The old western was almost always a tale of a courageous loner imposing order on lawlessness, as in the Wayne films and Shane (1953).
Old westerns tended to show people acting alone and with courage. 
mnli hypothesis: Old westerns tended to show people acting alone and with courage.  premise: The old western was almost always a tale of a courageous loner imposing order on lawlessness, as in the Wayne films and Shane (1953).