In The Virginian (1929), Gary Cooper played the Virginian, a foreman on a Wyoming ranch who falls for schoolteacher Molly Wood, played by Mary Brian, and who must confront his friend Steve, played by Richard Arlen, who has turned to cattle rustling. Directed by Victor Fleming, the film follows the Virginian as duty and friendship collide.
Cooper gave the Virginian a quiet, natural presence in his first major sound western. His slow delivery and the famous line, ‘When you call me that, smile,’ became part of his screen legend. The film was a success and established Cooper as a western star.
The Virginian remains a signature Cooper role because it introduced the strong, silent hero that would define his career.