The 50's: The Decade Of Major And Minor Masterpieces

First of all, obviously, Ethan lacked money. His farm squeezed out just enough money to keep him and his household going. On page 133, Ethan is thinking of selling his property, but then he remembers its condition... "Farm and mill were mortgaged to the limit of their value, and even if she found a purchaser- in itself an unlikely chance- it was doubtful if she could clear a thousand dollars on the sale... it was only by incessant labor and

John Ford built a standard that many future directors would follow with his classic 1939 film “Stagecoach”. Although there were a plethora of western films made before 1939, the film “Stagecoach” revolutionized the western genre by elevating the genre from a “B” film into a more serious genre. The film challenged not only western stereotypes but also class divisions in society. Utilizing specific aspects of mise-en-scène and cinematography, John Ford displays his views of society.

‘The Searchers,’ the 1956 cinematic classic, is widely considered a ‘true American masterpiece of filmmaking, and the best, most influential, and perhaps most-admired film of director John Ford’ . Starring famed Western actor, John Wayne, the films consists of several themes, including the American identity, the opposition between civilization, and the contrast between the untamed frontier wilderness and the civilised, family unit, focused around the protagonist, Ethan Edwards. This central character is shrouded in mystery, posing many questions around his previous whereabouts, dealings, and relationships, particularly with his sister-in-law, Martha. After a tribe of natives massacred his family, Edwards begins his lengthy search for his captured nieces, wishing to avenge their murder and kidnap by murdering Indian chief, Scar. The plot of the film is extremely complex; a vivid sub-plot is illustrated by Ford using primarily non-verbal methods e.g. symbolism, music and cinematic devices. His actions, introduced within the opening scenes, brings the audience to question the traditional idea of the American hero, distinguishing itself from other Western films.

The 1950s and the 1960s had many similarities, though they had many differences as well. Their similarities and differences include: the politics, the economy, the society, and the culture of both decades. In the 1950s, North Korea moved into South Korea and began a civil war between the two parallel countries. The reason for this dispute was the border lines as well as guerrilla fighting in the South, which created a greater tension on the issue. The reason why the U.S entered the Korean War was so that the Soviet Union would not gain another nation and, in turn, more power. Like the 50s, our country was also at war with another country in the 60s. This time, the U.S was at war with Vietnam. The U.S entered the war because the

The Characters in the play are the movie goers who happen to be Native American and John Wayne in the movie. The movie was written for a different audience than the one watching.

The Sixties were an exciting revolutionary period of time with great social and technological change. Some people called it the “decade of discontent” because of the race riots in Detroit and La, and the demonstrations against the Vietnam War. Other people called it the decade of “peace, love, and harmony”. It was called this because of the peace movement and the emergence of the flower children. (Britannica) The sixties were about assassination, unforgettable fashion, new styles of music, civil rights, gay and women’s liberation, Vietnam, Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, peace marches, sexual freedom, drug experimentation, and Woodstock. All of these components caused a revolutionary change in the world of popular Music.

After the first battle with the Native Americans, the crew is broken up due to Clayton taking a wounded man home. Ethan is prepared to drive on by himself, fueled by his racism, but Brad and Marty show their true colors and bravery, stepping up to accompany Ethan. Marty’s willingness to risk his life to avenge his family’s death signifies his transition to manhood. It also portrays the morals and ideals of 19th century western America. Although Marty is part Cherokee, he portrays the very American value of fighting in the name of what you believe in and what you love: freedom and family. John Ford uses Marty’s Native American heritage along with his strong morals to contrast

John Ford’s 1956 film, The Searchers, is a classic Western tale set in the staked plains, post-Civil War era. Like most of John Ford’s Western films, The Searchers is also filmed in Monument Valley, Arizona/Utah. John Ford first introduces Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) returning on horseback to his brother, Aaron Edwards’s (Walter Coy) house three years after the Civil War. Ethan is introduced to Martin Pawley (Jeffery Hunter), the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards. The film moves forward when Rev. Captain Clayton (Ward Bond) volunteers Ethan, Marty, and a group of men to search for the Jorgensen’s missing cattle. The search turns its tracks when the men realize that the Edwards family have been killed by the Comanche Indians, and Debbie (Natalie Wood) and Lucy (Pippa Scott) are taken by Scar. Although Ethan is the anti-hero, him and Marty are the protagonists of The Searchers. Both Ethan and Marty’s lives are flipped upside down and are now on a journey to save Debbie and Lucy. The antagonist, Scar, is possibly considered Ethan’s alter ego because they share several similarities. Throughout the film, Ethan and Marty face many challenges accepting their background and issues. The overall meaning of the film is to let go of the past and accept what the future has to offer; John Ford’s use of paradigm, style, and themes drives the overall meaning throughout the film.

