Watched the ultimate anti-Western today, The Big Lebowski (1998). Though there are no cowboys nor six shooters, this film only begins to make sense (note: "begins to") when viewed in the context of the traditional Western. In addition to being framed by images of drifting tumbleweed, Gene Autry music, and Sam Elliot narration, the entire point of the film is to draw contrast between the heroism we idealized in the California of the 19th century against the ambivalence found there today. The film offers competing, often hilarious ideas of heroism, nobility, and even belief systems, all portrayed as absurd, impotent, and ultimately wishy-washy. In the end, when Sam Elliot pronounces that he takes comfort in knowing the dude is "out there, taking it easy for all us sinners," there's no way to read that line but sarcastically. Even without a single noble cowboy present, this film is obviously a love letter to the kind of simple, unwavering heroism found in those tales.

If you haven't seen it, it's also cinematic genius and absurdly funny.

It's also been called a noir, ostensibly based on The Big Sleep.

Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)



I had seen bits and pieces of this growing up but this is the first time I sat through the whole thing. As a huge fan of Sam Peckinpah I'm always looking forward to viewing more of his work. Peckinpah like Sergio Leone is one of the quintessential Western directors who bring their unique perspectives to the genre. The casting in this is interesting with James Coburn and Kris Kristofferson giving excellent performances as the title characters. The soundtrack by Bob Dylan who also appears in the film is fantastic and fits the time period perfectly. Of course there is something inherently cool about seeing Kristofferson and Dylan interact on screen. There are also noteworthy appearances from Jason Robards, Slim Pickens and Harry Dean Stanton. The action and shootouts are all well done and I thought the ending and build up to were very satisfying.

I've often labeled it a noir myself, I think I mentioned it back when we did noir as a theme, and while there are other westerns that I would consider noir it never crossed my mind that this could be one of them.

High Noon





Okay.  I didn't really stretch myself, but I hadn't seen this in probably a decade and it was readily available on Netflix streaming.  

By most reasonable measures this is hit most lists of the ten best western movies ever.  And that's interesting...because it's a pretty atypical western.  This is very liberal film in a very conservative genre.  It takes aim right at the heart of McCarthyism.  And it's a pretty quiet western.  The fight between Gary Cooper and Lloyd Bridges and the climactic gun battle being the only real action scenes.  And it's a fairly small western.  It takes place entirely in the fictional town of Hadleyville and is confined to a Hollywood sound-stage.  None of the sweeping vistas of John Ford's Monument Valley scenes.  

But it works perfectly as a western.  Will Kane, the lone man standing up for right in the face of daunting odds.  Kane could have left, though he'd certainly be followed and hounded by Jack Miller.  But even though it may cost him his new bride, he can't run.  He's not capable as a person...and he knows the town will be at the mercy of Miller. 

To be fair...I'm not sure why Kane would care about this particular bride.  She's not remotely interesting.  I can't for the life of me figure out why he'd want Grace Kelly, cold and distant as Amy when Katy Furtado is available as the fiery and completely interesting Helen Ramirez.  And it's hard to imagine why he'd risk his life for the people of the town of Hadleyville who are prepared to let him be gunned down by Miller and his gang.  But that's the point.  Kane is a hero.  And the people of Hadleyville are sheep who will turn a blind eye to injustice.  

The cast is great, though not without issues.  Cooper is arguably a bit long in the tooth to play Kane.  Especially given he's five years older than Lon Chaney, Jr. who plays his aged mentor.  As has been intimated above, I'm not a big fan of Grace Kelly...but she's given very very little to do.  Katy Furtado, on the other hand is a spitfire.  It's nice to see Lloyd Bridges as something besides a nice guy.  Cameos of interest are Jack Elam as the drunk in the holding cell and Lee Van Cleef as one of Miller's gang.  It is Van Cleef's first film role and he has no lines...but he still has presence.  

This is very much a film of its time.  It means a lot more if you know about the blacklist and what was happening in Hollywood at the time.  Fred Zinneman and Stanley Kramer worked on a tight budget.  And it is both a very old-fashioned and at the same time a very progressive western.  Dimitri Tiomkin's score is excellent.  

Is it the greatest western ever.  No...I don't think so.  But it's one of the greatest.  And it is definitely one of the most important. 

Watched my first Western of the month, Sam Peckinpah's Wild Bunch, about a group of outlaws, some of whom are getting a bit old for outlawing.



And the world definitely seems to have outgrown outlaws. Set in 1913, well after you expect a Western film to be set, because the world had changed. Just wasn't a place for train robbers on horseback any more.

I read a 1969 review of the film by Roger Ebert. He called it the most violent film ever made. I wonder to what extent that was true. Being born in the '80s, it didn't strike me as particularly violent, though I perhaps wouldn't take kids to it.

But it struck me as a masterpiece of filmmaking, great cuts told the story and kept the pacing. Storywise, it reminds me a lot of what Unforgiven accomplished. I've always been fascinated by a western hero's (or outlaw's) last ride.