Unforgiven and True Grit
Both Unforgiven and True Grit have aspects that sway them both towards the revisionist side of the Western spectrum. To begin with, both films have very strong female characters. In True Grit, the main character is Maddi, who strikes as the just and gritty hero just like in any other western--except she's a teenage girl. Throughout the film she encounters weaknesses and obstacles along with her riding companions, Rooster and LaBeef. However, by the conclusion of the film, the audience is left with no doubt about who the title of the film is referring to. Similarly, Unforgiven has strong female leads as well. After one of their own is cut up by a cowboy, it is the ladies that take initiative and demand that they get a payment of some sort. When they are not satisfied by the pony exchange, the women push harder for a better punishment.
In addition to the roles of females being strong, it is evident that the level of violence in these films is at a different level than most classic westerns. In classics, there is little or no blood at all when somebody is shot or wounded. However, both True Grit and Unforgiven show the gore of the situation; they show it how it is. For example, the scene in True Grit when LaBeef's tongue is ripped off could have been left out. But for the sake of being different, the directors decided to show the blood and have the sound of the tongue being ripped off to give the extra cringe effect. Parallel to this, in Unforgiven, when a man is beat up (i.e. English Bob) they show the blood and the bruises as it is, not afraid to hide the violence. This graphic technique is also used when Ned is being whipped--they truly do not hold back.
Stagecoach and True Grit
Stagecoach and True Grit both provide examples of the Classic Western. First of all, the scenery and the division between civilization and the 'wild west' is very imminent in both. In Stagecoach, civilization is where they leave from and where they are going, making it the ultimate safe zone of the overall area. On the other hand, the frontier is merely described as a death trap set up by the Apache. In True Grit, though most of the action occurs in the wild, the town represents order and justice. This is seen foremost in the court scene. Even though officials know they're not going to get a straight answer out of Rooster, they continue to poke at him for the sake of justice and being civilized, something that all people should strive for. Overall, in both films civilization represents something good and justified while the frontier is where all falls loose.
Though both films are about revenge, they exhibit the classic method of making the motivation known to the audience. The conflicts in both films are backed by a strong sense of personal moral that anyone in their right mind would conceive as pure goodness. If someone does something bad, they should have to pay for it in one way or another. Though the conflict in True Grit has a much deeper emotional value, the general thought of getting back at the man who killed Maddi's father is none other than classic.
Classic or Revisionist?
I think that True Grit is more of a revisionist western. Though it has many aspects of a classic western, such as a beautiful landscape, strong moral, good vs. evil, civilization vs. frontier...etc. the story of a young girl overpowers this. Maddi's story is unique. It isn't the fact that there is a strong female character in the film that makes it revisionist, its the fact that Maddi is the main character, the hero, the one with true grit. She is the one that drives the men on their quest, who provides motivation and justice and strives to be strong in every way possible. And she's 14. Aside from having a 14-year-old female hero, the film had real violence. (The character of Rooster is responsible for most of this). However, instead of a staged scene of men falling off their horses in perfect order after being shot, we see blood and gore and what would have actually happened. The rugged truth to this violence renders the film more revisionist because the ends justify the means. I mean after all, if you get the guy, whats a few more? This attitude struck me as harsh compared to the classic 'Stagecoach effect'. Thus, True Grit took the classic good vs. evil plot and added a new twist, making for an excellent revisionist western.
