The Revisionist Western
In the late Sixties and early seventies, there was a revisionist movement in Hollywood. This revision of genre's included the western genre. In this essay, I will analyze the differences between the classic Western, and the revisionist westerns. The movies which are considered to be revisionist westerns that I will be reviewing are the following: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Unforgiven, and Dead Man; Two of which were created during the movement, and three of which were create more recently. In order to analyze these revisionist westerns, we must be able to compare them to the classic western. The classic western has certain attributes which allow them to be classified as a classic western. Of these themes, I will analyze the difference in approach between the classic and revisionist western. These themes include: The classic western was a story of a hero (a white male), who in the end always prevailed over the "bad guys." The hero most likely possessed an exceptional ability with a gun, and would use this ability to fight for good, which would most likely be helping the weaker individuals of society defend themselves and their land from the villains or "bad guys." The hero is brave
Nearly every woman in the film McCabe and Mrs. This is a more realistic view of what violence might have been like in the time period in which the film takes place. Women began to take on stronger roles. Depiction of Women: Women in the classical westerns were depicted as weak individuals who were second to the men in society. In terms of violence, this western had taken a new stance. She is intelligent, strong willed, and persistent, which are all characteristics that were not present in the women of the classic western. She is also a school teacher, which is much different from the housewife character of the classic westerns. The glitter and glam of violence which was present in the classic western is once again depicted differently in this movie. In 1969, the Vietnam War was being fought, and many anti-war, anti-violence demonstrations were being performed across the United States. Davey Boy is shot in the stomach and dies a fairly horrible death. When Delilah, who plays a weaker female character, gets cut up by Quick Mike, Alice puts up a bounty on he and Davey boy. This flaw is one that we haven't seen in any characters in the classic westerns. Dead Man is yet another film which has taken a western story and put a more realistic and less glamorous spin on it on the western. A different approach on the western is the main idea behind the revisionist western. It featured a hero (Paul Newman) who was an outlaw.
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Acceptance Essays
