Stagecoach is the definition of the classic western. It is perfectly American, from the moral hero to the wide open plains. One of the reasons to why it fits the classic model is because of its mainly one-dimensional characters. You have the morally-sound hero (Ringo), the equally morally-sound but secondary heroine (Dallas), and the solid sheriff. True Grit fits this definition for the most part. LaBoeuf corresponds with the classic western sheriff because he too is good, moral, and down to business. Mattie Ross partially fits the bill. Like Dallas she is moral and resilient. However, Mattie is different in that she is one of the main heroes. Usually in a classic western the women are always secondary characters, either pure saintly women or prostitutes. Mattie is neither. Although she is a strongly religious person she is no saint as her whole mission is to kill and she is certainly not a prostitute as Dallas seemed to be. Nor is Mattie a secondary character. She is, in my opinion, the main hero of the story and she's got the guts (and stern braids) to prove it. Like Mattie, Rooster is only partially a classic character. Unlike Ringo he doesn't start off as the most morally-sound character. Initially, he seems to only agree to help Mattie for the money that is involved. But later, he shows the characteristics of a classic western hero when he valiantly carries Mattie to safety. The settings in True Grit are very classic. Like Stagecoach, the locations of True Grit mainly consist of main streets in a western town and wide, open plains with striking objects like large rocks. True Grit is a little different in that it also features forests, such as when Mattie and Rooster were waiting for LaBoeuf, and snow, like in the scene when Rooster carries Mattie back to safety. Both movies are similar in that they portray Native Americans to be inferior. The climax scene in Stagecoach involves the heroic white journeyers shooting valiantly at the Indian enemies. In True Grit Rooster kicks a little Indian boy off of his perch on the porch. The framing is also very similar. Stagecoach would not be what it is today if not for it's striking extreme long shots. The same goes for True Grit, where beautiful shots of the iconic landscapes greatly shape the film.
Unforgiven and True Grit Comparison
One of the best models for a revisionist western is Unforgiven. One revisionist element that comes to mind when comparing these two films is how both movies capture the slow, painful last moments of a dying man. Both films are not afraid to address the fear and agony that is so apparent on the faces of the near-dead. In Unforgiven it was the moment after Munny shot one of the criminals. The fatally wounded man was seen begging for water and crying out in pain. In True Grit the moment came when one of the men in the cabin stabbed the other in the leg. The dying man's face was plastered in a glistening layer of sweat and an agonized expression. These shots are never seen in the classic western. There is also a greater amount of violence in these two films, which is also a revisionist element. Not only are the gunfights apparent in Unforgiven but there are also more grisly examples of violence. A gory scene in which a woman is cut up and an unexpected bout of torture performed by the town sheriff are all examples of more obscure, gruesome, and revisionist examples of violence in a Western Film. True Grit also has these moments of strangely gory violence. Examples include when LaBoeuf's tongue is cut off and when a man stabs another in the leg with his knife. The films are also similar in that they make their characters much less one-dimensional. There are obvious flaws, and it is apparent that no one is perfect. In Unforgiven the Schofield Kid yearns to be the iconic, heroic American sharpshooter, but no matter how much bragging he does it won't save him from the reality of his farsightedness. He is blind as a bat when it comes to distant objects. Rooster's flaw is his closeness with the bottle. His hero scale moves down considerably because he is often too drunk to be able to do hero-ish things. He humilates and embarrasses himself by doing this. In a classic western, the hero is never humiliated.
In my opinion, the main themes in True Grit are redemption, bravery, and revenge. These themes would make the film a classic western but I believe that a certain main character overpowers these elements and makes it a revisionist western. The characters are a force of nature and it is impossible to ignore the effects that they have on the film. I think that the main reason why True Grit is a revisionist western is Mattie Ross. She is the hero, and the story revolves around her. As with classic westerns the hero is usually a male, always moral and often a just outlaw. But True Grit is different. The theme of the movie is decided by Mattie, a strong, confident woman. Rooster's redemption is provided by Mattie, the theme of bravery is shown in the form of Mattie, and the whole reason for revenge is given by Mattie Ross. It is a fact that in revisionist westerns women are given a bigger role and are more two-dimensional. It is also a fact that without Mattie Ross True Grit would not be what it is, and that is a wonderfully clever revisionist western film.
