The Virginian **** (1929, Gary Cooper, Walter Huston, Mary Brian, Richard Arlen, Helen Ware, Chester Conklin, E H Calvert, Eugene Palette) – Classic Movie Review 4879

An archetypal Western tale about a posse hanging a ranch foreman’s buddy is dusted off as Gary Cooper’s first sound film, which sent him to the top in Hollywood, there to stay for 30 years.

Inevitably, some dust has gathered over director Victor Fleming’s classic 1929 Western saga. But it is still a good yarn and Cooper is impressive as rancher hero The Virginian and Walter Huston scores strongly as Trampas, the sneering bad guy who ends up in a well-staged gunfight with the hero.

It also stars Mary Brian, Richard Arlen, Helen Ware, Chester Conklin, E H Calvert and Eugene Palette.

Also in the cast are Victor Potel, Ernie Adams, Edward Brady, Fred Burns, George Chandler, Willie Fung, Bob Kortman, Ethan Laidlaw, Jim Mason, George Morrell, Jack Pennick, Nina Quartero, Charles Stevens and Tex Young.

Future star Randolph Scott is a riding extra and was dialect coach. Henry Hathaway was assistant director.

Howard Estabrook, Edward E Paramore Jr, Grover Jones and Keene Thompson adapt Owen Wister’s famous novel (and Kirk LaShelle’s play version), which was filmed before in 1914 (by Cecil B DeMille) and 1923, and again later in 1946. It was of course the basis of the long-running TV series (1962–1971) with Doug McClure, James Drury and Lee J. Cobb.

It was remade for TV in 2000 with Bill Pullman, Diane Lane, John Savage, Dennis Weaver and James Drury.

Gary Cooper and Richard Arlen starred in the silent classic Wings (1927).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 4879

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