The Promotion of Masculinity in Western Films John Timko GENERAL EDUCATION Nominated by Dr
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The Ruth & Ted Braun Awards for Writing Excellence at Saginaw Valley State University The Promotion of Masculinity in Western Films John Timko GENERAL EDUCATION Nominated by Dr. Erik K. Trump Associate Professor of Political Science John has been a successful farmer and professional musician throughout his life. His musical career has earned him many honors and awards, and provid- ed him with the opportunity to play on the same stage with numerous stars, although he especially enjoys the challenge of songwriting. John has returned to school at SVSU to pursue his degree in music while studying additional for- mats such as jazz and classical. Western films have a long history of providing enter- Salesmen, bank clerks, and businessmen are portrayed as tainment. Their popularity can be explained by the pres- being weak, while a hard-working cowboy with a gun is ence of abundant action, the good versus evil theme with powerful and dominant. The movie City Slickers, an updat- which most people can identify, and heroes with values for ed and humorous western from 1991, provides many exam- viewers to emulate. However, in most westerns the heroes ples that show the potential of modern society to emascu- are male characters who exhibit strong masculine traits late men. In City Slickers, three men leave the city to find such as a reliance on action in place of verbal communica- themselves and their masculinity by going on a cattle drive tion, a lack of demonstrated feelings, and an attitude of in the west. Toward the end of the film the rancher Clay dominance toward women. In her book West of Everything: Stone tells the businessmen, “When you three first got The Inner Life of Westerns, Jane Tompkins argues that in here, you were as worthless as hen shit on a pump handle.” these ways western films promote masculinity at the Barry and Ira, owners of an ice cream company, are por- expense of women. The older western films discussed by trayed as weak businessmen who have also been emascu- Tompkins obviously promote masculine traits and show lated by modern society. The message is that men in mod- how modern society can emasculate men; newer westerns, ern society with regular jobs are useless and weak. Anne however, do the same, but disguise the promotion of mas- Butler says City Slickers is a film “to warn young American culinity better, making them even more influential. males that unless they literally plunged back into a nine- Westerns have been expressly created to encourage men teenth-century cattle drive and learned to be men, modern to hold on to their masculinity when it is threatened by society threatened to emasculate them” (66). Tompkins modern society. According to Tompkins, “The western agrees that the rationale for western films is to encourage owes its popularity and essential character to the domi- men to hang on to their masculinity, making manhood the nance of women’s culture in the nineteenth century and to ideal. She says, “It is not one ideal among many. It is the women’s invasion of the public sphere between 1800 and ideal, certainly the only one worth dying for. It doesn’t 1920” (44). In recent years, western films have warned matter whether a man is a sheriff or an outlaw, a rustler or men of the emasculating features of modern society. a rancher, a cattleman or a sheepherder, a miner or a gam- John Timko 3 bler. What matters is that he be a man. That is the only side marriage, as he did. Tompkins discusses this when she to be on” (18). writes, “the saloon girl’s breasts, her dress, her hair, her Westerns promote the maintenance of masculinity by voice if she is singing, her red lips, are all a reminder of showing cowboys as dominant characters who have many what the cowboy has for so long done without, and must skills and often live dangerously. In many scenes they may continue to renounce if he is to survive” (87). The movie not even speak, instead taking action to prove their domi- Open Range likewise portrays the weakness of female nance. Tompkins writes, “The Western man’s silence func- characters. The main female character in the entire film, tions as a script for behavior; it expresses and authorizes a Sue Barlow, seems strong, but her life is incomplete until a power relation that reaches into the furthest corners of man saves her from loneliness. Tompkins claims that domestic and social life. The impassivity of male silence women in westerns always play silly, less active parts. suggests the inadequacy of female verbalization, establish- “They may seem strong and resilient, fiery and resourceful es male superiority, and silences the one who would engage at first, but when push comes to shove, as it always does, in conversation” (59). In the film Red River (1948), they crumble” (61). Dunson is a stubborn cowboy who does things his way, no The physical context of western films also helps support matter what the price. He makes it clear that no one, espe- the masculinity of the male characters. For example, west- cially Tess Millay, will change his mind about killing erns show cowboys riding in vast, open spaces, while Matthew Garth. In this way, the man is shown as control- women are shown mostly inside houses or staying in town. ling his destiny, and the message to male viewers is to hang Tompkins says that “town always threatens to entrap the on to their masculinity by not letting women change their hero in the very things the genre most wishes to avoid: inti- minds or stand in their way. In City Slickers, Curly, a gen- macy, mutual dependence, a network of social and emo- uine cowboy, is a very dominant, masculine character. He tional responsibilities” (85). In City Slickers, the men have takes charge and lets his actions speak for themselves. to find an environment away from women with lots of Even the male characters from the city, while not as domi- space to roam in order to feel like men again. Only one nant as Curly, show how they are more influential and woman is part of the cattle drive, and she needs to be saved stronger than women. For example, Ed shows he is the one by men in order to survive her first day. In Open Range, in control of his relationship with his wife when he states, Charley is uncomfortable in town, while Sue never leaves “I’m gonna go home and I’m gonna get Kim pregnant.” town, even remaining there to wait for Charley to return to Other scenes from films like Red River and City Slickers her. The physical contexts in these films have similar qual- continually show the men’s power and decision-making. ities; they are vast, lonesome, quiet, dangerous, rugged, The female roles in western films assist in portraying and harsh. Often they are referred to as being no place for this dominance of masculinity. Female characters are a woman. shown as weaker as they beg men for companionship or Tompkins analyzes older western films only, but the need to be saved by male heroes. In Red River, when Matt influence of modern westerns may be just as great. These meets Tess in a hotel room, she speaks rapidly in an modern films disguise the promotion of masculinity more, attempt to warn him about Dunson. Matt, however, stays but that does not make their message any less influential. calm, acting as if nothing could worry him. Tess begs Matt Even if the message is not intentional and not recognized to stop her from her incessant talking by saying, “Stop me, by the viewer immediately, it can still influence attitudes Matt, stop me.” Tompkins claims this scene “gets to this and beliefs over the long run and therefore be very influen- point at the woman’s expense” (60). Likewise, City Slickers tial in our society. In the book Mass Politics: The Politics uses weaker female characters to make the men seem more of Popular Culture, Daniel M. Shea says that “the real powerful and dominant. For example, when Bonnie, the impact of popular culture, then, may not be the direct only woman on the cattle drive, is in trouble, Mitch tries to action it triggers but its power to shape attitudes and per- help her by talking to the cowboys who are bothering her. spectives over the long run” (4). Similarly, Murray Even though he fails, Bonnie tells him, “Listen, it took a lot Edelman points out that this power to shape attitudes may of courage to do what you did. Thank you.” Curly is shown not even be recognized by the viewer. In his book From Art as being even more masculine by using action instead of to Politics: How Artistic Creations Shape Political verbal communication to end Bonnie’s predicament. The Conceptions, he writes, “not all who share the sentiment topic of women is discussed regularly by Mitch, Ed and are acquainted with, or even aware of, the art that played a Phil, with frequent references to sex, which is one of the part in crystallizing their political role” (11). few reasons cowboys need women in western films. Even An example of the dominance of masculinity that may Curly tells Mitch about the number of women he has been not be as noticeable to many viewers can be seen in City with, but managed to avoid marrying. This sends a message Slickers. Mitch returns home from a tiresome adventure on to male viewers that in order to maintain masculinity, a a cattle drive, but still gets into the driver’s seat of his mini- man like Curly should date women, but stay away from van.