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The Bargain

Name: The Bargain
Director: Reginald Barker
Released: 1914
Duration: 80 min

Representation Score

0.8/10

Minimal

1914

Director

Reginald Barker

Runtime

80 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Bargain is a foundational Western that adheres strictly to the genre's established clichés of redemption and frontier justice. The narrative structure prioritizes a traditional outlaw-to-hero arc, reinforcing historical social hierarchies rather than challenging them. Representation is limited by the era's cinematic constraints, focusing on a conventional romantic interest and a settler-colonial setting.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Bargain have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any characters with LGBTQ+ identities. The story revolves around a traditional romance between a male outlaw and a female settler's daughter.

How does The Bargain portray gender?

Limited

Gender roles in the film follow early 20th-century conventions. The male protagonist drives the action, while the female character primarily serves as a catalyst for his moral transformation.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Bargain?

Limited

The film depicts a homogeneous white cast typical of its era. The narrative focuses on the standard Western expansion and settler-colonial themes.

How does The Bargain represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story relies on traditional Western motifs and frontier myths. While the Sheriff's corruption adds moral complexity, the overall framework prioritizes established social orders.

Does The Bargain include disability representation?

Minimal

The protagonist's wound serves mainly as a plot device for recuperation, rather than a meaningful depiction of disability. There are no characters with disabilities that play a significant role in the story.

Present on Screen

The portrayal of a morally ambiguous Sheriff adds complexity to the standard law-and-order narrative.

Limited or Absent

The film relies on conventional gender roles where the female character primarily serves as a romantic motivator.
The narrative lacks diverse racial or cultural perspectives, focusing instead on a homogeneous settler-colonial framework.
There is no evidence of LGBTQ+ representation or narratives that critique the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

Official Synopsis

After the bandit known as the Two-Gun Man Jim Stokes robs the stage, he is wounded in his flight from the scene. Recuperating at a ranch, he falls in love with a local settler's daughter. Now wishing to go straight, Stokes encounters trouble when the Sheriff-- not entirely incorruptible-- Catches wind of his location.

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