“High Noon” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

The two films ‘High Noon’ and ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ are classic films that are located in the Western genre. Principally Westerns are often located to the west of the Missouri and the Mississippi. The production of these two films span through a period of many years showing a change and progression in the style of filming. From examining the two films and with great reference to the key concepts I shall be able to establish what notions build a Western and analyse how effectively they are used within each of the two films.

A typical Western genre story takes place in the North American west in 1880`s. A traditional Western plot shows a group of bad guys trying to either rob something or destroy a town they are known as the outlaws. Where as the good guy saves the day after a big shoot out he is not in a group but is alone, he is normally the towns sheriff. The sheriff is clean-shaven, wears a hat and, rides on a white horse, he also wears a suit. The sheriff is easily recognized amongst people because of his attitude and good behaviour he always we

Within the two films I have examined both directors use similar iconography to portray the familiar Western scene and the villains always wearing dark clothes, with roughly cut hair and stubble around the mouth. The hero of a Western will always contrast the bad guy. The main themes that are covered are; male pride, loyalty and honour. Women are used repeatedly to show male power in society and are used as mere objects. High Noon is a base that most Western films use and its ideas are often revised. Tying together narrative theories, iconography and typical themes makes these film fit into the Western genre. High Noon fits the stereotypes of a western film more then Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid, High Noon is very like a traditional western film where as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid is not so like a traditional western film. I myself personally prefer Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid because of many reasons such as; it is in colour, funny and not so violent I also like the story line. I do not prefer a film in real time.

High Noon directed by Fred Zinnemann was produced in 1952 and tells the story of Miller, a renowned villain who was sentenced in the town of Hadleyville to a lifetime imprisonment in Texas. Much to the town’s distress Miller is released and back with a vengeance and together with a group of other villains they return to Hadleyville to seek revenge on the town’s sheriff. This is a story about the final triumph of good over evil yet also touches upon other subjects like testing friendships and the rise of women in power. This was the first film to use real time, by 1957 it was being parodied.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid directed by George Roy Hill (1969) is based on a true story that follows the lives of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid who are famous for great bank and train robberies. After many successful takes they encounter resistance and in a bid for freedom flee the country. This film takes the idea away from the evil cowboy and by the end of the film you feel less anger for them as in most West

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