In her article: “The West – Hardboiled: Adaptations of Film Noir Elements, Existentialism, and Ethics in John Wayne’s Westerns” Sue Matheson makes an interesting evaluation of the characters typically found in a John Wayne film. Generally, there is a hero who is actually more of an antihero protagonist, a villain, and the outsider or dandy. The hero is always the character played by Wayne, and exists as the mean between the other main characters. In John Ford’s 1962 film The Man who Shot Liberty Valance, the three characters that would fit Matheson’s description are Tom Doniphon, Liberty Valance, and Ransom Stoddard.
Matheson would characterize Doniphon as, “an antisocial loaner who functions in a world peopled with sociopaths, a Hobbesian wilderness where life is generally nasty, brutish, and short” (Matheson 891). Doniphon is widely regarded as the toughest man in the town, but is indeed incredibly antisocial. He appears in town only in the most crucial situations: saving Stoddard, keeping Valance from ruining the entire town, and ultimately killing Valance. Doniphon exists as the center of his own morality, and is the only person tough enough to take action. As Matheson points out: “The residents of Shinbone, Stoddard among them, talk about standing up to Valance’s bullying, but Doniphon is the only character whose words become deeds” (897). Doniphon acts in good faith and does what is right even though it puts a permanent end to his chance to court Hallie.
Completely opposite of Doniphon is Ransom Stoddard. He lives his life with a duty based ethics approach. He firmly believes in the law and that a virtue is a virtue and there is no need to interpret for the situation. As Matheson terms it Stoddard is, “A rather naïve and gullible idealist, what Westerners would term a greenhorn, Stoddard expects the place to be a place where “civilized” values are respected” (896). This is a perfect description of Stoddard who does everything he can to attempt to civilize the town. He starts a school to teach students to read and write, and tries to inform all of the residents about the importance of their vote in the upcoming statehood decision. However, Stoddard eventually succumbs to the hardboiled nature of the west. He never amounts to a person like Doniphon, but, “He too has to settle his problem with Valance like ‘a man.’ In doing so, like Valance, he places himself outside the law” (896). In taking a gun out in attempt to kill Valance, Ransom becomes everything he once despised.
Liberty Valance is again a complete opposite of Doniphon. However, “Stoddard points out, there really is very little difference between Doniphon and Liberty Valance” (896). This statement is true in the sense that both Doniphon and Valance are tough, antisocial and willing to take the law into their own hands. However, that is also where the comparison ends. As Matheson later points out, “Dutton Peabody is scandalized by the idea that anyone would call Liberty Valance ‘a man.’ Peabody protests the idea that anyone could consider Valance a man, not because the outlaw is brutal – for Doniphon is just as brutal as Valance – but because Valance’s actions violate one of the most fundamental value concepts of virtue-ethics: ‘the highest good’” (899). Valance has not one ethical aspect to him. He parades around the town causing mayhem simply because he can. He is a fundamental sociopath, a man with no conscience. He does whatever he wants whenever he wants, and has no regard for the safety or wellbeing of anyone who gets in his way.
In her 2005 article, “The West – Hardboiled: Adaptations of Film Noir Elements, Existentialism, and Ethics in John Wayne’s Westerns,” Sue Matheson does an admirable job describing the alpha male cowboy and the other characters found in a Western. Matheson’s ideas can be applied to both of the alpha male cowboys in John Ford’s Film The Man who Shot Liberty Valance. Matheson also touches on another type of character, the character that does not fit. In the film, that character is Ransom Stoddard. In Matheson’s assessment, one can see that Doniphon serves as the mean between the two extremes represented by Ransom Stoddard and Liberty Valance.
ReplyDeleteTom Doniphon and Liberty Valance can be described as alpha male cowboys. Both abide by the notion that, “In Shinbone, the individual does not enforce the law; he is the law” (Matheson 896). This is the notion that describes every alpha male cowboy in every Western. In order to get what one wants, one must become the law and take it. While both Doniphon and Valance are typical alpha male cowboys, Valance is clearly more of a villain. As Matheson points out, “[C]haracters who appear to be civilized men may actually be savages” (895). Valance fits this bill perfectly. He walks around in one fancy outfit for the entire movie. However, he is incredibly savage, showing no mercy to anyone who gets in his way and never acts in good faith.
