– Their Relationship With The Community Essay, Research Paper

In the genre of western films, the hero plays a key role. Humanity portrays ‘civilisation overcoming the hostile country.’ (Miller 1983: 66) In many films the American civil war is over, people have turned their attention to more constructive pursuits. Battling nature to progress America’s future rather than each other. In between this wild country, fraught with danger and corruption lies the role of the hero. An individual with exceptional skills who through these abilities is able to rid a stricken town of the corrupt elements within. In many cases however, the hero’s skills are not enough. His relationship with the community can define how successful his help can be. In the film’s Shane and Dodge City we are presented with heroes who have attempted, however successfully to integrate themselves into their respective communities. This gives them someway to identify with the community, giving them incentive to defend it from the malicious elements than threaten them.

In Shane, we see an attempt by the film’s hero to subtly integrate himself into the community. Instead of riding into town, Shane (Alan Ladd) is introduced to us ‘through the eyes and imagination of a little boy’ (Miller 1983: 67) By having Shane first meet Joey Starret (Brandon de Wilde) he is introduced in a very personal manner that sets the tone for the whole film. Shane’s motives are personal, he wishes to escape his life as a gunman by becoming a settler. The lifestyle of the Starret family and the other settlers amplifies the notions of a simpler life that Shane finds appealing. The town near where they live is very simple and has none of the more lavish comforts of Dodge City. It offers a way for Shane to escape his past by working to create a simple yet honest community. This helps him befriend the settlers, he does not wish to dominate their existence but join them and collectively working together. It is for this reason he is incensed to defend the community from Ryker (Emile Meyer). He has become personally involved with creating a community and wishes to see continue to flourish, even if his choice dictates that he has to leave in order to succeed

Wade Hatton (Errol Flynn) in Dodge City is a much more extroverted hero than Shane and has greater plans to reform the town than merely just driving out the criminal element. Hatton’s entry to the film is also much more grand. He is a ’soldier of fortune transplanted to the American frontier.’ (Abel 1939: 18) This alone creates the allusion of Hatton being a much more romantic hero and having greater plans than merely just wanting to build a community. He wishes to clean out the ‘wickedness and lawlessness that Dodge City has become.’ (Abel 1939: 18) To do this he introduces sweeping reforms that not only remove the criminal element, but set a moral tone for the community. This establishes him as a community leader who is willing to do what- ever is necessary to curb the violence and death that has stricken the town. (He even arrests his friend Rusty (Alan Hart) for carrying a gun to prove that no one is above the law.) People respect him for who he is and what he has done for the community, not who he is as a person. This fact sets him apart from Shane. Hatton’s actions are dictated by his own morals and beliefs (the desire to make the community ’safe for women and children’) not from any kind of loyalty or friendship to any individuals.

In Shane, the relationship between Shane and Joey Starret is important because much of his humanity that is shown through his interaction with the boy. Through Joey we are presented with the benefits of why Shane should stay with the Starrets. They represent stability and the predicability of life which Shane attempts to integrate himself into by the symbolic removing of his moleskins and the donning of working denims. Shane can also be seen as ‘a rival father for Joey’ (Miller 1983: 69) because of the boy’s hero worship of him. This relationship is crucial because apart from allowing us as an audience to see Shane’s human side, it also forces Joey to mature. He loves Shane but is brought to realise that he cannot become a permanent part of his life becasue the lifestyle he lives. Shane may be a ‘brave and noble figure who transcends the domesticated Starret.’ (Miller 1983: 70) but his lifestyle lacks the stability to successfully raise a family. He understands this and rides out of town, but not before telling Joey to ‘grow up fine and straight’. A domestic life may lack excitement but it enables you to life a life filled with love, instead of the lonely existence that Shane leads. Through his relationship with Joey we understand the Shane is not invincible and is in fact trapped by his life. He is forced to live alone in a world where the skills of a lone gunmen are becoming obsolete and a stable domestic life has become the social norm.

Matt Cole’s son Harry (Bob Watson) is also important in Dodge City. Instead of being a key character, he is more a symbol of the lawlessness that has infested the city. His relationship with Wade Hatton is one of admiration, because he is the only person in town who defies Surret (Bruce Cabot). It is not however a close relationship, yet when Harry is killed accidentally during a gun fight Wade is persuaded to stay and fight. Perhaps this is because Harry death is symbolic of the ‘wide-open Baby