The Westerner

The Westerner is a 1940 American Western film directed by William Wyler and starring Gary Cooper as Cole Harden, a drifter accused of stealing a horse belonging to Judge Roy Bean (Walter Brennan), who rules Vinegaroon Town by his own law and punishment. Harden's conviction seems certain until he claims to know stage star Lillie Langtry intimately, saving his bacon long enough for him to befriend the judge. As tensions rise, Harden comes to the defense of a group of struggling homesteaders led by Jane-Ellen Mathews, leading Bean to try to shoot him. The two eventually engage in a fatal gunfight, with Harden emerging victorious and killing Judge Bean.