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List Price: $4.94 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 19898
Released: June 6, 2000 |
| Our Price: $22.14 |
| Used Price: $5.65 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: VHS Tape |
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Editorial Review:
Having created an instant classic the previous year with their superlative production of Wuthering Heights, producer Samuel Goldwyn, director William Wyler, and cinematographer Gregg Toland reunited for this classic Western from 1940, which earned Walter Brennan his record-setting third Academy Award. Gary Cooper reportedly hesitated to take his role, knowing that Brennan would likely steal the show with his splendid portrayal of "hanging" lawman Judge Roy Bean, but Wyler persisted and Cooper signed on as the drifter who faces Judge Bean under the false accusation of stealing a horse. Cooper smooth-talks his way out of his hanging by claiming to be a close friend of stage star Lily Langtry, with whom the judge is unabashedly smitten, but tensions rise when Cooper comes to the defense of a group of struggling homesteaders that Brennan is trying to drive away. This leads, of course, to a classic showdown in true Western tradition, and under Wyler's able direction The Westerner takes its place among the finest examples of the genre. And while Brennan does indeed steal the show, Cooper needn't have worried--he's every bit the hero in a battle with one of the silver screen's most memorable villains. --Jeff Shannon
The Westerner Reviews:
...a westerner, not a cowboy 
2008-11-16 - It's good to have titled this film "The Westerner", because neither of the two main stars are cowboys. They aren't gunslingers, or bounty hunters, or farmers, or ranchers...they just lived in the west during a time when all that romantic stuff was going on. Now that doesn't mean neither of them could handle a gun, when necessary. Nor that they wouldn't shoot a man dead, if they thought that was the thing to do.
Walter Brennan spent most of his career playing sidekicks or secondary roles in movies that "could" have been made with somebody else in his role. And maybe the part would have suffered - maybe not - but as long as the lead roles were well cast, the movie probably would have been as successful.
But in this film Walter Brennan is in a primary role. He plays Judge Roy Bean and he is at turns a wonderful whimsical drinking buddy and the next a ruthless, heartless taker of lives. He is as sweet and naive as a young girl one minute and in a flash you see the fangs of a rattler emerge with a glimpse of cunning wiles and lethal results.
And all that is in addition to seeing the great, larger than life Gary Cooper in one of his most endearing and thrilling roles. And all, mostly, in crisp black and white photography.
A great, classic western
2008-10-04 - Of the great Hollywood westerns, "The Westerner" is not often mentioned. It captures the spirit of the old west with great accuracy and humor. One may question the plot line, but Judge Roy Bean was indeed infatuated with the Jersey Lilly. The chemistry between Cooper and Brennen is palpable and the scene where they wake up in bed together (not in any way gay) is one of the funniest in film history. As I recall, Brennen won an Oscar for his role in this film. It is perhaps his finest role and also one of Cooper's.
This is good wholesome, innocent fun with a touch of dark humor. It is one of my absolute favorites. If you like this one, also check out "Along Came Jones," also with Gary Cooper.
"Gary Cooper Series ... The Westerner (1940) ... United Artists"
2008-09-24 - United Artists presents "THE WESTERNER" (20 September 1940) (100 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) -- Our story line and plot, If you like westerns, you'll love William Wyler's "The Westerner" -- great directing and superb acting, and gorgeous cinematography --- Cole Hardin (Gary Cooper) just doesn't look like a horse thief, Jane-Ellen Matthews (Doris Davenport) tells Judge Roy Bean (Walter Brennan) as she steps up to the bar --- Cole says he can't take it with him as he empties all of his coins on the bar to buy drinks for the jury --- Cooper notices two big pictures of Lily Langtry behind the bar --- Sure, Cole has met the Jersey Lily, whom the hanging judge adores, even has a lock of her hair --- Hanging is delayed for two weeks, giving Cole time to get in the middle of a range war between cattlemen and homesteaders and to still be around when Lily Langtry, former mistress of Edward VII who became an international actress, arrives in Texas --- Great to see some of my favorite B-Western character actors in the cast Dana Andrews, Stanley Andrews, Hank Bell, Forrest Tucker, Tom Tyler and Chill Wills --- Wyler's directing and Toland's shooting of the prairie fire sequence is one of the great spectacles of 1930s cinema, as well as an incredibly exciting scene --- Walter Brennan won his third Best Supporting Actor Oscar with this film. This was the fifth year the Supporting Player categories were being awarded by the Academy and Brennan won numbers one and three previously --- What makes the film even better is that it is based on a person who actually lived, which made the role even more challenging --- Walter Brennan carries this oater and transforms what would have otherwise been just another western into a classic.
