As the movie progresses it becomes evident that this movie contains two alpha-male characters. John Wayne, who played Tom Dunson in the movie, is the first alpha male presented in the movie. Further into the story Matt Garth becomes another alpha-male cowboy. Tompkins would also agree that Matt and Tom both show qualities of an alpha-male cowboy who is described in her book.
From when he was a young boy, Matt lived in the west as he grew his persona of a child changed to that of an alpha male cowboy. “The hero is tough and strong, that the West made him that way.”(11) This is a “familiar cliché” (11) about westerns a. Matt and Tom’s character seem to project that toughness and strength which derives from the harsh Texas environment. “The qualities required of the protagonist are… self-discipline, unswerving purpose; the exercise of knowledge, skill, ingenuity, and excellent judgment; and certain capacity to continue in the face so total exhaustion and overwhelming odds.”(12) Tom is defined by these terms as if they were law. Matt also demonstrates this in his “physical actions” (39) of taking the cattle away from Dunson to the railhead in Kansas. Matt and Tom are both people of “self-righteousness,” there “silence”, and for their “pathetic determination to be tough.”(19) This is demonstrated in the movie till the very end when the two cowboys fight because both men are men “of few words who” express themselves “though physical action.”(39) There are countless examples like these throughout the whole of Tompkins book.
Matheson also would agree that Matt and Tom both show qualities of an alpha-male cowboy. Both men are well kept, tireless, and are rarely dirty, which is Matheson’s opinion of the hero being “dusty but not dirty. Their clothes may be worn but not greasy. They seldom sweat. Above all, they have always just shaved.”(892) Matheson uses a description of “the process of becoming a man,” in El Dorado, “emphasizes the modern preoccupation with individuality. Decision-making becomes increasingly a matter for the individual rather the collective conscious.” (904) this description is how I believe Red River’s alpha-males developed. When Matt decided to go to the railhead in Kansas he didn’t care if Tom wanted to or not. Tom also fought hard to go to Missouri, after making the decision to go. Both men are men of “the traditional Western, men domesticate and regulate nature and if they are not careful, they too are domesticated and regulated by the agents of civilization.”(902) I believe there portrayal in the movie matches that description perfectly.
Through Howard Hank’s portrayal of the two prominent alpha male cowboys, Red River is a profound movie that has substance further than the landscape and the views.
Through Howard Hank’s portrayal of the two prominent alpha male cowboys, Red River is a profound movie that has substance further than the landscape and the views. As the film Red River progresses it becomes evident that this movie contains two alpha-male characters. John Wayne, who played Tom Dunson in the movie, is the first alpha male presented in the movie. Further into the story Matt Garth becomes another alpha-male cowboy. Tompkins would also agree that Matt and Tom both show qualities of an alpha-male cowboy who is described in her book.
ReplyDeleteFrom when he was a young boy, Matt lived in the west. He grew up to be an alpha male cowboy because he had Tom Dunson to idolize as a boy. “The hero is tough and strong, that the West made him that way.”(11) This is a “familiar cliché” (11) about westerns. Matt and Tom’s character seemed to project toughness and strength which deriving from the harsh Texas environment. “The qualities required of the protagonist are… self-discipline, unswerving purpose; the exercise of knowledge, skill, ingenuity, and excellent judgment; and certain capacity to continue in the face so total exhaustion and overwhelming odds.”(12) Tom is defined by these terms as if they were law. Matt also demonstrates this in his “physical actions” (39) of taking the cattle away from Dunson to the railhead in Kansas. He is able to conflict with the alpha male without being killed. Matt and Tom are both people of “self-righteousness,” there “silence”, and for their “pathetic determination to be tough.”(19) This is demonstrated in the movie till the very end when the two cowboys fight because both men are men “of few words who” express themselves “though physical action.”(39) There are countless examples like these throughout the whole of Tompkins book and Matheson’s article too.
Matheson also would agree that Matt and Tom both show qualities of an alpha-male cowboy. Both men are well kept, tireless, and are rarely dirty, which is Matheson’s opinion of the hero being “dusty but not dirty. Their clothes may be worn but not greasy. They seldom sweat. Above all, they have always just shaved.”(892) Matheson uses a description of “the process of becoming a man, to emphasize the modern preoccupation with individuality. Decision-making becomes increasingly a matter for the individual rather the collective conscious.” (904) This description is how I believe Red River’s alpha-males developed. When Matt decided to go to the railhead in Kansas he didn’t care if Tom wanted to or not. Tom also fought hard to go to Missouri, after making the decision to go. Both men are products of “the traditional Western, men domesticate and regulate nature and if they are not careful, they too are domesticated and regulated by the agents of civilization.”(902) I believe there portrayal in the movie matches that description perfectly.