A singular movie among John Ford’s work, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance showcases the American West and questions narratives about heroes, politics, and America itself.Homework for next episode will be to watch Howard Hawks’ El Dorado.
This next group of Westerns, from the 1960-1990 time period, starts with a perhaps unexpected entry: Akira Kurosawa’s 1961 Yojimbo, a film in dialogue with, and a major influence on, the Western genre.
In this final episode of the 1929-1959 era, Dr. Fleming and Stephen discuss 1958’s Buchanan Rides Alone and just how endearing a smiling stranger in town can be. Homework for next episode: watch Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo. To see the Taylor Hackford video Dr. Fleming refers to, click here.
In this episode Dr. Fleming and Stephen discuss Red River (1948) and The Furies (1950) and the ending of the sentimental Western in favor of tougher, grittier stories and characters. These films were chosen to look deeper at the theme of empire-building in the West. Homework for next episode: watch Buchanan Rides Alone.
In this episode Dr. Fleming and Stephen discuss Rio Grande (1950) and the sort of story of national healing that it, in part, represented, combined with a broken family being reunited and some good ol’ cowboys and injuns gunfights. Homework for next episode is a double feature: watch Red River and The Furies.
In this episode Dr. Fleming and Stephen discuss High Noon (1952) and how it has endured despite the intentions of its creators. Homework for next episode: watch Rio Grande.
In this episode Dr. Fleming and Stephen discuss the virtues of the 1929 Victor Fleming adaptation of Owen Wister’s novel The Virginian. Homework for next episode: watch High Noon
In this first episode of the Podcast series, Dr. Fleming discusses the enduring appeal of the genre of the Western and things to keep in mind as we will watch films on which both he and host Stephen Heiner will comment. Homework for episode 2? Watch the 1929 version of The Virginian.
