The Virginian (1929 film)

The Virginian
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Victor Fleming
Written by	Kirk LaShelle Grover Jones Howard Estabrook Keene Thompson Edward E. Paramore Jr.
Based on	The Virginian (novel) by Owen Wister
Produced by	B. P. Schulberg Louis D. Lighton
Starring	Gary Cooper Walter Huston Richard Arlen
Cinematography	J. Roy Hunt Edward Cronjager
Edited by	William Shea
Music by	Karl Hajos
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	November 9, 1929 (1929-11-09) (US)
Running time	91 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English sound film

The Virginian is a 1929 American pre-Code Western film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Gary Cooper, Walter Huston, and Richard Arlen. The film was based on the 1902 novel The Virginian by Owen Wister and adapted from the popular 1904 theatrical play Wister had collaborated on with playwright Kirke La Shelle.^{[1][unreliable source?]}

The Virginian is about a good-natured cowboy who romances the new schoolmarm and has a crisis of conscience when he learns his best friend is involved in cattle rustling. The film is considered to be Gary Cooper's breakthrough role and is well known for Cooper's line "If you wanna call me that—smile", in response to an insult by the antagonist.^[2]