Summary

In the excerpt, Landscape in the Classic Hollywood Western, Stanley Solomon, a professor film studies at Iona College, N.Y. talks about the Western genre and its subgenres that have taken over the film industry. The Western genre is known mainly as a location that even has the ability to suggest a plot and characterization. In these films, the rural areas where the action takes place are generally lightly populated, except when cavalries converge on a tribe of outnumbered Indians. This lack of population makes sources of wealth few; such as banks and cattle ranches, therefore these people are prone to live by violence and grab up wealth through daring or force. Nevertheless the Sheriff always prevails over the outlaws and manages to survive on strength and character. The nature of western civilization tend to have a threat and counter threat, right and wrong are usually meant to be apparent and the issues it deals with are embedded in the cinematic qualities of the films. We are continually impressed by the laid-back downhearted, Western heroes played by John Wayne, Randolph Schott, Gary Cooper, and James Stewart. The western environment also suggests that women are very rarely in control of events, most action including raids, robberies, and shootings are taken up by men. The special behavior of the main character often influences our awareness of the characters history as a hero or villain, sometimes mystery is not implied yet we are still left speculating. Sometimes we are informed about the main character through biographical information or life in the present may be the only suitable needs for a plot. On the other hand it sometimes occurs where the hero's past must be known, yet the Western must keep the interest of the audience, therefore these films usually a change in ones self and they must confront their former self. Usually the relationship between the landscape and characterization are natural to the genre, for example primitive settlement such as the lonely ranch, or wilderness which includes the mesas and valleys. Throughout the dramatic conflict in Westerns, it may contain doubt of moral responsibility and guilt, yet is always clear of the good and bad characters. No filmmakers would want to affect the landscape of the westerns and therefore the most suitable kinds of conflict for those locations seem the have been fi