In the times of the 50’s, the women’s movement was beginning to bubble – following their participation in the workforce during WWII. In 1970, the women’s movement was in full stride, and making serious progress. The two films set during these periods show the changing emotions and attitudes towards women by the way the female characters are portrayed. The women’s role as an “other” in respect to the alpha male cowboy was changing and showing development. The role of the “other” evolves in these films, to be more closely tied with the alpha in many ways.
In Johnny Guitar (1954), Vienna and Emma are two of the main characters, around whom the plot centers. Vienna is a strong individual who owns her own business. She has men working under her who respect her, and almost all the men in the town fear her (for the female power she has achieved). She dresses like a man, has hair like a man, and is strapped with guns. According to one of the men, “never seen a woman who was more man”. She stands her ground when the group of townspeople give her 24 hours to get out of town. She responds to every insult in kind. Vienna also knows how to use her body to influence men and get what she wants – which is how she was able to build her own saloon. Emma, her enemy, is also a strong female character – with short hair, guns, and anger. In these ways Johnny Guitar revises the view of the “other”, but in others it keeps men in the dominant position. Vienna must rely on men to save her – such as when Johnny saves her from being hanged. As well as falling in love. Emma is completely ruled by her emotions (a very feminine characteristic), which just happen to be anger. Still, they both mimic many qualities of the alpha
In Two Mules for Sister Sara, Sara is also a very strong female figure that almost redefines the position of the “other” to the alpha male. First off, she is able to fool Hogan into thinking she is a nun, when in reality she is a prostitute. She is smart enough to use this disguise to help her survive. Sara is the one who makes the attack on the French possible, with her knowledge of the layout of the fort and habits of the soldiers. Also, she shows courage all throughout the film, even saving Hogan’s life on more than one occasion. Instead of needing the alpha and being dependent, it is more of an equal relationship between the two. In some ways it is clear he is in a higher position (such as the horse vs. the mule), but they both save each other’s lives in the movie.
Both films help to revise the view of the “other” and the necessity they have to the story line. Two Mules, being made almost twenty years later, is a bit more free to demonstrate it. But all of the women listed above broke out of the stereotypical mold for women in westerns – religious, weak, dependent, peaceful. They are strong characters that represent the strength that women had during the 50’s and 70’s as they fought for equality.
In the times of the 50’s, the women’s movement was beginning to bubble – following their participation in the workforce during WWII. In 1970, the women’s movement was in full stride, and making serious progress. The two films set during these periods show the changing emotions and attitudes towards women by the way the female characters are portrayed. The women’s role as an “other” in respect to the alpha male cowboy was changing and showing development. The role of the “other” evolves in these films, to be more closely tied with the alpha in many ways.
ReplyDeleteIn Johnny Guitar (1954), Vienna and Emma are two of the main characters, around whom the plot centers. Vienna is a strong individual who owns her own business. She has men working under her who respect her, and almost all the men in the town fear her (for the female power she has achieved). She dresses like a man, has hair like a man, and is strapped with guns. According to one of the men, “never seen a woman who was more man”. She stands her ground when the group of townspeople give her twenty-four hours to get out of town. She responds to every insult in kind. Vienna also knows how to use her body to influence men and get what she wants – which is how she was able to build her own saloon. Emma, her enemy, is also a strong female character – with short hair, guns, and anger. In these ways Johnny Guitar revises the view of the “other”, but in others it keeps men in the dominant position. Vienna must rely on men to save her – such as when Johnny saves her from being hanged. As well as falling in love. Emma is completely ruled by her emotions (a very feminine characteristic), which just happen to be anger. Still, they both mimic many qualities of the alpha
In Two Mules for Sister Sara, Sara is also a very strong female figure that redefines the position of the “other” to the alpha male. First off, she is able to fool Hogan into thinking she is a nun, when in reality she is a prostitute. Both of these professions keep her from under the rule of men, free to make her own decisions. Also, she is extremely intelligent. Sara is the one who makes the attack on the French possible, with her knowledge of the layout of the fort and habits of the soldiers. She shows courage all throughout the film, even saving Hogan’s life on more than one occasion. Instead of needing the alpha and being dependent, it is more of an equal relationship between the two. In some ways it is clear he is in a higher position (such as the horse vs. the mule), but Sara is the strategist of the entire film.
Both films help to revise the view of the “other” and the necessity they have to the story line. Two Mules, being made almost twenty years later, is a bit more free to demonstrate it. But all of the women listed above broke out of the stereotypical mold for women in westerns – religious, weak, dependent, peaceful. They are strong characters that represent the strength that women had during the 50’s and 70’s as they fought for equality.