In the following pages of this term-paper, a comparison, amongst the characters of Sheriff John T. Chance played by John Wayne and Outlaw Josey Wales personated by Clint Eastwood, will be exerted. For this endeavor, two films that constitute a remarkable landmark for those very particular actors are going to be considered – “Rio Bravo” by Howard Marks filmed in 1959 and “The Outlaw Josey Wales” self-directed by Clint Eastwood in 1976. Both movies embody a threshold-situation for each one of them.
In Rio Bravo John Wayne, the “bigger-than-life-cowboy-hero”, became older and was no longer the lonesome stranger as opposed to his previous appearances. With the role of the Sheriff John T. Chance, Howard Hawks took Wayne out of the fifties and brought him into the sixties. That shift is illustrated as Wayne was now seen with a rifle instead of a pistol and furthermore exemplified because he saw others who were faster. In conjunction with this he now transformed into the leader of a team, and this was representative of the significant change which had taken place in western movies, with the transition from adult western to professionalism.
Clint Eastwood is praised as the supernatural “Man with No Name” to the undead, the one who wreaks vengeance to the unforgiven, whose veneer of renunciation gives away revelations of guilt and terror. Unlike in the Leone-Trilogy, his character was transformed into a man named “Josey Wales”, but he maintained all of his abilities. Wales says little, keeps his face hidden in the shadows, has an almost godlike personal invulnerability and lives by a code we have to intuit, because he would rather die than explain it aloud. He has the aptitude to wipe out six, eight, or even ten bad guys before they can fire off a single shot. He plays it extremely cool and keeps the audience believing that he has everything under control in any situation, no matter how thrilling the situation may be – a MAN.
Both – Wales and Chance – can be considered heroes but what kind of heroes? How do they embody their heroism? Do they have a past, a family, and friends or do they appear from no-where? What is remarkable for each one of the characters and what is similar? These questions are an integral component of the comparison of the two hero roles and the following pages of this term-paper shall try to give some answers.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. “Rio Bravo”
2.1. Pertaining to the movie “Rio Bravo”
2.2. John Wayne as John T. Chance
2.3. Joe Burdette commits murder
2.4. Protecting the others – night patrol
3. “The Outlaw Josey Wales”
3.1. Pertaining to the movie “The Outlaw Josey Wales”
3.2. Clint Eastwood as Josey Wales
3.3. We got the Josey Wales
3.4. The talk with Ten Bears
4. Comparison
Objectives and Themes
This paper provides a comparative analysis of the hero archetypes embodied by John Wayne in Howard Hawks’s "Rio Bravo" and Clint Eastwood in "The Outlaw Josey Wales," examining how these characters represent shifting ideals of masculinity and professionalism in American Western cinema.
- The evolution of the "cowboy hero" from lonesome stranger to team leader.
- The role of comradeship and self-respect as central virtues in the Western genre.
- Political and social allegories in post-Vietnam era filmmaking.
- Contrasting the "catalyst hero" with the "outlaw antihero."
- The influence of personal history and trauma on character motivation.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2. John Wayne as John T. Chance
Chance – or John T. Chance, what the beholder just gets to know until Feathers, played by Angie Dickinson, discovers this – lives in the small town Rio Bravo. He works as the Sheriff and dwells in a room of Carlos Robante’s hotel. The only thing the audience learns about his history is that he used to work together with Dude as the deputy, nothing else. He is presented as a loner with barley no experience in relation to strong and outgoing women, revealed in the scenes with Feathers where he first seems to be overburdened and speechless.
A common central theme in director Howard Hawks’s work is self-respect. Sherrif Chance is a man of this valuable virtue. He is the strongest person in the movie but yet he cannot get along without the other characters. Even when cattleman Wheeler offers him help he refuses it. His blatant and revealing answer to the question “That’s all you got?” is: “That’s what I’ve got.” With these words spoken, Chance expresses a sense of respect for his comrades as individuals. For him, it doesn’t matter if they have a limp, a problem with alcohol or are a young inexperienced gunslinger.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the scope of the comparison between the characters of Sheriff John T. Chance and the outlaw Josey Wales, establishing the historical and cultural significance of the chosen films.
