Where can we find symbolic meaning in costumes? To which extend is clothing part of the character, and where does costume get the status of an object? How does costume create paradoxes in a character and where does it underline special features of a figure? What happens when we find cross-gender clothing in the Western – women in men's clothes or men in women's dresses? How do we distinguish between heroes and villains just from their looks?
To answer these questions, I will, after an introduction in both the Western as a genre and the use of costumes in film, analyze the use of costume in four examples.
Table of Contents
Costumes and Clothing in the Western
1. Introduction
2. The Western as a genre
3. Costume and clothing in cinema
4. Western role-models and their costume
4.1. The classic: John Ford's “My Darling Clementine” (1946)
4.2. The death of the hero: John Ford's “The Man who shot Liberty Valance” (1962)
4.3. Post-western: Jim Jarmusch’s independent “Dead Man” (1995)
4.4. Female heroes?: “Bad Girls” (1994)
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
7. Filmography
Research Objectives and Focus Areas
This paper explores the role of costume and clothing within the Western film genre, investigating how garments serve as markers of character identity, societal position, and generic subversion. The study examines how costumes function in a traditionally male-dominated genre and how these visual elements evolve from classical representations to more experimental, post-modern interpretations.
- Analysis of clothing as a tool for characterization and status definition.
- Examination of gender-related costume patterns and the challenges faced by female characters.
- Comparison between classical Western tropes and modern, post-western aesthetic subversions.
- Evaluation of how costume choices reflect thematic shifts in American cinema history.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1. The classic: John Ford's “My Darling Clementine” (1946)
“My Darling Clementine” is John Ford's version of the probably best known Western myth there is: Wyatt Earp (Henry Fonda) cleans up Tombstone and takes, together with Doc Holliday (Victor Mature) in the famous gunfight at the O.K.Corral, revenge on the Clantons for killing his brothers. Parallel to this revenge-story, the movie provides a light love-story between Earp and Doc Holliday's ex-girlfriend Clementine from the East, who, in the end, will stay in Tombstone as the new schoolmarm. In Loew's approach, “My Darling Clementine” is interpreted as a process of civilization, including a conflict between old, decadent and uncivilized values, represented through the Clantons, but also Doc Holliday and his girl Chihuahua, and the new values of the West which Earp, the townspeople but also Clementine stand for (cf. Loew p.2). I will now try to trace signs of this approach in the use of costume, comparing The Clantons, Earp and Doc Holliday, but also the female pair Chihuahua and Clementine.
Already in the first scene, Earp and the Clantons meet. On the first impression, they don't look so different: both are definitely Westerners, in their rough beards and their ten-gallon hats. Still, it's the small differences that give hints on their roles: Old Man Clanton's hat is old and tattered, sitting somewhat deeper in his face than Earp's, their beards are scrubbier and instead of a canvas-jacket, the Clanton's wear furs – a sign of decadence and wilderness, they are clearly the bad guys. Earp's remark that he might ride into town to get a shave mark him off as civilized, him being the hero who will fight for the values of civilization in the West.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the significance of the Western genre and establishes the research gap regarding the study of film costumes as a visual narrative element.
2. The Western as a genre: Provides an overview of the genre's history, thematic characteristics, and the academic frameworks used to categorize Western films.
3. Costume and clothing in cinema: Discusses the theoretical importance of costume in film, explaining how it functions as a means of characterization and world-building.
4. Western role-models and their costume: Serves as the core analytical section, examining four films to illustrate how costumes define heroes, villains, and gender dynamics.
4.1. The classic: John Ford's “My Darling Clementine” (1946): Analyzes how clothing choices facilitate the transition from an uncivilized state to established law and order in the Old West.
4.2. The death of the hero: John Ford's “The Man who shot Liberty Valance” (1962): Explores how costume serves to mourn the passing of the Old West and contrast it with modern, civilized society.
4.3. Post-western: Jim Jarmusch’s independent “Dead Man” (1995): Examines how the film subverts classic Western clothing tropes to create irony and a post-modern, dark interpretation of the frontier.
4.4. Female heroes?: “Bad Girls” (1994): Discusses the limitations placed on female characters within the Western genre and how their costume choices reflect their struggle for agency.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, confirming that costume acts as a sophisticated visual language that evolves alongside the genre's themes.
6. Bibliography: Lists the academic literature and film resources consulted for this research.
7. Filmography: Provides a comprehensive list of the specific films analyzed in this paper.
Keywords
Western, Film Studies, Costume, Clothing, John Ford, Jim Jarmusch, Gender, Identity, Symbolism, Wilderness, Civilization, Hollywood, Narrative, Post-Western, Characterization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work investigates the function and symbolic meaning of costumes and clothing within the Western film genre, analyzing how these visual elements characterize figures and reflect cultural themes.
Which thematic areas are primarily addressed?
The study covers the representation of gender, the opposition between civilization and wilderness, the distinction between heroes and villains, and the evolution of genre conventions through costume.
What is the primary research goal?
The objective is to fill a research gap in film studies by demonstrating how costume serves as a sophisticated narrative device that reinforces or subverts the traditional Western myth.
Which methodologies are employed?
The author uses a qualitative, comparative film analysis approach, focusing on specific examples from both classical and post-modern Western films.
What does the main part of the paper cover?
The main part analyzes four specific films—"My Darling Clementine", "The Man who shot Liberty Valance", "Dead Man", and "Bad Girls"—to trace how costume choices differ based on the director's intent and the era of the film.
Which keywords define the research?
The research is characterized by terms such as Western, Costume, Film Studies, Gender, Civilization, Wilderness, Narrative, and Symbolism.
How does costume help distinguish the hero from the villain in classical Westerns?
In classical examples, costumes often use indicators such as cleanliness, color coding (white vs. black), and the type of attire (leather/canvas vs. formal suits) to signify moral standing and alignment with either civilization or wilderness.
What role does Ransom Stoddard’s apron play in "The Man who shot Liberty Valance"?
The apron serves as a crucial visual symbol of his domesticity and his role as the "antithesis" to the traditional Western hero, signaling his lack of rugged frontier survival skills.
How does "Dead Man" use costume to subvert Western traditions?
Jarmusch uses costume ironically, such as Johnny Depp’s ill-fitting suit or Iggy Pop’s character wearing women's clothing, to deconstruct the hyper-masculine, rugged image of the traditional Western hero.
Why is female clothing often presented as a hindrance in the analyzed Westerns?
The text argues that traditional female clothing is depicted as impractical for the frontier, forcing women to adopt masculine attire if they wish to act with the agency or physical effectiveness of a hero.
- Citar trabajo
- Lena Ostermann (Autor), 2006, Costumes and clothing in the western, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/87532
