The Western Film Forum features twelve films of the ‘Western’ genre. These films will be shown chronologically in order to show how the ‘Western’ genre evolved over time in response to changing cultural and historical circumstances—indeed, how it became a ‘genre’ upon which later ‘Western’ films could build upon and critique.
The reason for focusing on a genre of film (the Western) is that it allows participants to engage each film by being attentive to the way each filmmaker utilizes the cinematic and thematic features specific to that genre. In so doing, participants will be able to see how an analysis of the differences between each filmmaker’s methods of deploying these genre-specific tropes could help to reveal differences in the real story the filmmaker wants to tell his audience.
For a short guide to the narrative conventions and common themes of Westerns, click here.
The reason for focusing on a genre of film (the Western) is that it allows participants to engage each film by being attentive to the way each filmmaker utilizes the cinematic and thematic features specific to that genre. In so doing, participants will be able to see how an analysis of the differences between each filmmaker’s methods of deploying these genre-specific tropes could help to reveal differences in the real story the filmmaker wants to tell his audience.
For a short guide to the narrative conventions and common themes of Westerns, click here.
Inception (2010)
What's a Movie Really about? (A Special Project of the Windmoor Film Institute)
Movie: Inception by Christopher Nolan
Time: 8 pm, Wednesday, September 18, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
In the interest of garnering initial interest for the Forum, and in hopes of convincing people that watching films in this way is worthwhile, the Forum would open with a viewing of Inception. The aim of this first session of the Forum would be to introduce students to some strategies of film interpretation via a prepared analysis of a popular film. Inception is particularly suitable for teaching students such strategies because of its unsatisfying “cliff-hanger” ending that makes the film appear to be unresolved. Indeed, the ambiguity of the ending should alert the viewer to the possibility that the surface plot of the film is not what the “film is really about.”
Movie: Inception by Christopher Nolan
Time: 8 pm, Wednesday, September 18, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
In the interest of garnering initial interest for the Forum, and in hopes of convincing people that watching films in this way is worthwhile, the Forum would open with a viewing of Inception. The aim of this first session of the Forum would be to introduce students to some strategies of film interpretation via a prepared analysis of a popular film. Inception is particularly suitable for teaching students such strategies because of its unsatisfying “cliff-hanger” ending that makes the film appear to be unresolved. Indeed, the ambiguity of the ending should alert the viewer to the possibility that the surface plot of the film is not what the “film is really about.”
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
"Introducing the Western"
Movie(s): The Great Train Robbery (Dir. Edwin Porter) and Stagecoach (Dir.
John Ford)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, October 10, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Edwin Porter's The Great Train Robbery was a silent film made in 1903. Although only twelve minutes long, it is considered by most critics to be the first "Western" film ever made. Indeed, a close viewing of the film reveals many of the themes explored by the "Western" genre as a whole. Our discussion will compare and contrast the thematic similarities and differences between Porter's film and John Ford's 1939 classic Stagecoach. By viewing these films side by side, we can identify some of the central themes of the "Western" genre, even in its contemporary adaptations.
Movie(s): The Great Train Robbery (Dir. Edwin Porter) and Stagecoach (Dir.
John Ford)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, October 10, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Edwin Porter's The Great Train Robbery was a silent film made in 1903. Although only twelve minutes long, it is considered by most critics to be the first "Western" film ever made. Indeed, a close viewing of the film reveals many of the themes explored by the "Western" genre as a whole. Our discussion will compare and contrast the thematic similarities and differences between Porter's film and John Ford's 1939 classic Stagecoach. By viewing these films side by side, we can identify some of the central themes of the "Western" genre, even in its contemporary adaptations.
Stagecoach (1939)
"Introducing the Western"
Movie(s): The Great Train Robbery (Dir. Edwin Porter) and Stagecoach (Dir.
John Ford)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, October 10, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Stagecoach is a 1939 American Western film directed by John Ford, starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne in his breakthrough role. The screenplay, written by Dudley Nichols and Ben Hecht, is an adaptation of "The Stage to Lordsburg", a 1937 short story by Ernest Haycox. The film follows a group of strangers riding on a stagecoach through dangerous Apache territory."
