If shane's a killer then how come...
he's such a nice guy?
shareI suppose 'cause he only kills bad guys.
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MovieChat Forums > Shane (1953) Discussion > If shane's a killer then how come...
That's part of the paradox that is central to the Western Mythology.
"Sometimes you have to take the bull by the tail, and face the truth" - G. Marx
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I got the impression that Shane was not only a gunfighter; but a gunfighter that once wore a badge.
shareI dont think Shane was a ruthless killer like Wilson. Like the other poster mentioned maybe he was in the amry or was a lawman at some point. Maybe he was just a guy who got mixed uo in the wrong situations and he had to kill in self defense or to protect others. I never got the impression that Shane looked to kill anybody it was a last resort
shareShane didn't get pleasure killing people. Jack Wilson did.
Interesting. You're afraid of insects and women. Ladybugs must render you catatonic.
"A gun's as good or as bad as the man using it"share
Well put Steve. I'd forgotten about that. seems a pivotal message in the story.
shareThat whole gun demonstration and explanation that he gives Joey in that long scene is epic. One of the best, but overlooked scenes in the movie. Notice how the sudden explosion of sound and close-up of the gun startles Joey (and the viewer). From a calm scene to controlled mayhem. That is directing!
shareHe may not have been as nice a guy in the past as he was during most of the movie. He obviously was trying to live down his past. He deflected questions about it.
Perhaps the good man that you saw was one side of him; the other side was the one that braced Jack Wilson in the saloon. Let us not forget that he went into the saloon to provoke a gunfight; Wilson didn't want it. How many times in other movies has the 'good guy' provoked the gunfight?
Clearly, Shane has reverted to his gunfighter persona just like Munny did in "Unforgiven".
Soy 'un hijo de la playa'
Let us not forget that he went into the saloon to provoke a gunfight; Wilson didn't want it. How many times in other movies has the 'good guy' provoked the gunfight?
Shane already had word that from his ex-sparring partner, Chris (Ben Johnson), that Ryker had "stacked the deck against Joe Starett" i.e. a conspiracy to murder Starett was underfoot; everyone knew that Wilson had gotten away with murdering "Stonewall" and Wilson was Ryker's big gun to take down first. And Ryker would have sicked Wilson on Shane even if Shane hadn't cut to the chase and called Wilson out.
I don't think Shane was ever the kind of man Wilson was. He was no hired assassin. No opponent from Shane's past who met their end, did so without a gun clenched in their hands.
Not to absolve Shane for his former gunslinging life, but I'd lay odds that every single gunman he'd ever had the drop on were worthless cutthroat scum.
Okay folks, show's over, nothing to see here! share