The western genre intersects perfectly with the war genre, and that combo has produced several great movies which are currently available to stream. Westerns have been the bread and ʙuттer of American cinema since the very beginning, with every era producing its fair share of classics. Because these films are historical in nature, they often involve real-life conflicts.
The Civil War had a profound impact on the shaping of the American West, and it was unavoidable in the western genre. What’s more, the violent suppression of the indigenous communities of the West also led to many so-called “wars” that spilled over into cinema. Violence is as integral to the western as it is to a war film.
War westerns differ from the typical western, though they do share most of the same tropes and cliches of swaggering cowboys and quick-draw gunfights. They often involve much larger conflicts, and in some cases, are actually based on real-life battles. This can make them doubly exciting, and some of the best war westerns can be found on streaming.
Dark Command (1940) – Plex
Dark Command is one of John Wayne’s more underrated movies, but it’s a shining example of the war western. Set at the outset of the Civil War, the movie dramatizes the real-life skirmishes that nearly tore Kansas apart. Wayne plays the heroic Union supporter, Bob Seton, and he is nothing like his usual iconic cowboy roles.
Dark Command was nominated for two Academy Awards.
The movie may not be factually accurate, but it effortlessly blends war and western together with a story that has all the familiar trademarks. The town besieged by outlaws is a classic trope, and Dark Command frames them through an actual historical event. Director Raoul Walsh gave Wayne his big break, and their second collaboration would continue his meteoric rise.
The Last Outpost (1951) – The Roku Channel
Ronald Reagan’s career as an actor was obviously overshadowed by his two terms as President, but The Last Outpost is one of the Gipper’s few movies worth remembering. Produced independently and distributed by Paramount, the Civil War western concerns two brothers on opposing sides, reuniting during a bloody fight against Apache forces.
It’s obviously cheaper than most westerns, but there is a cheesy charm that makes the film appealing. It has quite a bit of action, but the movie mostly relies on the struggle between brothers, and the drama that unfolds. It’s a brisk little film that is definitely worth a watch for anyone who has already seen most of the classics.
The Horse Soldiers (1959) – Prime Video
John Wayne and John Ford made some of the best westerns together, though The Horse Soldiers is an equally effective war movie. Set during the Civil War, it follows Wayne’s Union Colonel who finds himself in a predicament while trying to destroy a train depot. Wayne is paired with William Holden, and the duo have excellent chemistry.
The movie effortlessly blends its genres, and it uses the backdrop of the western as a platform for an exciting war story. It leans more toward the latter, and also has a compelling drama plot to give the action some emotional importance. It’s sometimes overlooked, but streaming can finally get The Horse Soldiers the attention it deserves.
Hondo (1953) – Prime Video
Many western war films involve the so-called “wars” against the indigenous populations of the American West, and Hondo is one such example. The often overlooked John Wayne film sees him playing a seasoned Indian fighter who saves a young woman after her husband abandons her in the midst of a war between various factions of the Apache.
Hondo allows Wayne to deliver a charming performance where he is every bit the swaggering hero. It may lack many of the accouterments of war films, but it is a quintessential western. At less than 90 minutes in length, Hondo is a great introduction to the war western subgenre because it is a fast-paced thrill with some great acting too.
Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee (2007) – HBO Max
Dee Brown’s harrowing account of the betrayal of the Native American peoples of the American West was adapted in 2007, and the TV movie is far from a typical war western. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is set in the aftermath of the Battle of Little Big Horn, and explores various key moments in history that impacted indigenous rights.
Though scant on action, the epic does explore the fallout from the violent wars between the American government and the native people. It puts the emphasis on drama, which makes for a far more effective and realistic story. While other war westerns showed an idealized version of history, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is unflinchingly realistic.
Duck, You Sucker! (1971) – Prime Video
The middle film in Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time trilogy, Duck, You Sucker! is an exaggerated romp set during the Mexican Revolution. Like most spaghetti westerns, the action is over-the-top, and far exceeds what was seen in most American films. It lacks the grandeur of its predecessor, but certainly puts the war in the war western subgenre.
Duck, You Sucker! was released between Once Upon a Time in the West and Once Upon a Time in America.
James Coburn and Rod Steiger are an electric duo, and the exploration of Mexican history is a nice change of pace from the usual genre formula. Leone’s stylized approach is on full display in every frame, and Ennio Morricone delivers yet another iconic score that heightens the excitement of the explosive war western.
The Alamo (2004) – Prime Video
The 2004 film, The Alamo, is one of the most infamous flops ever, but it’s not all bad. It tells the legendary story of the тιтular battle from the Texas Revolution, and puts a mᴀssive budget behind bringing the tall tale to life on the big screen. It isn’t perfect, but is a worthy addition to the war western genre.
The huge cast includes Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid, and it hearkens back to the cinematic epics of decades gone by. The action is grand, and it has strong production design that brings that era of American history to life. More than 20 years on, The Alamo‘s reputation has softened somewhat, and it largely flopped due to unforeseen circumstances.
Dances With Wolves (1990) – HBO Max
Westerns were nearly extinct by the time the 1990s rolled around, but Kevin Costner’s blockbuster hit, Dances With Wolves, helped to reinvigorate the genre. Costner stars as a Union soldier who joins a Native American tribe, and helps them defend themselves when the American government comes to take their land.
Though it perpetuates a white savior narrative, Dances With Wolves is an undeniable western war epic with sweeping visuals and classical Hollywood storytelling. The war aspects are downplayed, but every other part of Dances With Wolves is rich with meaning. Even if it does so imperfectly, the film tries to make good on decades of poor representations of indigenous communities.
Free State Of Jones (2016) – Prime Video & Netflix
Though it doesn’t take place in the American West, Free State of Jones is an excellent example of a modern war western. Loosely adapting the life of Newton Knight, the story concerns a pro-Union southerner who fights against the Confederacy in Mississippi. Matthew McConaughey leads a stellar cast, and it subverts the expectations set by other films in the genre.
It borrows a lot of the tropes of the western genre, and is set during the height of the Civil War, and yet it doesn’t stumble of the same hurdles as older films. It doesn’t sugar-coat the history, and the action doesn’t overshadow the importance of its story. Free State of Jones divided critics, but it’s so much better than its lackluster Rotten Tomatoes score.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966) – Tubi
Sergio Leone gave westerns the sH๏τ in the arm that they needed with his Dollars trilogy, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was certainly the best of the three. Essentially writing the book on the spaghetti western genre, it’s also a war film because it takes place during the Civil War.
Leone’s active camera work has lively energy, and Morricone’s score is instantly recognizable. The over-the-top nature of the story is nothing like the methodical westerns from Hollywood, and it made the genre playful and fun again. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is one of the best westerns of all time, and it’s currently streaming for free.
