Foundations of Early Westerns (The Great Train Robbery)

One of the most beloved film genres of the classic American cinema is the Western. These pictures were successfully produced for several decades and have roots that reach out into many modern day movies such as Four Brothers. One of the most unique and first films ever created in this genre was Edwin S. Porter's The Great Train Robbery. Upon its release, it was considered one of the most technologically advanced and unique movies of its time. It's basic elements of main characters, narrative, and conflict/resolution may seem typical and unimportant today. But this movie helped to set the standards for all Western and future films throughout history.

When The Great Train Robbery opens the main characters walk in wearing completely black clothing and large hats drooping over their faces. These characters immediately show a strong contrast to the only other man (a clerk) in the room wearing a white and brown business suit. This classic film and novel technique uses coloring to separate the characters into categories of good and evil. The two ominous men quickly engage in unchivalrously behavior by hitting the clerk from behind and tying him up. One of the basic elements of villains in films are their associations with cheating and backstabbing behaviors. As the film progresses these characters slowly sink lower and create a characterization of the villains that the audience can hate. This is one of the first cemented conflicts of good and evil throughout a film.

As them movie follows the two scoundrels robbing and shooting people throughout the train. The audience is told the story through a third person perspective that switches between the good and bad guys. Camera shots don't follow a logical time frame of consistency, but use several angles to create a story. This gives the director more power over the audiences interpretation and reaction to the film. As things progress further the story transfers to another group of people in a separate area that react to the criminals injustice. This narration of multiple plots helps to further engross the audience with a story telling technique never used before.

Throughout the film several conflicts arise and come to an overall conclusion. The film begins with the atrocities of murder and anarchy raised by the villains. They then begin a typical fight of good and evil by battling their way through the train to steal money stored on bored. To counter their actions the townspeople retaliate by taking law into their own hands and eventually shooting the criminals. This conflict/resolution situation is meant to be happy, but simply shooting the criminals doesn't simply serve justice for all of the people they murdered. Although the story abruptly ends here, many future western films attempt to deal with the injustices created by corruption in society.

So you might be thinking "Wow, this information is interesting, but I already know all that!" But the main point here isn't that these are groundbreaking film techniques today, but the first time techniques like this were ever implemented. Future film makers have all used this pieces basic foundation elements (camera work, story, narration, plot, characterization, ect.) willing or unwillingly, to create their films. During its release The Great Train Robber was heralded as one of the greatest films of its time. People who still see it today might not think the same, but that doesn't mean we cannot learn from its success to better understand what we already know about film.

The Great Train Robbery