Lighting Techniques in "My Darling Clementine"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines John Ford's Western "My Darling Clementine" (1946) and how in particular the lighting adds to the gritty and harsh nature of the landscape, the town and the characters. It looks at how Ford and his cinematographer actually use lighting and other elements to create a film that falls between the myth and the reality. The lighting suggests a harsh and realistic West, while the isolation of Wyatt Earp in scene after scene sets him apart as a laconic and yet powerful figure.

From the Paper:

"The opening sequences show the use of filters to bring out the sky and the clouds over Monument Valley as the Earps bring their cattle across the valley floor. The lighting through most of this opening sequence evokes the documentary which uses only natural sunlight as a source, adding to the realism of the scene and contributing to the grittiness and harsh look of the landscape. This is not a Western that prettifies the West and its denizens. Instead, Ford approaches the West here as a hard place to live and as a place peopled by hard people. Those who seem to "belong" to this landscape will be contrasted with Clementine, who clearly does not belong, especially in the eyes of Wyatt Earp. "

More papers on Lighting Techniques in "My Darling Clementine":

• Film Review # 100093 : "My Darling Clementine"
• Film Review # 111398 : "My Darling Clementine" - Civilization versus Chaos"
• Film Review # 131632 : "Heroism and Westerns"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: