The Virginian (1929)
A landmark early sound Western starring Gary Cooper as a cowboy caught between loyalty and justice on the Wyoming frontier.
The Virginian - Movie Information
- Original Title: The Virginian
- Release Year: 1929
- Directed by: Victor Fleming
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Western
- Age Rating (US): NR
- Runtime: 1h 31m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): November 9, 1929 (United States - NR)
- Production Companies: Paramount Pictures
- Production Countries: United States of America
The Virginian - Plot
A good-natured cowboy who is romancing the new schoolmarm has a crisis of conscience when he discovers his best friend is engaged in cattle rustling.
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The Virginian - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Victor Fleming
Main Cast
- Gary Cooper
- Walter Huston
- Richard Arlen
- Mary Brian
- Helen Ware
- Chester Conklin
- Eugene Pallette
- Victor Potel
- E.H. Calvert
Writers
- Owen Wister
- Kirk La Shelle
- Howard Estabrook
Producers
- B.P. Schulberg
- Louis D. Lighton
The Virginian - FAQs
Who are the main actors in The Virginian?
The Virginian features Gary Cooper in the title role alongside Walter Huston as the villainous Trampas, Richard Arlen as Steve, and Mary Brian as schoolteacher Molly Stark Wood. The supporting cast includes Helen Ware, Chester Conklin, Eugene Pallette, Victor Potel, and E.H. Calvert.
Is The Virginian based on a true story?
No, The Virginian is not based on a true story. It is adapted from Owen Wister's celebrated 1902 novel of the same name, which was itself a work of fiction. The story is set in Wyoming and draws on the romanticized mythology of the American West rather than specific historical events.
What is The Virginian (1929) about?
The Virginian follows a charming, unnamed cowboy in Wyoming who falls for the town's new schoolteacher while grappling with a painful moral dilemma: his closest friend has joined a gang of cattle rustlers. Torn between personal loyalty and frontier justice, he must ultimately choose between friendship and doing what is right.
Was The Virginian Gary Cooper's breakthrough role?
Yes, The Virginian is widely regarded as the film that cemented Gary Cooper's stardom. Though he had appeared in earlier pictures, his charismatic, laconic performance as the unnamed cowboy hero established the quiet, principled screen persona that would define his legendary Hollywood career for decades to come.
Who directed The Virginian (1929)?
The Virginian was directed by Victor Fleming, who would later become one of Hollywood's most celebrated directors, going on to helm both Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz in 1939. His assured direction of this early sound Western helped establish it as a landmark of the genre.
Is The Virginian one of the first sound Westerns?
Yes, The Virginian (1929) holds an important place in cinema history as one of the earliest major sound Westerns. Released during Hollywood's transition from silent films to talkies, it demonstrated that the Western genre could thrive in the sound era and helped pave the way for countless talking pictures that followed.
How long is The Virginian (1929)?
The Virginian has a runtime of 91 minutes, or approximately one hour and thirty-one minutes. Produced by Paramount Pictures and released on November 9, 1929, the film is rated NR (Not Rated), as the modern content rating system had not yet been established at the time of its release.
What movies are similar to The Virginian?
Fans of The Virginian may enjoy other classic Westerns such as Chisum (1970), The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972), Captain Thunder (1930), and South of Sonora (1930). These films share similar themes of frontier justice, cattle country conflicts, and the moral codes that defined the golden age of the Western genre.
More About The Virginian
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