Shane 4K 1953

While watching this film by George Stevens, I couldn't understand what American film critics saw in it that made them not only nominate Shane for an Oscar, but also include it in their list of the 100 greatest films. The film was released in 1953, a time when the classic Western was slowly fading away. But Shane is filled to the brim with all the stereotypes: an honest and peaceful farmer who just wants to live quietly with his family on his own land, his wife—a paragon of meekness and chastity, a gunfighter with a dark past trying to start a new life, and so on.

In such circumstances, the actors simply have nothing to play. Alan Ladd wears the same noble expression throughout the film, while Heflin and Arthur simply repeat their standard roles. I can't say that Ladd failed in his role, but he lacked the stamp of life tragedy that is inherent in John Wayne, the main cowboy of classic Westerns. I write this because, in my opinion, Stevens conceived something like a requiem for the old models of the genre; it is no coincidence that the film ends with nostalgic black-and-white shots of the main character riding off into the distance. Characters like Shane remain alive only in the black-and-white past; in just 10 years, they will be replaced by Leone's “man with no name,” who will have completely different principles.

About the film itself: Stevens, adhering to his unhurried style, deliberately drags out the narrative, but the problem is that most of the scenes lack dramatic dynamics and tension. This directorial approach clearly does not benefit the action. As a result, only two scenes are memorable: the murder of the farmer and the final shootout. The script is also quite simple, and much of it can be predicted from the very beginning. The authors' moral does not reveal any new facets, and the impression is spoiled in places by unbearable pathos. Well, the main merit of the film is the excellent color work of the cinematographer, who rightfully deserved his golden statuette, which undoubtedly carries the entire film. Overall, I would not classify ‘Shane’ as one of the gems of the genre.