The Reel Cowboy: Essays on the Myth in Movies and LiteratureMovies and books have romanticized the life of the cowboy. To most, the heroes of countless Westerns fall into one of three categories: the strong, silent, asexual deliverer of damsels in distress; the slick and gaudy guitar-strummer; and the virile, violent drifter. In truth, real cowboys had little in common with the fictionalized characters of literature and the silver screen. The "reel" cowboys of yesteryear are recalled in Part One of this work. The make-believe West of Gene Autry, Buck Jones, Harry Carey, and many others is contrasted with the real American West. Part Two discusses the many movies based on the writings of Western writers. The works of Zane Grey, Louis LAmour, Max Brand, Luke Short, Ernest Haycox and many others have been transformed to the silver screen, often with great success. Next examined are the movies based upon three writers of the great Northwest: James Oliver Curwood, Jack London and Rex Beach. A concluding section looks at cinema cowboys on the so-called "sawdust trail." Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Jack Hoxie were among those reel cowboys who performed in circuses and Wild West shows. |
Contents
Western Literature as Hollywood Filmed It | 37 |
James Oliver Curwood | 170 |
Jack London | 220 |
Copyright | |
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90 mins Alan Arthur Bill Billy Broadway Star Buck Jones Bud Osborne Buster Charles Circus Claire Clark cowboy Curwood D/SP David Dick Dorothy Earle Eddie Edmund Cobb Edward Farnum fight Films Based Ford Frank Fred Kohler George girl Glenn gold Gordon Harry Carey Harry Sherman Hart Helen Henry hero horse Howard J. P. McGowan Jack Holt James Oliver Jean Joan John Joseph Kermit Maynard killed King Martin Mary McCoy mountie movie Noah Beery novels O'Brien Paramount Paul Pee Wee Holmes popular Ralph Ranch Randolph Scott Raymond Hatton reels Richard Riders riding Robert Rogers Santschi screen Selig Smith Stanley Stevens story Synopsis Taylor Tim McCoy Tom Mix Tom Santschi Trail United Artists Universal Vitagraph Wallace Walter Warner Brothers Wayne western star Wheeler Oakman wild west show Wolf writing Zane Grey