Though great westerns are still being made today, no modern film will ever be able to match the quality of the movies from the past. The western is one of the oldest genres in cinema history, and it has grown and changed through each evolution of Hollywood. From the silent era to today, westerns have stood the test of time.

However, there was certainly a heyday for the genre that mostly coincided with the Golden Age of Hollywood from the 1930s to the 1960s. During that period, hundreds of westerns were produced that ranged in quality from forgettable to legendary, and many of the biggest western stars made their debuts.

In those days, westerns weren’t just a novelty, and were often the most financially successful and popular films of their respective years. Bona fide classics not only reinvented the genre but pushed the boundaries of cinema as well, etching their mark on the tapestry of movies forever. Sadly, the westerns of today just don’t have the same cultural appeal.

10

Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)

Even as American cinema began to turn toward anti-westerns, Italy was keeping the flame with movies like Once Upon a Time in the West. The Sergio Leone epic was truly the last hurrah for the Golden Age of westerns. It featured a gritty plot involving land rights and gun violence, and encapsulated the themes of the entire genre.

Using Leone’s active camera and exaggerated style, Once Upon a Time is intentionally bombastic. It knowingly embraces common tropes, and completely eschews the social commentary of most American anti-westerns from that period. Though it’s a quintessential spaghetti western, it has transcended its regional idenтιтy to be one of the best from any time and any place.

9

Destry Rides Again (1939)

Western comedies are actually pretty common, but few are as legendary as 1939’s Destry Rides Again. Complete with all the usual clichés of the genre, the James Stewart classic pokes fun at westerns long before they grew stale. Though it is humorous, it still excels at the basics of the western, and has some (albeit goofy) action.

The real selling point is the chemistry between Marlene Dietrich and Stewart, and the pair are electric when onscreen together. Stewart is his usual lovable self, and Dietrich brings a grandness through her aloof performance that clashes with the trappings of westerns. Modern westerns wouldn’t dare to have so much fun with cowboys and dusty shootouts.

8

The Man Who SH๏τ Liberty Valance (1962)

Bringing together two of the biggest stars of the day, The Man Who SH๏τ Liberty Valance was the perfect platform for a James Stewart and John Wayne team-up. Utilizing clever storytelling techniques like flashbacks, Liberty Valance is stunningly modern while still feeling like a classic western adventure. Naturally, it’s also one of the best-acted movies of the era.

Along with Wayne and Stewart, Lee Marvin pulls his weight as the тιтular villain, and the entire film feels larger-than-life. Despite being decades into his career, director John Ford proved he still had something new to say within the framework of the western. The black-and-white pH๏τography also elevates the film, and narrows the focus to the characters.

7

Rio Bravo (1959)

John Wayne’s movies are known for their macho lead characters and simple morals, and Rio Bravo is perhaps the most obvious combination of the two. The film was made as a direct response to 1952’s High Noon, which was one of the earliest dissections of the genre. Ironically, the Wayne and Howard Hawks movie proves its predecessor’s point.

Nevertheless, Rio Bravo is a classic western that has intriguing characters and plenty of action. Wayne is his usual swaggering self, and he’s teamed up with Dean Martin, who steals the show. Though it lacks a lot of depth, the movie is the perfect cross-section of Hollywood westerns with its beautiful cinematography and idealized view of the American West.

6

Shane (1953)

Alan Ladd’s career was cut tragically short, but his filmography is stuffed with classic noir films and legendary westerns. His crowning achievement was always Shane, and the 1953 classic is still one of the highlights of the westerns from the ’50s. Ladd is perfectly cast as the reluctant gunslinger, and Shane effectively builds tension.

Set against beautiful landscapes, the movie is both an action film and an introspective look at heroes. It might seem cliché, but that’s largely because Shane set the standard that a lot of its successors have tried to live up to. It’s sometimes overshadowed by the works of Wayne and Eastwood, but it deserves a spot among the all-time classics.

5

Red River (1948)

After years of playing run-of-the-mill cowboy heroes, John Wayne was given his first real challenge when he was cast in the lead role in Red River. The Howard Hawks film has all the director’s trademarks, with its snappy dialogue and layered characters, and Wayne’s Dunson pushed the screen cowboy into anti-hero territory.

Essentially, Red River is the perfect western because it’s all about cattle drives and cowboys. It explores the economy of the Old West without losing any of its human element, or its gripping drama. The story has constant momentum, and it’s carried along by John Wayne’s amazing performance. He would play villains again, but never so effectively.

4

Stagecoach (1939)

Westerns took a little while to properly transition into the sound era, and Stagecoach is where the genre truly entered the Golden Age of Hollywood. It was also the first film that helped make John Wayne a household name and cemented his partnership with director John Ford. Compared to modern westerns, Stagecoach is smaller in scale, but still powerful.

The excellent cast charms and enchants as the movie moves along briskly, and there’s humor alongside the usual western trappings. It’s also a lesson in screenwriting, and every word is used effectively to get the story from one point to the next. Leanness is not a quality usually found in westerns, but Stagecoach gets the most out of 90 minutes.

3

High Noon (1952)

Classic westerns aren’t known for stirring up controversy, but High Noon caused some waves in the early ’50s. A thinly-veiled critique of McCarthyism in the United States, the simple-but-effective film also dissects a lot of the tropes of western heroes. Gary Cooper stars, and his performance is unlike most found in westerns from any era.

Playing out in mostly real time, the ticking-clock element of the movie makes for a suspenseful experience as everything builds toward the climax. Along the way, the movie explores the dynamics of the town and the relationships between the characters without feeling rushed. Many modern westerns try to deconstruct the genre, but High Noon already beat them to it.

2

The Searchers (1956)

The Hollywood Golden Age hit its peak with The Searchers, and it’s undeniably the pinnacle of John Wayne’s career. The beautifully-sH๏τ epic is a tale of revenge and the explosive consequences of obsession. Wayne plays one of his most dynamic and challenging characters, and few films capture the sweeping vistas of the American West so perfectly.

Despite the fact that it does eschew some clichés, The Searchers still hits all the beats of what a western is supposed to have. There’s fighting, gunplay, and macho heroes, but there’s also a lot more below the surface. Though newer westerns have more technology at their disposal, the visual splendor of The Searchers can’t be replicated.

1

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)

The U.S. doesn’t have a monopoly on westerns, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is proof. The final installment in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy, the Clint Eastwood movie really established the actor as the next big western icon. Eastwood’s Man With No Name is synonymous with the second generation of western stars.

The film itself is a frenetic and exciting thrill ride, and a complete departure from the somewhat stoic westerns from the 1950s. The characters are morally gray, and the use of violence is a lot more liberal. After The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, no western would ever transform the genre so completely.