I was watching The Wild Bunch recently. Maybe it's just because that movie tries to define manliness so hard, but it got me thinking about macho-ness in westerns. One trope that I never really realized bothered me is the "blaze of glory" ending.
I remember when I first saw Spartacus as a kid, and Spartacus got crucified I was pretty into it. I'd never seen a movie kill its main character like that. It felt truthful-- bleak but necessary. Spartacus sacrifices himself because that is the only way to complete what he sets out to do. It completes the story, and is pretty metal about it too. I liked the brashness. The willingness to destroy what we just spent three hours building.
Whatever about Spartacus though. Later I saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Those guys were macho. They had to keep going because that was the only way they knew how to live. They lived their lives shooting and by god they were going to go out shooting. Those guys had to die because otherwise... Wait hold on. They were proving that... um. They can get shot real good? Look how awesome we die.
I find myself thinking The Wild Bunch is so damn cool, but taking a step back: why is that part of this macho fantasy cowboy thing in my head? Getting gunned down on your own terms is just wilting with a countdown.
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