The Westerner

• Man of the West
• Fox Western Classics (Rawhide / The Gunfighter / Garden of Evil)
• The Man with the Gun
• The Day of the Outlaw
• Only the Valiant
• The Gunfight at Dodge City
• The Big Trail (Two-Disc Special Edition)
• The Way West
• Warner Home Video Western Classics Collection (Escape from Fort Bravo / Many Rivers to Cross / Cimarron 1960 / The Law and Jake Wade / Saddle the Wind / The Stalking Moon)
• Errol Flynn Westerns Collection (Montana / Rocky Mountain / San Antonio / Virginia City)

It's good to have titled this film "The Westerner", because neither of the two main stars are cowboys. And all, mostly, in crisp black and white photography. Nor that they wouldn't shoot a man dead, if they thought that was the thing to do. And all that is in addition to seeing the great, larger than life Gary Cooper in one of his most endearing and thrilling roles. 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. Now that doesn't mean neither of them could handle a gun, when necessary.

He plays Judge Roy Bean and he is at turns a wonderful whimsical drinking buddy and the next a ruthless, heartless taker of lives. 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. 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 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.

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. If you like this one, also check out "Along Came Jones," also with Gary Cooper.

One may question the plot line, but Judge Roy Bean was indeed infatuated with the Jersey Lilly. It is perhaps his finest role and also one of Cooper's.

Of the great Hollywood westerns, "The Westerner" is not often mentioned. It captures the spirit of the old west with great accuracy and humor.

It is one of my absolute favorites. As I recall, Brennen won an Oscar for his role in this film.

This is good wholesome, innocent fun with a touch of dark humor.

This is the best and most sensitive of the stories about Judge Roy BeanThe Law West of the Pecos. After much "horse-trading" Bean gets the locket and is transported with joy. 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. Cole notices that the saloon is hanging with numerous pictures and mementoes of the actress Lily Langtree. 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.

We look through his eyes as the image of Lily fades outforever. Cole and Bean shoot it out and Bean is fatally hit. Over a final drink, he tells Bean that he has a hidden locket of Lily's hair. Before he dies, however, he gets to visit the angelic Langtry.

Langtree shows up El Paso or San Antonio and nothing will keep Bean from going. The execution is immediately postponed until the acquisitive Bean can get the locket. Ron Braithwaite author of Mexican Conquest novels, "Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God" Before the hanging, however, there is the mandatory round of drinks.

A truly great film. Resplendant in his old Confederate army uniform he goes to the music hall. The dangerous Roy Bean is redeemed by his love for Lily.

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.

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. At the same time, battling cattlemen and farmers "tomato-kissers" fill out the storyline.

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.

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.

As big a star as Cooper was, deservedly so, he is eclipsed by Walter Brennan in this film.