The Hero and the Grave: The Theme of Death in the Films of John Ford, Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone

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The theme of death is an essential component of film narrative, particularly in how it affects the hero. Filmmakers from different cultures and backgrounds have developed distinct yet archetypical perspectives on death and the protagonist’s response. Focusing on Western and Japanese period genre films, the author examines the work of John Ford (1894-1973), Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) and Sergio Leone (1929-1989) and finds similarities regarding death’s impact on the hero’s sense of morality.