The Western heroes of Ford’s “Investigators” and Eastwood’s “The Untouchables” are portrayed in completely different ways. Although they show some similar characteristics at times, the hero of “Forgiveness,” Will Munny, is a very different person than “Investigators” Ethan Edwards. In order to understand the impact, the person and the overall personality of these people, it is necessary to look at them individually.
In John Ford’s “Investigators” we are presented with a Old West style hero. Ethan Edwards was driven by hate, called a racist. He continues to seek to avenge the murders of his people, and to find his captive niece. Ethan is a loner. This image represents the entire film right from the start. Ethan arrives riding to his brother’s house, with no explanation of where he is or what he is doing. He is himself, wandering about, doing whatever he sees fit. We see examples of anti-social or anti-conformist behavior, which also contribute to the image of him who is usually withdrawn in himself, instead of defending himself. For example, in the funeral scene, Ethan rushes down to the business to begin the hunt. That impatient manner of civility and mourning breaks into an abruptness when “Put him amen. The time is not the time to pray. Amen.”
We also know that Ethan had no wife or children. He chose the path of life. Although it is only hinted at, we know that Ethan loves his brother’s wife. When Ethan is around Martha, he is softer. He kisses her lovingly on the forehead as he greets her. Her actions towards him are also very tender. It is clear that they love each other. Because of Martha’s inability to accept “oriental” ways of civility and conformity, she wanted to marry a stable man, ready to settle and raise a family. When Ethan arrives at his brother’s house after the Comanche attack, the first person he calls is Martha. When he finds her, he attacks her and kills her. When he found his nieces abducted, he was almost devastated. Another time we can guess what Martha was thinking about is Debbie’s decision not to kill her when she has the chance. I think she understands that she is the son of the woman she loves.
Ethan may be strong, but not necessarily a “good guy.” It’s not directly stated, but it’s strongly hinted that Ethan has a criminal past that includes a bank robbery. Ethan gives his brother “Yankee” money and returns information from the men later. Ethan’s money doesn’t seem to be flowing.
We know that Ethan is a seasoned hunter. He has all the essentials: grit, strength, speed, intelligence and the drive to kill. Despite his hatred of Indians, Ethan knows all about Comanche beliefs and behavior. For example, when he finds a dead Indian, he fixes his eyes, knowing that they believe he is doomed to “wander in the spirit land forever.” In Ethan’s hatred of the Indians there is a movement going on. He is so prejudiced that he refuses to accept Marty, his brother’s adopted son, as the family because he is part of India. Ethan also claims that Debbie is no longer considered his “blood” because he “lived with the goat”. Ethan’s hatred of the Comanche Indians runs so deep that he kills the buffalo because if they are dead “at least they won’t feed the Comanche this winter.”
Ethan is always strong and in control. He lives by his law, and does not fear the laws of his actions. Strong and powerful. His family looks up to him. Right before the Comanche attack on the Edwards farm, Ethan’s son, Ben, says, “I wish Uncle Edwards was here. Wouldn’t you, Ma?” Others respect Ethan as well. While Marty wants an opportunity to try to save Debbie before the full-scale attack, he is not given the go-ahead until Ethan’s approval is received. An example of abstinence is at the Comanche camp when he meets Scar and sees Debbie for the first time. He has composed himself to handle the matter properly. From this it is clear that he shows his ability to arrange and think things through which he acts impetuously in emotional responses.
A few times we see Ethan consider other people’s feelings. He finds Lucia, kidnapped and killed, and tries to keep her from her lover. Marty also tries to get rid of Martha’s corpse on Edward’s farm. It seems superfluous, it seems superfluous, so that he does not rely on additional pain.
In the film, the character of Ethan is actually philosophical about his inability to conform and the drive to continue the quest. Anger, hatred, and desire are dissolved. No matter how bad things were, Ethan was always confident that he would win. When Marty kills Scarm, Ethan seems to feel cheated. As a final insult, he scratches Scar. From the characters and interactions we’ve seen, we can guess that Ethan will continue in his current life – living alone in a world of anger.
On the other hand, the “unknown” hero, Will Munny (played by Clint Eastwood), is not driven by hate, not conforming. Munny is introduced as a sick, weathered, pig farmer trying to raise two children. A widower, I go on in life alone. Although Munny lived in a secret area, we understand that he did not see the same kind of honor in the second film. The opening of the film gave us on-scene information to identify Munny as another man “known as a thief and a murderer, a man known to have a vicious and uncontrollable temper.” The will, in the beginning, does nothing to make us seem vicious.
