Contemporary 2021 Selection: The Power of the Dog (2021)

 Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog"

Jane Campion's 2021 Western "The Power of the Dog" contemplates the changing levels of sensativity during a changing time. This theme is incredibly relevant to the changing natures of toxic masculinity and elevated sensativity of our contemporary time period. Campion adapted Thomas Savage's 1967 novel of the same name. 1967 occured during a period in which the Western genre was in full demand, overflowing and perhaps even oversaturating the market, like superhero films of the current 2020s. The Western genre did a good job representing that generation that fought in the war, and their questions on morality, individualism, and law and order. However, there is one important thematic element that is common with the Western genre, especially the later ones. The changing of the times is always a dramatic subject held within the confines of the style. The reason is because of what the old West represents as a period in American history. The old West represented freedom and individualism battling out the encroaching societal restraints and progress. As we know, the old West as it is represented in those genre films is no longer a contemporary element of American society, as both time and urban development overtook it. Capion uses this notion in her Western adaption, as she contemplates the changing of times right now.

The film's protagonist, Phil, is a cowboy living on a ranch with his brother, George. Phil needs to prove his masculinity by acting out typical male cowboy tropes. He's constantly dirty, he acts agressively towards sensitivity, and he behaves misogynistically. This is especially true when his brother marries a suicide widow and allows her to come and live with them on the ranch. Phil believes that he must preserve the 'Cowboy' way of life that was taught to him by his mentor, Bronco Henry. He acts rough and tough with everyone around him. Phil provides the neceassary tension in the first half of the film, cutting through any meditative or tender moments like a harsh dagger. Campion is constantly shooting Phil in low angles when he is in conflict with Rose, George's new wife, who is shot in high angles. The effect is the viewer is forced to look up at Phil and look down on Rose, displaying the ultimate power dynamics between them.

George is far more sensative and gentler than his brother, Phil. Unlike his brother, George wants to be a greater part of the modern 'high society,' as he dresses like wealthier men of the 1920s. He also wants Rose to  play the piano for the governer to show off his aristocratic sensabilities. Meanwhile, Phil is stuck in the more rougher time, the 19th Century Western. Phil is not interested in the changing of time. Rather, he is focused on keeping alive the traditions of being a cowboy that were taught to him. 

When Rose's son, Peter, comes and stays with them for the summer while he is away from studying medecine at college, Phil begins to bully and brutalize him. This is due to the weakness Phil perceives in Peter, who is dainty and behaves like a 'sissy.' However, Peter uncovers Phil's sexual secrets when he finds body magazines featuring both men and women. Phil appears to be repressing his sexual desires. Like the new softer society coming into the picture, Phil belives he must reject these feelings and represses those parts of himself that he views as 'weak'. 

Campion likes to study characters through quiet moments and in close-ups. While characters don't reveal themselves too much through dialouge, we slowly begin to understand them in the way they react to things. The intimate glances tell you who they are and what they want or fear. Campion uses these small moments to explore larger, more internal moments of the shifting of power. Phil has ultimate power in the beginning as every moment and frame facilitates that power. When Rose arrive, he maintains that power. However, slowly the power dynamics begin to tip, just as the power held by the arcaic ways of thinking are subtly being overturned by progressivity. Peter begins to quiety take over Phil and the film itself. His sensative and dainty demeanor grants assurances to the viewer in the beginning that Phil's power will overtake him. However, this is an error made by the viewer. We first see Peter as Phil does, weak. However, Campion flips our expectations on their head. 

Peter seems more established in the 20th century. This is understood through his studying of medecine and science. Not only this, he wears 20th century sneakers, which become a visual counterance to the stark Western environment. It is Peter's 20th century sensabilities that overpower Phil, both his sensativity and kindness as well as his sexual freedom. Phil cannot accept the progressive urges inside of him. He views these urges as a weakness and his roughness and closed-off-ness as strengths. However, Campion is a master at making strengths weaknesses and weaknesses strenghts. Peter's sensativity to his mother's suffering, his scientifically forward mind, and his knowledge of Phil being stuck in his ways allows Peter to take power over the entire picture. This power, unlike Phil's power in the beginning, is far more softer. While the ambiance of the beginning was harsh and bitter, the mood changes to a gentle carress, albiet still carrying an underlying feeling of domination. Like the rabbit he sushes and gently strokes to comfort it right before snapping it's neck, Peter metaphorically does this with Phil. He gently strokes his ego and sensual desires to comfort Phil is his necessary demise. 

This story set in 1925 portrays a rough and tumble society of grit and grime slowly being replaced by science and cleanliness with a forward progressive compass. The sensabilities of Phil's progressive 20th century mindset quietly sends the rough and dirty 19th century cowboy to a peaceful slumber. In 2021, Campion sees the same thing happening; a slow progressive change in our culture that will purge the rough traditionalists of their harshness to sensativity, their misogyny, and their sexual repression.