For me, honestly, aside from the first talking version of The Virginian, with Gary Cooper and Walter Huston, this version with Bill Pullman and the always excellent Diane Lane, is my favorite.
This version is more true to the Owen Wister novel than others, and for me that makes it an overwhelming winner.
Both the main actors do a superb job with their characterizations, which creates the correct atmosphere to carry the storyline throughout the entire film.
Pullman looks great on a horse, perhaps not as smooth as Gary Cooper, but Coop grew up on a horse. Lane wears the period costumes perfectly and her chemistry with Pullman is tangible.
One thing I have yet to say is that, like the eponymous character, I too am a Virginian. Ironic that I should have fallen in love with this story. There is a major flaw here though, while I live on a horse farm, I'm a terrible rider. I'm far better on a motorcycle.
While I did ride horses as a kid, the older I got, the worse I got at riding them. I think the issue is that I can only ride something where there's only one brain involved and the brain sits in my skull.
Back to the movie.
Like I said in the beginning, this version is my favorite after the 1929 Gary Cooper version of The Virginian. I'd say, that puts this film in perfect company.
I highly recommend reading the Owen Wister novel, and then see this movie.
If reading the novel is too much effort then just see this film. It's an excellent take on a Western story that became the archetype for every western story that came after it.
This version is more true to the Owen Wister novel than others, and for me that makes it an overwhelming winner.
Both the main actors do a superb job with their characterizations, which creates the correct atmosphere to carry the storyline throughout the entire film.
Pullman looks great on a horse, perhaps not as smooth as Gary Cooper, but Coop grew up on a horse. Lane wears the period costumes perfectly and her chemistry with Pullman is tangible.
One thing I have yet to say is that, like the eponymous character, I too am a Virginian. Ironic that I should have fallen in love with this story. There is a major flaw here though, while I live on a horse farm, I'm a terrible rider. I'm far better on a motorcycle.
While I did ride horses as a kid, the older I got, the worse I got at riding them. I think the issue is that I can only ride something where there's only one brain involved and the brain sits in my skull.
Back to the movie.
Like I said in the beginning, this version is my favorite after the 1929 Gary Cooper version of The Virginian. I'd say, that puts this film in perfect company.
I highly recommend reading the Owen Wister novel, and then see this movie.
If reading the novel is too much effort then just see this film. It's an excellent take on a Western story that became the archetype for every western story that came after it.