ms sharpe essay

What is significant about setting and/or place in your chosen American films?

Without doubt, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969, George Roy Hill) and Thelma and Louise (1991, Ridley Scott) both heavily focus on iconic locations, such as the grand canyon and the endless mountain ranges in Mexico, to establish genre, as well as establishing the theme of freedom and representation of gender.

Firstly, Maria Sturken (film critic analysing Thelma and Louise) states that ‘Thelma and Louise is a film about space, both the wide open space of the American West and the confining interior space of the home.’ This can definitely be seen by Louise being trapped in the workplace and Thelma being trapped at home, yet as the film progresses Thelma and Louise’s journey shows how they become liberated as there are numerous open wide shots of both of the women in the Thunderbird 66’ driving across the landscape. Furthermore, the ending of Thelma and Louise is in such an open location that it is implied that Thelma and Louise have reached the pinnacle in their journey for liberation and whilst they may have been caught up by on the police, both characters exchange kisses and hugs before Scott cuts to an extreme wide shot in which the Thunderbird 66’ appears miniscule at the centre of the frame therefore implying that because there is so much space, Thelma and Louise are truly liberated and free from their problems meaning that it seems fitting that the film ends with them driving off the cliff as it suggests that whilst they may not survive the fall, Thelma and Louise are still continuing their journey after the end of the film only making the ending of the film more mythical. On the contrary, Butch and Sundance is almost an opposite in terms of opening and endings. Whilst the narratives are virtually the same (on the run) the opening of Butch Cassidy and Sundance are much more open and the men are free to roam and be outside whilst in Thelma and Louise, Louise is trapped in the restaurant and Thelma is trapped at home by Daryl. With Butch and Sundance going on the run all the way to Bolivia, the use of cinematography by Connie Hall implies to the audience that they are trapped and ultimately they no longer have any freedom or liberation which suggests their entrapment when they die. In their final scene, as well as being trapped by the army, Butch and Sundance are trapped within the frame as they appear as diminutive figures with the shadow occupy most of the frame. This high angle shot of the room demonstrates that their journey is over as they are finally trapped which goes against the genre of a western as in typical westerns the final shootout is usually outside with many passers-by being witnesses to the finale.

In addition, the significance of the locations in Thelma and Louise can be used to demonstrate the representation of gender in the film. Scott cleverly shoots most of the film on the old dreamy ‘Route 66’ type highways making the viewer really admire the beauty of the mid west. Furthermore, the beauty of the landscapes which are portrayed by picturesque wide shots at sunset as the bold orange colour of the sun merges into the landscape, with the mountain ranges piercing the land as well as revealing the land’s vastness and its liberty that it provides to Thelma and Louise. Also, since this is a road movie, it sticks to the convention that the road is territory for men and that women do not belong on the road. However, whilst Scott doesn’t destroy this convention, he simply makes the road a form of a challenge for the women so this only heightens the significance of their emotional journey as always on the road they are pinned back by obstacles (the attempted rape, J.D stealing the money and the police tracking them down). Scott uses the road as a way of implying that perhaps that the road is no place for women or that the long path and journey of freedom for the women is full of obstacles giving a greater meaning and significance of their sacrifice because by embracing death, both of the characters are embracing their true freedom.

By contrast, Butch Cassidy and Sundance stick to the genre of a western with the men being the free and predominant figures in the film with women as second class citizens, as mainly women are prostitutes in this film indicating how there is no gender equality. Furthermore, because the main characters are outlaws, Hill, captured by the cinematography of Connie Hall, was able to demonstrate the men’s freedom and lack of place in society by them on the run in the run through the vast and barren mountain landscapes of the mid west. Many wide-shots that are used show the men as small dots with a trail of dust behind them as well as only occupying a fraction of the frame which suggests the land has swallowed them as well as providing them protection from the super posse and ultimately suggests that they are free as a result of it. Even in Bolivia, with the frames of the camera dominated by lush green as well mountainous terrain not to dissimilar to the mid west.

Another point that could be made is that whilst Thelma and Louise's journey develops, as the landscape becomes wilder, so does the women's appearance. This can be seen that both women ditch their original clothing at the beginning of the film such as Louise's headscarf and Thelma's dresses are swapped for jeans and vests instead. Whilst this occurs the women venture further from the city or civilization and they head of into the wilderness of the Grand Canyon which makes them go slightly nomadic as they cut off from civilization and it ends up only the main characters embracing the inhospitable wasteland of the Grand Canyon therefore their journey as well as being a journey of freedom can be seen as a journey of the women embracing nature and disengaging with society.

Ultimately, the locations of the film are extremely significant as without the locations of the road or the vast mid-west countryside then both of the films would not be able to establish the genre of the films. Therefore, if Butch Cassidy didn't have the huge mountain ranges or if Thelma and Louise didn't have the 'Route 66' type highways, then both of these films would have not followed the conventions of the genres of the films therefore this is why the locations of these films are extremely significant.