Lady Marilyn and I are thoroughly enjoying the most recent origin story spin-off of My Cowboy Soap Opera Yellowstone — 1923. Part of our enjoyment is purely the visual feast from a period we both have always found compelling. In terms of style, this era is right in the wheelhouse — so much so that I wrote a 2015 treatise on the way The Greatest Chick-Flick Of All Time Out of Africa offered a template for proper men’s attire.
1923 features a storyline about Spencer Dutton, one of the scions of the Yellowstone Ranch empire, who fought in World War I and is now working a dangerous predator control gig for the British East Africa Protectorate (at this time become the colony of Kenya). I find this tremendously pleasing, not least because Taylor Sheridan is shamelessly — gleefully — hitting every Hemingway note on the scale with this character.*
Haunted by the War, he’s seeking life by constantly jousting with death. Of course, he’s irresistible to women — particularly one lovely young lady named Alexandra, who is engaged to an heir to an English fortune. And he’s… well… he ain’t no Spencer Dutton, is he? She sees her whole life flashing before her eyes in a beige fugue of dullness. Or….
You see where this is going. Of course you do.
Now, some might roll their eyes and bitch about clichés. Others recognize archetypal storytelling when we see it and we roll with it because it’s what we love. I’m gonna throw down a spoiler here: Alex makes a run for it with the hunter. You knew this.
I glanced over at Lady Marilyn to find her verklempt.
“It’s a Dangerous Love Story,” said she, wiping her eyes with a pajama sleeve. “It’s dangerous. Those are the best kind.”
And that, right there, my Frontier Partisan comrades, is why I love that woman.
It pleases me that this storyline has resonated (the online chatter would seem to indicate that Lady Marilyn is not an outlier here). It pleases me that it pisses all the right people off. I mean, here we are in a world that is supposed to celebrate the Duke of Sussex selling off $60,000 worth of hunting rifles to please Miss Markle. Just…ick. We need that counter narrative — and the women who love it.
Here’s to the Dangerous Love Stories.
*I’m also pretty confident that Sheridan has worn out more than one copy of Jim Harrison’s Legends of the Fall. I was just talking with Craig Rullman the other day about how important that story is to me. I remember when the movie came out (which I enjoyed, but not like the novella) a woman of my acquaintance dismissed it with a sniff as “Soap Opera for Men.” You’re either a romantic or you ain’t.
Matthew says
About Legends of the Fall, was the woman of your acquaintance talking about the movie or the novella when she dismissed it as “Soap Opera for Men?” I’ve never seen the movie, but the novella is surprisingly like a Robert E. Howard story. I mean Tristan is basically an REH hero: restless, highly masculine, a rogue but still sympathetic. The novella’s not really a soap opera.
JimC says
She was talking about the movie. She didn’t have a romantic/adventurous bone in her body. Thus…
Matthew says
Well, as I said, I haven’t seen the movie so I can’t really opine on it.
I bet she did not realize that not having a romantic/adventurous bone in her body was her loss, right?
Kim Hapke says
Well you had me at ” Dangerous Love Story” but who knew it would lead me directly to your Treatise on Fashion? Best Frontier Partisan rabbit hole ever! I’m always advocating for stronger style statements from men–after all it’s a chance to express something about who you are EVERY DAY and I for one wanna see it! Many men’s fashion statement in regard to this daily challenge seems to be “taking the 5th”. Thanks for showing how it’s done. Happy New Year to you and Marilyn!
JimC says
You made my day Kim! Happy New Year.
John Maddox Roberts says
I love Taylor Sheridan’s square-faced wristwatch in the upper picture. Those just say THE ERA to me. My father (Charles F. Roberts, Sr. 1921-2006) had one when I was a boy.
lane batot says
Cliche’s are cliche’s FOR A REASON! What is commonly portrayed in story, usually has it’s equally common counterpoint in real life!…..And I’m not much of a clothes horse, meeself, ESPECIALLY in tropical climes where it is hot as Hades, and twice as smelly(as I know from experience….)! I personally think the “primitive” natives dress the most sensibly, by dressing the least! Bring back the LOINCLOTH! The BEST, most practical, and comfortable(yes, I’m speaking from long experience) item of male attire ever designed!
Peter Brandvold says
Thanks for this. I was thinking the same thing other night while watching 1923–this guy just loves Harrison. Almost as much as I do. The very first hardcover I ever bought and one I still have those it’s very beaten up. I didn’t like the movie because I had Harrison’s incredible prose drilled into my head, and I couldn’t see Brad Pitt as Tristan. Thanks again for the post. Books and movies draw us together like nothing else, don’t they?
JimC says
Sure enough. Glad this hit the x-ring.
Joe says
Excellent summary. Absolutely loving the Ghost in the Darkness, Out of Africa, Legends of the Fall, Hemmingway’s blend of period adventure. Alexandra was right that the pursuit of danger for the sake of rekindling one’s humanity has a certain romance that is impossible to deny. Taylor Sheridan is like Louis L’Amour and writes for the viewer, not the high-brow critic.
Joe says
No spoilers, but episode four continues to deliver the classic Hemmingway vibes with this storyline. I have mixed feelings on the latest seasons of Yellowstone, and the prequels aren’t perfect either, but when they’re on point they remind me of everything I love about the genre.
David Wrolson says
As you might imagine-the Africa storyline hits my X-Ring perfectly.
I can’t help but be amused (and in some way, pleased) by the many ads (I assume we all see the same ones) for the Tractor Supply Company.
They know the show appeals to their clientele and not to urban effetes.
JimC says
I often think of you during 1923. This is your territory. We’re streaming it on
East India Co.Amazon Prime, so we don’t have commercials — but one of the interesting things about the whole Yellowstone universe is the advertising base that’s grown up around it, which is quite different from the run-of-the mill. It’s a “lifestyle” niche from a marketing standpoint — and a big one. I’ve heard that Dodge Ram sales are up due to “Yellowstone Effect.” I have to say that the flagship show is pandering a bit with “product placement,” which occasionally annoys me.David Wrolson says
Oh, and I don’t think I have mentioned that my “Africa” style is brown Carhartts and my wonderful Bush Hat.
It works in the Bush plus it attracts attention on the planes and from a beautiful young French girl in a national park on what appeared to be a solo tour of Africa-
Don’t worry, I was with my wife, but I got the feeling that I added a strong whiff of adventure to her trip that the conventionally dressed people in her tour group left her lacking.
Plus, I can wear the brown Carhartts at work here on the farm.
Gawd-I am only a little over 5 months away from South Africa-Coming Fast.
As a reminder-I bought the core of the trip at a cheap price at a National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet and to my great surprise-it will be our 3rd trip to Africa in 10 years. I guess I have to say that is one reason I love my wife is that she lets me do stuff like this and not remodel the house or go to Europe or do many all-inclusive or cruise style trips.
JimC says
I hope you will offer a full account of the Africa Expedition.
Men who fail to offer the “strong whiff of adventure” in their sartorial choices are not playing some of the best cards in the deck.
lane batot says
I’m tellin’ you, David, I GUARANTEE you that, if you just had on a loincloth(as I commented on above), that French girl would have remembered more about you than just what she did with some old hat! Nothing screams adventure in the Bush like a loincloth!(and nuthin’ else……) Good luck on yer upcoming African adventure, no matter what you are(or are not) wearing!….. And yeah, we all want to hear about it if you survive and get back functional……