There are few places in the United States where the climate and landscapes can be more harsh and unforgiving for human habitation than within the state of Arizona. The searing hot deserts of the summer months with its broiling sun, the fiercely cold winters of the northern Rocky Mountains, and the treacherous terrain crisscrossing the state can still make early 21st century life challenging here. So, it’s not too difficult to imagine how intimidating and precarious life was in the 19th century for the indigenous tribes who had already lived in the region for hundreds of years or for the settlers who came afterwards, when United States expansion continued throughout the West.
This was an enlightening facet of Arizona which I studied in another of my ASU Film & Media courses: FMS 394: Arizona Identity In Western Film. During one of those weeks our topic thread was about “Natural Arizona Locations”, and this is what I wrote for a class paper then:
“The Impact Of Arizona Geography On Pioneer Society In Western Film”
The vast and intimidating landscapes that comprise Arizona as depicted in Western film have had a notably detrimental on the construction of pioneer societies, particularly during the period of Arizona’s territorial status. This turbulent history willbe examined in more depth through the lens of various filmmakers and three Western themed films produced during the mid-20th century era, which were filmed mostly in Arizona, using magnificent natural locations to superb effect in stories of epic struggle between those who would bring the trappings of civilization up against those who would maintain an open frontier.
Frontier life in territorial Arizona was often challenging and tenuous largely due to the harsh climatic conditions and intimidating geographic landscapes which made this region a difficult place for settlers to develop economically, politically, and socially. The lack of law and order which would have been the vital component of a strong central authority was also sorely lacking in the formative years of Arizona – hampering progress on all the above mentioned levels. One of the outstanding films to demonstrate this lack of lawlessness and legal protections for Arizona’s citizens is The Baron Of Arizona (1950). In this fictionalized account based on actual history, the sensational case of James Addison Peralta Reavis, an American forger and fraudster is recounted as one of the greatest attempted land swindles in United States history.
Fortunately, this elaborate scheme to defraud the federal government of $11,000,000 dollars and the property rights of many Arizona citizens was eventually exposed – with Reavis convicted and sent to prison. The devious ploy by the cunning Reavis was to create a kingdom or “barony” out of some 19,000 square miles of Arizona by concocting phony documents along with altering archival and legal records in order to steal vast tracts of land owned by others. (For a time this scheme even fooled the U.S. government – as it was required by treaty to recognize and honor existing land grants after acquiring the territory from Mexico).
Had this scheme succeeded – it could have radically altered Arizona’s history for the worse. However, a primary reason why such a notorious hoax even had the possibility of triumphing had much to do with inability of the territorial government in Santa Fe to monitor illegal activities, protect the property rights of residents, and have effective control – along with adequate law enforcement coverage over the immense land area it was supposedly responsible for. Poorly developed communication and transportation systems over the rough landscapes also encouraged citizens to take matters into their own hands and attempt violent, frontier-style vigilante Justice against the “Baron” Reavis as the historical film The Baron Of Arizona vividly presented.
This included storming and vandalizing the Baron’s home and attempting to string him up in the middle of the street without benefit of a trial or any other legal recourse. Much of this story took place in Phoenix which could be humorously described as a “one-cactus town” with a legal and law-enforcement apparatus that was flimsy at best – and seemingly not subject to any higher authority. The events from The Baron Of Arizona were merely one example of how the various small and widely scattered settlements over the vast landscape of the territory were left on their own to make up their own rules and laws – whether those were in any sort of agreement with the distant, feeble “central” government in Santa Fe or not.
Rough, frontier justice under awe-inspiring, yet intimidating Arizona Territory was also vividly illustrated in other cinematic accounts of the rough and tumble lifestyle that typified the region. My Darling Clementine (1946) and Johnny Guitar (1954) both offer sharp and memorable examples of how the rugged Arizona geography was a major factor in causing the isolation of fledgling frontier settlements – and what results when they are left to their own legal and moral devices. These outcomes prove to be unsavory and tragic for all concerned. My Darling Clementine takes broad dramatic liberties by providing a fanciful account of Wyatt Earp (as portrayed by Henry Fonda) and how he became the heroic sheriff who cleaned up Tombstone, the self-proclaimed “wildest, wickedest city in the West.
Look forward to Part 2 and the conclusion of this post next week!