John Ford’s “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” black-and-white film tells the story of a killing of a man that helped a town progress and become civilized. The film begins when a young quixotic man fresh out of law school from the East, moves to a western town called Shinbone without knowing this town is a wilderness ruled by guns and savages. The optimistic lawyer named Ransom eventually brings law and order to the town after the local troublemaker is shot. He is then known as the man who shot Liberty Valance and ends up becoming a senator in Washington. Time passes by and he and his wife Hallie come back to the town of Shinbone for a local rancher’s funeral named Tom Doniphon. Here, the editor of The Shinbone Star asks Senator Ransom why

Rebel Without A Cause is a very popular film from 1955. It depicts life in the 1950's from the viewpoint of three teenagers who live in Los Angeles, California. They live in a comfortable environment in middle-class America. However, they must deal with their own inabilities to "fit" into society. The teens try to fit in with their peers and find the love they so desperately need from their families and others like their peers. The biases presented in the film's are based on cultural values form the 1950s. Rebel Without A Cause also compares to some of the data presented in the text Nation of Nations. The film also compares to the general view America has of the period of the

“Film is more than the instrument of a representation; it is also the object of representation. It is not a reflection or a refraction of the ‘real’; instead, it is like a photograph of the mirrored reflection of a painted image.” (Kilpatrick) Although films have found a place in society for about a century, the labels they possess, such as stereotypes which Natives American are recognized for, have their roots from many centuries ago (Kilpatrick). The Searchers, a movie directed by John Ford and starred by John Wayne, tells the story of a veteran of the American Civil War and how after his return home he would go after the maligned Indians who killed his family and kidnapped his younger niece. After struggling for five years to recover

The iconic film The Searchers was directed by John Ford in 1956. It displays as a Western Genre depicting the era of the Texas-Indian War. The movie takes place in 1868 in Texas and New Mexico. This movie was historically significant to the time it was created. The Searchers tells the story of an uncle going on an adventure to rescue his niece, Debbie, from a Comanche tribe that had kidnaped her and slaughtered her family. This film depicts several stereotypes about racism and the culture behind Indian tribes and their relationships with white civilians. There are many references to racism, miscegenation, and sexism.

The first film he made was Angel and Barman in 1947. He operated two different production companies, Wayne-Fellow Productions and Batjac Productions. His career took another boost when he starred in Red River, directed by Howard Ford. This film helped him show people his skills as not just a western hero, but as an actor. He played a troubled cattleman named Tom Dunson and took on a more serious and darker character. At this time, John Wayne was also receiving praise from the film, Fort Apache, in which he starred with Shirley Temple and Henry

Considered one of the greatest of all American directors, John Ford would no doubt be regarded an auteur by those who choose to utilize the phrase. One can imagine Ford carefully weaving beautiful images of monument valley, to fulfill his artistic allegories, or demanding the most effective of performances from a cast who manage to convey the emotions which stir inside this most American of auteurs. Just as Corman seems to put a great deal of philosophical thought into crafting what many consider to be "simple" films, Ford seems to suggest that his cinematic choices are often over-analyzed. In an interview with fellow western film director Burt Kennedy, Ford was asked about some of these choices, which have come to define much of his style, and his answers are surprisingly simplistic. When questioned about his connection to Monument Valley, and the reasoning behind choosing that location, Ford responded "I knew

John ford shared the same traditional values as D.W. Griffith of family, love, decency, and democracy. John Ford was a populist. He always favored the people of kindness and opposed people who twist the rules to their will for power and greed. John ford concentrated more on visual images rather than dialogue to express a point in certain scenes. On the opposite side, howard hawks films were more violent and direct with less sentimental input. Narrative had a moe impactful meaning in determining what the character represents oppose to the implicit examination of emotional interactions. Howard hawks protrayed his characters motivations and judgment on the actions taken. Howard hawks omission on implying what is not explicitly expressed is the essence of his