SHANE

US, 1952, 116 minutes, Colour.
Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon de Wilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson.
Directed by George Stevens

Shane is one of the classic westerns – and was put on the National American Registry of Cinema in 1993.

While there is action, this is a film about life in the west, about pioneers, about families, about gunslingers and the havoc that they could achieve in a small community.

Alan Ladd finds a top role as Shane, a gunman who comes to work for a family (Van Heflin, Jean Arthur and the young Brandon de Wilde). Into the town comes a sinister villain, played in a most sinister way by Jack Palance. (Palance and Brandon de Wilde both received Oscar nominations for best supporting actor but lost out to Frank Sinatra for From Here To Eternity.)

The film is beautiful to look at, winning an Oscar for its cinematography. It also has a memorable score.

The film has well-drawn characters, strong picture of interrelationships, a whole culture of the west including its violence but transcending that.

The screenplay was written by western novelist A.B. Guthrie and was an adaptation of a novel by Jack Schaefer who wrote such stories as Tribute to a Bad Man and Monte Walsh.

1. The impact of this western? Classic status?

2. Audience expectations of a western? The use of conventions, which conventions used here: hero, villain, black and white characters, the cattle, the western way of life?

3. The importance of colour, scenery, atmosphere, the musical background?

4. The importance of focusing on a hero? The mysterious individual cowboy? Alan Ladd's contribution as Shane?

5. The importance of seeing Shane in the contrast with Joe and his settled way of life, and Wilson, the evil gunfighter? How did Shane emerge from these comparisons?

6. What were the values that Shane stood for? What kind of man? The conventional western stranger? The significance of his riding in, lack of background, air of mystery, his strengths, his decision to work and help, saving Joe from difficulties, saving the ranchers, establishing friendship, deserving loyalty and love, helping with fights, enjoying the dance? Did Shane change at all during his stay? The atmosphere in which he left? Shane as a symbol of the mythical American cowboy? Did the film try to give him this status?

7. How important for audiences was the fact that Shane was seen by Joey? The reason for the loyalty and Joey's love? Joey's imitating of Shane as a model? Guns, violence, heroism?

8. What was the impact of Shane on Joey? Did the audience share this point of view? Joey as the future of the American west, receiving this heritage? Joey's not participating in the events of the film but observing? The clear values of the west as seen in the growing child? His capacities for comparing and contrasting? The effect of this period in his life on his future life?

9. The value of the various scenes at home, discussions, ordinariness, meals Joey learning to shoot, Marian getting dressed in her special dress, the shopping, watching the fight etc.?

10. What kind of man was Joe Starrett? Strength, hard work, wanting his own battles fought by himself, the value of the land, collaborating with the ranchers, fighting oppression? The fact that he needed Shane?

11. Marian and her place in all of this? Her relationship to Joe, love for Joey, fascinated by Shane?

12. The Rykers and their pressures, lounging around saloons, bullying the townspeople, with their gunmen, inviting the gunfighter, greed and power, trampling ranchers etc.? What comment did the film make on these bandits of the west?

13. The significance of deaths in the film? As part of the town's life? Mourning? The joy of the fair and the dancing by contrast?

14. The significance of law and its administration in this west? The nature of the final shootout? Joe being put out by Shane? The significance of Shane facing Wilson? The dramatic filming of this shoot-out?

15. What did this film achieve? Why is it considered one of the great westerns?