Movie(s): The Great Train Robbery (Dir. Edwin Porter) and Stagecoach (Dir.
John Ford)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, October 10, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Stagecoach is a 1939 American Western film directed by John Ford, starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne in his breakthrough role. The screenplay, written by Dudley Nichols and Ben Hecht, is an adaptation of "The Stage to Lordsburg", a 1937 short story by Ernest Haycox. The film follows a group of strangers riding on a stagecoach through dangerous Apache territory."
High Noon (1952)
"The Western: Critique or Propaganda?"
Movie: High Noon (Dir. Fred Zinneman)
Time: 8 pm, Thursday, November 6, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the
film)
Fred Zinneman's High Noon was released in 1952. It was huge success, but it was not without controversy. Carl Foreman, who wrote the screenplay, was brought before the House Committee on Un-American Activities during the production of the film. John Wayne described the film as "the most un-American thing I've ever seen in my whole life" and Carl Foreman was
eventually blacklisted from working in Hollywood because of his designation as an "uncooperative witness" before the Congressional committee. Others criticized Zinneman's treatment of the genre, specifically of the western "hero". In High Noon, we see the beginnings of the 'Western' film as an instrument of both political critique and propaganda.
Movie: High Noon (Dir. Fred Zinneman)
Time: 8 pm, Thursday, November 6, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the
film)
Fred Zinneman's High Noon was released in 1952. It was huge success, but it was not without controversy. Carl Foreman, who wrote the screenplay, was brought before the House Committee on Un-American Activities during the production of the film. John Wayne described the film as "the most un-American thing I've ever seen in my whole life" and Carl Foreman was
eventually blacklisted from working in Hollywood because of his designation as an "uncooperative witness" before the Congressional committee. Others criticized Zinneman's treatment of the genre, specifically of the western "hero". In High Noon, we see the beginnings of the 'Western' film as an instrument of both political critique and propaganda.
Shane (1953)
"The Western Hero: A Man with No Name?"
Movie: Shane (Dir. George Stevens)
Time: 8 pm, Thursday, November 13, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the
film)
The Western hero, at least as portrayed in Stagecoach and High Noon, had a backstory and a future. He had some reason to fight-revenge (in the case of Ringo in Stagecoach) or principle (in the case of Will Kane in High Noon). With Shane, the Western hero takes an entirely different turn. Set in the context of progressive "settling" by families on a lawless western frontier, Shane rides into town "out of nowhere." Who is Shane and why does he choose to protect the settlers? These questions are never definitively settled by the film, but they pave the way for an archetype of the western "hero" as a person whose actions, and the motivations behind them, are unconventional, morally ambiguous, and not easily explained.
Movie: Shane (Dir. George Stevens)
Time: 8 pm, Thursday, November 13, 2013 (discussion to follow viewing of the
film)
The Western hero, at least as portrayed in Stagecoach and High Noon, had a backstory and a future. He had some reason to fight-revenge (in the case of Ringo in Stagecoach) or principle (in the case of Will Kane in High Noon). With Shane, the Western hero takes an entirely different turn. Set in the context of progressive "settling" by families on a lawless western frontier, Shane rides into town "out of nowhere." Who is Shane and why does he choose to protect the settlers? These questions are never definitively settled by the film, but they pave the way for an archetype of the western "hero" as a person whose actions, and the motivations behind them, are unconventional, morally ambiguous, and not easily explained.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
"The Western: History or Legend?"
Movie: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Dir. John Ford)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, January 30, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was released in 1962. In a sense, it marks the end of an era of 'western' stories that began with Ford's Stagecoach (1939). Unlike George Steven's Shane, the title of this western leaves some ambiguity as to its intended hero. As we saw, Shane introduced its audience to a western hero whose motivations were not easily explained, even morally ambiguous. By contrast, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance focuses its audience, not on the moral ambiguity of the western hero, but on the moral ambiguity of the western 'legend.' In this film, Ford tries to show how the 'legend' itself, rather than its hero, achieves the aim traditionally ascribed to the western hero, i.e., the defense of or transition to a world of "law and order."
