Thursday, May 5, 2016

The Westerner

Ahh The Westerner, a great film about a hanging judge Roy Bean, played brilliantly by Walter Brennan, who has a particularly strong obsession with Lily Langtry a star of the stage. Well that's what one would say if that's what the film was about, only. There  is a fairly substantial amount of Judge Roy Bean to be found in the film, but there is also far too much filler involving Gary Cooper's bland cowboy who finds romance in the west. Everything involving the judge works, everything that does not is just very tired, and extremely forgettable. Unfortunately the film proceeds by going back and forth making for a problematic viewing experience. Luckily there is enough of Bean for one to consider the film good, but it sure would have been nice if the film had been interesting even when he was off screen.
3.5/5

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