The Impact of Western Films on American Culture

The way in which society chooses to act comes from many influences that we are exposed to in our everyday lives.  One such source of influence is that of the films that many people view.  They have the ability to shape our belief systems, alter our interactions with others, and, generally, influence the way in which we live our lives.  From this offshoot, one can clearly see how the western film genre has played an influential role in the way in which American culture has acted since the genre gained popularity within American society.  The individuals that have viewed films within this genre have been exposed to many things that have re-shaped and molded their own core belief and action systems from that which has been depicted within the films.  Through the characters and their development, the set of cultural norms, the plot structure, and the historical account, be it true or elaborated, viewers of films from this genre have been subjected to a change in their own ideology that, over time, have had a lasting effect upon American culture as a whole.

Within memorable films, it is not an uncommon phenomenon for viewers to attempt to emulate the aspects of the characters that they have identified the most with or those that they would aspire to become more like.  For the western film, this is especially true, as many films within the genre have characters that display some of the most prominent and desirable traits for a person to possibly emulate.  The western genre often will include a hero that is forced to fight an entire group of antagonists but is able to hold to their own rigorous code of morals and honor throughout the film.  Such is the case for the film Tombstone.  In this film, Kurt Russell’s depiction of Wyatt Earp shows a man who takes on a criminal group known as ‘the cowboys’ who were the first example of organized crime in the usually lawless western frontier (Cosmatos & Jarre).  Wyatt Earp confronts and brings down the group with the help of his companions, including Val Kilmer who plays Doc Holiday, while still continually proving to the viewers that his moral and social ideology remain intact.  Earp will not hesitate to gun down a threat to his own life or that of the lives of those he cares about, but he refuses to kill someone who is either unarmed or has not left him with no other option.  What this demonstrates in one of the core values that a western film hero has: the ability to do what is necessary to protect those that he or she cares about but still maintaining their own personal honor and integrity (Etulain).  Ideology such as this can be applicable to all the viewers of such films be it adult or child, however children are especially susceptible to the character’s actions and development in their own socialization.

Many of the values from the character’s depictions and actions have played a large influence on the way in which a child develops and gains their own set of principles to live by.  This socialization can be directly tied to the actions that are depicted within western films, and have played a large role in the lives of many American children since the genre became popular, particularly within the 1950’s and 1960’s.  Children were taught such notions as the payoff of hard work and committing to one’s goals, the general concept of individuals being decent and honest when prompted by the right form of leadership, the notion that crime never pays, and that the only way to deal with those that are either corrupt or dishonest is through direct action (Loy, pg. 6).  By adopting these sorts of values, the children that have spent a great deal of time viewing western films have gained a baseline appreciation and understanding for these values and have integrated them within their own personal value systems (Jensen).  By doing this, those individuals have all taken on a similar set of values and ideas and have grown up together in such a way that those particular set of characteristics have been identified with what is the appropriate way for an individual to act and emulate.           

Particularly within western films, there has been a sort of identification and depiction of masculinity from the ‘cowboy.’  This so-called, “cult of the masculine” is defined as the “development from the he-man mentality of some late-nineteenth-century exponents of militarism, imperialism, and the survival of the fittest,” (Savage, pg. 96).  The protagonists of such films were usually the epitome of this notion of manliness.  Actors such as Clint Eastwood or John Wayne helped to build this notion even further with some of their films.  In the films, the protagonist, almost exclusively a man, would appear always in control and dominant within a situation with his aura of power and authority.  These characters would not have to speak much, as they would let their pistol do more talking than their character could ever do and were sometimes not even given a name for the audience to identify the character with.  Through their dashing looks, authoritative demeanor, and skills with combative means, these characters formed an image of what every man should be: an individual that lets his actions speak louder than his words and will be able to handle whatever trouble should cross their path.  It is through the actions of characters that are driven in this way that western films expose their viewers to another influence, which is the set of cultural and societal norms within the films.

