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days, with only the biggest stars rating the latter schedule.
Such is not the case with the epic or historical Western, which may rate even the astronomical budget and shooting schedule of Duel in the Sun. In the epic Western, deriving principally from the Iliad and the Odyssey, the moral atmosphere is more liberal, being limited only by the Producton Code and the rules of public decency. Historical accuracy is much more strictly enforced; painstaking research is devoted to costumes and uniforms, and characters are required to reload for every six shots fired.
Enough of definitions. Let us return to our topic — the real, and the assumed, limitations of writing the Western.
"Anything can go in a Western and it won't lose money."
"Any good Western has got to be all about the coming of the law."
"You can't do anything new in a Western. Everything good has already been done."
Let us examine these assumptions, all quoted from producers, for their relation — if any — to demonstrated facts.
One of the biggest moneylosers of the industry was Tumbleweeds, produced by and starring William S. Hart. This silent film was well adapted from a novel by Hal Evarts. Mr. Hart subsequently sued the releasing organization, claiming faulty distribution was responsible for its small earnings.
In our opinion, the film was unprofitable because of audience disappointment. Mr. Hart, a fine dramatic actor, presented himself in a radical and abrupt change of characterization — a beatendown under-dog bidding for audience sympathy. The same audience had been schooled for over a decade to expect a virile, two-gun, action hero, bidding for their admiration.
It is, therefore, not impossible to lose money on a Western splendidly produced, intelligently written, and starring the biggest of box-office attractions — provided that audience expectations are disappointed.
Now we come to the real limitation involved: in the successful action film it is not enough for the protagonist to make a great decision — he must also make a great achievement.
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