Ten Best Westerns
Barry Nelson
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I recently read an article online which listed what they claimed to be the 10 Greatest Westerns, my surprise came when I noticed I had seen every one of them. It was a good list, but included a couple I did not agree with it, like McCabe and Mrs. Miller, a good movie, but not one of the ten best westerns of all time.
I like westerns; they are usually fairly simple movies, good guys, bad guys, shoot outs, moral dilemmas and great scenery. When you think of westerns, some names naturally come to mind, John Wayne, John Ford, Clint Eastwood, Sergio Leone, etc. Based on the number of great westerns, a top ten list is pretty silly, but I am going to put one together anyway. These are in no special order, just the ten best westerns I have seen.
Red River – Directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. Wayne plays a rancher who decides to drive his herd of cattle to Missouri with the help of his adopted son played by Clift. The film has several great scenes including a stampede that looks as real as anything I have seen. Wayne is especially interesting as he plays a character unlike any other he has played, a tyrant, with quite a few flaws.
The Searchers - Another John Wayne movie, this one directed by John Ford. Wayne’s niece is kidnapped by Comanche and he sets out to rescue her. When the quest starts to last year’s, Wayne’s hatred for the Comanche grows. Assuming his niece has been adopted and raised by the Comanche, Wayne has to decide what he will do if he finds her. Wayne again is wonderful; there is a scene in the movie where Wayne has to tell someone that a loved one has been killed. When they ask for details, Wayne refuses, but his words and actions tell the whole story.
The Wild Bunch – Sam Peckinpah directed masterpiece, starring William Holden and Ernest Borgnine. Aging outlaws are looking for one last heist as the world around them is changing. The movie is known for its violent scenes, especially the final shoot out, but focusing on the violence is a mistake as this film is about a time when your word was your most important asset.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – Sergio Leone’s civil war period masterpiece starring Clint Eastwood as “Blondie”, Eli Wallach is “Tuco” and Lee Van Cleef as Sentenza, the bad. Beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted and a great story make for a great movie. The scene in the middle of the movie where Eastwood and Wallach take action to end a battle between the North and South is a favorite of mine.
Unforgiven – Perhaps one of the most historically accurate portrayals of the old west, Eastwood directs and stars as an aging assassin hired by prostitutes to avenge the cutting up of one of the women. With the help of a young overly eager want to be gunfighter and an aging friend played by Morgan Freeman he sets out to kill the cowboys that harmed the girl. There are no hero’s in this movie, as the Sheriff played by Gene Hackman is as cruel as Eastwood. The characters in this movie are fascinating and the climactic scene is surprising as well as compelling.
The Outlaw Josey Wales – Yes, another film directed and starring Eastwood. “Not a hard man to track, he leaves dead men wherever he goes”, is muttered by a solder trying to apprehend Josey Wales, it also pretty much sums up the film. Eastwood plays a confederate soldier unwilling to surrender when the war ends. He leads a small troop of union solders on a long chase as he tries to escape the war and maybe find peace.
High Noon – Classic film starring Gary Cooper as Marshall Will Kane, forced to face down a gang of bad guys set on revenge. Unable to get anyone in the town to help him he refuses to walk away from his job, despite pleas from his young wife played by Grace Kelly. When everyone has abandoned him, he does his duty and faces the outlaws in the street at high noon. A lot of messages in this film, but what I always think about is Cooper’s performance.
Stagecoach – John Ford directed western starring John Wayne as Ringo Kid. This is your classic western story, strangers together on a stagecoach, going through Indian Territory, all hiding personnel secrets, but all having to pull together when adversity strikes. The film includes a great chase scene near the end and is known as the film that began John Wayne’s career.
Shane – Simple story, stranger comes to town and helps out a group of homesteaders who are being forced off their land by a cattle baron. The stranger, played by Alan Ladd, ultimately singlehandedly faces down the evil cattle baron and his men. This film was pretty much remade as Pale Rider by Clint Eastwood, which is also a good film.
Once Upon a Time in the West – Sergio Leone film starring Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, and Jason Robards. Fonda, plays the bad guy and bad he is, thoroughly convincing as “Frank” an assassin. Leone, with his extreme close ups and exaggerated angles adds tension to the film and Claudia Cardinale adds beauty. Leone’s other films are more well known, but this could arguable be the best.
As I said, the films are in no special order and several like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Open Range and Rio Bravo were hard to leave off the list.
I like westerns; they are usually fairly simple movies, good guys, bad guys, shoot outs, moral dilemmas and great scenery. When you think of westerns, some names naturally come to mind, John Wayne, John Ford, Clint Eastwood, Sergio Leone, etc. Based on the number of great westerns, a top ten list is pretty silly, but I am going to put one together anyway. These are in no special order, just the ten best westerns I have seen.
