Since Hollywood is located in California, it is no surprise that the Western genre is successful in cinema. After all, cowboys are part of its history. Thus, the genre’s peak occurred mainly between the 1930s and 1960s, with peaks during Hollywood’s Golden Age in the 1950s.

Over time, Westerns became the target of criticism because the older films reflected the racist and complex narrative that marked the country’s territorial expansion and helped shape cultural identity, as well as a “romantic” view of American history, especially the idea of ​​the “frontier” and the “Wild West”. The Indians and Mexicans who were expelled were the usual villains and the striking and real violence of the real gold rush was minimized.

1930s – 1940s: Consolidation

The Western genre arrived in theaters along with the first silent films, but with sound and technological advances in the 1930s, it became one of the greatest sources of entertainment for the American public, especially during the Great Depression. Studios such as Warner Bros., Paramount, and MGM produced many Western films, often with simple plots and focused on adventure.

During this period, names such as John Wayne, Gary Cooper, and James Stewart began to stand out as heroes of the genre, representing the upright, solitary, and courageous American “cowboy”. Films such as Stagecoach, from 1939, directed by John Ford, are landmarks of this era, not only for their popularity but for their impact on the aesthetics and narrative treatment of the genre.

1950s – 1960s: The Golden Age

The 1950s and 1960s marked the heyday of the Western, with a massive production of films and TV series. This period was dominated by directors such as John Ford, Howard Hawks, and Anthony Mann, as well as the prolific performances of stars such as Clint Eastwood, James Stewart, and Henry Fonda.

Interestingly, the greatest classic of all, Sergio Leone‘s Once Upon a Time in the West, was filmed in Italy in 1968. Others consider the greatest of all to be Shane, with Alan Ladd and directed by George Stevens, in 1953. We cannot forget the tense High Noon, with Gary Cooper (and a young Grace Kelly), from 1952, or even The Magnificent Seven, from 1960, with Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Corbun, Robert Vaughn, Eli Wallach and Charles Bronson, which was the English-language remake of Akira Kurosawa‘s Seven Samurai.

These works helped define the pillars of the genre, with an emphasis on ambiguous heroes and complex moral dilemmas. Leone also made Eastwood the symbol of the modern cowboy in three films: A Fistful of Dollars, from 1962, For A Few Dollars More, from 1965, and, most notably, the brilliant The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, from 1966.

At this point, TV also embarked on the genre with (now problematic) series such as Bonanza, bringing the West into the homes of millions of people.

The Decline of the Western

With the arrival of the 1970s, social and cultural changes relegated the West to the realm of tacky and less interesting, marking the decline of the West.

Several factors contributed to this decline in popularity, such as the civil rights movement, resistance to the Vietnam War, and a growing criticism of violence and war. The western came to be seen as a glorification of violent territorial expansion and colonialism, which is why it was both outdated and problematic.

Furthermore, with its messages of heroism and moral simplicity, it began to lose relevance at a time when audiences were increasingly interested in more complex stories with a critical view of society. This was the era of more realistic films and the rise of the crime and thriller genres, as well as the beginning of a new wave of science fiction films and urban dramas.

However, there are great films from this period that are considered to be of great transformation for the genre and the rise of revisionist Westerns, films that subverted the classic conventions of the genre, challenging notions of heroism, morality, and the mythology of the Old West, often portraying more complex characters and exploring social and political issues.

These include Little Big Man (1975), with Dustin Hoffmann and Faye Dunaway; A Man Called Horse (1970), with Richard Harris; Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, from 1973, with Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan, and Jeremiah Johnson, from 1972, with Robert Redford, among others.

The Revival of the Western

The revival of the western, especially in its most modern form, can be seen from the 1990s onwards. This process occurred in two main ways: the reinterpretation and updating of the genre by new filmmakers and the response to the public’s cultural nostalgia for themes of adventure, morality, and American identity.

The great classic of this new phase was Clint Eastwood’s still-perfect The Unforgiven, widely considered the film that “revitalized” the modern Western in 1992. Eastwood, an icon of the genre, created a more mature and introspective work that subverted the stereotypes of the traditional hero and addressed issues such as violence and morality more darkly and realistically. This film was a response to the saturation of the genre and the fatigue with Western clichés. It not only stood out for its more reflective treatment of the genre but also received critical acclaim and won awards, including the Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture.

Two years before Unforgiven, Dances with Wolves solidified Kevin Costner‘s star power and also won Academy Awards, but while Tombstone was a hit, Wyatt Earp and The Quick and the Dead were not as well received.

In the 2000s, directors like Quentin Tarantino (with Django Unchained, from 2012) and Jim Jarmusch (with The Dead Don’t Die, from 2019) brought a new energy to the genre, often mixing westerns with other genres (such as action, comedy or even horror). My favorite from that time is the remake of 3:10 to Yuma, by James Mangold, with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, but the beautiful The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, with Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, from 2007, brings a more philosophical narrative and is spectacular. All of these films are examples of how the genre has been adapted to reflect more contemporary and complex themes.

The Coen brothers have produced two excellent westerns in the past decade: No Country for Old Men, which addresses themes of violence and morality more somberly and philosophically, creating a “modern western” that recaptured the tension and moral dilemmas of the genre without losing its social critique, and the 2010 remake of True Grit, which offers a more sober and realistic view of the western. Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain could never be left out of a list.

Currently, the western has also been reinterpreted by directors who have explored themes of racism and social justice, portraying the American West in a more critical manner, such as the Netflix series American Primeval or The English.

In other words, more than a film genre, the Western is a reflection of American cultural identity itself and the transformations that society has undergone. Its rebirth in modern productions that redefine themes and characters continues to inspire and challenge fans. Today, it not only revisits the past but also sheds light on contemporary issues, showing that, despite its historical setbacks, it still has room to expand its boundaries and captivate new audiences. What is your favorite Western?

Pesquisar

Pesquisar