Favourite westerns?

Number24

I'm a fan of western movies, so I'm starting a thread where people can talk about and list their favourite westerns.

Here are some of my favourites:

-"Rio Bravo" by Howard Hawks. (1958) The classic feelgood John Wayne western.

-"The Searchers" by John Ford (1956) John Wayne considered this movie to be his best. I agree.

-"Red River" by Howard Hawks (1948) My third John Wayne movie on the list. A great film about a cattle drive and the conflict between father and son.

-"The good, the bad and the ugly" (1966) and "Once upon a time in the West" (1968) by Sergio Leone. Has to be on a list like this one. Fantastic!

- "True Grit" (2010) by Ethan and Joel Coen. Two of the best filmmakers today decided to make an old-fashioned western and it turned out better than the John Wayne Version.

- "Ride with the devil" (1999) by Ang Lee. A great film about a little known part of US history.

Honorable mentions: "El Dorado", "Pale Rider", "The assasination of Jesse James ......"


What do you think?

AlphaOmegaSin

Fistful of Dollars -{

VesperMelograno

-Shane (1953) not a creative answer but it is awesome. It always seemed to be on the western channel when I was growing up.
-Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) Best ending to a film ever (this is not hyperbole)
-Johnny Guitar (1954) Joan Crawford is THE LEAD -{

Silhouette Man

Hang 'Em High (1967) is my personal favourite, though I admittedly haven't seen many of them.

Number24

"High Plains drifter" (1973) is also a good Clint Eastwood western.

Thunderpussy

So many great westerns {[] a few of mine.
True Grit, The Magnificent Seven, Unforgiven, also would
The Wild,Wild west be considered a western? As I love it
Blazing Saddles, Rio Bravo. 8-)

DevilMayCare007

Dollars Trilogy
The Outlaw Josey Wales
And I like some of Audie Murphy westerns

Moore Than

Number24 wrote:

-"The Searchers" by John Ford (1956) John Wayne considered this movie to be his best. I agree.

-"Red River" by Howard Hawks (1948) My third John Wayne movie on the list. A great film about a cattle drive and the conflict between father and son.

-"The good, the bad and the ugly" (1966) and "Once upon a time in the West" (1968) by Sergio Leone. Has to be on a list like this one. Fantastic!

Not a huge Western fan but I do enjoy quite a lot of them, particularly those starring John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. If I had to choose my top three westerns, then those quoted above by Number24 would probably be the one's. Not just great westerns but great films, period.

I will give an honorary nod to three others not mentioned so far, though I could list quite a few more.

One Eyed Jacks (1961). Marlon Brando revenge western. Have not seen this in years but used to really enjoy it in my younger days.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Fable of the old west, John Wayne and James Stewart at their best.

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957). Very good (though not entirely accurate) telling of the real life events that took place in 1881.

chrisisall

Number24 wrote:

"High Plains drifter" (1973) is also a good Clint Eastwood western.

That was great.
My favourite western is Hannie Caulder.

Sir Miles

Always loved The Sons of Katie Elder -{

Le Samourai

I never really bought into the traditional mythology of the classic Western, so I tend to prefer films that subvert that narrative. My Top 3, in no particular order…

* The Wild Bunch (d. Sam Peckinpah, 1969): One of my favorite films, period. An unabashedly brutal look at the myth of the outlaw. (Pretty tame though compared to Cormac McCarthy's novel 'Blood Meridian.')
Memorable quote: "If they move, kill 'em!"

* Dead Man (d. Jim Jarmusch, 1995) Another one of my favorite films. A darkly comic, poetic, pro-Native American take on the West. Like The Wild Bunch, this is one of my favorite films. It, along with Jarmusch's follow-up Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, resonate deeply with me.
Memorable quote: "That weapon will replace your tongue. You will learn to speak through it. And your poetry will now be written with blood."