Movie: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Dir. John Ford)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, January 30, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was released in 1962. In a sense, it marks the end of an era of 'western' stories that began with Ford's Stagecoach (1939). Unlike George Steven's Shane, the title of this western leaves some ambiguity as to its intended hero. As we saw, Shane introduced its audience to a western hero whose motivations were not easily explained, even morally ambiguous. By contrast, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance focuses its audience, not on the moral ambiguity of the western hero, but on the moral ambiguity of the western 'legend.' In this film, Ford tries to show how the 'legend' itself, rather than its hero, achieves the aim traditionally ascribed to the western hero, i.e., the defense of or transition to a world of "law and order."
The Searchers (1955)
"A New Kind of Western Hero"
Movie: The Searchers (Dir. John Ford)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, February 13, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
John Ford's The Searchers was released in 1956. Although this film is chronologically prior to our most recent film (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), it represents the beginning of a different trajectory in the Western genre. In this Western, the hero is not primarily concerned to protect or enable a new kind of society to take root. Instead, he is driven by an obsession with vengeance. The Searchers opened the door for a Western that explored a fundamental tension in the "self-sacrifice" of the western hero: is it grounded in love or vengeance? As the title suggests, the viewer must constantly ask himself, "which of these aims—love or vengeance—motivate 'the searchers'?"
Movie: The Searchers (Dir. John Ford)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, February 13, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
John Ford's The Searchers was released in 1956. Although this film is chronologically prior to our most recent film (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), it represents the beginning of a different trajectory in the Western genre. In this Western, the hero is not primarily concerned to protect or enable a new kind of society to take root. Instead, he is driven by an obsession with vengeance. The Searchers opened the door for a Western that explored a fundamental tension in the "self-sacrifice" of the western hero: is it grounded in love or vengeance? As the title suggests, the viewer must constantly ask himself, "which of these aims—love or vengeance—motivate 'the searchers'?"
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
"The Spaghetti Western"
Movie: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Dir. Sergio Leone)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, February 24, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly was released in 1968. The film was the final installation in the 'Man with No Name' (played by Clint Eastwood) trilogy. By the mid-60s, the traditional Western—a la John Ford—had waned in popularity. It took Italian directors like Leone and Sergio Corbucci to revive it. True to their roots, these directors treated the Western like an opera. The violence and characters typical of the western—not to mention the musical score—are deliberately exaggerated for dramatic effect. In The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Leone makes his understanding of the each of the characters explicit by naming each of the characters as "good," "bad," and "ugly." Accordingly, the viewer must ask himself what kind of 'good' the 'Man with no Name' represents—is it moral (opposite of bad) or aesthetic (opposite of ugly)? What does Leone gain by making such contrasts explicit and how does it affect our understanding of the "hero" and the "villain" of the Spaghetti Western?
Movie: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Dir. Sergio Leone)
Time: 8pm, Thursday, February 24, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly was released in 1968. The film was the final installation in the 'Man with No Name' (played by Clint Eastwood) trilogy. By the mid-60s, the traditional Western—a la John Ford—had waned in popularity. It took Italian directors like Leone and Sergio Corbucci to revive it. True to their roots, these directors treated the Western like an opera. The violence and characters typical of the western—not to mention the musical score—are deliberately exaggerated for dramatic effect. In The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Leone makes his understanding of the each of the characters explicit by naming each of the characters as "good," "bad," and "ugly." Accordingly, the viewer must ask himself what kind of 'good' the 'Man with no Name' represents—is it moral (opposite of bad) or aesthetic (opposite of ugly)? What does Leone gain by making such contrasts explicit and how does it affect our understanding of the "hero" and the "villain" of the Spaghetti Western?