Western films not only expose individuals to the way in which the characters interact with the world through their personal traits of dialogue patterns, survival skills, and interactions with others, but they also have a direct influence on the way that viewers will believe what is acceptable within society and what is not.  These cultural and societal norms that are expressed by western films are not always the best for modern society and can actually lead to negative impacts if they are not carefully adhered to and examined thoroughly before their implementation into an individual’s own life (Schwarz).  Such concepts that women are inherently weaker than men and need their protection or that Native Americans are nothing more than bloodthirsty savages are some of the more negative ideologies that can be taken away from western films that must be checked and discouraged from audiences to take away from the genre.  Through such actions as the hero constantly having to save the female love interesting, viewers could adopt the notion that all females are helpless and in need of male aid, when the truth of the matter can be quite the opposite in reality.  The same concept holds true for Native Americans.  Many western films depict this group as savages that are unintelligent and bloodthirsty, whose only real desire is to eradicate any person that crosses their path with poor, guttural dialogue (Rollins, pg. 12).  These negative stereotypes have a direct correlation to the building of racism and bigotry against a group of people and must be given a large effort to be removed from one’s values that are obtained through the viewing of such films.  

The negative set of values that are demonstrated through western films are not always done so directly, but other times they are explicitly stated in such a way that the audience can see that the film is actually mocking the negative stereotype such as within the film Django Unchained.  In this film, the protagonist Django, portrayed by actor Jaime Foxx, is a freed slave during the time before the American Civil War.  A factual gripping account of a freed slave is made by Paul Laurence Dunbar. The film goes on to show the terrible conditions that slaves were subjected to in this time period, going so far as to make the largest men physically fight each other to the death (Tarantino).  The film’s over the top use of blatant racism and racial slurs actually serves the example of making the audience see how absurd these notions are and gives an almost uncomfortable feel to the film by the use of such slurs casually by the actors.  Displaying the characteristics of manliness that western protagonists do, Django goes upon a quest for revenge and to reunite himself with his wife who has been sold to a rich plantation owner, which shows the concept again of the inability of women to handle danger and take care of themselves (Tarantino).  Though the film’s sexist undertones are left relatively unchecked, the more glaring example of the absurdity of racism is fully addressed by the film and is one of the major themes that Django Unchained deals with.  Films such as this also follow a relatively simple plot formula for attracting the audience’s attention and unfolding a story in a very entertaining way, which has led to the genre holding popularity for such a long time.

Western films have relatively predictable plot lines but are still some of the most enjoyable films to view because of the way in which the stories unfold.  Protagonists are constantly put into situations of impossible odds and through their determination and strength of will are able to emerge from a situation that most would have perished in.  A group or single antagonist who has put the hero through a horrible or rigorous set of challenges to overcome usually perpetuates these situations.  It is not uncommon for the hero to have suffered a tragic loss in their past such as the murder of a spouse or family member by the villains, which prompts the hero to seek out vengeance and retribution for the villains past crimes.  Because the old west was relatively lawless, it is up to the hero to enact justice upon these villains themselves, especially considering that most villains are too powerful for the common man to openly challenge in combat.  To overcome these obstacles, the hero must embark upon a journey to not only find the villains that they seek but to be prepared to meet them in open combat.  The villains usually consist of a group that is made up of several individuals.  There are several ‘cannon fodder’ villains that are easily dispatched and may leave their mark upon the film for their brutality or simplistic one-liners.  There are the mercenary villains that serve as the hired muscle that the hero must defeat in combat to prove his worth.  And then, there are the major villains that are extremely well trained in combat and are the largest obstacle for the hero to overcome in his journey.  Though the viewer totally expects the hero to emerge as victorious, the films can have interesting, unexpected plot twists as the hero reaches their goal, which makes the different films both unique and enjoyable to watch even though they are on the same overarching plot line.  

One of the last major influences upon American culture that western films have had comes in the form of the way in which films of the genre have depicted history.  It is not uncommon for the films in this genre to state that they are based upon real events.  The characters in the films that are shown have actually existed or the historical events that were unfolding during the time the films were set in actually occurred.  However, the major issue to take note of is the level of elaboration and exaggeration that the films take when telling of the actual historical events.  Recall the movie Tombstone.  In this film, the major characters such as Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, Curly Bill, or Ringo actually existed and are accounted for in history.  The nature of the deeds that they carried out within the film may have been a bit of an exaggeration.  The iconic scene in which Wyatt Earp defiantly marched out among gun fire and openly challenged Curly Bill to single combat and subsequently gunned him down most likely did not occur in such a dramatic fashion, even though Earp is credited with the act of gunning down Curly Bill in real life (Cosmatos & Jarre).  What is shown in an instance such as this is the notion that the magic of cinema is translated even to what can be considered a historical telling of actions.  It is important for audiences to remember this so that they do not feel that the characters within western films are not too superhuman-esque.  Of course, sometimes the parts of the films that seems the most over the top and absurd is not that far from the truth.