* High Plains Drifter (d. Clint Eastwood, 1973) Takes the mild cynicism about small-town cowardice and hypocrisy from High Noon and ramps it up to 11.
Memorable quote: "You're going to look pretty silly with that knife sticking out of your ass."

chrisisall

Actually, my favourite movie that features gunfights & horses & saloons & whorin' & jail escapes & outlawin' is

WESTWORLD.

Blackleiter

The Magnificent Seven
The Wild Bunch
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Lawman
Silverado
True Grit (2010)

always shaken

I don't know if you would classify it as a true western ,but I love Spencer Tracys Bad day at Black rock ,
a massive all star cast ,

chrisisall

always shaken wrote:

I don't know if you would classify it as a true western ,but I love Spencer Tracys Bad day at Black rock ,
a massive all star cast ,

It's a semi-modern day western. It was also one of Judo's first appearances in the movies!

Barbel

Rio Bravo/El Dorado (very similar, both great)
Dollars trilogy
Bronco Billy (not strictly a Western, I know)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance

always shaken

I also like Pale Rider starring Clint Eastwood ,and also the dear departed Richard Kiel,

chrisisall

If the Dollars trilogy is classified spaghetti western, would Hannie Caulder be a fish N chips western?
)

Firemass

Number24 wrote:

I'm a fan of western movies, so I'm starting a thread where people can talk about and list their favourite westerns.

Here are some of my favourites:

-"Rio Bravo" by Howard Hawks. (1958) The classic feelgood John Wayne western.

-"The Searchers" by John Ford (1956) John Wayne considered this movie to be his best. I agree.

-"Red River" by Howard Hawks (1948) My third John Wayne movie on the list. A great film about a cattle drive and the conflict between father and son.

-"The good, the bad and the ugly" (1966) and "Once upon a time in the West" (1968) by Sergio Leone. Has to be on a list like this one. Fantastic!

- "True Grit" (2010) by Ethan and Joel Coen. Two of the best filmmakers today decided to make an old-fashioned western and it turned out better than the John Wayne Version.

- "Ride with the devil" (1999) by Ang Lee. A great film about a little known part of US history.

Honorable mentions: "El Dorado", "Pale Rider", "The assasination of Jesse James ......"


What do you think?

Nice list! Too bad you're not a Roger Moore fan or we could be best friends.

My favorites are mostly by John Ford with a pair of Howard Hawks thrown in : (No particular order)

Red River - Most epic western. Outdoes the Searchers on nearly every level, including a better twist ending.
Love the new Criterion edition. John Wayne in his most badass tyrant mode.

Rio Bravo - The ultimate John Wayne being John Wayne movie.

Stagecoach - A perfectly made film by John Ford. Also own the new Criterion version.

My Darling Clementine- Henry Fonda used to be Ford's main man. Monument Valley. Walter Brennan. Gunfight at the OK corral. Classic stuff. Just bought the new Criterion DVD, but haven't watched it yet.

Fort Apache - Surprisingly well-rounded picture by John Ford in terms of being sympathetic towards Native Americans. Also note Mexican soldiers serving in the cavalry instead of being just comic relief. (Like Carlos in Rio Bravo) This is one of the best American films ever made.

Wagon Master - A John Ford western that without any big name stars. Works surprisingly well and gives the usual supporting cast a chance to shine.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon - The best way to see gorgeous color cinematography of Monument Valley without the bad comic relief that plagues The Searchers.

The Searchers - Often considered the best film collaboration from John Ford and John Wayne. Unfortunately, this one is brought down by stilted acting and broad comedy. I still really like it due to Wayne's brutal performance as Ethan Edwards.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - One more masterpiece from Ford and Wayne. I can't pick a favorite, but this one is always right at the top.

Ens007

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Pale Rider
The Outlaw Josey Wales

CoolHandBond

The Magnificent Seven is the best movie ever made - stellar cast - great script - brilliant direction - fabulous score.

chrisisall

CoolHandBond wrote:

The Magnificent Seven is the best movie ever made

WOW! That IS an endorsement!