Top Five Westerns

[Devilwin]

In case you didn't notice, there were a ton of great western themed movies on this past weekend. Some were my all time favorites. Just wondering, what are your top five favorites?
Here are mine.

1. Tombstone (Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott)

2. The Outlaw Joey Wales (Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Will Sampson)

3. The Searchers (John Wayne, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood, Jeffrey Hunter)

4. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance ( John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Jimmy Stewart, Vera Miles, Edmund O'Brien)

5. True Grit ( Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brogan, Barry Pepper)

I almost put the original True Grit in the fifth slot, but somehow, I like the newer one a tad better, and already had two John Wayne flics on my list.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

1. THE
2. OUTLAW
3. JOSEY
4.. WALES

5......fill in the blank...

HAH, actually. Wales is an incredible film. I've thought man, it's a really mediocre film, but with about 50 great iconic moments in it. Of course, I'll watch for those moments whenever I run across it.


"....not a hard man to track.....leaves dead men wherever he goes...."
"....c'mon up Benny.....we got us the Josey Wales...."

[YmoBeThere]

Is this thread to be lovingly referred to as the Best Western thread? (Insert logo here).


I would spinkle one or two of Clint's spaghetti western appearances in a Top 10 list. But for me, Unforgiven would hold the top spot.

[Devilwin]

Josey "Every time I get to liking somebody they ain't around long"

Lone Wattie "Every time you get to disliking somebody they ain't around long either."

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Unforgiven

[Indoor66]

Unforgiven

I in the Unforgiven camp. One of the best morality plays ever filmed.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I in the Unforgiven camp. One of the best morality plays ever filmed.

"I'll see you in Hell William Munney."

"Yup."

Clint's first stab at playing an old man. He's still doing it almost 30 years later.

[luburch]

Do Hell or High Water and No Country for Old Men qualify for this list?

[Reddevil]

I am happy to see Wales get so much support as it has been my favorite since it came out. So many great lines and the scene with Ten Bears is EPIC. I always thought Unforgiven was a make up call by the academy for Eastwood's body of work. It's alright, and "We've all got it coming kid" is a fantastic line, but in my mind it is far from his best. I prefer Pale Rider and of course his early stuff over it. No matter what it is though, when I am flipping and see Clint, I pause for a while. I don't think I do that for anyone else.

[Devilwin]

Do Hell or High Water and No Country for Old Men qualify for this list?
I would say no, although they are set in the west.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I am happy to see Wales get so much support as it has been my favorite since it came out. So many great lines and the scene with Ten Bears is EPIC. .

"...I reckon so....."

[Devilwin]

'I'm your huckleberry"..Doc Holliday.

[tteettimes]

My list....I go waaaaay back
Tombstone is my fav of all
Once upon a time in the West...classic realistic...
Shane....another classic
High Noon...great Gary Cooper ...quiet western hero...man of few words..loves his woman but gotta do his duty
El Dorado
Sone of Katie Elder
Unforgiven

Several others...like all John Wayne and Clint’s

Oh yeah....SILVERADO is on that list too

[tteettimes]

'I'm your huckleberry"..Doc Holliday.

I have two guns.......one for each of you..

Barber..................proceed

👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋🤑🤑

[aimo]

I know it was made for TV, but Lonesome Dove is probably my favorite. Excellent cast.

Oh, and The Cowboys! Loved that movie.

[snowdenscold]

No love for “Once Upon a Time in the West” ?

[OldPhiKap]

“Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia” — most confounding modern Western?

[tteettimes]

No love for “Once Upon a Time in the West” ?


I have it on my DVR.....
Best acting part Jason Robards ever had IMO....Claudia and Charley and Henry were great too
Tombstone my other one.....these two tied for first 😂😂😂😂😂

[devildeac]

"Mongo like candy."

[BLPOG]

Unforgiven
The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly (extended cut)
The Outlaw Josey Wales
High Plains Drifter
Blazing Saddles (Yes, Blazing Saddles is a Western.)

Honorable mention: The Searchers

"Deserve's got nothing to do with it."

"You see in this world there are two kinds of people my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig."

"There's another old saying, Senator: Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining."

"You're going to look pretty silly with that knife sticking out of your [I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this].."

"Mongo only pawn, in game of life."

[cato]

Once Upon a Time in the West

[killerleft]

"Mongo like candy."

#1 Blazing Saddles- great overall cast, Madeline Kahn
#2 Outlaw Josey Wales- Clint
#3 The Man With No Name movies- Clint, Lee Van Cleef
#4 They Call Me Trinity (and sequels)-Terrence Hill, Bud Spencer
#5 Little Big Man- Dustin Hoffman, Chief Dan George

A scene from Trinity Is My Name-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd8TpzioY6k

Hmmm, all of the movies on my list were made within a relatively short time period, and most are comedies. All have great barroom scenes. I wanted to put the original Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry, on this list for his body of work and crooning cowboy voice. What a guy!

[Devilwin]

" Maybe poker's just not your game, Ike. I know, let's have a spelling contest!" Doc Holliday to Ike Clanton..

[OldPhiKap]

"Mongo like candy."

“What’s a dazzling urbanite like you doing in a rustic setting such as this?”

[ncexnyc]

Somehow nobody has bothered to mention, "The Wild Bunch".:(

[Devilwin]

Doc. In vino veritas (In wine there is truth)

Ringo. Age quod agis (Do what you do)

Doc. Credat Judaeus Appela, non ego. ( Let Apella the Jew believe, not I)

Ringo. luventus stultorum magister. (Youth is the leader of fools)

Doc. In pace requiescat. (May he rest in peace)

[fuse]

In no particular order:

Tombstone
Shane
Pale Rider
Young Guns
Magnificent Seven

Hard to limit to just five.

