The Westerner (film)
| The Westerner | |
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Cinema poster
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| Directed by | William Wyler |
| Produced by | Samuel Goldwyn |
| Screenplay by |
Niven Busch Jo Swerling W.R. Burnett Lillian Hellman Oliver La Farge |
| Story by | Stuart N. Lake |
| Starring |
Gary Cooper Walter Brennan Fred Stone Doris Davenport |
| Music by |
Alfred Newman Dimitri Tiomkin |
| Cinematography |
Gregg Toland Rudolph Maté (add. footage) |
| Edited by | Dan Mandell |
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Production
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| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1 million |
The Westerner is a 1940 American film directed by William Wyler and starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, and Doris Davenport. Written by Niven Busch, Stuart N. Lake, and Jo Swerling, the film is about a self-appointed hanging judge in Vinegaroon, Texas who befriends a saddle tramp who opposes the judge's policy against homesteaders. The film is often remembered for one of Walter Brennan's best performances, as Judge Roy Bean, which led to his winning his record-setting third Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. James Basevi and Stuart N. Lake also received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction, Black and White and Best Story respectively.
In 1882 the town of Vinegaroon, Texas is run by Judge Roy Bean (Walter Brennan) who calls himself "the only law west of the Pecos." Conducting his "trials" from his saloon, Bean makes a nice corrupt living collecting fines and seizing property unlawfully. Those who stand up to him are usually hanged—given what Bean calls "suspended sentences".
Cole Harden (Gary Cooper) is a drifter brought in on a charge of stealing a horse belonging to Bean's main sidekick, Chickenfoot (Paul Hurst). Harden's conviction by a jury composed of Bean's hangers-on seems certain; even the undertaker waits eagerly for the verdict and subsequent hanging. Bean dismisses Harden's contention that he bought the horse legally from another man. Noticing the judge's obsession with the English actress Lily Langtry, Harden claims to have met Miss Langtry, spoken with her, and to have known her intimately. He cons the judge into delaying the death sentence until Harden can send for a lock of the actress' hair, which he supposedly has in El Paso. The delay is long enough for the real horse thief (Tom Tyler) to show up and get killed.
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