Inspired by my “Old West” thread, I picked up a copy of Owen Wister’s classic novel. Frankly, its a tough read-the language is pretty stilted it is over 100 years old, so the expressions are not familiar to me. Anyway, was a movie version ever made? And if so, was it as popular as the novel? This guy Wister lead a pretty interesting life-he actually came on the scene in the last years of the frontier. Did he write any other best sellers?
A few years ago, a made for TV version starring Bill Pullman was shown on the Hallmark Channel. I liked the movie but nothing else came of it. Make of that what you will.
Several times: In 1914, 1923, 1929, and 1946.
And when you call me that, smile.
There’s the old Joel McCrae movie version of the book – a fairly typical shit-kicker that I’ve seen a couple of times. No idea how close it kept to the book, though, since I haven’t read it.
Also, there was a TV show version. It had Doug McClure in it, but that’s all I remember about it. I was born in 1960 and watched a lot of western TV shows on reruns growing up. But The Virginian wasn’t one I followed very closely or watched often.
I cross-posted with RealityChuck – the Joel McCrae version must have been the 1946 one. I’d have guessed it at early '50s.
The TV series took several liberties, most notably, it made Trampas into a friend of the Virginian. In Wister’s novel, and the other two film versions I have seen, Trampas was a cattle rustler, and he and his gang are tracked down, captured and hanged by the Virginian and his boys.
Sir Rhosis
I’ve seen every version and I’m still distracted he doesn’t have a name.I mean,even the tv show ran forever(the show changed its name and got a good,the bad and the ugly theme opening) and it was always “he” or “him”
First a thread on High Chapparral, and now the Virginian?
Sorry, alls I know about is from TV - James Drury in his black leather vest, and Trampas.
Apparently I was quite into TV westerns when I was a kid…
Gary Cooper had the best version
I actually read the book back in college. I enjoyed it, but don’t remember much other than its famous tagline and the point that the cowboys brought canned tomatoes with them on the trail: the tomatoes for food, and the liquid for drink.