In 1953, George Stevens (1904–1975) directed the classic Western (see entry under 1930s—Film and Theater in volume 2) Shane. The movie was a critical and popular success in its own time, but over the years its place in popular culture has grown even stronger. The film has an enduring ability to tap into Americans' nostalgia for a simpler, less complicated time, in which good and evil were black and white and the little folks could win out over the big guys.

The film's title character, played by Alan Ladd (1913–1964), is among the most symbolic of Western heroes. He is individualistic and self-sufficient, arriving alone and ultimately leaving alone. He is a friendly and well-mannered buckskinned gunslinger. He does not quite fit into society but is still able to walk the border between the wild and civilization. Although not a lawman, over the course of the film Shane becomes a force...