The Virginian (2000) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Bill Pullman stars as The Virginian, a man who tries to avoid trouble whenever he can, but a man who’s ready to make something of his life. “I keep movin’ on to places that ain’t no different and ain’t no better,” he tells best friend Steve in an early scene.

Soon, he finds two new reasons to stick around Medicine Bow. Molly Stark (Diane Lane) arrives from Vermont to teach school in this wild Wyoming cow country; and Judge Henry (Harris Yulin) promotes him to foreman. He needs a strong foreman, because the rustling is getting out of hand.

And the folks on Judge Henry’s ranch figure fellow rancher Sam Balaam (Dennis Weaver) might be behind some of that rustling. The Virginian and his men catch two rustlers; one turns out to be none other than Steve. The men are hanged because there’s no law in Wyoming to handle the matter.

Meanwhile, love blossoms between The Virginian and Molly Stark, though she can’t stand the violence her cowboy seems to dispense so willingly. Their relationship is threatened by one thing — unfinished business between the Virginian and Trampas, the man behind the rustling. He challenges The Virginian to a final showdown. Molly begs him not to go; she’s ready to call off their marriage if he does. What she doesn’t understand, is that he has no choice in the matter.

Bill Pullman as The Virginian in The Virginian (2000)

Diane Lane as Molly Stark in The Virginian (2000)

The Review:

TNT is fond of remaking classics. Too often, the films come off simply as an updated version of the original, with little new to offer. This isn’t one of those times. Taking a fresh look at the Owen Wister novel, Pullman directs a magical, lyrical Western, one of the best TV Westerns in a long, long time.

The Canadian scenery does wonders for the film. So does Pullman’s willingness to stray from earlier versions of the same material. Diane Lane’s Molly Stark, for instance, is a mature woman, not the naive young flirt depicted in the 1929 and 1946 films. The hanging of Steve doesn’t take place under a hanging tree, but in an old shed with stumps knocked out from under the feet of the victims.

And the final showdown between The Virginian and Trampas is nicely orchestrated, with The Battle Hymn of the Republic providing the signal to start shooting. James Drury, who played The Virginian in a TV series, has a bit role as the Rider.

Colm Feore as Trampas in The Virginian (2000)

John Savage as Steve in The Virginian (2000)

Directed by:
Bill Pullman

Cast:
Bill Pullman … The Virginian
Diane Lane … Molly Stark
John Savage … Steve
Harris Yulin … Judge Henry
Colm Feore … Trampas
James Drury … Rider
Sheila Moore … Mrs. Henry
Dennis Weaver … Sam Balaam

Runtime: 95 min.

Dennis Weaver as Sam Balaam in The Virginian (2000)

Harris Yulin as Judge Henry in The Virginian (2000)

Memorable lines:

Trampas to The Virginian: “How’s it feel to be so close to hell you can smell the smoke?”

Rider, delivering a message to the Virginian from Trampas: “You are entire coward. And he especially wishes to save Miss Molly Stark from tarnishing her family’s blood by mixing it with a scoundrel like you.”
The Virginian: “Where is he?”
Rider: “The saloon. Medicine Bow. All day.”