Red River – Directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. Wayne plays a rancher who decides to drive his herd of cattle to Missouri with the help of his adopted son played by Clift. The film has several great scenes including a stampede that looks as real as anything I have seen. Wayne is especially interesting as he plays a character unlike any other he has played, a tyrant, with quite a few flaws.
The Searchers - Another John Wayne movie, this one directed by John Ford. Wayne’s niece is kidnapped by Comanche and he sets out to rescue her. When the quest starts to last year’s, Wayne’s hatred for the Comanche grows. Assuming his niece has been adopted and raised by the Comanche, Wayne has to decide what he will do if he finds her. Wayne again is wonderful; there is a scene in the movie where Wayne has to tell someone that a loved one has been killed. When they ask for details, Wayne refuses, but his words and actions tell the whole story.
The Wild Bunch – Sam Peckinpah directed masterpiece, starring William Holden and Ernest Borgnine. Aging outlaws are looking for one last heist as the world around them is changing. The movie is known for its violent scenes, especially the final shoot out, but focusing on the violence is a mistake as this film is about a time when your word was your most important asset.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – Sergio Leone’s civil war period masterpiece starring Clint Eastwood as “Blondie”, Eli Wallach is “Tuco” and Lee Van Cleef as Sentenza, the bad. Beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted and a great story make for a great movie. The scene in the middle of the movie where Eastwood and Wallach take action to end a battle between the North and South is a favorite of mine.
Unforgiven – Perhaps one of the most historically accurate portrayals of the old west, Eastwood directs and stars as an aging assassin hired by prostitutes to avenge the cutting up of one of the women. With the help of a young overly eager want to be gunfighter and an aging friend played by Morgan Freeman he sets out to kill the cowboys that harmed the girl. There are no hero’s in this movie, as the Sheriff played by Gene Hackman is as cruel as Eastwood. The characters in this movie are fascinating and the climactic scene is surprising as well as compelling.
The Outlaw Josey Wales – Yes, another film directed and starring Eastwood. “Not a hard man to track, he leaves dead men wherever he goes”, is muttered by a solder trying to apprehend Josey Wales, it also pretty much sums up the film. Eastwood plays a confederate soldier unwilling to surrender when the war ends. He leads a small troop of union solders on a long chase as he tries to escape the war and maybe find peace.
High Noon – Classic film starring Gary Cooper as Marshall Will Kane, forced to face down a gang of bad guys set on revenge. Unable to get anyone in the town to help him he refuses to walk away from his job, despite pleas from his young wife played by Grace Kelly. When everyone has abandoned him, he does his duty and faces the outlaws in the street at high noon. A lot of messages in this film, but what I always think about is Cooper’s performance.
Stagecoach – John Ford directed western starring John Wayne as Ringo Kid. This is your classic western story, strangers together on a stagecoach, going through Indian Territory, all hiding personnel secrets, but all having to pull together when adversity strikes. The film includes a great chase scene near the end and is known as the film that began John Wayne’s career.
Shane – Simple story, stranger comes to town and helps out a group of homesteaders who are being forced off their land by a cattle baron. The stranger, played by Alan Ladd, ultimately singlehandedly faces down the evil cattle baron and his men. This film was pretty much remade as Pale Rider by Clint Eastwood, which is also a good film.
Once Upon a Time in the West – Sergio Leone film starring Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, and Jason Robards. Fonda, plays the bad guy and bad he is, thoroughly convincing as “Frank” an assassin. Leone, with his extreme close ups and exaggerated angles adds tension to the film and Claudia Cardinale adds beauty. Leone’s other films are more well known, but this could arguable be the best.
As I said, the films are in no special order and several like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Open Range and Rio Bravo were hard to leave off the list.
Comments
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
It's a good list and there's a few I'll be checking out.
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1. Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone) - possibly the most stylish film that I have ever seen. Great visuals, sound and unforgettable music. Also, enjoyable as a deconstruction of the Western legend. The more you learn about the genre, the more you find to appreciate in the film.\
2. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Sergio Leone) - Leone again. Another stylishly directed film with great performances, epic scope and my vote for the best film score of all time. Several standout scenes make this one of the most unforgettable films of all time - my favourite is the 'Ecstasy of Gold' scene in the graveyard and the subsequent showdown between the trio.
3. The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah) - a powerful, visceral experience which once again features great performances from the cast. The opening shootout and the train robbery are my two favourite sequences.
4. The Searchers (John Ford) - I have only seen a couple of John Ford westerns, but The Searchers stands out for me as one of the greatest examples of the genre. John Wayne is great as Ethan Edwards, and the incredible visuals of Monument Valley linger in the mind long after the film ends.
