Is Die Hard a Western?

Let’s start at the beginning. John McLane is a policeman (a lawman) from New York who goes out west (to California) to reunite with his wife who moved out west seeking opportunity. Of course, one cannot talk about this movie without bringing up the first conversation between John McLane and Hans Gruber over the radio. In it, Gruber accuses McLane of being an American who grew up watching too much television, deluding himself into thinking he’s John Wayne. McLane says he’s more of a Roy Rogers fan. When Gruber calls him a cowboy, McLane answers with the famous catch phrase…