Sergio Leone, the well known Italian Western director, once criticized the woman’s role in the Hollywood Western as follows:
[T]he woman is imposed on the action, as a star, and is generally destined to be ‘had’ by the male lead. But she does not exist as a woman. […] Usually, the woman not only holds up the story, but she has no real character, no reality. She is a symbol. She is there without any reason to be there, simply because one must have a woman […].
(Leone quoted in Frayling 2006 : 129)
This critique of women in the American Western seems to imply that the Italian Leone himself tried to depict women differently in his Western movies: either to let them completely out or to provide them with a real character, with a reason to be in the film. Is his way of depicting women then prototypical for the other Italian Westerns? Is there maybe even a specific Italian way of representing gender roles in Western movies which is different from that of their American counterparts?
In general, Western movies have been harshly criticized for their depiction of women. Many authors have argued that the Western in general is a genre that focuses mainly on men and masculinity and leaves only small space with narrow stereotypes for women (see for example Mitchell 1996, Tompkins 1992, French 1997).
The research questions are:
1) Is there a difference in the gender depiction in Spaghetti Westerns and Hollywood Westerns?
2) If there is a difference, what are the reasons for this?
To answer these questions, different theories of gender in movies are addressed, in order to give an overview of the approaches towards such a topic. Afterwards, the Hollywood and Spaghetti Western in general, as well as the gender depictions in them will be theorized. As a first approach to explain the expected differences, the focus will be on the (visual) cultures of America and Italy. The last point in the theoretical section will deal with the connection between nation and gender because this may well be a crucial variable for the gender depiction in the different Western genres. In the following methodological section, the film analysis that is used to examine movies of the two genres will be explained.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Literature part
2.1. Some Introductory Notes about Gender
2.2. Gender and Movies
2.2.1. What is Feminist Film Theory?
2.2.2. The Male Gaze and Following Approaches
2.2.3. Cinema as Mediator of Patriarchal Ideology
2.3. Westerns and their Gender Roles
2.3.1. The Western – Background and Definition
2.3.2. The Western – The Male Genre
2.3.3. The Western – What Roles Do Women Play?
2.4. Differences in the (Visual) Culture of Italy and the USA
2.4.1. Hollywood versus European Visual Culture
2.4.2. What is “American” about the Hollywood Western?
2.4.3. How “Italian” is the Italian Western?
2.5. The Western, the Nation, and Gender
3. Method Part
3.1. Film Analysis
3.2. Sampling
3.3. Method Critique
4. Empirical Part
4.1. Hollywood Westerns
4.1.1. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
4.1.2. El Dorado
4.1.3. The Professionals
4.1.4. The War Wagon
4.2. Spaghetti Westerns
4.2.1. For a Fistful of Dollars
4.2.2. The Big Gundown
4.2.3. A Bullet for the General
4.2.4. Once upon a Time in the West
4.3. Comparison
5. Conclusion
6. Sources
6.1. Bibliography
6.2. Filmography
Objectives & Research Themes
This thesis investigates potential differences in gender depiction between classic Hollywood Westerns and the Italian subgenre known as Spaghetti Westerns. The primary research questions explore whether such differences exist and, if so, what cultural, historical, or structural reasons account for them, focusing on the hypothesis that the Hollywood Western’s deep connection to American national mythology results in more rigid and stereotypical gender roles compared to the Italian variants.
- Gender representation in classical cinema
- Patriarchal ideology within genre conventions
- The link between national identity and gender construction
- Qualitative comparative film analysis of selected Westerns
Auszug aus dem Buch
1. Introduction
Sergio Leone, the well known Italian Western director, once criticized the woman’s role in the Hollywood Western as follows:
[T]he woman is imposed on the action, as a star, and is generally destined to be ‘had’ by the male lead. But she does not exist as a woman. […] Usually, the woman not only holds up the story, but she has no real character, no reality. She is a symbol. She is there without any reason to be there, simply because one must have a woman […]. (Leone quoted in Frayling 2006 : 129)
This critique of women in the American Western seems to imply that the Italian Leone himself tried to depict women differently in his Western movies: either to let them completely out or to provide them with a real character, with a reason to be in the film. Is his way of depicting women then prototypical for the other Italian Westerns? Is there maybe even a specific Italian way of representing gender roles in Western movies which is different from that of their American counterparts?
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research problem, motivation, and questions regarding gender depiction in different Western subgenres.
2. Literature part: Defines gender, reviews feminist film theory, explores patriarchal ideology, and discusses the cultural and historical construction of the Western genre and its relation to national identity.
3. Method Part: Explains the qualitative content analysis approach, sampling criteria for the eight selected films, and addresses the methodological challenges of film analysis.
4. Empirical Part: Conducts a detailed analysis of four Hollywood and four Spaghetti Westerns, followed by a comparative assessment of gendered language, stereotypes, and plot roles.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, noting that while no universal difference exists, there are diverging tendencies where Italian Westerns occasionally allow for more independent female roles.
Keywords
Western, Spaghetti Western, Gender Roles, Feminist Film Theory, Patriarchal Ideology, Masculinity, Femininity, Film Analysis, Cultural Studies, National Identity, Stereotypes, Film History, Representation, Narrative Structure, Visual Culture
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The thesis examines and compares gender roles and representations in classic Hollywood Westerns versus Italian Spaghetti Westerns to identify potential stylistic and ideological differences.
What are the central thematic fields?
The work focuses on film studies, sociology of gender, political sociology, and the intersection of national identity with genre-specific narrative conventions.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks if there is a discernible difference in how gender is depicted between Spaghetti Westerns and Hollywood Westerns, and seeks to uncover the underlying cultural or ideological reasons for these differences.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author employs a qualitative content analysis combined with semiotic interpretation, examining manifest and latent contents, including filmic devices like camera angles, lighting, and movement.
What topics are covered in the main analysis?
The empirical section analyzes eight specific films, evaluating them through categories such as the male/female gaze, gendered language, behavioral stereotypes, plot influence, and formal filmic techniques.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The research is best characterized by terms such as Western genre, gender representation, patriarchal ideology, national identity, and cross-cultural media analysis.
How does the "myth of the nation" influence gender in Hollywood Westerns?
The author argues that the Hollywood Western is closely tied to the American nation-building myth, which necessitates traditional, binary gender roles where men act as protectors and women represent civilization and domesticity.
Why might Spaghetti Westerns offer different gender depictions?
Because Spaghetti Westerns were produced outside the American national context, they did not have the same obligation to uphold the "American" patriarchal national myth, allowing directors more creative freedom to deviate from traditional stereotypes.
- Quote paper
- MA Manuela Beyer (Author), 2007, Shooting (a) Woman - Comparative Study of Gender Roles in American and Italian Western Movies, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/89432
