Classical Westerns - their message?

[xbacksideslider]

http://www.lewrockwell.com/lewrockwell- ... e-cowboys/

Link to a podcast.

Discusses classical westerns from the 30s, 40s, and 50s, such as Stagecoach, High Noon, Winchester '73, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, and others.

After hearing this podcast, I bought the author McMaken's book; it opened my eyes about the lessons that, in my youth, I absorbed from those great old movies.

[jhwalker]

Good stuff. I will check it out.

[jhwalker]

I can't decide what I think about this guy. Maybe a steel cage match would help. I generally don't agree with his exegesis, even tho I always enjoy someone with a different point of view.

[Brakelate]

What I come away from all this with is that you get out of it what you put into it. Or better yet, one's own personal feelings will dictate how you perceive characters, politics, world events, movies etc.

I think he is just going for shock value in attacking a traditional treasure of the U S of A. Similar to most conspiracy theorists, who probably don't truly believe their own banter, but rather really seem to enjoy just stirring the pot and watching the ensuing melee.

Quite simply, these simple stories [movies] can be twisted in any fashion one desires, where one can come away with any preconceived hidden agenda, message or subversive intent that was never even considered in the making of the tale. Same can be said about any writings that are the supposed backbone of any given religion. Look at all the various ways the Bible, the Koran or what have you have been interpreted over the years.

So, we must treat this guy as tradition has taught us;

I find the guy's interpretation disturbing, and clearly in conflict with my own personal beliefs. Therefore he must be absolutely wrong! We must treat him with extreme prejudice and hunted from this earth!!!

[jhwalker]

He needs a whoopin.

[Brakelate]

I am curious as to what 'Slider came away with. He says it "opened his eyes", but I am not clear on what that means.

[xbacksideslider]

After reading the book, I'm sold on his thesis - many Westerns from the classical era, the late 30's through the 50's, were products of their age.

During the Depression and on through the Cold War, for our country's cultural elites, the federal government was THE answer for every problem. After all, "FDR got us out of the Great Depression," and the United States "won the war," and then the United States had to "defend the free world" during the Cold War. Statism ruled.

So, send the cavalry to the rescue! And meanwhile, "small minded entrepreneurs/Republicans selfishly" opposed the great lord and savior FDR and generally were isolationist and even may have kept us out of WWII. Think Gary Cooper and "High Noon" emblematic of the state fighting for the good over the obstructions of shop keepers.

[Brakelate]

Oh just be like the rest of us sheep and accept it for what it was. A good, simple story.

[jhwalker]

Oh just be like the rest of us sheep and accept it for what it was. A good, simple story.

I should read the entire book but I tend to see it more as the townies and big ranchers both being the establishment -- and since there was no real government, they were the government. The thought that a single person becomes representative of the government -- leaves me scratching my head.

I have not yet drunk de blanco tonight, so I interrupt this blather to go comment on the basketball game. What the hell is going on in that game?