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The Westerner Movie Review

The Westerner is a 1940 western film directed by William Wyler and starring Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan. It’s a solid, very well acted flick.

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“When I was a kid, I had a pet rattlesnake.

I was fond of it, but I wouldn’t turn my back on it“

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Cole is accused of stealing a horse and is taken to Judge Bean. He manipulates Bean and escapes the death penalty. But fate keeps bringing them both face-to-face for various reasons. This movie is today remembered first and foremost for bringing Walter Brennan his third Oscar in what was one highly impressive streak for the man. The picture itself is solid overall, but this is its place in history.

It was funny seeing the Academy do this bullshit even back in the forties. Brennan here is the main player, not the supporting one. So, his Oscar nomination belonged in a different category. With that being said, he is very good and I am happy that he won this year as he plays such an interesting man in this film, one that is undoubtedly the highlight of the story.

The dynamic between him and Cooper is superb. Cooper is also great here and the two shine in all of their scenes together and individually. Of the supporting players, Doris Davenport is the only memorable one with a charming, strong performance. Others are forgettable.

The Westerner is a typical western movie in plot and themes that doesn’t differentiate itself from others of the similar type. The only difference is the lack of shootouts, which was very pleasant to witness, and that made the movie much more timeless than it otherwise would have been.

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Still, it needed more spectacle and more memorable moments as the second half was particularly dragging. The pacing isn’t good, but the cinematography is excellent and the direction from William Wyler is reliably good. The score is also fine, but then again the film is more of a drama than a true historical spectacle for better and for worse. It was also nominated for Art Direction, which was deserved, but its nod for Best Story was definitely not deserved in my opinion as the plot is only okay here.

The Westerner is a solid 40s western that is only okay in terms of storytelling, but the acting is great with Walter Brennan and Gary Cooper both delivering in spades individually and together as well. The movie is more of a drama than a spectacle for better and for worse, but its lack of shootouts at least made it somewhat different from other genre flicks of the time.

My Rating – 3.5