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Night of the Serpent

Name: Night of the Serpent
Director: Giulio Petroni
Released: 1969
Duration: 108 min

Representation Score

4.1/10

Fair

1969

Director

Giulio Petroni

Runtime

108 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Night of the Serpent serves as a gritty deconstruction of the Western genre, trading idealized heroism for moral ambiguity. While it avoids the typical Anglo-centric focus of Hollywood Westerns by using a Mexican setting, the narrative remains heavily centered on male-driven conflict and traditional gender roles. The film excels in its critique of institutional authority, presenting a corrupt sheriff to challenge the sanctity of law and order. This approach favors a complex exploration of individual ethics and redemption over systemic righteousness. However, the film offers limited diverse representation beyond its setting. It lacks significant female characters with ability to act or roles that challenge traditional gender hierarchies, and it does not include LGBTQ+ or disability-related narratives.

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Category Breakdown

Does Night of the Serpent have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any explicit LGBTQ+ characters or explore non-straight relationships. The narrative focuses solely on the conflict between the sheriff, the townspeople, and the orphan.

How does Night of the Serpent portray gender?

Fair

The story revolves around a conflict coded as traditionally masculine, involving a sheriff and a male protagonist. Female characters do not play a significant role or challenge traditional gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Night of the Serpent?

Fair

Set in a Mexican village with a Mexican sheriff, the film shifts away from Anglo-centric Western clichés. This setting integrates ethnic diversity into the landscape.

How does Night of the Serpent represent religion and culture?

Good

The film deconstructs Western institutions by portraying the sheriff as a corrupt figure. It emphasizes individual redemption and moral relativism over rigid, systemic morality.

Does Night of the Serpent include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no mention of physical, neurodivergent, or mental health disabilities being used as central character traits or plot devices.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional Western clichés by portraying law enforcement as corrupt and driven by greed.
Provides a non-Anglo-centric setting by centering the story in a Mexican village.
Explores complex themes of moral relativism and individual redemption.

Limited or Absent

Lacks significant female characters with ability to act or roles that challenge traditional gender hierarchies.
Provides no visible representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships.
Does not feature characters with disabilities or neurodivergent traits as central to the narrative.

Official Synopsis

Hernandez, the sheriff of a small Mexican village, joins a group of townsmen with the intention of killing young orphan Manuel and robbing him of his inheritance. Killer Luke, now an alcoholic for having murdered his own son by mistake, who is chosen for the task, instead decides to take the defence of the poor child.

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