The Virginian (1946)

In Medicine Bow, a newly arrived eastern schoolteacher is courted by two cowpokes but their courtship is interrupted by violent incidents involving local cattle rustlers.

Director:

Stuart Gilmore

Writers:

Frances Goodrich (screenplay), Albert Hackett (screenplay)

Stars:

Joel McCrea, Brian Donlevy, Sonny Tufts

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joel McCrea	...	The Virginian
Brian Donlevy	...	Trampas
Sonny Tufts	...	Steve Andrews
Barbara Britton	...	Molly Wood
Fay Bainter	...	Mrs. Taylor
Tom Tully	...	Nebraska
Henry O'Neill	...	Mr. Taylor
Bill Edwards	...	Sam Bennett
William Frawley	...	Honey Wiggen
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Shorty
Marc Lawrence	...	Pete
Vince Barnett	...	Baldy

Storyline

Arriving at Medicine Bow, eastern schoolteacher Molly Woods meets two cowboys, irresponsible Steve and the "Virginian," who gets off on the wrong foot with her. To add to his troubles, the Virginian finds that his old pal Steve is mixed up with black-hatted Trampas and his rustlers...then finds himself at the head of a posse after said rustlers; and Molly hates the violent side of frontier life.

---

Plot Keywords:

color remake of black and white film | school marm | character name as title | the virginian character | cowboy | 

---

Taglines:

The All-Time Best-Selling Love Story of the West... Now On the Screen In Spectacular Technicolor!

---

Genres:

Romance | Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 May 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Owen Wister's American Classic: The Virginian

Filming Locations:

Wildwood Regional Park, Thousand Oaks, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of over 700 Paramount productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. It received its first telecast in Philadelphia Monday 2 March 1959 on WCAU (Channel 10), followed by Asheville 29 March 1959 on WLOS (Channel 13), by Milwaukee 11 April 1959 on WITI (Channel 6), by St. Louis 25 April 1959 on KMOX (Channel 4), by Chicago and Seattle 6 May 1959 on WBBM (Channel 2) and KIRO (Channel 7) by Minneapolis 3 June 1959 on WSTCN (Channel 11), by Toledo 27 October 1959 on WTOL (Channel 11), by Detroit 9 November 1959 on WJBK (Channel 2), by Los Angeles 20 February 1960 on KNXT (Channel 2), by New York City 30 July 1960 on WCBS (Channel 2), and by San Francisco 9 May 1961 on KPIX (Channel 5). At this time, color broadcasting was in its infancy, limited to only a small number of high rated programs, primarily on NBC and NBC affiliated stations, so most vintage film showings were still in B&W. Viewers were not offered the opportunity to see these films in their original Technicolor until several years later. It was released on DVD 31 March 2011 as part of the Universal Vault Series, and again on 12 March 2013 as part of Universal's Classic Westerns: 10-Movie Collection; since that time, it's also been aired occasionally on cable TV on both Turner Classic Movies and Encore's Western Channel.

---

Goofs

Before the shootout at the end, both men see that the sun is about to set. And yet the shootout occurs in full sunlight; and when the newlyweds ride off at the end, the sun still hasn't quite set: they are riding off into the sunset.

---

Quotes

Virginian: When you call me that, smile.
Trampas: With a gun against my belly, I always smile.

---

Connections

Version of The Virginian (2000)

User Reviews

A cowboy finds his convictions about the Code of the West really questioned when falls for a pretty new schoolteacher

Cowpoke good guy , known as the Virginian, Joel McCrea , and his best colleague called Steve , Sonny Tuffs , both fall for Molly, Barbara Britton , the Eastern Schoolmarm who is come to their Wyoming town . Steve wants to make some quick money and joins up Trampas , Brian Donlevy , and his cattle rustling band .After that , the Virginian leads a posse against the cattle rustlers . Things go wrong when The Virginian must take a hard decission .

Good Western based on the 1902 classic novel by Owen Lister about a ranch-hand defeating the local bad guys . The main issue of the movie is an interesting premise , as The Virginian is forced to choose between frienship and the code of the west and Molly wonders if she can accept the country's harsh ways . It has fine interpretation from a top-drawer cast , such as Joel McCrea , Brian Donlevy , Barbara Britton . Joel McCrea gives a decent acting as the tough cowboy who is betrayed by his best friend , deciding between bring him to justice and alienating the pretty schoolteacher he is in love with . Donlevy is perfectly cast as the outlaw leader Trampas . And a very good support cast such as : Sonny Tuffs , Fay Bainter, Tom Tully , Bill Edwards , Paul Guilfoyle , Mark Lawrence , among others . The motion picture was well directed by Stuart Gilmore who was one of the best Hollywood editors . Although he also made a few fulms such as Captive man, Half-breed , Target and Hot lead.

There are several adaptation about this novel : First silent retelling The Virginian 1914 by Cecil B DeMille with Dustin Farnum , Jack Johnston . Classic early talkie 1929 by Victor Fleming with Gary Cooper , Walter Huston , Mary Brian , Richard Arlen . 1962 popular TV series mostly directed by Earl Bellamy with James Drury , Doug McClure , Lee J Cobb , John McIntire , Stewart Granger . TV rendition with Bill Pullman , John Savage , Harris Yulin , Colm Feore , Diane Lane . 2014 by Thomas McKowsky with Trace Adkins , Steve Bacic, Victoria Pratt