William Munny, a faithful man. He shows faith and respect for his late wife, attributing changes for the better. Pete Sothow tells his grandson, Hed, that “I’m not like Hed anymore… My wife, she cured me of that, she cured me of drink and wickedness.” It is mentioned in the journey that Will has not had sex for many years. His response shows his loyalty to his family and his willingness to respect each other. Munny said, “The only woman a man like me can accept is one that he will have to pay for. That is not right, he bought flesh. Claudia, God rest her soul, you would never want me to do something like that, being me. father and all.”
Unlike Ethan Edwards, Munny is not racist at all. He enlists the help of his old partner – a black man named Ned Logan. Munny is Ned’s closest and most loyal to him. At first, Ned didn’t want the Kid to come on the flight. Ned did not want to leave, saying, “He is my partner. He who will not go, I will not go.” Later, when Ned leaves, she still wants him to begrudgingly accept the kid’s money money> part of the payment. > He feels about it.
Will Munny seems remorseful about many of his past actions. He knows he made a mistake and is happy he lived through it. He seems to confirm that he has changed in the movie and “isn’t the same anymore”. He points to his past lifestyle of drinking and gun-fighting as a crime. He says that images from the past are coming to him. We see from these things that he has a conscience.
Munny drives what he decides to spend only on hunting. Very reluctant to return to this type of activity. Only after the difficult conditions of his life and the failing farm, he decided to follow as a kid. Even though it’s out of practice, Munny always seems pretty confident. After a bad target practice session, she still tells Ned that “it’s going to be easy to kill them if they don’t get down to Texas first.” Ned reminds him how long it’s been since he did something like this. Munny, alarmed by him, proceeds to explain the good reason, because the man has fallen on the lady. This is an example of the heroic code of the Old West – whether she’s a prostitute or not – you don’t hurt a lady.
All along the way to the Big Cup we see examples of how much will such a life has forgotten. The conditions of the journey made him weak and weak. In one of his worst moments he talks about the fear of dying. When it’s time to follow up with the murders, Munny takes on the role of leader. Ned realizes that he can’t do it, and the Kid can’t see well enough to shoot from her. Munny is left to follow the “tough guy” alone. Immediately afterwards, human compassion creeps in, when a crippled child cries out and asks for water. He cannot stand to hear this, and cries out to his friends to ease the pain of dying. This also emphasizes Munny’s drive that the prize money rather than the joy derived from the kill. After this incident, Munny’s long-forgotten gunmen skills return. Hunter is in a similar position to kill another man, Mike.
Munny’s thoughts are always based on reality. An example of this is when the Kid confesses that he has never been killed before. He talks to him about killing. He says “it’s a hell of a thing, to kill a man. You take everything. ‘got’ and ‘ He’s always been drinking. After Ned is killed for crimes he didn’t commit, he takes a drink for the first time in years. He’s desperate for revenge. He enters the saloon, knowing that Little Bill, who is now the sheriff, is most likely to know this, and confidently walks in. Munny boldly announces his new purpose to be there: “Kill the woman and the children. I’ve killed just about everything that has walked or crawled at one time or another, and I’m here to kill you, Little Bill, what? you did to Ned. ”
At this point we see an unchanged Will Munny, now as cold and murderous as he had been in the “old days.” Now those who are killed call fear. He gives the cowards an opportunity to leave, saying to them: “Anyone who does not want to be killed has the better back.” The will is in perspective at this time before Little Bill kills the bill. As Little Bill interrupts Will he is cold and unmoved. Little Bill says, “I don’t deserve this. To die like this.” Will’s cold response is, “Merely, it has nothing to do with the matter.” When Little Bill says he will see Munny “in hell”, he simply replies “Yeah” and kills him.
Since the will leaves nothing, it is still in power and observed by some of the people who survived after the massacre. He shouts as if someone shot him. Then, as he leaves the town, he gives his last threat. He tells the surviving men that they had better “bury Ned right” or he will come back and kill every one of them.
As the film concludes, we are taken back to the opening scene. I feel this means a desire to return to a normal, human life with their children. We see him on the farm and he has just greeted his wife. He retired accustomed to humanity. He returns to his duties as a his father’s drunken killing days leaves again. The conclusion of the text relates that he later left the area with his children and his family to spread out in dry goods. We can only assume that he is transferring himself to another place where he can escape the past and start about the future.
As you can see, both of these highly acclaimed western heroes have killers, but they are two completely different types. Both had the harsh conditions required in the Old West. They were tough and intelligent, they understood the “law of the gun”, and under any circumstances they would be driven to keep it. The difference between them comes from Munny’s willingness to adapt to more humane, cultured “oriental” ways of life, something we know for sure that Ethan Edwards would never do.
