Gastvortrag Dr. Steven D. Reschly und Dr. Lynn Rose (Truman State University): "Cold War, Warm Gun: Violence and Domesticity in High Noon (1952)":

Veranstalter: Professur für Amerikanistik

The western film was a cultural tradition in U.S. theaters and in many American living rooms--and beyond--throughout the twentieth century. Rollicking with dusty adventure and bursting with solitary masculinity, most westerns managed to get almost everything wrong, at least from a historical perspective. As a window into twentieth-century perceptions about the making of American ideals, however, there are few better sources of information. High Noon, released during the Korean War and the Hollywood Black List, showcases three especially intriguing themes. Although it lacks the standard motifs of Indians, stampedes, and, mercifully, campfire songs, it reveals three gendered themes particularly well.

Using clips from the film, we will discuss, first, the theme of Cold War/Warm Hearth, in which victory over evil (i.e.,Communism) was ensured by an idealized bastion of family and masculine resolve. The Warm Hearth is tended by the Good Woman and her opposite, the tart with a heart ; this is our second theme. Finally, the portrayal of ultimate masculine ability is heightened by its counterpart, the ever-present threat of emasculating disability. Taken together, reading High Noon through the lenses of gender, sexuality, and disability is a fresh interpretation and a good vehicle for audience discussion.

Kontakt:

Gerhardt, Christine Professur für Amerikanistik Telefon 0951/863-2298, E-Mail: christine.gerhardt@uni-bamberg.de

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