“Yellowstone” – between Cowboy Mythology and Anti-westernism
Title: “Yellowstone” (TV series)
Release Date: 2018 – 2024
Cast: Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Wes Bentley, Luke Grimes and others
It took me a while to get used to the world presented in “Yellowstone”. The first episodes bored me and even put me off like the wild and harsh climate of Montana, where the series is set. It’s a production that refers to the American western (but also anti-western), that is, the great story of the birth of America. “Yellowstone” reinterprets the myth of the cowboy, discusses the ideas of ecology, and, above all, returns to the original definition of the homeland as the land of the fathers. It determines the brutal logic of the actions of the heroes, who act in defense of the old, almost archaic order. And I guess this series is like the breathtaking yet challenging landscapes depicted in it: you can only hate it or love it. I, ultimately, loved “Yellowstone” from the first to the last season. Because even though it was Kevin Costner who got a well-deserved Golden Globe for his role, for me “Yellowstone” is a great show of the magnetic and unique Kelly Reilly.
“Yellowstone” – the Duttons fight for survival
“Yellowstone” is a series that tells the story of the Dutton family, American ranchers who live in Montana, in the area bordering the famous national park. For this reason, the vast tracts of land that belong to them are a gluttonous morsel for large corporations that would like to build luxury tourist resorts or a giant airport here. On the other hand, the Indians living on the reservation, the indigenous owners of the land, also want to reclaim the area appropriated by the Americans. The doyen of the family, John Dutton (Kevin Kostner), must therefore function between these two forces, trying to save the family property at all costs.
As it turns out, the Duttons have, not coincidentally, remained in possession of land in Yellowstone for several generations. After all, successive generations of the clan have had to learn to fight to preserve the status quo and use often brutal means to do so. There is no room for sentiment in this world, which is why Dutton’s children: Jamie (Wes Bentley), Kayce (Luke Grimes), Lee (Dave Annable) and Beth (Kelly Reilly) have received a strict upbringing and, like their father, will do anything to ward off potential enemies from the ranch.
The series “Yellowstone” – a renaissance of cowboy mythology
“Yellowstone” is an interesting and highly successful example of the revival of the American cowboy myth and goes back to its cinematic representation, the western. What we have here is a glorification of the ranching lifestyle – simple, based on daily work, and in keeping with traditional values. Caring for family, honor and courage are the main components of the attitude promoted. Of course, all the elements of cowboy symbolism appear: handsome men in wide-brimmed hats, wearing high leather boots, herding cattle and roaming the vast prairies on horseback. Plus, these men know what a revolver is for and won’t hesitate to use it. As in the classic western, the makers of “Yellowstone” reactivate the ideology of violence for a just cause. And there is indeed plenty of it. In defense of the ranch, the Duttons, along with their employees, are fighting a real war against developers, banks and other powerful corporations trying to take over their property.
The land of the fathers is a key value and at the same time a capacious metaphor in which all the senses of the series fit. It is the original definition of the fatherland, or paternal land, triggering almost archaic meanings. At the same time, it is this setting of accents that makes the struggle undertaken almost a foregone conclusion. The creators of “Yellowstone” not accidentally operate with the poetics of nostalgia in portraying the magnificent landscapes of Montana and cowboy customs. It’s a picture of a world dying before our eyes, as in John Huston’s famous “The Misfits” (1961).
In addition to the violence in the “Yelowstone” series, we also have romantic evenings spent under a starry sky and a life-and-death struggle for the woman we love. The embodiment of the modern cowboy is, of course, Rip, brilliantly played by Cole Hauser. He is almost the ideal of a man, the incarnation of a knight on a white horse, who will go to the highest sacrifices in defense of his chosen one, and on top of that will always remain loyal to his breadwinner. I think that Rip effectively works on the imagination of the female part of the audience and creates a captivating, beautiful couple with the fascinating Beth.
“Yellowstone” – between a western and an anti-western
“Yellowstone,” however, evokes not only the tradition of westerns, but also of anti-westerns. The Indians here are not aliens, a scary, dehumanized enemy, but the indigenous people of America, wronged by the invaders who snatched their lands from them. There are clear references in the series to the anti-Western classic, “Dances with Wolves” (1990). Kevin Costner’s character alone brings up associations with that film, and the motif of the wolf that follows Kayce and his family is a telling set-up for the famous work. The faith of the Indians, their customs, traditions and aspirations are a very important theme throughout. What’s more, the marriage of Kayce and Monica (Kelsey Asbille), a cowboy and an Indian woman, is an almost parabolic reconciliation of two separate worlds. In this context, the ending of the entire series seems extremely logical and consistent with the main idea of the series.
“Yellowstone” also presents female characters differently than in a classic western. They do not merely serve as ornaments and motivations for the brave male heroes, but are equal protagonists of the presented world, and even play the first fiddle. The center of attention is, of course, the character of Kelly Reilly, or Beth. For me, “Yellowstone” is definitely the series of this actress, which perhaps gave her the opportunity to play the role of a lifetime. Beth is somewhat reminiscent of Reilly’s performance in the second series of “True Detective,” but after her performance in “Yellowstone,” it is fair to say that it was only a prelude to the possibilities that the artist developed in the series with Costner. Phenomenal, wildly fascinating and to the point of ambivalence, Beth is a woman who steals every scene. In her airy dresses and high leather boots, she is the quintessence of femininity. Beth’s sensuality and aggressive brutality coexist with an uncommon sensitivity, and the scars on her alluring body are a sign of the contradictions that hound her. Kelly Reilly plays this series from beginning to end – she is its protagonist, a lure that engages the viewer’s attention and a true muse, who, like a great prima donna, deserves a standing ovation after her performance.
