Western

The Westerner

- THE RAW UNTAMED ADVENTUROUS WEST...LIVES AGAIN!

Drifter Cole Harden is accused of stealing a horse and faces hanging by self-appointed Judge Roy Bean, but Harden manages to talk his way out of it by claiming to be a friend of stage star Lillie Langtry, with whom the judge is obsessed, even though he has never met her. Tensions rise when Harden comes to the defense of a group of struggling homesteaders who Judge Bean is trying to drive away.

Release Date : 1940-09-18

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Samuel Goldwyn Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Cole Harden

Original Name : Gary Cooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judge Roy Bean

Original Name : Walter Brennan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jane Ellen Mathews

Original Name : Doris Davenport

Gender : Female

Character Name : Caliphet Mathews

Original Name : Fred Stone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wade Harper

Original Name : Forrest Tucker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chickenfoot

Original Name : Paul Hurst

Gender : Male

Character Name : Southeast

Original Name : Chill Wills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lily Langtry

Original Name : Lilian Bond

Gender : Female

Character Name : Hod Johnson

Original Name : Dana Andrews

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mort Borrow

Original Name : Charles Halton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shad Wilkins

Original Name : Trevor Bardette

Gender : Male

Character Name : King Evans

Original Name : Tom Tyler

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Stranger

Original Name : Lucien Littlefield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hezekiah Willever (uncredited)

Original Name : C.E. Anderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sheriff (uncredited)

Original Name : Stanley Andrews

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Dixon - Homesteader (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Aylesworth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man Getting Haircut (uncredited)

Original Name : Bill Beauman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Deputy (uncredited)

Original Name : Hank Bell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Abigail (uncredited)

Original Name : Gertrude Bennett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe Yates (uncredited)

Original Name : Danny Borzage

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lily Langtry's Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Coleman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man at Ticket Window (uncredited)

Original Name : Heinie Conklin

Gender : Male

Character Name : John Yancy (uncredited)

Original Name : Philip Connor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Abraham Wilson (uncredited)

Original Name : Buck Connors

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Cordell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lee Webb (uncredited)

Original Name : Jim Corey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mex (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe De La Cruz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Janice (uncredited)

Original Name : Helen Foster

Gender : Female

Character Name : Leon Beauregard (uncredited)

Original Name : William Gillis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eph Stringer - Homesteader (uncredited)

Original Name : Roger Gray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Walt McGary (uncredited)

Original Name : Aleth Hansen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ticket Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Lew Kelly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lily Langtry's Maid (uncredited)

Original Name : Connie Leon

Gender : Female

Character Name : Seth Tucker (uncredited)

Original Name : Art Mix

Gender : Male

Character Name : Orchestra Leader (uncredited)

Original Name : Corbet Morris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charles Evans (uncredited)

Original Name : Buck Moulton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henry Williams (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Pennick

Gender : Male

Character Name : Juan Gomez (uncredited)

Original Name : Julian Rivero

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stage Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : Henry Roquemore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elizabeth (uncredited)

Original Name : Annabelle Rousseau

Gender : Male

Character Name : Martha (uncredited)

Original Name : Miriam Sherwin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tex Cole (uncredited)

Original Name : William Steele

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prisoner (uncredited)

Original Name : Phil Tead

Gender : Male

Character Name : Teresita (uncredited)

Original Name : Lupita Tovar

Gender : Female

Character Name : Buck Harrigan (uncredited)

Original Name : Blackjack Ward

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe Lawrence (uncredited)

Original Name : Ted Wells

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Law West of the Pecos. The Westerner is directed by William Wyler and written by Niven Busch, Jo Swerling and Stuart N. Lake. It stars Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Fred Stone and Doris Davenport. Music is by Dimitri Tiomkin and cinematography by Gregg Toland. Story is a fictionalised account about Judge Roy Bean (Brennan), who here rules Vingaroon Town by his own law and punishment. When suspected horse thief Cole Harden (Cooper) comes under his judicial system, they become odd friends due to Harden claiming to know personally Lily Langtree - the object of Bean's worship. Lots of uncredited work was involved in the making of The Westerner, while Cooper famously sulked about not having the main character role, so much so his part was expanded and he performed under contract but under protest! Fact is is that it is as everyone has said before, Brennan steals the film regardless, winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in the process. Cooper needn't have worried, he's very good here, turning in a number of various strains to Harden's character, bouncing off of Brennan to the pics eternal benefit. At the core of the plot is a good old fashioned thread involving Homesteaders versus Cattlemen, with Bean throwing his weight around and Harden forced to reevaluate his standing in the town when he falls for Jane Ellen Mathews (Davenport). The Lily Langtree (Lilian Bond) strand gives the pic an offbeat sensibility, making this a sort of dramatic comedy oater, but it works really well. Toland's photography is superb, sharp black and white sequences are given ethereal qualities, hinting at the fact this at times fun picture might be leading to a darker path? Davenport is weak and most of the supporting players struggle to make much of an impact, but come the attention grabbing finale you know you have been fed a wholesome western of substance. Propelled by two acting legends. 7/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-23

Though not given top billing in this cracking cowboy adventure - the film certainly belongs to Walter Brennan. He, rather uncharacteristically, portrays the quite nasty piece of work "Judge Roy Bean" of Vinegarroon. When "Cole Harden" (Gary Cooper) arrives in this backwater Texan town, he's accused of and summarily convicted of stealing a horse. Some quick thinking, a few coins and a photo of actress Lily Langtree manage to save his bacon long enough for him to befriend the judge before he gets involved in a ruthless turf war between the local cattlemen against the homesteaders. Brennan is smashing. Evil, but his adoration of Langtree gives him a smidge of humanity too. Cooper is fine but very much in Brennan's Oscar winning shadow. William Wyler keeps this taut and focussed, and with the added contributions of Forest Tucker, Chill Wills and Dana Andrews who help it all along well, too, it is one of these largely forgotten westerns that if you get a chance, you definitely ought to watch.