In western films the alpha male cowboy is the hero, the main character and the focus in the film, the others are described as anyone other than the alpha male character for example woman. The films Johnny Guitar and Two Mules For Sister Sara are both shot during the decades of the advancement of female roles in society. Granted both films are shot about 15 years apart they both display a more modern, 'alpha' female role.
The western Johnny Guitar was filmed in 1954, right after World War II had ended during which woman had begun to participate in the workforce because there was a lack of manpower as a consequence of the high demand for men in the war. During this time woman began to be more respected and seen as substantial contributions society rather than just housewives. This film presents what I consider to be two strong female characters, Vienna and Emma. Vienna is a business owner in the town who has gained the respect not only of her male subordinates but of other men in the town. She also dresses like a man, has guns and her appearance is quite masculine, according to one of the men, he " has never seen a woman who was more man". She is a strong female because although she is harassed to leave the town she holds her ground and not only stays but insults those who pressure her. Emma, the second female who I believe to be an appropriate representation of an ' other', also has masculine features such as short hair and wears guns. Although the film represents a revision of ' others' in western, the advancing role of women in the fifties in still in its beginning stages therefore the director stays true to tradition and keeps the alpha male cowboy as the dominant character. Vienna shows her feminine ways when Johnny Guitar must save her, she cannot do this on her own - she needs the alpha male. According to Matheson and Tompkins a cowboy does not show their feelings because this is a feminine trait, In Johnny Guitar we see Emma's femininity emerge when she falls in love, separating her from the alpha male immediately. Although both woman are excellent examples of the emerging modern woman they are still kept distinct from certain traits of the alpha male cowboy.
The film Two Mules for Sister Sara was released in 1970, 16 years after Johnny Guitar. In the 70's the views and expectations of woman had changed even more drastically. Sara is the powerful female character in this film and during the film she pretends to be a nun when in reality she is a prostitute. She is able to deceive everyone, including Hogan. We also see her strength and courage because she saves Hogans life on many occasions, it is in these situations that we see her true revised female character emerge because she does not need the cowboy to save her- she saves him.
Both films show the development of the revisions of woman as 'others' but the fact that the films are from two different decades, 15 years apart, results in Sara being a more 'revised other' than Vienna and Emma. During the 70's the women's movement was in full force and they were producing more results that ever before, in 1972 the Equal Rights Movement (ERA) was passed granting women equal rights in America. Therefore society's view's and ideologies of women were much more flexible in the 70's than in the 50's because women were able to participate in so much more. The emergence of a regularly working, strong woman was surfacing and clouding the ancient role of women as mothers and housewives. It is due to the time era and these cultural influences that the role of a female in a western was revised over time and a strong, 'alpha' female was able to emerge.
In western films the alpha male cowboy is the hero, the main character and the focus in the film, the others are described as anyone other than the alpha male character for example woman. The films Johnny Guitar and Two Mules For Sister Sara are both shot during the decades of the advancement of female roles in society.
ReplyDeleteThe western Johnny Guitar was filmed in 1954. Vienna is a business owner in the town who has gained the respect not only of her male subordinates but of other men in the town. She also dresses like a man, has guns and her appearance is quite masculine, according to one of the men, they “have never seen a woman who was more man". She is a strong female because although she is harassed to leave the town she holds her ground and not only stays but insults those who pressure her. Emma's femininity emerges when she falls in love, separating her from the alpha male immediately.
Johnny Guitar was filmed after women begun to participate in the workforce because there was a lack of manpower as a consequence of the high demand for men in the war. During this time woman began to be more respected and seen as substantial contributions to society rather than just housewives. The Civil Rights movement as well as the equal pay act had not yet been passed. During the fifties women were still seen as housewives and caretakers but a great portion of women supported the women’s movement in order to improve their stance in society. Due to Johnny Guitar technically remaining the alpha male the movie is name after him. Vienna shows her feminine ways when Johnny Guitar must save her, she cannot do this on her own - she ultimately needs the alpha male. According to Matheson and Tompkins a cowboy does not show their feelings because this is a feminine trait.
Two Mules for Sister Sara was filmed in 1970, it presents a prostitute, Sara who pretends to be a nun in order to protect herself. It is clear that Sara is the primary female character as the film is named after her. Sara shows her intelligence not only in her deception on everyone but she is the strategist in the film. By deceiving other in the film Sara protects herself from disrespect and rape. Sara also takes part in typically male leisure such as drinking whiskey and smoking cigars. We also see her strength and courage because she saves Hogans life on many occasions, it is in these situations that we see her true revised female character emerge because she does not need the cowboy to save her- she saves him.
The film Two Mules for Sister Sara was filmed 16 years after Johnny Guitar. In the 70's the views and expectations of woman had changed even more drastically. The seventies were after the equal pay act and the civil rights act was passed. These two acts required that persons were not discriminated against based on such categories such as gender and race while the equal pay act required that women were paid equally to men in similar positions. Society was now beginning to feel the impact of these two movements and the decades of hard work that persons had put into improving the lives of ‘others.’
Both films show the development of the revisions of woman as 'others' but the fact that the films are from two different decades, 15 years apart, results in Sara being a more 'revised other' than Vienna and Emma. During the 70's the women's movement was in full force and they were producing more results that ever before, in 1972 the Equal Rights Movement (ERA) was passed granting women equal rights in America. Therefore society's view's and ideologies of women were much more flexible in the 70's than in the 50's because women were able to participate in so much more. The emergence of a regularly working, strong woman was surfacing and clouding the ancient role of women as mothers and housewives. It is due to the time era and these cultural influences that the role of a female in a western was revised over time and a strong, 'alpha' female was able to emerge.