About the Course
One of the first silent film genres, the Western developed with the Hollywood studio system. From the 1930s to the 1950s, the Western was the most popular film genre in the United States, reinventing itself as Hollywood responded to its audiences' expectations. Since the 1970s, revisionist Westerns have questioned the thematic concerns and conventions of what has come to be considered the genre’s traditional format. This course explores the development of the Western throughout the 1940s and 1950s via six blockbusters which provide insights into American culture and the American experience.
This course is made up of six units. Each unit will include a film and topical readings about it and the time in which it was made, typically articles and/or reviews. There will also be short lectures about the film that will help your viewing. In each unit you will be asked to write a brief post, offering your own insights about the film. You may also comment on the posts of other students. In order, the units are:
| Week 1 |
Topic: Genre Conventions Film: Stagecoach (1939) |
| Week 2 |
Topic: Cultural Stereotypes/War-time Recruitment Film: They Died With Their Boots On (1941) |
| Week 3 |
Topic: Critique of Cultural Stereotypes and War Film: Fort Apache (1948) |
| Week 4 |
Topic: Capitalism and Masculinity Film: Red River (1948) |
| Week 5 |
Topic: The Adult Western Film: Winchester '73 (1950) |
| Week 6 |
Topic: The Cold War Western Film: High Noon (1952) |
Movies and Readings
Readings for this course will be provided each week in the course’s online units. Click the thumbnail to access the lectures and films.
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Expectations
There are no prerequisites for this course. For all participants, reading comfortably in English at the undergraduate college level is desirable. For those also participating by writing and responding to blogs, which is recommended, some experience in writing about literature or film will be helpful. For more information, see Watching Advice and Making Screen Notes.
For further information about the coursework, see the Work Expectations page.