The Westerner (film)

The Westerner is a 1940 American film directed by William Wyler and starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, and Doris Davenport. Written by Niven Busch, Stuart N. Lake, and Jo Swerling, the film is about a selfappointed hanging judge in Vinegaroon, Texas who befriends a saddle tramp who opposes the judges policy against homesteaders. The film is often remembered for one of Walter Brennans best performances, as Judge Roy Bean, which led to his winning his recordsetting third Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. James Basevi and Stuart N. Lake also received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction, Black and White and Best Story respectively.

Cole Harden Gary Cooper is a drifter brought in on a charge of stealing a horse belonging to Beans main sidekick, Chickenfoot Paul Hurst. Hardens conviction by a jury composed of Beans hangerson seems certain even the undertaker waits eagerly for the verdict and subsequent hanging. Bean dismisses Hardens contention that he bought the horse legally from another man. Noticing the judges obsession with the English actress Lily Langtry, Harden claims to have met Miss Langtry, spoken with her, and to have known her intimately. He cons the judge into delaying the death sentence until Harden can send for a lock of the actress hair, which he supposedly has in El Paso. The delay is long enough for the real horse thief Tom Tyler to show up and get killed.Despite his warped sense of justice and corrupt nature, Bean genuinely likes Harden, considering him something of a kindred spirit. Harden is as bold and daring as Bean was in his youth, and the judge feels something like friendship for him. But this friendship doesnt stop Bean from trying to shoot Harden when the drifter lends his support to the homesteadersa group led by JaneEllen Mathews Doris Davenport and her father Caliphet Fred Stone. The struggling homesteaders have been at odds with Bean and his cattlerancher allies for a long time. Harden tries to appeal to the judges better nature. He even saves Bean from an attempted lynching. But when that fails, and a corn crop is burned and Mr. Mathews killed, Harden sees no choice but to take action. He gets himself deputized by the county sheriff and swears out an arrest warrant against Bean. ........

Source: Wikipedia