Post by FilmFlaneur on Jan 10, 2018 12:15:56 GMT
Robin Wood wrote a short book-length critical appraisal of Rio Bravo a few years back for the British Film Institute.
Here's a review of that work by me, revised from elsewhere, which seems relevant here:
Here's a review of that work by me, revised from elsewhere, which seems relevant here:
Robin Wood was a critic whose career fell into two halves: in the first part he was very much concerned with auteurism ; towards the end he grew more preoccupied with Marxist and gay theory. This book shows Wood (sometimes struggling) to bring such various concerns together, although what results is never less than an interesting read. Hawks can clearly be seen as the principal creative force in his films, reflecting similar concerns, right down to repeating preferred lines of dialogue. They can be broadly divided into 'adventures' and 'comedies', the former usually being set outside of American national boundaries, the latter very much part and parcel of a consideration of internal American society. It is no surprise that Wood is quick to agree that Hawks is an 'auteur' - the director as the 'author' - thus reflecting the exalted status Hawks enjoyed with the French critics at Cahiers du Cinema (an estimation which, ironically the writer admits he was initially slow to grasp.)
What some will find harder to accept is Wood's attempt to weave other matters into his interpretation. Having identified 'self-respect' as a central concern of the film, ( I agree, but would also consider abutting 'spheres of professional competence' as another 'way in'), does it follow that such issues necessarily involve the rejection of capitalism, apparently characterised by the compulsions of such a character in the film as villain Burdette? Or, is Wood right to sense an underlying homosexual theme in the case of Dude and Colorado, especially when, as the writer notices, the two barely speak a word to each other? Wood admits that he just wants them together and this reader senses that he builds a case from that. Rio Bravo is certainly a Western whose range of elements include moments of camp and feminization - think of Wayne and the red pants - but there's a risk of, well, just making too much out of things. Wood is also strangely ill-informed when he criticises the end of the film, being apparently unaware that Hawks was constrained to shoot a new ending based on censors and studio preferences. In a critic's poll Wood famously voted Rio Bravo best film of all time, clearly conflating (and I say this as a huge admirer of Hawks' masterpiece) 'most favourite' with the 'objectively best'. One can query Wood's judgement elsewhere too; for instance his claim that Hawks' "worst film" is El Dorado (essentially a remake of Rio Bravo from a few years later). Anyone given a choice between watching, say, Hawks' Land of the Pharaohs or his El Dorado again would, I suspect, not suffer hard decisions.
But Wood's book is not all so controversial; his detailed analysis of the various relationships permeating the film is considered, and he is sympathetic to his subject. In this age of easy availability of movies perhaps one could do with fewer pages of stills from the film, thus leaving space for more critical analysis. But on balance it is all still worth acquiring, especially for a good second hand price.
What some will find harder to accept is Wood's attempt to weave other matters into his interpretation. Having identified 'self-respect' as a central concern of the film, ( I agree, but would also consider abutting 'spheres of professional competence' as another 'way in'), does it follow that such issues necessarily involve the rejection of capitalism, apparently characterised by the compulsions of such a character in the film as villain Burdette? Or, is Wood right to sense an underlying homosexual theme in the case of Dude and Colorado, especially when, as the writer notices, the two barely speak a word to each other? Wood admits that he just wants them together and this reader senses that he builds a case from that. Rio Bravo is certainly a Western whose range of elements include moments of camp and feminization - think of Wayne and the red pants - but there's a risk of, well, just making too much out of things. Wood is also strangely ill-informed when he criticises the end of the film, being apparently unaware that Hawks was constrained to shoot a new ending based on censors and studio preferences. In a critic's poll Wood famously voted Rio Bravo best film of all time, clearly conflating (and I say this as a huge admirer of Hawks' masterpiece) 'most favourite' with the 'objectively best'. One can query Wood's judgement elsewhere too; for instance his claim that Hawks' "worst film" is El Dorado (essentially a remake of Rio Bravo from a few years later). Anyone given a choice between watching, say, Hawks' Land of the Pharaohs or his El Dorado again would, I suspect, not suffer hard decisions.
But Wood's book is not all so controversial; his detailed analysis of the various relationships permeating the film is considered, and he is sympathetic to his subject. In this age of easy availability of movies perhaps one could do with fewer pages of stills from the film, thus leaving space for more critical analysis. But on balance it is all still worth acquiring, especially for a good second hand price.