The film The Day of the Outlaw was shot in 1959 which is around the time when women's rights were well fought for issue. The Equal Pay Act and Civil Rights Act were not passed until the mid 1960's therefore women were not treated as equals. At this time women worked the same jobs as men but were paid less than them. This film depicts the attitudes of society at the time because women were beginning to gain greater rights and being taken more seriously but they hadn't gained full independence yet.
In the film The Day of the Outlaw women are presented according to the events of that time. Women appeared to be equal to men because the women's movement was in place but in reality they had not obtained true equality. The women were presented as mere 'toys' that were implemented to be pleasures for the men of the film for instance Bruhn makes the women gather in a room and forces them to dance with the members of his gang. This dancing scene evokes the true helplessness of the women. It is not until the alpha male cowboy, Blaise, takes the women away from the town that they are truly safe. Although women were more respected in this time, the film presents unfair, unequal treatment of the women than many other films of that time and previous decades. In the film Bruhn assures the men of the town that the women will not be harmed unless he instructs his men to do so. This proves that the women were ultimately objects, not people. When Tex and Pace want to have relations with women they must be granted permission by Bruhn. This shows that the women are being held on a higher pedestal but are not totally free because they are under the rule of Bruhn. These women are much more typical females in a Western because they are helpless and need the alpha male to save them.
Females were beginning their journey to equality and greater respect, they had not yet made a dent in the issues they were facing. The film depicts this by showing the respect for women and the higher regard they were beginning to be held in. Although women were creating a brighter future for themselves, the belittling mindset of the outlaws that objectified women mirrors society's objetcion of women's rights and their right to equality.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe Day of the Outlaw was filmed in 1959 and exhibited the revisionist female who was still being oppressed by society.
ReplyDeleteHelen plays the leading female role who once had a relationship with the alpha male Blaise. As the film progresses we learn that Blaise wishes to rekindle the love he once had with Helen but she refuses and wishes to stay married to Mr. Crane, forever. Although Helen stands up to Blaise she hides behind her marriage in order to do so.
In the film Bruhn assures the men of the town that the women will not be harmed unless he instructs his men to do so. This proves that the women were ultimately objects, not people. When Tex and Pace want to have relations with women they must be granted permission by Bruhn. This shows that the women are being held on a higher pedestal but are not totally free because they are under the rule of Bruhn. The women were presented as mere 'toys' that were implemented to be pleasures for the men of the film for instance Bruhn makes the women gather in a room and forces them to dance with the members of his gang. This dancing scene evokes the true helplessness of the women. It is not until the alpha male cowboy, Blaise, takes the women away from the town that they are truly safe.
Westerns represent the cultural events at the time that they are made. Women appeared to be equal to men because the women's movement was in place but in reality they had not obtained true equality as yet.
This film presents women quite differently from other films made in this time. It is as if it represents ‘one step forward, two steps back’ concerning the female character in a western. Regardless of the lengths that women had come, some women were still content being treated as the housewife and mother. Although the women were respected by the men of the town, they were still regarded as sexual objects by Bruhn and his men. These women are much more typical females in a Western because they are helpless and need the alpha male.
The film The Day of the Outlaw was shot in 1959 about five years prior to the passing of The Equal Pay Act and Civil Rights Act. At this time women worked the same jobs as men but were paid less than them. This film depicts the attitudes of society at the time because women were beginning to gain greater rights and being taken more seriously but they hadn't gained full independence yet.