Johnny Guitar/Two Mules for Sister Sara

The films, Johnny Guitar and Two Mules for Sister Sara, are more modern western films that depict women in more dominant roles. Thus, women in these films are classified as "others"
because of their lack of ability to fill the role of the alpha male cowboy, but considering their dominance in the films they too deserve a classification of their own. During World War II, women worked in the labor force which was traditionally reserved for men. After the war ended, women were removed from the force to make room for men again. Therefore, women began to be unhappy with their "traditional" roles of staying at home to be a caretaker. Women then began to emerge in society as a more vocal, dominant and powerful group. These two films cleary reflect these changes in society.

In the film Johnny Guitar, there are two women who dominate most of the film. Vienna and Emma, are two very powerful and vocal women that clearly reflect the image for a worker during World War II. At times they are dominant over the males that surround them. For example Emma, when a large group of men had ignored her opinion, had no problem yelling at all of them and questioning their manhood. Vienna, also has an enormous amount of control over every aspect of her life. She is extremely defensive, especially when men try to impead on her ability to have the dominant role. In the beginning of the film, there is a stand off between two groups of men. Vienna refuses to back down throughout the standoff, and threatens violence a number of times. The two women try to destroy eachother at the end, almost as if they were cowboys themselves taking care of their own problems.

The Clint Eastwood film, Two Mules for Sister Sara, brings back a dominant male role back into the picture while encorporating a dominant female character as well. The alpha male cowboy, Hogan, tries to be there hero and views Sara as a weak and vulnerable target for harm. Therefor he tries to micromanage her as if she constantly needs to be protected or saved from danger. Sara, however, posses a power that Hogan initially does not see. Sara is brave, vocal, and not as pure as she seems to be even though she is a nun. She drinks, swears, and smokes and eventually proves to be in love with Hogan at the end of the film. Sara also saves Hogans life a number of times, and Hogan saves hers. The film clearly depicts the battling roles for dominance in men and womens lives.