5. For a Few Dollars More (Sergio Leone) - a great action adventure western. Not as epic as Leone's later film but with all the wit and style of his later masterpieces. Lee van Cleef is a memorable foil for Eastwood.
6. Dances With Wolves (Kevin Costner) - beautiful visuals and an unusually nuanced depiction of native Americans makes this a memorable film. Also, possibly John Barry's greatest score. The stunning Buffalo Hunt is the standout scene, but the intimate story is what really grabs hold of you. Perhaps it is a bit simplistic, but it works.
7. The Outlaw Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood) - my favourite Eastwood-directed Western. An engaging story, another memorable Eastwood performance, and also the humorous and very likeable Cherokee character, Lone Watie.
8. High Noon (Fred Zinnemann) - excellent buildup of tension make this a riveting Western. The suspense is nerve grinding as we wait for high noon, and the arrival of the villains.
9. A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone) - the first Sergio Leone western, a classic example of the 'spaghetti' variety. In many ways I think this is a film which changed the western forever.
10. Pale Rider (Clint Eastwood) - an atmospheric Eastwood film with a touch of the supernatural! The film has a very natural, gritty look - it looks as though artificial lighting was kept to a minimum in the interior scenes. I haven't seen Shane yet, but I believe the film is a reworking of that film.
Other favourites: The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid, Unforgiven, The Magnificent Seven, Stagecoach, Duck You Sucker!, Tombstone
2) Magnificent Seven (I know about the seven samuarai - but it's a good western)
3) The Good the Bad and the Ugly
4) True Grit
5) A Fist Full or Dollars
6) High Noon
7) High Plains Drifter
8) Pale Rider
9) Shane
10) The Searchers
Try Quigley Down Under. Set in Australia with a terrible title, but Tom Selleck was born to play cowboys and Alan Rickman does a great job as the villian. Also the best gunfight/show-down/line at the end that I can remember in any western.
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Hondo - Probably my favorite Wayne oater, a pity Peggy wouldn't let poor Al in peace that night.;)
The Gunfighter- Gregory Peck as the gunfighter fighting his past and reputation. Superb.
Hang 'em High - I love all of Eastwood's westerns, some more then others, this one is right up there. Awesome score.
Hombre - Paul Newman as an Indian Halfbreed? Actually it's pretty realistic, Pat Boone's always a terrific villain.
The Shootist - Allright I take it back, this is my favorite Duke western
I also love Gunfight At The OK Corral, A Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster classic. And mustn't forget Two Mules For Sister Sarah with Shirley Maclaine.
"The Professionals" - Can't go wrong with the cast! IMHO Burt Lancaster's best western role.
"True Grit" - John Wayne at his most iconic. While one can argue that "Red River", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "The Searchers" are much better films, "True Grit" is solid enjoyment!
"Lonesome Dove", As a TV miniseries it has the advantage of a few hours to play out instead of two. Robert Duvall is perfect as Gus, and as a epic of the genre - it stands alone!
"Ride the High Country", early Peckinpah without all the blood and guts of his later work. Joel McCrae and Randolph Scott are at the top of their form.
Guilty pleasure...... "Big Jake" Another "typical" Duke role. Not as polished as other films, but with a good supporting cast, Richard Boone and Harry Carey Jr. another fun film.
Bond’s Beretta
The Handguns of Ian Fleming's James Bond
For The Duke to star in a film like that when he knew he was dying in real life is a tribute to his unshakable nature.
I'd have to agree. The Shootist is my dad's favourite John Wayne film, and it never fails to satisfy {[] And you're right as well about the classic The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Others:
The Professionals is one of my all-time favourites. Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Jack Palance. Wow.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, natch. Deconstructed the genre whilst being essentially a love letter to it.
The Magnificent Seven, absolutely! Akira Kurosawa's seminal The Seven Samurai, which John Sturges remade for American audiences, was a classic western in every sense---except that it happened in the East
So many. I really enjoyed the recent Appaloosa, with Viggo Mortensen and Robert Duvall. Glad westerns continue to trickle out---I'm looking forward to the Cohen Bros.' remake of True Grit (yet another Duke classic!!) with Jeff Bridges.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I am too. The Coens are possibly my favourite filmmakers working today, and Jeff Bridges should be a good actor to play Rooster Cogburn. And I think we can be fairly sure that Matt Damon will be better as LaBoeuf than Glen Campbell was in the original. I thought he was the weakest link in that classic version.
When I first heard they were remaking True Grit, I couldn't believe it and thought it was a bad idea, but seeing the trailer makes me think they have done a good job and I will be checking it out.
