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There Was a Crooked Man...

Name: There Was a Crooked Man...
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Released: 1970
Duration: 123 min

Representation Score

1.4/10

Minimal

1970

Director

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Runtime

123 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Joseph L. Mankiewicz presents a revisionist Western that focuses on complex characters rather than traditional heroes. While the film effectively dismantles genre clichés through moral ambiguity, it remains confined by the demographic norms of its time. The film’s strength lies in its nuanced critique of authority and justice, but it falls short in providing diverse representation across gender, race, and LGBTQ+ identities.

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Category Breakdown

Does There Was a Crooked Man... have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows traditional standards typical of 1970s Westerns, with no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth characters.

How does There Was a Crooked Man... portray gender?

Limited

Female characters play minor roles and lack the power to drive the main storyline, operating within a male-dominated structure.

How racially and ethnically diverse is There Was a Crooked Man...?

Limited

The cast is primarily white and Anglo-Saxon, reflecting the homogeneous society of the 1870s frontier.

How does There Was a Crooked Man... represent religion and culture?

Good

The film challenges conventional Western morals by presenting a morally ambiguous protagonist who questions the legitimacy of formal legal systems.

Does There Was a Crooked Man... include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of visible or invisible disabilities that serve as central character arcs.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional Western morals by presenting a morally ambiguous protagonist.
Provides a sophisticated critique of authority and justice.
Deconstructs genre clichés through moral ambiguity.

Limited or Absent

Women are relegated to secondary, peripheral roles.
The cast lacks racial and ethnic diversity.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth characters.

Official Synopsis

A charming but ruthless criminal is sent to a remote Arizona prison, where he enlists the help of his cellmates in an escape attempt with the promise of sharing his hidden loot.

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