On the other hand, Doniphon who is the typical Western hero can always be counted on to act in good faith. In doing so, he is a proponent of duty based ethics, even though they leave him in an existential double bind (897,902). He kills Valance as an act of good faith. He does this not because he feels that he should help Stoddard, but rather because he feels that he has a duty to Hallie, the woman he loves.
On the far other end of the spectrum falls Ransom Stoddard. Rance really does not fit in Western environment. As an educated city boy, he believes that everyone should abide by the law of the book, not the law of the gun. It is clear through Matheson’s assessment that he is does not fit in out West. “Tom Doniphon, the manly virtuous mean carefully placed between the outlaw and the law, attempts to instruct the Eastern dandy in the art of manly behavior. Because he conforms to fixed, civilized standards, Stoddard is badly in need of such instruction. Until he understands that out West he is his own moral center, he cannot be considered a real man” (903). Matheson is pointing out that in the West, a man must make his own decision on what is right and what is wrong; he cannot rely on some book to tell him.
Ultimately, Matheson is trying to portray the alpha male cowboy as the mean between two extremes. In The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, she is presented with the perfect opportunity to do just that. By using Tom Doniphon as the mean between the extreme rashness of Liberty Valance, and the cowardice of Ransom Stoddard, she can portray the alpha male cowboy as the man that can be relied upon to use his moral compass to do the right thing.
In her 2005 article, “The West – Hardboiled: Adaptations of Film Noir Elements, Existentialism, and Ethics in John Wayne’s Westerns,” Sue Matheson does an admirable job describing the alpha male cowboy and the other characters found in a Western. Matheson’s ideas can be applied to both of the alpha male cowboys in John Ford’s Film The Man who Shot Liberty Valance. Matheson also touches on another type of character, the character that does not fit. In the film, that character is Ransom Stoddard. In Matheson’s assessment, one can see that Doniphon serves as the mean between the two extremes represented by Ransom Stoddard and Liberty Valance.
ReplyDeleteTom Doniphon and Liberty Valance can be described as alpha male cowboys. Both abide by the notion that, “In Shinbone, the individual does not enforce the law; he is the law” (Matheson 896). This is the notion that describes every alpha male cowboy in every Western. In order to get what one wants, one must become the law and take it. Valance comes into town and constantly vandalizes and shoots the place up. Meanwhile, every time he attempts this, Doniphon is there to stop him while the marshal just stands by and eats. While both Doniphon and Valance are typical alpha male cowboys, Valance is clearly more of a villain. As Matheson points out, “[C]haracters who appear to be civilized men may actually be savages” (895). Valance fits this bill perfectly. He walks around in one fancy outfit for the entire movie. However, he is incredibly savage, showing no mercy to anyone who gets in his way and never acts in good faith.
On the other hand, Doniphon who is the typical Western hero can always be counted on to act in good faith. In doing so, he is a proponent of duty based ethics, even though they leave him in an existential double bind (897,902). He kills Valance as an act of good faith. He does this not because he feels that he should help Stoddard, but rather because he feels that he has a duty to Hallie, the woman he loves.
On the far other end of the spectrum falls Ransom Stoddard. Rance really does not fit in Western environment. As an educated city boy, he believes that everyone should abide by the law of the book, not the law of the gun. It is clear through Matheson’s assessment that he is does not fit in out West. “Tom Doniphon, the manly virtuous mean carefully placed between the outlaw and the law, attempts to instruct the Eastern dandy in the art of manly behavior. Because he conforms to fixed, civilized standards, Stoddard is badly in need of such instruction. Until he understands that out West he is his own moral center, he cannot be considered a real man” (903). Matheson is pointing out that in the West, a man must make his own decision on what is right and what is wrong; he cannot rely on some book to tell him.
Ultimately, Matheson is trying to portray the alpha male cowboy as the mean between two extremes. In The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, she is presented with the perfect opportunity to do just that. By using Tom Doniphon as the mean between the extreme rashness of Liberty Valance, and the cowardice of Ransom Stoddard, she can portray the alpha male cowboy as the man that can be relied upon to use his moral compass to do the right thing.