He`s the stranger in town, the man with no name, the twisted genius, the unshaven gunman with a penchant for rough whiskey and women; he`s the anti-hero, and this book tells about him and why we identify with him. This excellent overview of the genre also offers us psychological and aesthetic rationales behind the anti-hero`s emergence, citing German Expressionism and the 1930s` Depression. The author includes related themes such as Film Noir, the Western and the Femme Fatale in modern cinema. Carefully referenced and full of insightful observations, this is a rich resource for film buffs everywhere.