Book description
American historians such as Frederick Jackson Turner have argued that
the West has been the region that most clearly defines American
democracy and the national ethos. Throughout the twentieth century,
the "frontier thesis" influenced film and television
producers who used the West as a backdrop for an array of dramatic
explorations of America's history and the evolution of its culture and
values. The common themes found in Westerns distinguish the genre as a
quintessentially American form of dramatic art. In Hollywood's West,
Peter C. Rollins, John E. O'Connor, and the nation's leading film
scholars analyze popular conceptions of the frontier as a fundamental
element of American history and culture. This volume examines classic
Western films and programs that span nearly a century, from Cimarron
(1931) to Turner Network Television's recent made-for-TV movies. Many
of the films discussed here are considered among the greatest
cinematic landmarks of all time. The essays highlight the ways in
which Westerns have both shaped and reflected the dominant social and
political concerns of their respective eras. While Cimarron challenged
audiences with an innovative, complex narrative, other Westerns of the
early sound era such as The Great Meadow (1931) frequently presented
nostalgic visions of a simpler frontier era as a temporary diversion
from the hardships of the Great Depression. Westerns of the 1950s
reveal the profound uncertainty cast by the cold war, whereas later
Westerns display heightened violence and cynicism, products of a
society marred by wars, assassinations, riots, and political scandals.
The volume concludes with a comprehensive filmography and an
informative bibliography of scholarly writings on the Western genre.
This collection will prove useful to film scholars, historians, and
both devoted and casual fans of the Western genre. Hollywood's West
makes a significant contribution to the understanding of both the
historic American frontier and its innumerable popular representations.
""A vital study of genre.... Recommended."
--Choice" --
