The western is one of the most recognizable genres in cinematic history, and there are some absolute classics that everyone should see at least one time in their lives. Burgeoning around the same time as the birth of industrialized filmmaking, the western and Old Hollywood go hand-in-hand. Known for its larger-than-life heroes and dramatic tales of law and order in the American West, the early days of the genre was mostly about presenting a rosy view of the country’s history. However, the western began to expand to include more complex ideas as the decades wore on.
There’s no denying that the western doesn’t hold the same appeal anymore. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, there were dozens being churned out each year, and that trend continued into the early 1970s. However, the New Hollywood era put a different spin on the gunslinging cowboy heroes of the past, and tastes began to change. A revival in the ’90s was spurred along by throwback westerns that returned the genre to its roots, but the movies have never hit the heights they once had. Nevertheless, some westerns have stood the test of time, and should be watched by everyone.
10
Butch Cᴀssidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
One Of The Last Great Westerns Of The Golden Era
By 1969, the western had begun to evolve, and it was no longer just about presenting an idealized view of the taming of the American West. Movies like Butch Cᴀssidy and the Sundance Kid represent a transitional point, and the movie deftly balances classic western ideals with the anachronistic approach that was quickly changing the genre.
Paul Newman and Robert Redford carry the film with their electric chemistry, but Butch Cᴀssidy and the Sundance Kid was not particularly well-received upon release. Since then, the movie has become one of the most beloved movies in the genre’s history, largely because it mixed western machismo with a humorous lyrical quality not seen in contemporary movies.
9
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Mel Brooks Lovingly Skewers The Western Genre
One of the best ways to enjoy something is to see it cleverly parodied, and Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles is a perfect send-up of the entire western genre. While poking fun at the abundant cliches found in most classic western films, Blazing Saddles also takes aim at contemporary issues like racism and even has something to say about the Hollywood studio system.
Though the movie has a reputation for pushing boundaries, there is love and care put into its sense of humor, and no one catches any stray bullets in a figurative sense.
Though the movie has a reputation for pushing boundaries, there is love and care put into its sense of humor, and no one catches any stray bullets in a figurative sense. There had been western comedies before Blazing Saddles, but none captured the essence of the genre while standing on its own as a brilliant piece of cinema.
8
Stagecoach (1939)
John Wayne’s Star-Making Classic
John Wayne is probably the most famous name ᴀssociated with westerns, and 1939’s Stagecoach was what made him a household name. The cowboy legend had been appearing in westerns for over a decade by then, but the humorous and well-written western made him a household name. It was also his first collaboration with director John Ford, Wayne’s most fruitful partnership.
Before Stagecoach, most westerns were very formulaic and were made on the cheap. Ford’s vision of the American West was sweeping in scope, and he populated his landscape with clever characters instead of stock figures. For his part, Wayne was a charming anti-hero with a heart of gold, and it allowed him to be a star after years of supporting work.
John Wayne and John Ford collaborated on 14 movies.
7
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
A Western Of Truly Epic Proportions
The spaghetti western helped to breathe new life into the genre in the 1960s, and director Sergio Leone was the most famous Italian to leave his mark on westerns. Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West is an epic tale that incorporates all the recognizable elements of classic western stories. What sets it apart is the active camera work and exaggerated writing that typifies the spaghetti western.
|
Once Upon a Time Film |
Release Year |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Once Upon a Time in the West |
1968 |
96% |
|
Duck, You Sucker! |
1971 |
92% |
|
Once Upon a Time In America |
1984 |
86% |
Set to an excellent score by Ennio Morricone, Once Upon a Time in the West is an opulent and visually-stunning experience that spares no expense. Some cuts of the film top 170 minutes in length, and Leone intentionally pushed the boundaries of the genre.
6
Red River (1948)
The Movie That Pushed John Wayne Out Of His Comfort Zone
1948’s Red River is about as western as it gets, and the plot centers around one particularly tense cattle drive across the plains. Howard Hawks directs John Wayne in one of his most challenging roles, and he’s ostensibly the villain of the piece. While not a full heel, Wayne’s Thomas Dunson pushed the screen icon out of his comfort zone, and the movie’s all the better for it.
