in a conversation with a colleague prompted by the RED HARVEST exchange it was pointed out to me that the hard boiled detective (that we associate with--among other names--d hammett) is clearly a descendent of the lonesome cowboy: the [definitively?] masculinist hero/protagonist who operates pretty much alone, observes a moral code that may well require the breaking of legal codes, whose life intesects with that of some woman but who remains alone and lonely, and whose success at [re]solving the specific problem posed by the plot nevertheless does not end up as a comic [that is, redeemed] character but insists on holding on to a more tragic or ironic posture and destiny now all of this seemed so obvious when pointed out that i could hardly believe that it had never occurred to me before . . . indeed it was one of those ideas that, within minutes, i was convinced i had ALWAYS known . . . so i have a couple of questions for the list 1. is this idea as obvious and compelling as i for the moment think, or is there something i'm missing that might throw a monkey wrench into what is a too facile equation? 2. is this idea conventionally a part of the scholarship and criticism on the western, hard-boiled detective story, and noir modes and mythologies that i somehow have managed to miss [or forget]? . . . are thre any "standard" or important explorations of this connection? (has leslie fielder wirtten about this--he must have, no???) 3 (or 2a)--are there any recommended works on the political (regular politics/cultural politics/sexual politics) of this package of meanings?? mike frank implications (both conventional politics, ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]