A Good Adaptation of Wister's Classic Novel
Set in Medicine Bow, Wyoming in the 1880s, the 1946 version of The Virginian is based on the 1902 Owen Wister novel of the same title. In the book, the main character's name is never spoken; rather, he is referred to as The Virginian. In this film, he is referred to as Virginia. The Virginian seeks to maintain order on his ranch and wants to stop cattle rustling; the main character also becomes romantically involved with the newly arrived schoolteacher, Molly Wood. The film culminates with a shoot-out between the Virginian and the cattle-rustling Trampas. While the movie leaves out many of the details of the book, the film capably captures the essence of the story and falls into the category of a classic Western film.