The movie’s script is airтιԍнт, and it hardly feels as long as its two-plus-hour running time. Lavish vistas are a nice contrast to the character drama that dominates the story, and Hawks has the ability to shrink or expand the scene depending on what’s needed.
5
Unforgiven (1992)
Clint Eastwood’s Triumphant Return To Westerns In The ’90s
After several decades of self-aware westerns that aimed to deconstruct the genre, 1992’s Unforgiven was a return to many of the classics from earlier eras. Though the Clint Eastwood movie is appropriately modern, the storytelling is a bit more straightforward. It delivers many of the things viewers expect to see in the genre, while also adding in themes like aging and the decline of the Wild West era of American history.
Eastwood pulls double-duty in the hit, and his direction is undeniably the best part of the entire movie. The cinematic flair is ultimately in service of the characters, and the gunslinging accouterments are just window dressing for what is a gripping interpersonal drama.
4
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)
The Quintessential Spaghetti Western
The third film in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, is the high point of the entire spaghetti western genre. Clint Eastwood returns as the Man with No Name, and his grizzled and mysterious anti-hero set a new standard for what an action hero was supposed to look like. The trilogy-capper also had something American westerns didn’t, which is copious amounts of violence.
|
Dollars Trilogy Movie |
Release Year |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
|---|---|---|
|
A Fistful of Dollars |
1964 |
98% |
|
For a Few Dollars More |
1965 |
92% |
|
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly |
1966 |
97% |
Leone used the camera in a way that the western rarely did before, and he wasn’t afraid to extend moments through long sH๏τs that increased tension. Ennio Morricone’s score is one of the most famous examples of music in film history, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly features many scenes that are sewn into the fabric of filmmaking forever.
3
High Noon (1952)
The Most Controversial Western Of All Time Up To That Point
Still in the middle of the Golden Age of westerns, 1952’s High Noon was one of the first films to use the genre to explore much deeper ideas. The Gary Cooper-led classic deconstructs cowboy archetypes and examines ideas like bravery, duty, and masculinity through the lens of a small-town sheriff about to face off with vengeful outlaws. While it may seem innocuous today, High Noon caused quite a stir.
Essentially taking place in real time, High Noon builds toward a tense finale that is more exciting than many of the more bombastic westerns of its era.
Reviled by many upon release, the film was accused of being anti-American because of its subtle messaging deploring violence. Behind all the controversy is a brilliantly directed piece of cinema that uses time effectively. Essentially taking place in real time, High Noon builds toward a tense finale that is more exciting than many of the more bombastic westerns of its era.
2
The Searchers (1956)
The Pinnacle Of Mainstream Western Cinema
Not long before the genre hit its peak and began to fade, John Wayne starred in what is arguably the greatest example of the mainstream western. The Searchers is yet another Wayne and Ford collaboration, but it is also their most dynamic. Instead of casting John Wayne as a swaggering hero, Ford tapped him to play Ethan Edwards, a man who gets lost in his own obsession with revenge.
What makes The Searchers so great is that it balances stunning western visuals and filmmaking with a brilliant script that leans heavily on character. Edwards’ Quixotic quest is a perfect mix of western machismo with heady themes, and the movie’s cinematography is a colorful and idealized portrait of its setting.
1
Tombstone (1993)
The Movie That Set The Tone For The Modern Western
It’s difficult to summarize modern westerns, but Tombstone is perhaps the first film that can truly be called a contemporary example of the genre. Telling the well-worn story of Wyatt Earp and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Tombstone has a more stylized tone than movies from the past. It dives deep into Earp’s character, and highlights his close friendship with Doc Holliday.
Like westerns from the Golden Age, Tombstone isn’t particularly interested in deconstructing history or the cliches of its genre. Instead, it embraces them for a distinctly ’90s approach to the ideas that have been part of westerns for generations. There is a familiarity to Tombstone that makes it such a great western, and many movies made since have tried to recapture that feeling.