2. “Rio Bravo”: This chapter analyzes the thematic focus of Hawks's film, specifically the role of the Sheriff as a leader who relies on a community of misfits to uphold justice.
2.1. Pertaining to the movie “Rio Bravo”: This section details the narrative conflict in Rio Bravo, centering on the arrest of Joe Burdette and the ensuing struggle against the influence of his brother.
2.2. John Wayne as John T. Chance: This section explores the portrayal of John Wayne as a leader who embodies self-respect and the integration of the individual into a community.
2.3. Joe Burdette commits murder: This section examines the opening sequence and the character introduction of Dude, highlighting Chance’s role in restoring dignity to his deputy.
2.4. Protecting the others – night patrol: This section focuses on the non-verbal communication and the "lesson in moral strength" conveyed by Chance during a patrol with his deputy.
3. “The Outlaw Josey Wales”: This chapter introduces the narrative background of the film and its context as a revisionist Western influenced by post-Vietnam sensibilities.
3.1. Pertaining to the movie “The Outlaw Josey Wales”: This section covers the plot trajectory from the murder of Josey Wales's family to his eventual journey toward finding peace in a new community.
3.2. Clint Eastwood as Josey Wales: This section discusses the transformation of Eastwood's character into a complex, religiously-coded figure seeking vengeance and personal balance.
3.3. We got the Josey Wales: This section illustrates Josey’s "super-masculinity" and composure during a threatening encounter with bounty hunters.
3.4. The talk with Ten Bears: This section examines the philosophical negotiation between Josey and Chief Ten Bears, marking the transition from a life of violence to the establishment of a diverse commune.
4. Comparison: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, contrasting the "catalyst hero" archetype of Chance with the "rebel antihero" archetype of Wales.
Keywords
Western, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Rio Bravo, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Masculinity, Heroism, Self-respect, Comradeship, Antihero, Revisionist Western, Post-Vietnam, Cinema, Character Archetype, Narrative
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper provides a comparative study of the heroic roles played by John Wayne in "Rio Bravo" and Clint Eastwood in "The Outlaw Josey Wales," focusing on their contrasting approaches to leadership and moral codes.
What are the central themes explored in the work?
Central themes include the evolution of masculinity in Western cinema, the importance of comradeship, the concept of self-respect as a guiding virtue, and the political subtexts of American Western films.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The objective is to analyze how these two iconic actors embody different types of heroism—the "catalyst hero" and the "outlaw antihero"—and how these characters reflect the social and historical contexts of their respective films.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The paper uses film analysis, focusing on character development, directorial themes, mise-en-scène, and existing scholarly criticism on the Western genre.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers individual analyses of each film's plot and character arcs, followed by a comparative section that draws parallels between the heroes' codes of honor and their relationships with their respective communities.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Western, masculinity, hero, antihero, Rio Bravo, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and revisionist cinema.
How does the author distinguish between the hero roles of Chance and Wales?
The author identifies Chance as a "catalyst hero" who stays rigid while transforming others, whereas Wales is identified as an "outlaw antihero" who undergoes a personal metamorphosis from a seeker of vengeance to a leader of a peaceful collective.
What significance does the "talk with Ten Bears" hold in the context of Josey Wales's development?
This encounter is pivotal as it demonstrates Wales's diplomatic ability and pragmatism, allowing him to break the cycle of violence and establish a multicultural community at the Crooked River Ranch.
- Quote paper
- Felix Kornmann (Author), 2008, Heroes of a different kind. ’The Bigger-Than-Life’-John Wayne versus the ‘Man with no Name’-Clint Eastwood, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/150434
