Owen Wister's book

I haven't read the book, but I know Wister as a writer was a lot truer to actual conditions in the West than were 1960s tv westerns. As you will know from the tv series, The Virginian, Trampas and Steve were all just great pals and bosom buddies around the bunkhouse, on the range and in the Medicine Bow saloon. So, I guess I'm not telling you anything new, but I expect the 1929 western was very, very much truer to character and authentic conditions as written by Wister.

It pretty much follows the plot of the book and the 1914 version of the film. I have also seen the 1923 version but do not recall much of it. IMO, it is much better than the color and slick Joel McCrea version made in 1946. The 1929 version should really be restored and given a Blu-Ray or DVD release as it is historically important for many reasons.

Yes, it follows the book, but in a much more streamlined way. The book is a sprawling epic. All the big moments in the book are in the movie, but in the movie the story has been shortened and simplified a bit. In the book you have things like the schoolmarm going back to New England and eventually coming back, the romance between the Virginian and her is slower and more gradual... In general, there is more time for character development.