Two all time great stars, Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan, are at their best in this wonderful western. They made several movie...  Read More

Two all time great stars, Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan, are at their best in this wonderful western. They made several movies together, but this one is my favorite. It was missing from my collection and I'm so pleased to have found it on Amazon.  Read Less

Even the bit player roles are superb, from the lurking, vulture-like undertaker at the start, to the befuddled theatre ticket s...  Read More

Even the bit player roles are superb, from the lurking, vulture-like undertaker at the start, to the befuddled theatre ticket seller at the end, all roles are distinct in character, and eye-grabbingly well acted. Even the bass fiddle that gets shot in the final confrontation knows exactly how to die, and with a fitting moan.Walter Brennan takes full possession of the eccentric Judge Roy Bean role, ruthlessly adjudicating, with speedy improvisation, his frequently lethal rulings. He lives with but one passion in mind and heart- his adoration of actress Lilly Langtry; an obsession Cooper leverages to full advantage.Examples of the film's ingenious storyline hooks are scenes where Bean subtly solicits the condemned man (Cooper) to purchase drinks all round (for the jury that just found him guilty), or the hilarious man crush Bean develops on Cooper's character due to his affable moxie and more importantly, his feigned Langtry connection.Brennan also owns the screen, translating every emotion Bean has with nuanced facial expressions. He flips from menace to comradery in the time it takes to down a good snort. Sometimes just the sinking of his facial affect, the lowering of his eyes or a sudden increase in their intensity is all it takes to show his sudden change of thought or intention. Dialogue is not necessary on many occasions, giving the film an emotional impact comparable to the silent film era.Something of a reluctant buddies film, Brennan's and Cooper's characters repeatedly engage in a dangerous square dance around mutual and conflicting interests. It's the fence-building settlers that provide the deeper undercurrents of conflict with Bean and his freerange cohorts and lives are at stake and are too easily lost.The psychological brinksmanship that occurs at nearly every plot turn is both unpredictable and ultimately charming. The battle of wits is constantly being waged and smartly articulated both in word and deed. The comedic quality of the spare and clever dialogue has just the right sparkle. Action scenes have a well executed, choreographed quality; each individual acting their part distinctly yet in blended synthesis to a very satisfying effect.The romance that develops between Cooper and the settler's daughter, ranks with the best for it's awkward charm and sensitivity. The lock of hair scene is another bit of special movie magic, and none better at revealing the delicate nature of male/female negotiations of the heart. The placing of that lock of hair into Cooper's wallet is as intimate a gesture as one could wish for.The Westerner is an enduring classic, worthy of many viewings. Every aspect of the film is uniquely crafted with many surprising and detailed touches. It's a gem not to be missed, but rather to be patiently appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed. And that's my rulin'.  Read Less

Take a real life Western character (the notorious Western judge Judge Roy Bean), add one of the genre's sturdiest heroes (Gary ...  Read More

Take a real life Western character (the notorious Western judge Judge Roy Bean), add one of the genre's sturdiest heroes (Gary Cooper), and you have the makings of a Western movie classic.The Westerner, starring Cooper and his good friend and frequent co-star Walter Brennan as Judge Bean, does what Hollywood does so well - take a pinch of truth, a heap for fiction, and mixes them for a pleasing theatrical stew. Cooper plays a wandering cowpoke who runs afoul of Bean's kangaroo court, and gets accused of horsestealing (a hanging offense in most courts, but definitely in Judge Bean's horse thieves). The cowpoke gets off by convincing the judge he knows famous actress and Lilly Langtry, who the judge desperately wants to meet. Cooper strings Bean along to keep himself out of trouble, but gets back into trouble when he sees that Bean and the townspeople are trying to run a group of homesteaders out of the country. Cooper decides to help the homesteaders, putting himself on a collision course with Bean.Brennan won one of three Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for this film, and it's no mystery why he won. Both charming and contemptible, his Judge Roy Bean is quaintly naive and corruptibly sinster. His interaction with Cooper throughout the film is masterful in its complexity and psychology. Cooper is his usually solid, quiet hero who says a lot with few words. Backed by solid Western supporting stars like Chill Wills and Forrest Tucker, The Westerner is a wonderful Western, and great to see it rereleased on DVD.  Read Less