MovieChat Forums > Westward the Women (1951) Discussion > Dumping possessions at the mountains

Dumping possessions at the mountains

posted 10 years ago by edalweber
3 replies | jump to latest

Someone in his review questioned the fact that the writers had the women dragging so many of their belongings across the plains and then dumping them in the mountains,as if this was a contrived plot device. In fact, it was extremely common.Travelers along the trails used by the wagon trains in writing about their experiences invariably commented on the huge quantities of furniture, and other things, many valuable, dumped along the trail. People tried to take all of their cherished possessions and found that in the mountains their animals simply could not pull such heavily loaded wagons uphill. And so they had to dump non essential belongings no matter how valuable. Optimism met reality.

[–] Captain_Augustus_McCrae 10 years ago

Absolutely true. Those who say otherwise need to read a book.

"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's LIVING!"
Captain Augustus McCrae

[–] lovelunajc 9 years ago

And I sure did get a huge laugh at "Jim Quackenbush"!!!

[–] mdonln 9 years ago

I don't know why anyone who watched the movie would question the fact the women brought so many of their possessions along with them they had to throw them out. Their non-belief is what surprises me.

These women were heading to California to start a new life. As we see the journey was difficult and long. If they didn't bring everything they had with them it's not like they were going to be able to buy new things where they were going. In those days, a lot of young women started building their hope chest which included the things they'd need to set up their new homes after marriage. Some of the things they took with them were probably what they thought they'd need along the way.

As the trip got to be more difficult, there were fewer wagons, fewer people, and the terrain become more forbidding they had no choice but to discard everything that was nonessential. The longer the trip took, the riskier it got. At that point holding on the mere possessions could cost them their lives. Given that option, most people would gladly throw away their 'valuables'. Life is the best and most valuable thing we have; without that, nothing else matters.

Their shedding of material goods is an analogy for life itself. Some of us walk around with a lot of baggage. It often gets in the way, keeping us from getting to where we're heading or want to go.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]