OGUNQUIT — A film that helped create Hollywood’s love affair with the American West will continue this season’s silent film series at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit.

“The Winning of Barbara Worth” (1926), a silent drama starring Gary Cooper, Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky, will be shown 8 p.m. Sept. 15 at the historic Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Ogunquit.

Admission is $10 per person. Live music will be provided by accompanist Jeff Rapsis, a New England-based performer who specializes in creating music for silent film presentations.

Directed by Henry King, “The Winning of Barbara Worth” chronicles the epic story of pioneer settlers who dreamed of irrigating California’s parched Imperial Valley in the early 20th century. Filmed on location in Nevada’s Black Rock desert, the movie is noted for its extensive use of vast open spaces and wild scenery.

The story centers on a rivalry for the affections of Barbara Worth (Vilma Banky), adopted daughter of a powerful rancher. A local cowboy (Gary Cooper) finds himself competing with a newly arrived engineer (Ronald Colman), who has come to the rural valley to work on plans to harness the Colorado River for irrigation.

Will the local ranch-hand prevail over the city slicker engineer? Can citizens of the parched region prevail over nature and transform their lands into an agricultural paradise? Will rumors of shortcuts taken in constructing a massive dam lead to disaster?

All these questions combine to create a film that showed Hollywood and movie-goers the power of a drama set in the rural American west.

The film is also noted for its camera-work by Greg Toland, who would later go on to do principal photography for “Citizen Kane” in 1941.

For “The Winning of Barbara Worth,” Rapsis will improvise a score from original musical material that he composes beforehand, using a digital synthesizer to recreate the sound and texture of a full orchestra.

“What I try to do,” Rapsis said, “is create music that bridges the gap between a film that might be 80 or 90 years old, and the musical expectations of today’s audiences.”

“The Winning of Barbara Worth” continues another season of silent films presented with live music at the Leavitt Theatre.

“These films are still exciting experiences if you can show them as they were designed to be screened,” said Rapsiss.

“There’s a reason people first fell in love with the movies, and we hope to recreate that spirit. At their best, silent films were communal experiences in which the presence of a large audience intensifies everyone’s reactions.”