Shane (film)
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Shane
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This film has been preserved in the National Film Registry in 1993.
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Shane is a 1953 American Technicolor Western film starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur and Van Heflin. Released by Paramount Pictures, the film is noted for its landscape cinematography, editing, performances, and contributions to the genre. The picture was produced and directed by George Stevens from a screenplay by A. B. Guthrie Jr., based on the 1949 novel of the same name by Jack Schaefer. Its Oscar-winning cinematography was by Loyal Griggs.
Why It Rocks
- Jack Schaefer's original novel (published in 1949) basically rearranged facts of the Johnson country range war in 1892 Wyoming, and reduced it to a series of confrontations (i.e.: gunslinger and admiring boy). The film adaptation remains true to the spirit of the novel, while also commenting upon the entire genre of westerns, thanks to a powerful screenplay from Schaefer and Stevens.
- The film basically serves as Stevens' summing-up of Westerns. He felt like the genre was largely defined by John Ford, and this film contains many shots, scenes and even characters that were inspired by Ford's most significant films. Stevens also had something to say about "message" Westerns like High Noon, and with Shane being released around the same time, it could be seen as an answer to that film, or a variation of decided different politics. In its deception of the relationship between Shane and young Joey Starrett, the film could even serve as a corollary to Gene Autry pictures. The endless possible interpretations of the film just showcase Stevens' storytelling skill.
- The film left a large impact on the mass population, as the industry was dying out and Shane was clearly referencing the passing of an era, not just of the West, but of movies in general.
- On the surface, the film contains a lot of archetypes typical for westerns: Shane's the gunfighter who wants to leave his past behind him (intentionally left a mystery), and yearns for the sort of domesticity he finds in Joe Starrett's place; Someone has to stand up to the brutal big bad -- in this case, Rufus Ryker -- who wants to tear down the fences and allow his cattle to roam free; Shane would be the one to do so, even though he'll have to leave the valley if he succeeds due to being unable to live with being guilty of murder. But, on a deeper scale, despite the film serving as a tribute to various westerns of the past, it's more complex than a basic show of morality as it's full of intriguing mysteries. This allows the film to age significantly better than various other westerns of its time.
- "Shane" -- despite being his origins being unknown and being a mysterious man in general, with only a few tidbits known about his life -- is a rather compelling protagonist, with a strong moral code, and a good-natured spirit. It's suggested that he had murdered a fair share of innocent people as a gunslinger, and he's trying to amend his sins.
- Powerful performances from nearly all of the cast members.
- Alan Ladd's casting as the quiet, passive Shane was a smart choice, considering his personality was similar to the character and was even nearing the end of his career. As a character, Shane represents warmth and mystery.
- Jean Arthur and Van Heflin are charming and convincing enough as the Starrett family
- Jack Palance, in particular, provides one of his most memorable roles as Ryker's sadistic top gun, Jack Wilson. This is made even more impressive considering he receives so little screentime or dialogue.
- Amazing cinematography and expansive vistas with the usage of Technicolor helping to establish landscapes of mythic proportions.
- Touching and emotional scenes, especially centering around Marion and Shane's chemistry towards each other (which neither of them act on), or Shane pretty much becoming a father figure to Marion's son Joey, such as a scene where Shane teaches him how to fire a gun.
- Prior to the big climactic shootout, there's an abnormal about of conversation between a lot of the characters. In stark contrast to various other westerns, where the characters are pretty one-note, here the citizens struggle with ideas about their actions.
- Ryker twice tries to convince Joe to go to work for him, and once tries to hire Shane.
- Ryker and Wilson have a quiet and thoughtful conversation about the potential for violence of Torrey, another local farmer.
- Joe engages the settlers in debates about how to respond to Ryker's threats.
- But as previously mentioned, the hired gun, Jack Wilson barely gets to say anything and is mainly used as a foreboding presence and to represent the older Western principle of might over right, and is always taken dead seriously.
Bad Qualities
- Though no fault of his own, Brandon De Wilde's performance as Joey Starlett -- the child of the family-- hasn't aged very well due to having some pretty weak lines and mostly doing much to stand out
- Most of the supporting characters are weak and unmemorable.
- Joe Starlett's wife, Marion Starlett is mostly just there for moral support and doesn't really get much to do or much depth overall.
- Rufus Ryker, the film's antagonist, is doesn't really get much development and isn't very compelling. Granted, he claimed that he and his men made the country (which was false) and that the cattle they brought in were hazed off by Indians and rustlers, whom they took care of, and some would die defending the country -- but this is never explained all that much and only through a brief line of dialogue. No further attempts are done to try paint Ryker or his men in a sympathetic light.
- Stonewall Torrey, a headstrong homesteader, was also pretty unmemorable despite his serving an important narrative purpose overall.
- The editing doesn't always work out and there are dozens of scenes that often come across as being cut rapidly together for seemingly no reason.
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