At first glimpse the town comes off as reserved and highly business centered, however underneath the surface there is a feeling of unstableness and extreme lack of morals. When first being introduced to the town there is a strong symmetrical aspect, creating a sense of structure, one after another, business buildings compacted side by side, line the edges of the open dirt road. An ambiance of superiority and conservativeness ooze out of the vastness of the western town, as pairs of two travel about in a sauntering directness, dressed in sober blacks, while the end of the road fogs out in a misty view of the auspicious atmosphere. The hanging grounds portray the reality, of which the former level of respect is diminished, contrasted by the injustfulness clearly observed as three “criminals” are being set to their hanging. The townees gather like a herd of animals, gawking in an impatient wait for the men to be executed, showing a sort of gruesome excitement for the occasion. Proceeding down the line, each man is given a chance for a few final words, the first grubby looking and untamed, shouts words of condemnation into the crowd, claiming “there are many out there worse than I”. Beside the angry convict, the next man is blubbering his innocence as tears roll down his exhausted face, while the final man whom is an indian is revoked the ability to speak as his head is brutally shoved into a brown sack, seconds before released to their death. Witnessing this, it is clear that the town is not as sound and stable as it once appeared.

Colonel Stonehills little shop is just a tiny stop along the journey of 14 year old Maddie. Waltzing into the confines of the property, an astute outside light shines throughout, as she approaches Stonehill, portraying that this moment is going to be a win on her account. Maddie plants herself firmly in front of the man, as he glances upwards at her, she staring back at him, he goes to quickly dismiss her. Stonehills attitude towards Maddie suggests he believes her to be ignorant in the aspect of business, unphased she brushes his arrogance off, proceeding straight to her point. Standing upright, there is a symmetry to the young girl. Dressed in a plain black buttoned shirt, her hair with a distinctly parted down the center of her head, pulled into tight uniform pigtails; without hesitation speaking confidently in a manner only to be described as calmly stern, Maddie comes off as powerfully innocent. Demanding that the Colonel compensate for her fathers horse being stolen by Tom Chaney, also stating he must take back two horses and pay her for them, the shot zooms in to a close up view, switching back and forth between Stonehill and Maddie every time one spits back a counter-argument. Shifting to a full view of both Maddie and the Colonel, his desk positioned at the very back of the shop, strewn in the corner overflowing with scattered papers, literally shoving him in a corner, showing his inevitable loss in this battle. There is an abundance of things to be taken in, in the midst of the courthouse, the enclosure drowning in tension. Here is the first face-to-face reveal of the “gritty-- mean” U.S Marshall, Rooster Cogburn. A long shot filmed from slightly behind the crowd of townsmen, peering silently with their arms stiffly folded, slowly but steadily circles the room, keeping both the Marshall and the mens narrow eyed faces within the shot, captures the judgmentalness flowing out, settling onto Rooster. Haggarded with terse accusations regarding his actions as a bounty hunter, Cogburn slumps casually in a wooden interrogation chair, spits out responses effortlessly, giving them what they want to hear, as if a script he has rehearsed. His voice raspy and unforgiving, the shot inching ever so closely to his face, suggests that he may not be as truthful as once perceived. Aside from dispersion of the keylight creating a hazy view, the dim lanterns bordering the neutral colored walls, appear as a saturated sunset entering the domain, symbolizing the hidden darkness of both Rooster and the people of the town alike, which a faint light is beginning to be shed upon.