BE Red River

Red River, the Wayne Western directed by Howard Hawks, produces one pure alpha male cowboy, Tom Dunson, and one cowboy, Matthew Garth, who throughout the movie progressively becomes more like an alpha male cowboy. Tom is an alpha male cowboy in every sense. His clean cut yet rugged look and desire to be a cattle rancher define his identity. Matthew, on the other hand, begins his journey with Tom as a young cowboy learning the ropes but inherits Tom’s antihero ways.
From the beginning Tom is the typical alpha male cowboy. His burning desire turned almost necessity, to start a cattle ranch ultimately causes the death of the one he loves. Not only does Tom hide his emotions internally but his lack of verbal expression to anyone is a clear indicator of his alpha male status. Tompkins position that, “It is precisely words that cannot express the truth about things,” matches Tom’s reaction. The fact that he chooses to go on and pursue his cattle ranch rather than stop or put it on hold to mourn the death of his loved one proves anyone but himself is not equal in value to the West. Tom’s value for his cattle, Western dream, and alpha male characteristics are further on display when he brutally kills one man who advised him that the land Tom was trying to claim belonged to someone else. This is typical of an antihero because he, Tom, only really cares about himself. Again, Tompkins does a great job explaining Tom’s decision making by concluding, “To be a man is not only to be monolithic, silent, mysterious, impenetrable as a desert butte, it is to be the desert butte”. Tom not only is a man but can be easily related to a desert butte. His broad, ruggedness stands silent like a butte amidst the entire landscape of a Western. Matheson discusses similar points to the alpha male cowboy when stating, “The process of becoming a man emphasizes the modern preoccupation with individuality”. Tom’s individuality is the reason for his alpha status: strong, stoic looking and vengeful. When Matthew decides to take over the cattle drive, Tom is personally offended and makes it his job to search and kill Matthew in order to feel good about himself again.
In the beginning of the film, Matthew acts as Tom’s apprentice. Tom teaches Matthew the ways of the West including how to be the quickest, most accurate with his gun. Matheson sums up Matthew’s years under Tom saying, “If Wayne’s student is a quick study, however, whatever the gender, she or he becomes ‘masculine’”. Matthew’s alpha male attributes first shine when he confronts Tom about killing men who are trying to quit and leave the drive. This bold move shows that Matthew is starting to feel more comfortable in the West and gaining toughness and courage. His transition continues as Matthew ultimately accepts and has a fist fight with Tom. At first, Matthew was afraid of Tom, acting as if he knows Tom is and will find him and kill him. He loses his fear when he fights Tom. Tompkins acknowledges this as, "Though death is what the hero is always trying to avoid, and what we continually escape along with him, death is constantly being courted, flirted with, and imposed on others”. By the end of the film, Matthew not only has accepted his role as drive leader that he stole from Tom but becomes friends with him again as the two alpha male cowboys extinguish their differences and acknowledge their similarities.