BROKEN LANCE

US, 1954, 96 Minutes, Colour.
Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Jean Peters, Richard Widmark, Katy Jurado, Earl Holliman, Hugh O'Brian, E.G. Marshall.
Directed by Edward Dmytryk.

Broken Lance is a very interesting and enjoyable Western featuring Spencer Tracy. Based on a Phillip Jordan story called House of Strangers and filmed with Edward G. Robinson, the setting of the West is used for a portrait of a family with a tyrannical patriarchal father. There are two sons clashing, Robert Wagner and Richard Widmark. However, the film puts a strong Western setting for this family clash and illustrates many of the themes of the West. Directed by Edward Dmytryk, a director of many well-made and popular features from the 40s to the 70s. Broken Lance was one of the earliest Westerns in Cinemascope and is photographed attractively. Enjoyable and interesting for discussion of the Western heritage and family relationships.

1. Was this a good western? Audience expectations of westerns? How different was this: adult, psychological?

2. The significance and symbolism of the title, its irony, themes, symbolic action at the end?

3. Contribution of colour, locations, stars? The strength of Spencer Tracy?

4. The flashback structure and its success? The focus on Devereux via the picture? Joe's suffering for his father and the explanations?

5. The character of Devereux: his strength as a man, his building up of the ranch. his capacity for work.. his foresight and ambitions? His humiliating his sons and treating them harshly? Favouring Joe? Loving his wife and soft with Barbara? How real and complex a character?

6. The explanation of his arrogance: the shoot? up at the copper mines, his wrong-headedness, stubbornness and impulsiveness, relying on the local law., his reaction to justice? His allowing Joe to suffer for him? The clash with the other sons? The symbolism of his death?

7. How was Matt Devereux a typical man of the American west?

8. Ice: half-Indian background, racist suffering, relationship with his brothers? His loyalty and advice for his father? His love for his mother, for Barbara? His decision to suffer for his father? The impact of the prison, the melodrama of the final fight, breaking the lance, the appropriateness of the happy ending?

9. Ben as oppressed, harsh, suffering, leading his brother. greedy, mad, the inevitability of his death?

10. Denny as a follower, irresponsible? Mike?

11. The contribution of Barbara: the pepper sequence, her love for Joe, waiting for him? The racist theme with her marriage? Her father's friendship with Matt, thinking of his position? Racism?

12. The portrayal of the Indians, their protection of the Devereuxs? The final shooting?

13. Themes of family, love, hate, power, justice, property and the symbolism of the ranch itself, life and death?

14. What did this western achieve?