The Westerner (1940): cast, story & where to watch
1940 · Film · ★ 7
Released in 1940, The Westerner is an action, romance and western film directed by William Wyler, running about 100 minutes. “THE RAW UNTAMED ADVENTUROUS WEST...LIVES AGAIN!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Drifter Cole Harden is accused of stealing a horse and faces hanging by self-appointed Judge Roy Bean, but Harden manages to talk his way out of it by claiming to be a friend of stage star Lillie Langtry, with whom the judge is obsessed, even though he has never met her. Tensions rise when Harden comes to the defense of a group of struggling homesteaders who Judge Bean is trying to drive away.
Who’s in it. The Westerner stars Gary Cooper as Cole Harden, Walter Brennan as Judge Roy Bean, Doris Davenport as Jane Ellen Mathews and Fred Stone as Caliphet Mathews, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, The Westerner has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Westerner page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Westerner tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Westerner (1940)?
- In US, The Westerner is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Westerner worth watching?
- The Westerner holds an audience score of 7.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, romance and western. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Westerner?
- The Westerner stars Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Doris Davenport, Fred Stone and Forrest Tucker.
- When was The Westerner released?
- The Westerner was released in 1940, with a runtime of about 100 minutes.