The Naked Spur- I can't believe I almost forgot this one. Jimmy Stewart plays a underhanded bounty hunter bringing in a killer played by Robert Ryan. Anyone who thinks all Stewart can do is play a innocent "Aw shucks" hero better think again. As a matter of fact at first, Ryan seems to be a lot more sympathetic than Stewart ! Probably one of the greatest westerns ever. Anthony Mann directed this picture.
Nevada Smith- One of the stronger Steve Mcqueen westerns but not too great. Nevada Smith is only suppose to be 16 years old. It's painfully obvious this a 36 year old man. Still, it's pretty good as Smith trys to catch the murderers of his parents one by one; The smartest one being the character played by Karl Malden. The finale is kind of weak but great fun overall. The best part of the film takes place when Smith imprisoned in a work camp at a swamp. One the guards/inmates is played by Pat Hingle.
Django - It's not Leone, but I'd say Sergio Corbucci was right up there. How can you not like a hero who drags a coffin behind everywhere he travels. Sure it's implausible, but it's really cool. (the contents shall remain secret)
Unfortunately, the english dub makes Franco Nero sound like a milquetoast. The Italian one utilizing his real voice is the best way to go. Fortunately this version is available and much preferred.
Django is a very cool film.
The English dub is the only audio track on my DVD copy unfortunately.
The trailer looks fantastic, and very original. Can't wait for that one.
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Leone's A Fistful of Dynamite (aka Duck You Sucker) is an often overlooked but still entertaining western starring James Coburn and Rod Steiger as an on the run Irish freedom fighter and Mexican bandit who become unlikely allies and even unlikelier heroes during the Mexican revolution. Its an uneven film with some pretty drastic cuts (clearly much footage was left on the cutting room floor) but still exhibits all the classic hallmarks of a Leone film.
In Red Sun, Link (Charles Bronson) plays a bandit who robs a train with cohort Goche (Alan Delon). On the train is the Japanese ambassador to America and his samurai bodyguard Koroda (Toshiro Mifune). When Goche and his gang betray Link and steal a golden sword from the ambassador, Link and Koroda form an uneasy alliance and head out to find them and exact their revenge. The beautiful Christina, Goche's favorite prostitute (Ursula Andress) tags along and generally looks gorgeous and makes life difficult for everyone. The film was directed by Bond vet Terrence Young and the mixing of the western and samurai genres actually ends up working quite well.
Tombstone with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer is one of the more entertaining recent westerns. It re-tells the classic saga of the gunfight at the OK Corral and its aftermath and while the whole thing starts slowly it should be seen if only for the beautifully staged action sequences and Kilmer's amazing performance as Doc Holliday.
I've never been a big fan of John Wayne's westerns but I've always had a soft spot for Big Jake as it has a little more edginess to it than most of Wayne's westerns while still being accessible to his fans.
They Call Me Trinity is an amusing spaghetti western starring Terrence Hill and Bud Spencer (a popular pair of Italian actors) as a pair of misfit brothers who get involved in a land dispute between a group of Mormorns and a seedy land baron. Like most spaghetti westerns not filmed by Leone, there is some uneven dubbing and a tendency towards slapstick humor but overall its still a watchable movie.
Alan Delon's Zorro from 1975 mixes the classic Johnston McCulley character with the sensibilities of a spaghetti western. Here, Diego is a drifter who is also deadly with a blade. When his close friend, the future governor of California, is murdered, he assumes his identity to find the cuplrit and bring him to justice, the trail leading to the villainous Colonel Huerta (played by the late Stanley Baker). Again, the film veers towards the comic at times but Delon makes for a great lead, Huerta is suitably sleazy and the sword play is quite spectacular, especially the final duel.
Sam Whiskey is an entertaining western starring Burt Reynolds, Clint Walker and Ossie Davis as a trio of likeable rogues who, in a somewhat convoluted plot, are hired by the beautiful Angie Dickinson to put a stash of gold bars back into a local bank from which they were stolen. Lightweight but anything with Angie Dickinson in it is worth a look in my book.
And for something completely different there's The Villain, Hall Needham's live action cartoon western with more than a passing resemblance to the travails of Wile E. Coyote. Kirk Douglas plays the titualar rogue, Arnold Schwarzenneger is the clueles hero and Ann Margret plays the ravishing but badly undersexed damsel in distress. A stupid movie to be sure but it has some good gags and Ms. Margret is a knockout.
Tombstone is a very entertaining movie and Val Kilmer's performance is fantastic. Love the show down with Ringo, "I'm your huckleberry."
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Always a good laugh!
Two other western-inspired comedies I have enjoyed:
'Go West' - a Marx Brothers film. One of my favourites actually, although generally considered one of the Brothers' lesser films.
'Carry On Cowboy' - I saw this just a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was a pretty decent Carry On film and enjoyed the western spoof.
I never saw that remake but I saw the original with Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. That was definetly a noteworthy western.