“The Westerner marks Wyler's first return to the genre since he escaped it in 1930 and is a good tale made remarkable by one of the juiciest performances in the history of American films--Walter Brennan as the legendary and notorious Judge Roy Bean. The ‘Hanging Judge' lives up to his name in sentencing accused horse thief Gary Cooper, but Coop finds the Judge's weak spot when he promises to obtain a lock of actress Lily Langtry's hair. The romantic interludes are pretty routine, but it's never long before Brennan's back.” --Tod McCarthy