The Westerner

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

Sep 20 1940 Approved 1h 40m
Drama, Romance, Western

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.

Plot

Cole Harden just doesn't look like a horse thief, Jane-Ellen Matthews tells Judge Roy Bean 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. He 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.

Written by

Jo Swerling, Niven Busch, Stuart N. Lake

Directed by

William Wyler

Cast

Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Doris Davenport

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

United Artists, Samuel Goldwyn Productions

Languages

English

Awards

Won 1 Oscar. 2 wins & 2 nominations total

Trailers
The Westerner (1940) trailer
Scores
# of Votes
7,141
Average Rating
7.3 out of 10
Metascore
78
Popularity
NA