Restoring the Western Hero and Reclaiming the Classic Hollywood Experience: True Grit (2010)

This chapter views the core issue for True Grit (2010) as being the unavoidable need for ‘good’ ultimately to confront ‘evil’ in physical combat, and for good to win in such a way as to safeguard the future of a shared cultural community. The film becomes a restatement of the crucial role of the (flawed) American hero in guaranteeing the future of American values and national identity. In extremis the system of law and order is shown to be left wanting. At this point what is required is the strong individual, such as ‘Rooster’ Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) who is prepared to step beyond the normal bounds of civilised behaviour in the service of a higher concept of justice.