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Green Grass of Wyoming
Movie

Green Grass of Wyoming

1948 • Unknown

Woke Score
1
out of 10

Plot

The romance of a rancher's niece and a rival rancher's son parallels that of a stallion and a mare.

Overall Series Review

Green Grass of Wyoming is a classic 1948 family Western drama and the final installment in the My Friend Flicka film series. The plot centers on Ken McLaughlin, a young rancher's son, and his efforts to train his mare, Crown Jewel, for a harness race. His growing romance with Carey Greenway, the niece of a rival rancher, parallels the natural, passionate connection between his mare and the wild stallion, Thunderhead. The story is a straightforward narrative of coming-of-age, responsibility, and the eventual resolution of rivalry and conflict through shared experience and the natural order of life. The final moments underscore a pro-natal, pro-family sentiment as the human and equine romances find their natural, traditional conclusion. The film celebrates the values of hard work, family structure, and the natural beauty of the American West.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The narrative centers entirely on the personal growth and merit of the main characters, Ken McLaughlin and Carey Greenway. The conflicts are based on ranch rivalry and responsibility, not on race or any immutable characteristic. All characters are judged by their integrity and efforts, such as Ken training his horse and Grandpa Beaver overcoming his drinking problem to race.

Oikophobia1/10

The film acts as a celebration of the American Western tradition, ranching culture, and the family unit. The McLaughlin family is depicted as the protective institution that shields the younger generation from chaos by teaching responsibility. The natural setting of Wyoming is presented as beautiful and a site of enduring, positive cultural heritage.

Feminism1/10

The gender dynamics are complementary; the mother, Nell McLaughlin, is a source of emotional and pragmatic wisdom who encourages her son's growth. The female lead, Carey, is a supportive romantic partner. The story's ultimate thematic resolution, symbolized by the mare Crown Jewel's pregnancy, celebrates a traditional, pro-natal outcome, without any 'Girl Boss' or anti-male messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The primary human relationship is a traditional male-female pairing between Ken and Carey, and the primary animal storyline centers on the mating of the male stallion Thunderhead and the female mare Crown Jewel, culminating in pregnancy. The narrative structure is entirely normative, affirming the traditional male-female pairing and the nuclear family as the standard structure.

Anti-Theism1/10

The moral framework is based on transcendent values like responsibility, hard work, patience, and faith, with the character arcs focusing on moral growth and redemption, such as Grandpa Beaver’s turn from drinking. The film avoids moral relativism and does not portray traditional religion or its adherents with any hostility.