Only two major American film forms—the slapstick① comedy and the western—withstood the effects of foreign influences throughout the 1920’ s， when the entire film industry was dominated by the European movie makers.
These forms were already immensely② popular all over the world（there was no need to make them more “artistic” by following the latest European fashions）， and they were at once too successful and too lowly to warrant such improvements—they were considered “just entertainment”. They bore no weighty messages， inspired no cults and no schools of esthetics. But they delighted audiences， both here and abroad， because they were so purely and simply American. Unconsciously， they represented all that was best in America without the slightest trace—or intention of sermonizing.
The ingenuity and eternal optimism of the comics and the cowboys’ spirit of adventure as they rode the plains in search of me next frontier were enough to carry the message of the American dream to tired Europeans， to cramped city dwellers③， to small boys， to people everywhere.
What did these films promise to European audiences disillusioned④ and exhausted by World War I？ The humble always triumphed over their powerful adversaries， the weak outwitted the strong——and always implied was a future of riches， freedom， and happiness for all. The world of the westerns was a simple place for men with the pioneer virtues of honesty， courage， a taste for adventure， and a quick trigger⑤ finger；The world of the comics was a crazy place， but with a little faith and a little luck， it could be a wonderful place.
① slapstickn. 闹剧似的胡闹
② immenselyadv. 极大地，广大地，无限地
③ dweller n. 居民，居住者
④ disillusionv. 使醒悟，使不再抱幻想，使……的理想破灭
⑤ triggern. (枪炮的)扳机，触发器
美国的两大电影体裁
在整个20世纪20年代，当电影业都被欧洲制片商们垄断时，只有美国两大电影体裁——滑稽喜剧片和西部片——经受住了外国影响的冲击。
那时，这两种片子风靡全球（已无必要赶欧洲当时最新的时髦，以使它们更富有艺术性），它们既已大获成功，而且格调本来就低，自然不值得去谋求那样的改进——它们只被视为“纯娱乐片”而已。它们不含任何重要启示，不曾激起任何崇拜狂热，更没有鼓舞任何美学流派。但是它们却给国内外观众带来了喜悦，因为它们充溢着那么纯朴的美国味。它们无形中代表了美国最优秀的东西，而又没有一丁点说教的痕迹和意图。
滑稽演员们的机敏和永远乐观的仪态，以及牛仔们骑马穿过大草原寻找另一个边疆的冒险精神，足以把美国梦的信息传达给疲惫不堪的欧洲人，包括住所狭窄的城市居民、小男孩们以及各地的人们。
对被第一次世界大战弄得幻想破灭和精疲力尽的欧洲观众来说，这些电影究竟给他们以什么希望呢？卑贱者总是胜过权势显赫的对手，弱者在斗智中击败强者——永远为所有的人们预示着一个富有、自由和幸福的未来。对于那些具有开拓者的诚实、果敢、乐于冒险和敏于扣动扳机射击等天性的人们来说，西部片的世界是一个纯朴的天地；滑稽片的世界则是一个狂热的天地，但只要其中也包含着一点信任，一点幸运，它也能成为一个奇妙的天地。