The Westerner

The Westerner (1940) starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Fred Stone, Doris Davenport. After the Civil War, Cole Harden (Cooper) is headed west to California when he happens through the Texas jurisdiction of Judge Roy Bean (Brennan). Harden also rides into the middle of a full-scale range war, with farmers versus cattlemen in a classic confrontation. Cooper shows why he was such a great film icon in this Western, which is now little-remembered. Brennan won an Oscar for his supporting role as Judge Roy Bean. This is a pretty standard-issue Western, but well done. (Subtitles in English are available, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B