Under the production staff of:
William Wyler - Director
Samuel Goldwyn - Producer
Niven Busch - Screenwriter
Stuart N. Lake - Screen Story
Jo Swerling - Screenwriter
Archie J. Stout - Cinematographer
Gregg Toland - Cinematographer
Alfred Newman - Composer (Music Score)
Dimitri Tiomkin - Composer (Music Score) / Musical Direction/Supervision
Dan Mandell - Editor
James Basevi - Art Director
Julia Heron - Set Designer
Irene Saltern - Costume Designer
Fred Lau - Sound/Sound Designer
Blague Stephanoff - Makeup
Paul Eagler - Special Effects
Louis Clyde Stoumen - Special Effects
Walter Mayo - First Assistant Director
SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Gary Cooper (aka: Frank James Cooper)
Date of Birth: 7 May 1901 - Helena, Montana
Date of Death: 13 May 1961 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California
2. Walter Brennan
Date of Birth: 25 July 1894 - Swampscott, Massachusetts
Date of Death: 21 September 1974 - Oxnard, California
3. William Wyler (Director)
Date of Birth: 1 July 1902, Mülhausen, Alsace, Germany [now Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France]
Date of Death: 27 July 1981 - Los Angeles, California
the cast includes:
Gary Cooper ... Cole Harden
Walter Brennan ... Judge Roy Bean
Doris Davenport ... Jane Ellen Mathews
Fred Stone ... Caliphet Mathews
Forrest Tucker ... Wade Harper
Paul Hurst ... Chickenfoot
Chill Wills ... Southeast
Lilian Bond ... Lily Langtry
Dana Andrews ... Hod Johnson
Charles Halton ... Mort Borrow
Trevor Bardette ... Shad Wilkins
Tom Tyler ... King Evans
Lucien Littlefield ... The Stranger
Stanley Andrews ... Sheriff
Hank Bell ... Deputy
Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- please stand up and take a bow Western Classics --- all my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Time: 100 mins on DVD ~ United Artists ~ (5/13/2008)
Walter Brennan Stole the Show
2008-08-03 - Walter Brennan won his third Oscar for best supporting actor playing the part of "Judge" Roy Bean in The Westerner. He was made for this part like Vivien Leigh was made to play Scarlet. Anyone who remembers Brennan as "Grandpa" in The Real McCoys and in lesser roles over the years, and has any interest in the early westerns, will be captivated by Brennan's portrayal of this dusty, hard-drinking, straight-talking, wild and wooly Texas "judge," who runs a kangaroo court, where shooting a steer is a hanging offense and getting caught sober after sundown will get you arrested for disorderly conduct. Of course all the rules change if you're an acquaintance of Lily Lantry, the actress Bean has never seen in the flesh but is completely under his skin. Gary Cooper has the lead role in this movie as Cole Harden, who escapes the noose Bean has fitted for him when he puts two and two together and comes up with a story about Lily that Bean cannot resist pursuing, but needs Harden to do it. At the same time, battling cattlemen and farmers "tomato-kissers" fill out the storyline. As big a star as Cooper was, deservedly so, he is eclipsed by Walter Brennan in this film.
Redemption of Judge Roy Bean
2008-06-19 - This is the best and most sensitive of the stories about Judge Roy Bean--The Law West of the Pecos. He was known as a hanging judge and, early in the film, he determines, in his court room-saloon to execute Cole [Gary Cooper] as a horse thief because he can't produce legal ownership papers.
Before the hanging, however, there is the mandatory round of drinks. Cole notices that the saloon is hanging with numerous pictures and mementoes of the actress Lily Langtree. Over a final drink, he tells Bean that he has a hidden locket of Lily's hair. The execution is immediately postponed until the acquisitive Bean can get the locket.
Both Cooper and Brennan are terrific as they develp a complex and dangerous "friendship." Cooper, who has no locket, gets one from a local girl. After much "horse-trading" Bean gets the locket and is transported with joy.
Langtree shows up El Paso or San Antonio and nothing will keep Bean from going. Resplendant in his old Confederate army uniform he goes to the music hall. Cole and Bean shoot it out and Bean is fatally hit. Before he dies, however, he gets to visit the angelic Langtry. The dangerous Roy Bean is redeemed by his love for Lily. We look through his eyes as the image of Lily fades out--forever. A truly great film.
Ron Braithwaite author of Mexican Conquest novels, "Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"
