Shane (1953)

 George Steven's "Shane"


Although George Steven's 1953 film "Shane" is considered a classic of the Western genre, I found a very difficult time allowing myself to enjoy it. The film definitely has some merits to it, certainly. However, I typically find more satisfaction with the western genre as a form of 'tabula rasa' experiment. With "Shane" however, it seems to use the western genre as a format for fantasy and a clear distinction between 'good' and 'evil,' rather than building the foundations of society through action. 

"Shane" centers on a gunfighter who is hired by a rancher in the Wyoming territory in 1889. The rancher, along with his family, are threatened off of their land by a ruthless cattle baron. The cattle baron hires rogue henchman to harass the family, along with many other ranchers in the area. With the help of the gunfighter, Shane, the group of ranchers decide to stand up for themselves. 

The very notion of the mysterious gunfighter, Shane, seems to represent an idealized hero in the Western film format. The trouble with the ranchers being bullied out of their land is by no means a work of fictitious narrative. It's a level of corruption that is universal, regardless of time period. The character of Shane, however, IS a work of fiction. It is a character that can only exist in the world of film. He's a vigilante working for the forces of 'good' and battles the forces of corruption. 

Because of this notion, "Shane," to me, does no interesting examinations on the social structures it orientates the film in. Merely, it seems to instead fictitiously create an idealized fantasy. Through Steven's imagery, this idealization connects itself to a sense of American morality. This is done using both dialogue and patriotic imagery. The characters seem to discuss the notion of creating a community as being a bedrock to American values. Through this interpretation of the film, I find the work to be far more akin to post-war American propaganda film than any sort of complex examination or moral ponderance. Sometimes, propaganda films can still have meaningful and engaging thematic notions that are valuable in their own inherent right. But with "Shane," I simply found it to be a bit dull, a bit lazy, and a bit uninteresting. 



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