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The Changing Face of the Western: An Analysis of Hollywood Western Films from Director John Ford and Others During the Years 1939 to 1964

Spicer, Jeffrey A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1336436304

Abstract Details

2012, Master of Applied Communication Theory and Methodology, Cleveland State University, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
This content analysis uses the entire selection of John Ford’s Westerns from 1939 to 1964, as well as top Westerns by other directors over the course of the same years in order to see more universal trends in the Western genre that are not unique only to John Ford. Items involving character portrayals and plot themes are used to ascertain how the films changed during those years. The psychological dimensions of the characters are also important, and it was speculated that a gradual change would take place in the types of character traits that were exhibited in the films. The findings revealed that the psychological portrayals moved in cycles, with traits reappearing over and over again during the years analyzed. It was found that John Ford Westerns portray more diverse ethnic groups overall, while portraying violence as generally less heroic than it is in non-Ford Westerns. It was further found that Westerns in general showed violence toward Native Americans as less heroic as the years passed, and violence toward Caucasians was shown as more heroic.
Kimberly Neuendorf, PhD (Committee Chair)
Paul Skalski, PhD (Committee Member)
Evan Lieberman, PhD (Committee Member)
118 p.
Communication
Western film genre; Content analysis

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Spicer, J. A. (2012). The Changing Face of the Western: An Analysis of Hollywood Western Films from Director John Ford and Others During the Years 1939 to 1964 [Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1336436304

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Spicer, Jeffrey. The Changing Face of the Western: An Analysis of Hollywood Western Films from Director John Ford and Others During the Years 1939 to 1964. 2012. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1336436304.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Spicer, Jeffrey. "The Changing Face of the Western: An Analysis of Hollywood Western Films from Director John Ford and Others During the Years 1939 to 1964." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1336436304

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

csu1336436304
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© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.