The Westerner (1940)

[titoli]

A must-see. I don't know if it makes a top ten, but easily  top twenty. Garfield says that if Brennan's award winning performance is memorable is also thanx to Cooper. I don't think so. But what i striking about it is its modernity. Brennan goes around in suspenders and woolshirt, unshaved (reminded me of Robards in Cable Hogue)  and is not completely rational. More of a SW character than classic AW. Cooper is great but it is Brennan who gives the scenes the salt. 9\10

[cigar joe]

Agreed very good 

[T.H.]

I don't know if I'd rate it that highly, but it's definitely very good and I completely agree with your assessment of Brennan's performance. 

[dave jenkins]

Brennan is good, Cooper is absolutely hopeless. The final showdown in the concert hall is inventive. 5/10.

[mike siegel]

Haven't seen it in ages. Loved it back then though. Willi Wyler is one of the best.

My favorite scene was the early morning awakening in the saloon I remember. Impeccable.

[dave jenkins]

Now streaming on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/watch/116305/the-westerner

UPDATE: Pulled. You missed your chance.

[drinkanddestroy]

Just saw this movie; it is a gem 9/10, what a great performance by Walter Brennan, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor

This post will contain spoilers


I didn't like the extensive use of rear projections. I guess I can accept it in the scenes with the fire raging, but wtf do they need to use rear projections in the scene where Cooper is just sitting with the girl and looking out over the field? Or when they are standing over her father's grave? I don't know if there is anything in all of cinema that I hate more than rear projections; I guess there's no choice in instances like the fire but otherwise they irritate the hell out of me.


also, I didn't like how tenderly Cooper treats Brennan at  the end. In middle, maybe he thinks Brennan has actually reformed. But once we get to the end, and see that Brennan has never changed, is a murderer plain and simple, burned all those families out of their land, I didn't like how, when he realizes Brennan has been shot and is dying, he very tenderly takes him to meet Lilly Langtry. I guess Brennan's meeting Langtry was an important scene to have at the end, but I didn't like how Cooper takes care of him.


Cooper plays the character here as sort of slow-witted, not all that strong, and is completely overshadowed by Brennan. My main problem is in how Cooper chooses to play his character, as very outwardly weak, certainly not typical of a saddle tramp/gunslinger. if he had played him like a tough gunslinger, maybe he could have been a solid character. But as Cooper plays him, he is completely overshadowed by Brennan.

Anyway, I had great fun watching this  

[dave jenkins]

Brennan is good, Cooper is absolutely hopeless. The final showdown in the concert hall is inventive. 5/10.

My enjoyment of this film has been growing. I'll now go a "6."

[drinkanddestroy]

My enjoyment of this film has been growing. I'll now go a "6."

still too low. Watch it again  

[uncknown]

4/10

I am shocked at how well re regarded this turkey is

The main problem is tone: it starts off as a  (unfunny) black comedy, then midway thru it turns dark and tragic, and ends up cloyongly sentimental and embarrassingly jingoistic!
Cooper, of whom I am a fan, is awful in a role that James Garner could've made work. The femal lead acts as if she is in a silent movie. The score is cloying....

A couple of good things in it saves it from zero stars.
Bruce Marshall

[drinkanddestroy]

4/10

I am shocked at how well re regarded this turkey is

The main problem is tone: it starts off as a  (unfunny) black comedy, then midway thru it turns dark and tragic, and ends up cloyongly sentimental and embarrassingly jingoistic!
Cooper, of whom I am a fan, is awful in a role that James Garner could've made work. The femal lead acts as if she is in a silent movie. The score is cloying....

A couple of good things in it saves it from zero stars.
Bruce Marshall

No mention of Brennan’s masterful performance?

[cigar joe]

No mention of Brennan’s masterful performance?

Agree it's one of his best films.

[Moorman]

I can't believe i haven't commented on this film. Its easily one of my favorite Gary Cooper westerns. Its a fantastic movie. Both Cooper and Brennan were excellent in this movie. Its on my favorite westerns list.  I rate this one a 7.5 out of 10...

[stanton]

An interesting but uneven film with some black humour (for 1940), some cheesy moments, a bland protagonist and a very charismatic villain. Coopers more stoic acting is an interesting contrast to the lively Walter Brennan, who dominates every scene. Wyler?s directing is ambitious, and he has some unusual ideas (for 1940). Just check how he directs the fistfight between Cooper and Tucker.

A clear forerunner of the ?art-house? westerns of the 50s like The Gunfighter, High Noon or Shane. And like Wyler?s own The Big Country.

The unevenness from a modern point of view results in some dated parts and some still fresh looking scenes. 7/10

[moorman]

I first saw this about 5 years ago or so.  At the time I had it ranked as one of my favorite Westerns.  After viewing it again I find the plot very wanting.  I was initially ranking the film very high because of the performance of Walter Brennan.  On rewatch I could see the massive flaws in the film.  It takes a while to build up and the bromance between Cole and Bean is very contrived.  The photography and on location filming are very good.  I initially gave the film a 7.5 out of 10.  I now rank it around 5 out of 10.