Though the actions and depictions of some western films seem over the top, the truth of the matter is not that far off.  Such is the case for the blatant and casual use of racism and racial slurs within Django Unchained.  The movie’s cast constantly uses slurs and generally treats African Americans like objects instead of people, which may lead the audience to the concept that the film is simply done in the manner of a usual Quinton Tarantino film, over the top.  What is more absurd still, is that this is not the case.  The blatant form of racism that was expressed within the film was totally normal and acceptable in the United States at the time and would not have been uncommon to find in most plantations such as those depicted within the film.  It is honestly sad to realize that this was the state in which the nation found itself in during the events of the story of Django, but, as previously stated, Tarantino bombards the audience with the blatant racism to prove a point about the absurdity of such feelings.  

The way in which western films have left a lasting effect upon American culture comes not from one facet but from multiple aspects of the genre.  The lasting image of the hero riding into the sunset may always remind us of the importance and general feel that western films had about them, but the way in which they have shaped our culture runs much deeper than that.  Being creatures of habit and imitation, the viewers of western films have continually tried to emulate the most heroic of traits that are depicted from western films and their characters.  The concepts of a hard-working mentality, bravery, honesty, and the determination to accomplish one’s goals have all been thrust upon society in part from the viewing of western films.  The lasting effects go even deeper than just the emulation of character actions and mentalities, however.  The films have furthered the ideas of many cultural norms, be it in a positive or negative aspect.  

Viewers of western films have been known to identify with the way that characters, and the films’ societies as wholes, have interacted with each other.  The concepts can be positives, such as that the majority of people are honest and good natured and need only a strong leader to achieve their goals, or they can be negative such as women are constantly weaker and in need of assistance from male counter parts in order to survive.  Through the viewing of western films, individuals must weigh these sorts of acceptable cultural norms and remember that the films are depictions of a time long past and are not always applicable to modern times.  In addition, is important for individuals to remember that like many stories told in cinema, the events of western films are largely fictional.  Even if they are based upon real events, movies are made to entertain audiences and very well could be exaggerated in order to be the most effective at telling the story in an entertaining fashion.  It is best, therefore, for an individual to view a western film and remember that the core values that the protagonist will depict are usually admirable and are all right to attempt to emulate within their own life if the viewer identifies with the character of the film.  

Western films have played such a large role within American culture because they have had the continual power to influence society based upon many aspects of the films’ depictions and this will only continue as more and more of the general population continues to view western films.  The dramatic boost the genre had in popularity during the baby boomers’ childhoods will have one of the largest lasting effects as that particular generation is so large and will pass on many of the values that they acquired from western films to their children who could subsequently pass them on to theirs.  These films will continue to entertain and influence our everyday lives and should be embraced for what they are.  The films tell a good story about a protagonist that overcomes all of the obstacles in their way in achieving their goal.  If nothing else, this notion of persistence can be used as a continual source of influence on American culture.                                    

Works Cited

Cosmatos, George P., dir. Tombstone. Dir. Jarre Kevin, and . Buena Vista Pictures, 1993.

Etulain, Richard W. "Meeting Places, Intersections, Crossroads, And Borders: Toward A Complex Western Cultural History." Historian 66.3 (2004): 509-516. Academic Search Complete.

Jensen, Kelly. "“Back in My Day, Son”: Dialogical Constructions of The Cowboy Code of Justice." Journal of Popular Culture 42.1 (2009): 90-102. Academic Search Complete.

Loy, Phillip R. Westerns and American Culture: 1930-1955. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc, 2001.

Rollins, Peter. Hollywood's Indian: The Portrayal of the Native American in Film. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 1998.

Savage, William W. The Cowboy Hero: His Image in American History and Culture. The University of Oklahoma Press, 1979.

Schwarz, Maureen Trudelle. "Collective Guilt, Conservation, and Other Postmodern Messages in Contemporary Westerns: "Last of the Dogmen" and "Grey Owl." American Indian Culture & Research Journal 26.1 (2002): 83-105. Academic Search Complete.

Tarantino, Quentin, dir. Django Unchained. The Weinstein Company, 2012.