THE HANGING TREE
US, 1959, 107 minutes, Colour.
Gary Cooper, Maria Schell, Karl Malden, George C. Scott, Ben Piazza.
Directed by Delmer Daves.
The Hanging Tree is one of the last of Gary Cooper’s films and his last western. A hero of the screen for over three decades, he was at home in many roles but in his last decade acted in many westerns including High Noon, for which he won his second Oscar in 1952. Other westerns of the fifties include Springfield Rifle, Vera Cruz, Man of the West.
This is an interesting vengeance film set in a mining area in the West. Austrian actress Maria Schell is the leading lady and there is strong support from Karl Malden as well as an early performance by George C. Scott. The film was written and directed by Delmer Daves. He had specialised in westerns during the fifties from the film sympathetic to the Indians, Broken Arrow, through a series of westerns with Glenn Ford including Jubal, 3.10 to Yuma, Cowboy. After The Hanging Tree, he moved into a series of romantic soap operas like A Summer Place and Susan Slade. The Hanging Tree is a good strong western.
1. Was this a good Western? Why? The conventions that it used and relied on? How human a Western was it, with its story and values?
2. Comment on the use of colour and location photography. Comment on the music and the theme of the hanging tree?
3. How important was this as a social Western? Its preoccupation with people and their situations? As a social background and problem especially the nature of mass hysteria?
4. The film as a gold western? The preoccupation with gold and the effect that it has on peoples lives? Consciences?
5. How did the initial chasing of Rune prepare us for the end and the lynching of Doctor Frail?
6. Was Dr. Frail an interesting hero? The significance of his name and his background? His healing of the people of the goldfields? Why did he keep Rune in subjection to him? (When he had thrown the evidence away?) His keeping of Elizabeth in subjection to him? How good a man was he? How just a man?
7. Comment on the picture of work that the picture gave, Dr Frail and his work? The shops in the town? The people at work on the goldfields? Rune and Elizabeth at work with the Frenchman?
8. How important was the entry of the lady into the film? (Was the entry of the coach and the robbery, too conventional?) Elizabeth as a person? Her suffering? Her being healed by Dr Frail? Her dependence on him? on Rune? Her courtesy to the people of the town etc? Her work on the goldfields etc? How impressive a heroine for the film was she? Why?
9. Comment on the theme of rash judgement and reputation in the film. People's attitudes to Dr Frail and their
changing attitudes? The fanaticism of the faith healer and his drinking? The storeman's wife and her hypocrisy with
the ladies?
10. How important was it that Dr Frail was supporting Elizabeth and Rune and that they did not know it? Why? Why did they go?
11. How important was the character of Frenchy? Was this developed well during the film? His initial chasing of Rune? His self importance of finding the lost lady? Was he basically a good man or a bad man? Why? His greed and his lust for the lost lady? How did this change him? Why them did he inevitably have to die?
12. How well was the character of Rune drawn in the film? His initial escape and dependence on Frail? His rebellion against him and yet his liking him? His service of Elizabeth? Working with her and with Frenchy? Saving Dr Frail?
13. What were your impressions of the town going beserk? the effect of gold, the lucky strike, and the drink? The fanaticism and the burning of the bonfire? The fact that they were so easily roused and lead? The reaction to the shooting of Frenchy? The lynching of Dr Frail and forgetting what he had done? How important was the fact that Elizabeth and Rune were prepared to sacrifice everything, even money and gold, for Dr Frail? The comment on the fact that the people accepted this? The comment on human nature?
14. How did you feel emotionally at the end of the film? Faith in human nature? Was the film optimistic or pessimistic about human nature?
