Shane (AFI No. 69)
1953, U.S.A., 117m, Color
Director: George Stevens
English
The first of my ongoing quest to watch all 100 of the AFI Greatest 100 American Films this year, Shane is not your typical western.
Alan Ladd plays the titular character, a mysterious drifter who accepts a homesteading family’s hospitality and sticks around to help with the work on the farm. It turns out he’s ridden into the (real life) conflict between ranchers and homesteaders.
Emile G. Meyer plays Rufe Ryker, the rancher in question, busy trying to intimidate the farmers off “his” land so he can run his cows there. Surprisingly three-dimensional for a western villain, he delivers a monologue halfway through the movie that, quite frankly, will leave you feeling that maybe he’s not the villain after all.
This is one of the few westerns I’ve seen where guns and gunplay are treated with the fear and respect they deserve. The consequences of guns are clearly known (and clearly demonstrated to the viewers) and characters do not walk around constantly packing sidearms. It doesn’t take an entirely pacifistic view to them either, though. As Shane himself says, “a gun is a tool…. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it.”
The love story development, too, is entirely subtle and nuanced. We only see the development between Shane and Marion (a married woman) in furtive glances and body language.
Most interesting, though, is that the entire film is really presented as seen through the eyes of eight-year-old Joey; many scenes are shot low to the floor/ground, fight scenes are filmed from behind crowds of men—much as a child would be ducking and peeking to see the action. At the same time, cinematographer Loyal Griggs (who won an Oscar for his efforts) manages some wonderful sweeping shots of the Tetons as well.
Warning: spoilers ahead.
Ultimately, though, there are two scenes from this movie that will stick with you. Most westerns have drawn-out death sequences, but Jack Palance’s Wilson drops the character Torrey as quickly and suddenly as, I suspect, most gun killings actually occured. This speed and the force with which he hits the ground are downright startling in the movie.
The second scene you’ll remember is Joey running after Shane shouting “Come back, Shane!” while the hero rides off into the sunset.
Clichéd? At points, perhaps. But this is a film you don’t want to miss, even if you think you don’t like westerns.