Assignment 03: True Grit

Upon reading the book and watching both adaptations of “True Grit”, I've observed there are elements of American mythology (small town Americana) that are romanticized and glamorized, especially in the 1969 movie adaptation. The book, written by Charles Portis, depicts Mattie Ross, an angry and distraught teenage girl wanting to avenge her father’s death. She hires two men, Rooster and LaBoeuf, and leads them on a quest to redeem her family name. In the end, Mattie is held captive and led to believe that both men have abandoned her, and is forced to fend for herself to complete her mission.

In the 1969 film adaptation, Mattie is depicted as dainty, quiet, and in mourning as compared to her forceful counterpart in the book. This is to romanticize the traditional role of southern women, and how small town society believed a women should handle crisis in that time period. This depiction of Mattie is more ladylike and stern leading the men, as compared to her forceful leadership qualities in the book.

In the original book, Mattie demonstrates open racial prejudice. This was an unfortunate mindset common for that time period, but considered unenlightened in modern times. In the 1969 adaptation, the racial inequality aspect is excluded from the story, making the film feel more like a period western.

Mattie’s character being portrayed as more refined in the 1969 film leaves the majority of the action to Rooster and LaBoeuf. This forces Mattie's character to be dependent on these characters, and demonstrate subdued emotion while seeking revenge. Comparatively, Mattie in the book is commanding and determined overruling any hesitancy by either man.

The 2010 film adaptation by the Coen brothers is much closer to book in terms of details and dialogue. The tone is dark, and the film does not gloss over the racism or brutality, which makes Mattie's motivations more apparent. While authentic to the era, nothing about the time period is romanticized. Mattie's anguish and anger is all consuming, and nothing is more important to her than finding her father's murderer.

While the 1969 portrayal of Mattie appears passive, the 2010 portrayal does not impose societal limits about the roles of women and men. The 2010 film conveys the brutal loss of a family member, and Mattie's authentic reaction to this kind of tragedy regardless of era and gender. It's more gut wrenching for it's dark realism.

I believe each generation romanticizes different eras for different reasons. Some romanticize their childhood memories and outstanding historical events. Others may romanticize an era that inspired them artistically and attempt to reflect it in their own art.

In the 1960's, filmmakers tended to romanticize westerns, and small town America, often adhering to the societal and gender expectations of the current day, and adapting the characters to fit. Although current generations can be nostalgic, having grown up in the information age, they prefer more accurate depictions of time periods. Authentic depictions of even fictional events allows viewers to connect to the mindset of people from past eras, which makes the experience more relatable and emotionally immersive. Current generations seem to prefer depictions that adhere to American history over complete “American Mythology”. They prefer realism over myth.