Blog 2 Matheson NH

"In Wayne's movies, cleanliness and dirt register how normal or abnormal a character's psychology is. One can usually determine how abarrent characters are by their layers of grime-the dirtier their faces, the darker their hearts(Matheson 892)." The way that character's in westerns are described by Matheson brings an often tough feel to them realting at the same time to the rough terrain on which they travel. The "hardboiled west" was created to make this men seem tough and violent. That is why there is such a strong connection between the western hero and the land on which he travels. The man is tough because the land is tough. When we see John Wayne riding his horse through the desert it does not look like the greatest play in the world to be, opposed to watching him ride through a nice polite southern town. The setting paves the way for the character's entire personality.
"The westerns in which he appears transmit cultural information that calls for an understanding of that popular and radical art form, film noir(889)." The hardboiled novels translate to film noir because of the cultural information that calls for an understanding. Often times things that were going on in the world were used as metaphors in the old western movies as an attempt to express some form of cultural defiance within a message which is called cinema. This is not the only message which is drawn from Western Movies. Often the Hero in these movies, particularly John Wayne, is never with his family and always has to leave them to go about his ever so important "hero" business. People look past the tragic flaws and actions of the classic alpha-male cowboy because they are entertaining and make you feel like whatever they are doing at that moment, is for the greater good of everyone, including their families which they neglect.
"Wayne's hardboiled nature challenges the traditional perception that Americans hold of the ideal American as a redeemer(906)." Wayne played the role of a man with a chip on his shoulder better than anyone. At a time in America when the people needed a hero it is John Wayne's acting that they turned to. He always seemes to be looking for some type of redemption acting as the war hero turned land wanderer in "The Searchers" always traveling as if his job is not complete and there is still someone out there that he needs to go after. The people embraced this character because of his guts and glory, exactly what America needed at the time.