Sumith Prasad
In S. Craig Zahler’s Western film ‘Bone Tomahawk,’ Arthur O’Dwyer is a resilient man who sets out to save his wife, Samantha, from a group of cannibals known as the Troglodytes against all odds. Despite his leg injury, he joins Sheriff Franklin Hunt, Deputy Chicory, and John Brooder to leave for the Valley of the Starving Men, the place where the tribe has been hiding from the rest of the world. Even when his wound worsens, Arthur decides against returning home without his partner. His perseverance, which leads him to the cave of the cannibals, is fictional as he is not based on a real figure! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Arthur O’Dwyer Does Not Have a Real-Life Counterpart
When S. Craig Zahler was developing ‘Bone Tomahawk,’ the filmmaker made sure that it wouldn’t be just a horror film focused on the Troglodytes. He wanted the narrative to explore character relationships with the backdrop of the Old West, with the abduction of Samantha and Nick provoking the actions and decisions of the others. That’s where the significance of Arthur O’Dwyer lies. He is an alpha male who can be paralleled with several figures in real life and fictional Western films. His nature and values spark a conflict within the four men who embark on a life-threatening journey.
Zahler, through the journey of the four men, explores the nature of male relationships in the Old West. While Franklin and Chicory have a warm companionship governed by their wisdom and experiences, Arthur and Brooder turn against one another in the name of Samantha. Even before finding out whether his wife is alive, Arthur asks his journey companion not to flirt with her during their walk home. This protective nature, which makes men safeguard women from even the most minimal threat, is a recurring characteristic in Western films.
More than any other genre, the Westerns celebrate or even glorify manhood. The characters of some of the icons in the genre, who range from Clint Eastwood to Josh Brolin, are a testament to this. Patrick Wilson’s Arthur is not drastically different from them. He fights a highly deadly cannibalistic tribe with one leg, that too while traveling through an unfamiliar mountainous region. Irrespective of his injured leg, he climbs a cave and rescues not only Samantha but also Chicory. His display of courage and virility is exemplified in the kiss he eventually shares with his wife in the enemy lands.
Arthur O’Dwyer’s Mysterious Leg Injury
Throughout the film, Arthur never really talks about his leg injury with his companions. Even though the other three men acknowledge the wound, they keep a distance from Arthur’s personal affairs and don’t try to be intrusive about what really happened to his leg. However, Samantha does the talking on behalf of her husband as far as the leg injury is concerned. She scolds him for repairing a roof during a storm, implying that he most likely fell from the same to cause the wound. Even though it may seem like an ordinary explanation, the significance of the injury is not in its cause.
Zahler crafted the narrative of the movie with ample emphasis on Arthur’s leg injury because it raises tension and stakes. Out of the four men who want to rescue Samantha, Arthur wants her back the most. However, he is the least fit among the four to embark on the rescue mission, which makes it all the more engrossing. As the journey progresses, his wound worsens, forcing his companions to proceed without him. These setbacks make the eventual reunion of Arthur and Samantha all the more captivating. The brilliance of the narrative is in how much Arthur is held back because of his injury, only for him to emerge as a resilient hero who saves his loved one and friend.
Read More: Bone Tomahawk Tribute: Who Were Joseph Sonnier and Becky Balentine? How Did They Die?
