The Western Reader ed. by Jim Kitses and Gregg RickmanUsually readers include most of the important literature on the subject: here it's not the case. The only important classic writings included here are the famous essays by Bazin (only non-english speaking area author included) and Warshow. Two interviews (Mann and Eastwood) and a series of essays of linsignificant informative value, as they range from the obvious (see the article on Ford's use of space) to navel gazing. In this last perspective are worth mentioning (apart from the piece on Leone I quoted in another thread) the one on Johnny Guitar:"Judith Butler points out that the masquerade (in Lacan's analysis, but still applicable here) can be construed as either "performative production of a sexual ontology" or as a "denial of a feminine desire that presupposes some prior ontological femininity regularly unrepresented by the phallic economy". Through the whole essay never emerges the fact that both Joan Crawford and Mercedes MacCambridge are butt-ugly and the living negation of femininity. Stay away from this crap unless you want to hurt yourself. 3/10
In other words: an interesting read, recommended for those who like the genre.
In other words: you'll skip it.
Too late, I have it already for 20 years ...