The American Anti--Hero

What historical factors influenced the rise of the American Anti-Hero in cinema and how does this hero contradict the Classic Hollywood Ideology.

     After World War II the American anti-hero emerged in order to bring something new to the theaters. The anit-hero was not only what the Americas wanted but it also reflected the American culture. Studios believe that the actions portrayed are not fiction in which they design but more along the lines of what society has come to portray in its world. Whether it is good, bad, or ugly the American anti-hero embodies a change in cinema just like the world began to change after the war. In addition, by allowing for the heros to rebel against the status quo the anti hero would emerge and in a sense provide propaganda to the people to have themselves rebel as well. "Thus, the anti hero can be seen in earlier american cinema as well, but was in no way as popular as it became in World War II." After the bomb drop on Hiroshim, America had lost its innocence and needed a new kind of hero that would represent the dark side of America. America NEEDED and anti hero.

     A controversy over the American anti hero arrised where there was confusion as to why the title had gained so much popularity if it portrayed the Americans in a demonic fashion. John Garfiel made a name for himself in the 1940s because he allowed the audience to love its protagonist and love its villain where the villain can sometimes be the anti hero. He believed that staying true to the characters personality was more important than creating lies in the story even if it meant loosing and audience. "Audiences throughout the 1930s and 40s were enthralled by the darker side of human nature, as Film Noir was truly a guilty pleasure, but when the likes of Garfield and Brando and Clift began to rock the boat, they absolutely ate it up." The audience comes back to these films primarily because they can relate to the wrong doings; people are evil people and most of us cant help but to commit a sin or wrong doing. What I understand is the goal of the American anti hero is that by portraying evil and commiting evil actions, the audience can learn from this and respectfully do the right thing based on what they watch. It was said that the American anti hero was a also a representation of human anger that arose after World War II and the skepticism as to what really is heroism.

     Unlike Garfields characters, Brando's American anti-hero comined masculinity and vulnerability. As a result, this mixture provided a sense of depth and a more complex nature to the character. "America in the 1950s was a country full of Terry Malloys. Men and women have been through tough times, who had been knocked down a time or two but still got back up, who did what they had to for their family, who may have done wrong, but could still do right." After the Cold War, peopel embraced that a character can have two side to him or her. They could display a good and evil side that accompanied mixed emotions from the audience. Characters can neither be heroic or demonic. What they represent is the best of both worlds and are never seen for what they truly are. The complex American anit -hero in my opinion questions society and even after the movie is over the audience is able to go back home and reflect on life or even themselves, whatever needs to bee reviewed in terms of whether it is right or wrong.