KING’S THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 45, 16 November 1940, Page 15

KING’S THEATRE

The quarrel between homesteaders and cattlemen in the West in the latter half of last century, is the basis of the colourful Gary Cooper film, "The Westerner," retained for a further week of a season at the King’s Theatre. Cooper ably portrays the wandering cowboy, used to the sky as a roof, who befriends the homesteaders and becomes one of them himself when the quarrel is finally settled iu a gun battle. Lily Langtry, “the Jersey Lily,” friend of Edward VII and idol of millions, plays an important part in the film, though as a living character she appears only for a few seconds toward the end. But because she is adored by a two-fisted cattleman, “Judge,” who has never seen more than her pictures and show-posters, she influences the life of a whole Western community. "Judge" will hang a man, between whiskies, and scarcely notice the delay, but mention Lily and his heart softens —which is just as well for the handsome young cowhand wrongfully arrested for horsestealing, who might have been planted on Boot Hill iu an hour or two if he had not the presence of mind to claim friendship with the great lady of the stage. He even goes to the length of promising the murderous but sentimental ‘‘Judge” to give him a lock of Lily’s hair —a promise which saves the cowhand’s life and. for a brief spell, the lives of tile homesteaders. Back of it. ail. however. "Judge” is a cattleman. He orders the burning of the crops and bouses of the homesteaders, and in due time is brought to sudden retribution . by the young man who bought his life witli a lock of hair.