Westerns...More than meets the eye?

Probably the most interesting thing I've learned so far this semester is how many Western films are based off contemporary culture in America. Obviously films are created from scripts that are inspired by events and culture- but I guess I just never took into consideration the idea that even Westerns showcase this idea as well.

I find it so interesting to view a Western as just a cowboy/Indians type movie and then to view it with thorough understanding of what the director is actually trying to say. It is just so strange how a genre that was created out of Hollywood studio lots, portraying a huge exaggeration of what actually happened in the Old West- was used as another way- to create correlations to current events happening in America.

In class, we discussed how High Plains Drifter was inspired by the murder of Kitty Genovese, a New York City resident who was murdered in her window while being watched by her neighbors listening to her screams. No one did anything to help her and just watched her die. Eastwood and Tidyman (writer of High Plains Drifter) used this within their treatment for their film. In the reading, the author states - "Eastwood saw the story as a morality play and thus by its defintion, the film has a message beyond its form." Of course this is referring to his character, the Drifter, who doesn't play by any of societies rules.

High Plains Drifter shows Eastwood raping a woman in the first ten minutes of the film. Everyone in town knows what has happened and does nothing about it. They just let the Drifter go about his business. This is a major element in the idea of referring to current American events (the Genovese murder).

That whole rape scene is very weird and hard to fully understand. The audience sees this woman begin to insult the Drifter, who is just trying to carry on his own way. But after a while he decides that to shut her up he only has one option- rape. But the Drifter knows she wants it, and the audience can see this as she starts to moan and hold on to the Drifter in a very sensual way. So it is very confusing as to what the true message behind this is. Is Drifter a raper? Or is he a man fulfilling this woman's wants?

I loved this film and surprisingly have never seen it till this class. I have always been a fan of Eastwood (Unforgiven, Pale Rider, The Outlaw Josey Wales). And now realizing how even westerns have sub context - I am eager to learn more about the hidden motives behind other westerns.