The Virginian (1946)

Barbara Britton is Molly Wood, the young woman so eager to escape the boredom of her native Vermont that she leaves it and a heads-over-heels-in-love boyfriend behind for the wilds of Wyoming where she’ll be the new teacher in Medicine Bow.

No more is she off the train then she’s swept into the arms of a cowboy known simply as The Virginian (Joel McCrea).

She’s been frightened by a not-so-scary bull and suspects him of taking advantage of the situation.

He’s convinced they’ll have a future together; she’s far less certain.

Meanwhile, someone has been rustling cattle in these here parts, and The Virginian suspects the dressed-all-in-black Trampas (Brian Donlevy) might be one of the scoundrels.

After all, the cattle in his herd seem to be having an awful lot of calves. In fact, they seem to be coming in litters.

What The Virginian doesn’t suspect is that a longtime friend named Steve (Sonny Tufts) is in cahoots with Trampas.

At least not until he catches him re-branding a cow. He gives Steve one warning. But he doesn’t break with Trampas and is caught a second time by The Virginian and the other cattlemen. He and three accomplices are hanged.

Now The Virginian is more determined than ever to bring Trampas to justice. In the process, he might risk any chance at a future with Molly.

Of course, that might already be at risk if she finds out the truth about his role in the death of his best friend.

Joel McCrea as the Virginian, coming to Molly Wood’s defense when Trampas suggests she came West to hide something in her past in The Virginian (1946)

Barbara Britton as Molly Wood, learning to enjoy spending time with the Virginian in The Virginian (1946)

Review:

A routine and mostly uninspired version of the well-known story. Britton’s cute as a button as the school teacher, but Tufts is a bit too jovial in his role as the ill-fated friend and the whole affair comes off too predictably.

The Virginian’s ranch hands include William Frawley — the future Fred Mertz of “I Love Lucy” — as Honey Wiggen.

This marked the fourth film version of the Owen Wister ‘s 1902 novel and the first color version. It was the subject of silent films in 1914 and 1923, an early sound Western starring Gary Cooper in 1929 and more current remakes in 2000 and 2014.

The 2000 TNT version is by far the best. In fact, with Bill Pullman and Diane Lane in the lead roles, it’s downright poetic compared to this remake.

Brian Donlevy as Trampas, the man behind the trouble and the cattle rustling in The Virginian (1946)

Sonny Tufts as Steve Andrews, trying to talk his way out of trouble again in The Virginian (1946)

Directed by:
Stuart Gilmore

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

Runtime: 90 min.

Fay Bainter as Mrs. Taylor, trying to explain why the Virginian needs to be tough on rustlers in The Virginian (1946)

Henry O’Neill as Mr. Taylor, welcoming Mary Wood to the West and her new job as school teacher in The Virginian (1946)

Memorable lines:

Samuel: “I don’t know what I’m going to tell my family. They’ve been counting on me marrying you.”
Molly Wood, as she boards a train bound for Wyoming: “Say that you changed your mind when you found out I was a little touched in the head.”
Samuel: “They wouldn’t believe that.”
Molly: “I don’t know why. My family does.”

Steve, when Molly needs directions to the hotel: “It’s just over there.”
Molly: “The red front.”
Steve: “No, that’s the saloon. See the place a couple doors down?”
Molly: “Where the horses are tired?”
Steve: “No, that’s a saloon too. The other way.”
Molly: “Oh, I see. Where the curtains are.”
Steve, more concerned now: “Oh. Oh, no. Don’t go there. Better let me take you.”

Trampas, explaining why he didn’t consider it an insult to offer Molly a drink: “In the course of a long and varied career, I’ve found out that no one comes out West but for one of three things — health, wealth or a bad reputation. She looks healthy and rich to me.”

Paul Guilfoyle as Shortly awaiting his fate with a cattle-rustling colleague in The Virginian (1946)

Joel McCrea as The Virginian, sharing a drink with friends before a showdown with Trampas in The Virginian (1946)

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

The Virginian: “I passed your herd the other day, Trampas. I ought to compliment you; you have so many calves this year. Seems like your cows don’t have them just one at a time, like nature intended. They have them in litters, like a sow.”
Trampas: “What do you suggest I do about it?”
The Virginian: “If I was you, I’d have a little talk with them. Get them back closer to nature.”

Steve: “I can see myself now, walking down Broadway and all the girls following me. They tell me when those city women hears spurs jingling, they go crazy. Just like catnip to a kitten.”

Barbara Britton as Molly Wood, heading West to teach school and getting last-minute advice from her mom (Nana Bryant) in The Virginian (1946)

Joel McCrea as the Virginian, tricked into looking foolish in front of Mary Wood in The Virginian (1946)