The film Rooster Cogburn bring the aspect of "other" in western film to the forefront. The film portrays a strong individual from the "other" category, a woman named Eula Goodnight. Eula represents the views and the changes taking place in tjhe 1970's. As the fil was shot in 1975, it expressed the chaning views in the roles of women, which easily could be seen by Eula's part in the story.
Although Eula is prodominantly a typical feminine character, she breaks the mold of a domestic housewife. She lives by religion and usually submits to Rooster's dominance. However she is very different than the usual western woman. She is educated, showed by when she helps Rooster with his records, and she is a very independant woman. She was raised independant and has a sorft of dominating personality as well. She comes along with Cogburn, leaving her home in search of her father's killer. This event is largely symbolic. Her leaving her home represents the movement of women in the 1970's doing just that, leaving home. Women realized their equal place during the time of the film and started branching out of the home to the oppertunities of the world. Women's equality is symbolized with Eula's wit. She learns how to survive traveling with men, and even learns to master a gun. She even kills a man in the film, showing she is just as capable of the things men do. She saves the life of Rooster showing her mettle and also the power of women. All in all, Eula's character is that of a powerful woman. She is a character that symbolizes the changing view of women, and also the drastic change in the lives of women in the yars to come.
Both High Noon and The Ballad of Little Jo, support Thompson's thesis that, "Westerns eaither push women out of the picturecompletely or assign them roles in which they exist only to serve the needs of men." (40). Such holds true in both films. The west is openly considered a "man's world" and women serve only as side-acts, and their input, actions, and thoughts are rarely ever considered or taken into account by men. Thompson believes most westerns subject women to almost worthless beings, beings only created to tend and serve the needs of the dominant males. This hold true for the most part, but the views towards women slowly start to change in these films.
ReplyDeleteThe Ballad of Little Jo supports this train of thought, but it debunks Thompson's statement that, "Westerns pay practically no attention to the women's experience." (41). In this film, the protagonist of the story (Jo) is a female and the entire story is about her experience of the west. However, the same themesdo apply. She was treated horribly by the men in the story, first by being outcasted by her family as she bore an illegitimate child. Once she hits the road, she is seen only as prey. She was labeled as suspicios and as a whore, and even was subject to being sold as a prositute. She was seen as something only for men's pleasure. Seeing this, she cut her face and disguised herself as a man to avoid turmoil. Percy also demostrates how inferior women are, when he slashes he face of a prositute, as if she wasn't even human. He defames women even more once he finds the letter from Jo's sister and calls her a whore, and finds it so insultin to be fooled by a female. The film also shows the inferiority of women during the big gun fight. The painfl expression on Jo's face when she shoots the two men show her sensitivity, which the film portrays as weakness. Although the film is about a woman, it shows the very negative view that exists about them.
High Noon paints a similar portrait, in that, in th film the woman, although still inferior, shows some aspects of power. Amy early on seems to be the typical mistreated woman. She is neglected by Will when she wishes to leave town with him, and he decides to stay and fight. The fact that he decides to stay alone while she leaves shows how little she is thought of. However, woman show some power towards the end of the film. Will's old lover Helen supports the cause, and des not fear the gun's she accuses Amy of. However, she scorns how the town acts as cowards and leaves the town with Amy. Then once she hears the guns, Amy chooses to reject her pacifist ways and go protect her husband, a move that is very rare in western. It begins to show the power of women, although slightly. Amy kills ben, but then is taken hostage by Frank. However, once she attacks Frank she gives a clear shot for Will to kill Frank, thus assisting in defeating the criminals. This is a rarity in western, althought very slightly, both films showcase the slowly changing views of women, who are portrayed to hold some worth.
Eula is a symbol herself. She sybolizes the outward movement of women in the 70's. During the time the film was made women left the house to seek a career and a new sense of purpose. Eula herself symbolizes the break in the mold by leaving her home and taking on a new life adventure.