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
"The Spaghetti Western Redux"
Movie: Once Upon a Time in the West (Dir. Sergio Leone)
Time: 7:30 pm, Thursday, March 27, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West was released in 1968. Although its US release coincides with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, it is actually a later film. One important feature of this film is its representation of a genuine heroine: the prostitute-turned-aspiring-homemaker Jill McBain. Together with another nameless hero (Harmonica), a common bandit/indian (Cheyenne), and a cruel villain (Frank), this film explores the fate of each of the stock characters central to the 'Western.' While Leone remains true to form in keeping his audience focused on the synergy of the story's "heroes" and "villains," he also makes a more explicit attempt to appropriate as well as challenge the 'myth' of the 'West' in the 'Western.' The title of the film suggests that it tells a story that only "takes place" in the 'West.' This should lead the viewer to ask about the film's larger aim—what point is Leone trying to make through the 'Western?'
Movie: Once Upon a Time in the West (Dir. Sergio Leone)
Time: 7:30 pm, Thursday, March 27, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West was released in 1968. Although its US release coincides with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, it is actually a later film. One important feature of this film is its representation of a genuine heroine: the prostitute-turned-aspiring-homemaker Jill McBain. Together with another nameless hero (Harmonica), a common bandit/indian (Cheyenne), and a cruel villain (Frank), this film explores the fate of each of the stock characters central to the 'Western.' While Leone remains true to form in keeping his audience focused on the synergy of the story's "heroes" and "villains," he also makes a more explicit attempt to appropriate as well as challenge the 'myth' of the 'West' in the 'Western.' The title of the film suggests that it tells a story that only "takes place" in the 'West.' This should lead the viewer to ask about the film's larger aim—what point is Leone trying to make through the 'Western?'
Cat Ballou (1965)
"The Western Heroine?"
Movie: Cat Ballou (Dir. Elliot Silverstein)
Time: 8:00 pm, Thursday, April 3, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Eliot Silverstein's Cat Ballou was released in 1965 and starred Jane Fonda (Cat Ballou) in her breakout role. While by no means a serious western (a la John Ford), Cat Ballou plays on many of genre's conventions. Indeed, much like the spaghetti westerns of the mid 1960s, it it aims to upend some of those conventions. For instance, the film follows a woman-led band of outlaws. In this western, the woman is not a source of domestication, but criminalization. Indeed, one could interpret Cat Ballou as utilizing the western genre precisely to critique its highly traditional view of the "feminine" by turning the western outlaw hero into a western outlaw heroine—a motif Quentin Tarantino used to much fanfare in his samurai-cum-spaghetti western Kill Bill.
Movie: Cat Ballou (Dir. Elliot Silverstein)
Time: 8:00 pm, Thursday, April 3, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
Eliot Silverstein's Cat Ballou was released in 1965 and starred Jane Fonda (Cat Ballou) in her breakout role. While by no means a serious western (a la John Ford), Cat Ballou plays on many of genre's conventions. Indeed, much like the spaghetti westerns of the mid 1960s, it it aims to upend some of those conventions. For instance, the film follows a woman-led band of outlaws. In this western, the woman is not a source of domestication, but criminalization. Indeed, one could interpret Cat Ballou as utilizing the western genre precisely to critique its highly traditional view of the "feminine" by turning the western outlaw hero into a western outlaw heroine—a motif Quentin Tarantino used to much fanfare in his samurai-cum-spaghetti western Kill Bill.
True Grit (2010)
"The Western Sacrifice"
Movie: True Grit (Dirs. Ethan Coen, Joel Coen)Time: 8:00 pm, Thursday, April 24, 2014 (discussion to follow viewing of the film)
What does it mean to be a man of “true grit”? This is the question that stands at the heart of the Coen Brothers 2010 film True Grit, based on Charles Portis’ novel of the same name. True Grit centers on a fourteen-year old Mattie Ross’ (Hailee Steinfeld) quest to avenge her father’s death. The film opens with a passage from Proverbs (28:1): “the wicked flee when none pursueth”, which can lead the viewer to understand the story as a quest for the fulfillment of divine justice in a world that lacks the “grit” necessary to enact it. Such is the role of the western "hero." It is up to the viewer to ask whether a different interpretation, and so a different kind of western hero, emerges by the end of the film.