The main character is either completely innocent, sort of innocent, completely guilty but with a good reason, and all the while totally likable. His arch nemesis is the warden, or a fellow prisoner who is just itching to get at him as soon as he drops his soap. The walls are claustrophobic and make him itch for freedom. He watches as other attempt escapes, or he plans his own. While he serves his time he makes friends with unlikely people, breaking racial barriers, and toppling power structures. Sometimes he even eats 50 eggs to win a bet.
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| Being a Christ figure takes huevos. Lots of huevos. |
The protagonist will empower other prisoners to stop living their life in fear or in constant pessimism. They will take beatings to prove a point to the warden. They will stay in "The Box" or "The Hole" or in "Solitary" for days at a time. They get an inch from their breaking point, but never give in for long. They stick it to the man in the end. They are Christ figures, anti authority figures, anti heroes, murderers with a heart of gold. By the time the credits roll you feel as if you are freed too.
Every good prison movie has the same basic formula.
| I'm sticking it to The Man, man! |
What does this have to do with Westerns?
Prison movies are basically stories about FREEDOM and FORTITUDE and REDEMPTION. Westerns are MASCULINITY and FREEDOM and FORTITUDE and REDEMPTION and JUSTICE with an open air setting to address issues of RACISM or WAR or MISOGYNY(rarely) or YOU GET THE PICTURE.
Prison movies forgo masculinity and large scale heroic acts for psychological strife and turmoil. The gun battles in front of saloons turn into a silent game of who will give in first between prisoner and warden.
I've always wondered if those heroic prisoners would become heroes on horses when they finally leave those walls. Does the power translate?
| Can this.... |
| become this? |
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