THE HARDER THEY FALL Westerns tend to draw their lines early on, establishing the character arcs of its White Hats and Black Hats in the first act. We know who the good guy is. He's gonna carry top billing. He's gonna be the star, gunning down some damn dirty injun or State's Rights hating scum. My Daddy watched Westerns. Loved them. He came home from work in the evening and immediately appropriated the television; turning it to M.A.S.H., the evening news and then, finally, Gunsmoke, before the prime time shows started up. This was done ritualistically. It made all of the kids scatter, find a corner to explore our own imaginations rather than subjecting ourselves to the boredom associated with that block of television programming. The Harder They Fall established its White Hats and Black Hats in its opening scene, as well. As the film progressed, however, it seemed more of a generational delineation. Old Heads vs the New. Delroy, Idris, Regina, the leaders of t...
Comments
Post a Comment