Totalitarianism in High Noon and Rio Bravo.
Rio Bravo was made in response to High Noon which John Wayne later called “Un American.” Rio Bravo specifically objected to a protagonist portrayed as someone who had been abandoned by his community and left in a state of desperation. Begging for help it his quaker wife, who abhors violence, who finally has to save him. Thus, John Wayne and Howard Hawks teamed up to tell a story portraying a hero who doesn’t display any fear or inner conflict, never once repudiates his commitment to public duty, and stays loyal to his friends. Where High Noon highlights the concerns about totalitarianism through isolation and civic apathy, Rio Bravo asserts that solidarity, even from the most unassuming individuals, can challenge totalitarian powers.
In the film High Noon, fear erodes communal responsibility. This mirrors how populations in totalitarian societies often remain passive, enabling totalitarian power. Up until this point, Will Kane has been continuously pressured to leave town and avoid the criminal, Frank Miller, whom he locked up. Now free, Frank Miller is on his way back to Hadleyville in search of revenge for Kane. As Kane refuses to leave, he instead attempts to recruit deputies to fight Miller and his men. Unfortunately, he finds that almost everyone is far too cowardly for the job. In this scene, Will Kane goes to visit the former Marshal Martin Howe. For Will, Howe acts as a mentor and someone Will has looked up to all his life. Thus, when Will goes to visit he expects advice and guidance but instead, Howe states, “It figures, it’s all happened too sudden, people gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it… maybe because down deep they don’t care…they just don’t care”(53:09). This quote hints at the profound apathy among citizens. Almost more dangerous than fear, it is this exact lack of conviction that helps totalitarianism thrive. Indifference is the key driver in operating unchecked power. As Will once again asks for guidance, Howe merely expresses the same strong desire for Will to leave town. Will specifically came to Howe as a last resort, hoping that his loyalty and relationship to Howe would hold some significance; however, Will leaves discouraged without Howe’s assistance, and without anyone willing to defend the law. The scene ends zoomed in on Howe’s face, where he states, “it’s all for nothing” (54:32). As a former Marshal who devoted his life to justice, Howe feels that it was all meaningless, and thus, Will’s efforts are going to be inconsequential. This pivotal exchange reveals that underneath the external threat of Frank Miller exists the threat of crumbling civic duty. Will entreats Howe for advice; however, Howe instead embodies cynicism. Framing the law as something “people gotta talk themselves into” highlights the law as merely a social construct. Howe’s words reveal that totalitarianism feeds on fear and violence, but more dangerously, apathy. As fear triggers indifference, power becomes fortified for those imposing fear. Will experiences this lack of conviction first hand as those who had once supported him now stand withdrawn from collective responsibility. Kane, forced to stand alone by even his most fervent allies, further reveals the isolating nature of trying to resist totalitarianism.
Antithetically Rio Bravo emphasizes that solidarity and community is the remedy to totalitarianism. Despite overwhelming odds, even the smallest and most loyal communities can resist totalitarian oppression. In this scene, Nathan Burdette confronts Sheriff John Chance about his brother Joe being held in prison for killing a man in a saloon. Chance knows that Nathan is a man of great wealth and power who would use that power for his benefit stating: “He’s no good, but he’s your brother. If he committed 20 murders you’d see he didn’t hang for them”(1:01:45). Essentially, his wealth makes Nathan the figure of unchecked authority as his money could potentially be used to corrupt the justice systems in place. Nathan is equally as aware of this as he responds to Chance saying, “I don’t like that kind of talk, now you’re partially accusing me-”(1:01:47). However, this is simply a bluff from Nathan as he knows full well that he has been using his power for exactly those reasons. For example, Nathan had been employing his men to watch Chance and “trying to catch [him] with [his] back turned,” or Nathan having killed one of Chance’s friends who was volunteering to help (1:02:00). Both the fear of being watched as well as ruthless acts of violence are characteristic to any totalitarian power structures. Moreover, Nathan feels so unchecked in his power because he feels unthreatened by Chance as a figure of justice. In stating “What are you gonna do about it” in a tone of near mockery, further reveals that Nathan doesn’t take Chance seriously. After explaining to both Joe and Nathan that Chance intends to keep Joe locked up until the U.S. Marshall arrives, something that surely scared both Joe and his brother, Joe responds with: “he talks awful big for a man thats all alone except for a bar fly and a cripple”(1:02:40). This is a pivotal moment in the scene as it highlights the perceived fragility of Chance’s resistance to power. From the perspective of the Burdettes, it seems that Chance’s team of support is almost laughable. Clarifying that Chance’s team was merely composed of society’s outcasts – “a bar fly and a cripple,” reveals that it matters not the type of people resisting but rather that solidarity and conviction exist regardless. Unlike High Noon, the emphasis in this scene is not placed on an abandoned individual but rather on an intensely loyal group of people who choose courage over fear. Instead of a town succumbing to the perils of totalitarianism, Rio Bravo highlights how solidarity, no matter how small, can resist oppression.
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