About a week ago, the TV was on and I walked thru and noticed “Hombre” had just started. As a long time fan of “cowboy” movies this is one of my favorites. Yes, I remember the trivia…Paul Newman’s character is John Russell and my favorite line is “how are you going to get down that hill?”
I have always been a fan of westerns, particularly those like “Hombre” that are character studies.
I did some reading on the film which helped me understand why it will always be one of my favorites. Another of my favorites “3:10 to Yuma” was written by the same person, Elmore Leonard. I didn’t know that until recently.
It was released in 1967, that was an eventful year for me; I turned 18, graduated High School and got married. (Elvis and Priscilla married that year as well.). Being a teenager in the 60’s and being born in the South are two events over which I had no control, but have certainly been influential my entire life.
It seems that “Hombre” is recognized as a “revisionist” western, where the lines of good and bad are blurred and the film addresses the moral grey areas. I understand that to mean that it causes you to evaluate your beliefs and think.
I have often contemplated that at some point in time (and probably multiple times) we are called upon not only to say what we believe but to take a stand and act accordingly. When those times come, will I have the courage to stand for what I believe and what I deem is right?
“Hombre” also examines prejudice, power, racism and exploitation. Anything that causes us to question who we are and how we feel about people who are different from us, is a worthwhile endeavor.
I would encourage you to watch “Hombre” particularly if you haven’t seen it before. Think about the world in 1967 and what this movie tried to convey or just enjoy a classic well made film.
I am still dreaming of a world where men and women are judged “not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” The more we think and study and learn from the past, the closer we can come to that being a reality. The only person I can change is me…here’s to a work in progress!
Peace and Love,
Linda
Musings of This Old Girl 