Westerns in a changing America, 1955-2000 / by R. Philip Loy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Loy, R. Philip, 1940-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Western films--United States--History and criticism.

Western films.

United States.

Physical Description:

viii, 320 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, [2004]

Summary:

For many, the Westerns of 1930 to 1955 were a defining part of American culture. Those Westerns were one of the vehicles by which viewers learned the values and norms of a wide range of social relationships and behavior. By 1955, however, Westerns began to include more controversial themes: cowardly citizens, emotionally deranged characters, graphic violence, marital infidelity, racial prejudice, and rape, among other issues. Images of cowboys, outlaws, lawmen, American Indians and women changed in Westerns as the viewers were offered new understanding of the frontier experience. This critical study examines the manner in which Westerns reflected the substantial social, economic and political changes that shaped American culture in the latter half of the twentieth century.

Contents:

Randolph Scott and Audie Murphy in changing times

The descent of the hero

Westerns of the new frontier

Sam Peckinpah in the 1960s

Clint Eastwood : "man with no name"

John Wayne : "the American"

Nobody gets to be a cowboy forever

Jesse James and Billy the Kid : outlaws or populist heroes

"Never mind Wyatt, it happened that way"

Indians are human beings

Hard-ridin' woman with a whip.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 307-310) and index.

ISBN:

0786418710

OCLC:

55018695