They were morally sound and respected. Think John Wayne archetype.
After the 60's we saw the rise of the 'anti-hero'. First they were human, morally flawed in some way. Then they became reprobates like mafia figures.
There was a big cultural/art shift that occurred.
Look at all the movies and reality shows that are now elevated to high art.
Breaking Bad. Walking Dead. Game of Thrones.
Does good win over evil anymore? Or does evil simply become more evil and all-encompassing?
Jon Snow is a hero and relatively pure
If you’re looking for one that is
But all through the whole series, all of Tony's crime "family" were shown to be despicable characters, and in the end Tony met his demise as the reward of his own criminality - along with his wife and their kids.
That wasn't clear enough?
You need to check out some pre-code films.
Hollywood is filled with nihilists, relativists, and hedonists.
They literally - like George R. R. Martin, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire [A Game of Thrones], a former teevee script writer, do not believe in objective moral good. They are cynical about human nature being capable of good, while at the same time incessantly reveling in its debauchery. Martin is not the American Tolkien (as the media has sold him); he is the American anti-Tolkien.
They are truly anti-Christian, and therefore actively anti-morality.
Humanity is fallen, and in need of grace, but good is real, and to be pursued.
John Wayne’s characters were flawed humans - and sometimes even anti-heroes [Red River] - but they acknowledged an objective moral standard.