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A Town Called Bastard

Name: A Town Called Bastard
Director: Robert Parrish
Released: 1971
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

5.3/10

Fair

1971

Director

Robert Parrish

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

A Town Called Bastard operates as a work of social realism that prioritizes class struggle over identity-based representation. It succeeds in deconstructing Western myths by centering on systemic corruption and the exploitation of workers by corporate entities. However, the film lacks meaningful inclusion of LGBTQ+ identities and disability. The narrative environment is heavily weighted toward traditional masculine archetypes and straight-centered structures, limiting its breadth of human experience. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its cultural critique of institutional power rather than its diversity of personhood.

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Category Breakdown

Does A Town Called Bastard have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows strict 1970s genre conventions and does not include any non-binary or LGBTQ+ identities or same-sex relationships. Instead, it focuses on traditional heterosexual roles.

How does A Town Called Bastard portray gender?

Limited

The protagonist is a strong, independent woman seeking revenge, but the world she inhabits is dominated by masculine-coded labor and violence, making the social landscape heavily male-centric.

How racially and ethnically diverse is A Town Called Bastard?

Fair

The cast is primarily white and working-class, with the narrative focusing on the socioeconomic struggles of the American West. Mexican revolutionaries are present but do not take center stage.

How does A Town Called Bastard represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film effectively critiques Western institutions through an anti-capitalist lens, framing conflicts around labor exploitation and resistance against corrupt corporate mining interests.

Does A Town Called Bastard include disability representation?

Minimal

Characters are defined by their capacity for physical labor or violence, and there is no significant focus on neurodivergence or physical disabilities.

Present on Screen

Strong cultural critique of traditional Western institutions and frontier justice.
Effective portrayal of organized labor resistance against corporate hegemony.
Challenges genre clichés by focusing on anti-capitalist themes and systemic friction.

Limited or Absent

Lack of representation for LGBTQ+ identities and non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth characters.
Minimal focus on neurodivergence or physical disabilities within character arcs.
Heavy reliance on masculine-coded archetypes and male-dominated social landscapes.

Official Synopsis

A group of Mexican revolutionaries murders a town priest and a number of his christian followers. Ten years later, a widow arrives in town intent to take revenge from her husband's killers.

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