I’m sure I’m not the first in the sphere to note this, but I watched the old 1953 John Wayne movie on Amazon Prime the other day and was impressed with how thoroughly unchivalrous Hondo was.
Like the handful of other Louis L’Amour stories I’ve come across, the story is a blend of Romance and Western. Early in the movie Hondo calls his leading lady out for lying to him, and delivers a serious neg in the process:
Hondo Lane: I’m not talkin’ about rights, I’m talkin’ about lies. Why’d you lie to me, Mrs Lowe? Were you afraid that maybe you wouldn’t be safe here with me with your husband away? That it?
Angie Lowe: That’s partly it.
Hondo Lane: Women always figure every man comes along wants ’em.
Later on, after Hondo goes on at great length about how beautiful his now deceased wife was, and after he tells Angie she reminds him of her, Angie invites him to tell her she is pretty by saying she knows she is homely. He declines to do so, but then goes on to explain that her good character is far more important than looks.
Angie: l am fully aware that l am a homely woman, Mr. Lane.
Hondo: l didn’t mean that.
l have a bad habit of telling the truth.
But being pretty isn’t much.
At the end of the scene he pulls her into him and kisses her.
Later in the movie Hondo finds out her 6 year old son doesn’t know how to swim. Hondo doesn’t bat an eye, and picks the boy up and tosses him into the pond, urging him to grab handfuls of water and pull them towards himself. Angie runs over, furious that Hondo did this. Hondo matter of factly explains that everyone needs to know how to swim. Angie lets it slip that she doesn’t know how to swim, and from Hondo’s body language it is obvious that he is about to do the same to her. She quickly runs off before he can do so.
Update: I found the swimming scene on Youtube:
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