Rooster Cogburn

Rooster Cogburn, a revolutionary western. Stuart Millar, director of the film, completely and utterly outdoes himself and decides to experience with westerns films. As a newbie when it comes to western movies, I believed that Rooster Cogburn was just another movie in history. It was shocking how from the beginning the audience is introduced to this “alpha-male” cowboy; a cowboy obedient to laws, a cowboy who respected the law and a cowboy with defects. John Wayne plays the part of the Rooster Cogburn, a believer of the law, a seeker of justice. In the film, many alpha-male cowboy qualities are still portrayed and accented, but the cowboys personality was so drastically “macho” and “stubborn” in other movies, that the slightest change can be spotted from a distance.
In this revolutionary and innovative film, we are also introduced to a new breed of women, the “alpha-girl”. The alpha-girl acts as the sister of the recently deceased Rev. Goodnight; Eula was her name. Eula shows us a new side of women in the West. It looks like her personality has many characteristics in common with the old alpha-male. Eula shows the audience she does not fear Rooster, she defies, corrects and even rides along Rooster. The women’s actions in the West are no longer driven by fear or awe; they are driven by their own ideals.
The alpha-male’s personality transformation is probably due to this empowerment of the “cowgirl”. The women’s voice is now strong and convincing, whereas in past movies it was barely heard and looked down upon. In Rooster Cogburn, the audience can see a definite modernization and realistic view of the man-woman relationship nowadays.