The Westerner
A quick-thinking horse-thief suspect survives a hanging judge’s frontier court and becomes entangled in a Texas range war shaped by obsession and lawless power.
Overview
A horse thief finds himself caught in a web of love and conflict in the Wild West.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- energetic
- rough-edged
- classic western night
- film history viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a visually accomplished and entertaining western elevated by Walter Brennan’s vivid performance, while noting an uneven dramatic focus.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Judge Roy Bean controls Vinegaroon through improvised judgments, punishment, and threats of hanging.
The film fictionalizes Judge Roy Bean while retaining his frontier reputation and fixation on Lily Langtry.
Bean's devotion to Lily Langtry, represented by her portraits and the lock of hair, drives his relationship with Cole Harden.
Cole becomes involved in the struggle between cattlemen and homesteaders in Texas.
Films like The Westerner, and why
Destry Rides Again
shared classic western setting, charismatic drifter protagonist, frontier justice, and moral conflict
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
shared revisionist western characterization, eccentric lawman, dark comedy, and frontier power struggles
The Ox-Bow Incident
shared western drama, range conflict, strong performances, and tension between law and violence
My Darling Clementine
shared classic western adventure, larger-than-life frontier figures, and conflict between settlers and established interests
Movie Details
- Director
- William Wyler
- Release Date
- 1940-09-18
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (139)
Cast
- Gary Cooper
- Walter Brennan
- Doris Davenport
- Fred Stone
- Forrest Tucker
- Paul Hurst
- Chill Wills
- Lilian Bond
- Dana Andrews
- Charles Halton
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Westerner about?
- A quick-thinking horse-thief suspect survives a hanging judge’s frontier court and becomes entangled in a Texas range war shaped by obsession and lawless power.
- What is The Westerner like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Westerner as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Westerner violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Westerner as mild.
- What did critics think of The Westerner?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a visually accomplished and entertaining western elevated by Walter Brennan’s vivid performance, while noting an uneven dramatic focus.
- Which films are like The Westerner?
- Films with a similar feel include Destry Rides Again, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Ox-Bow Incident, and My Darling Clementine.
- How long is The Westerner?
- The Westerner runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Westerner?
- In United States, The Westerner streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