[jimsumner]

Al Featherson absolutely loved classic westerns. He would have had a top-50 list, fully annotated, with actors, directors and producers.

Then he would mention that all American westerns were inferior to Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.

Me? Another vote for Shane. And four others.

[tteettimes]

Well darling.....it appears Mr. Ringo is an educated man.....

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Quick perusal....haven't seen a "Hang 'Em High" reference......

[YmoBeThere]

Then he would mention that all American westerns were inferior to Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.


Res ipsa loquitur

[camion]

Whenever I need an antidote to a Hallmark movie I watch me some Jeremiah Johnson. Is that a western or a mountaiern?

[robed deity]

'I'm your huckleberry"..Doc Holliday.

Val Kilmer's best role by far.

[rthomas]

Got to go with Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-e47wAkg9g

Directed by Sam Peckinpah, starring James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Slim Pickens, Jason Robards. And IMO, the best western soundtrack (by Dylan).

[JBDuke]

Of the westerns I've seen, my top five:

1. The Searchers
2. The Magnificent Seven
3. Unforgiven
4. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
5. A Fistful of Dollars

Highly-rated westerns I still need to see: True Grit, One Upon a Time in the West, The Outlaw Josey Wales, 3:10 to Yuma, The Assassination of Jesse James, and more.

[Devilwin]

3:10 to Yuma, I would place seventh. The newer version with Russell Crowe.

No love for K Costner's "Wyatt Earp"?

[YmoBeThere]

No love for K Costner's "Wyatt Earp"?

Does Dances with Wolves count as a Western?

[dball]

3:10 to Yuma, I would place seventh. The newer version with Russell Crowe.

No love for K Costner's "Wyatt Earp"?

Liked Costner in Open Range. Duvall was great in that one as well. Duvall had another good miniseries, in addition to Lonesome Dove, called Broken Trail.

[Devilwin]

Does Dances with Wolves count as a Western?

Most certainly does.

[JNort]

No hesitation, it's Tombstone for me. My dad loovvveesss Lonesome Dove, I've just never got around to watching it.


“Johnny, I apologize. I forgot you were there. You may go now.”

Sooo many great quotes in that movie. I didn't realize that "Johnny" was played by Bill Bob Thornton until just a couple years ago.

[OldPhiKap]

Larry McMurtry’s Book Lonesome Dove, as is often the case, crushes the movie. It’s a huge book but — damn.

[BD80]

Does Dances with Wolves count as a Western?

What bearing would that have in this thread?

[House G]

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

[accfanfrom1970]

The Searchers
Magnificent Seven
Pale Rider
Butch and Sundance
Silverado

Whenever it’s on I try and catch the last 40 minutes or so of Open Range. That shootout is one of the best on film.

[OldPhiKap]

So . . . no Three Amigos? Support Your Local Gunfighter?

[91devil]

A Million Ways to Die in the West

One of Liam Neeson’s three best Westerns

[YmoBeThere]

What bearing would that have in this thread?

Res ipsa loquitur

[tteettimes]

Res ipsa loquitur

Drinking again huh?

[mph]

Bounty Hunter:
A man's got to do something for a living these days.

Josey Wales:
Dyin' ain't much of a living, boy.

[OldPhiKap]

“Hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he’s got, and all he’s ever gonna have.”

“Yeah, well I guess he had it comin’l






“We’ve all got it coming, kid.”

[wilson]

Does Dances with Wolves count as a Western?


Most certainly does.Came here for this. I have a real soft spot for that film (in fact, I watched it for the first time in a number of years just a few weeks ago). I don't think certain thematic elements have aged especially well (the "white man savior" part bugs me), but I think the cinematography is beautiful, and I really love the inclusion of so many Native actors. Lastly, it was filmed on location in the southwestern South Dakota, which is one of my favorite spots in all the world.

[WV_Iron_Duke]

When I started collecting dvd/blurays I got back into Westerns and here are my favorites in classifications:
Traditonal: Stagecoach 1939 The first great western.
The Searchers the greatest of all: Breathtaking bluray picture
Both Ford directed; If you don't think John Wayne was a great actor watch these
Mining : Bend of the River not the traditional Western plot makes this one unique. Revived Westerns at the theater in 1951
McCabe and Mrs. Miller 1971 Easily one of my favorites
Mexico The Wild Bunch the first R rated Western
Miscellaneous : Viva Maria surprisingly good/humorous featuring Bardot and Moreau
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid great friendship theme
The Good, Bad and the Ugly get/watch the extended version
How the West was Won spectacular bluray picture
Big Country lead actor was a steamship captain
Mentioned here: Dances with Wolves definitely a Western since we were always bashing on the American Natives. The extended version is much much better
Outlaw Josey Wales oddly enough just saw this a few weeks ago :)
There are many others but I type slow. Open Range is a traditional themed but relatively new Western

[HereBeforeCoachK]

So . . . no Three Amigos? Support Your Local Gunfighter?

OH, reminded me...'Support Your Local Sheriff' - James Garner classic

[Bluegrassdevil1]

1. Unforgiven

2. The Magnificent Seven

3. Josey Wales

4. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

5. Once Upon a Time in the West

However, there are SO MANY great westerns, that I would concede any of the above films being eliminated.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Not too long ago, MSN had a link to one of those lists they always have, and this one was top western movies. It was interesting to see a few names mentioned. (The list was maybe top 50, top 100?)

Some were also sci-fi.
Wild Wild West (eww),Back to the Future 3, (meh), and Westworld were a few that made the list. (I think Westworld was actually pretty respectably up there in the top 20.)
Blazing Saddles was named by the OP in their list, but another comedy that made the one I'm thinking of was Shanghai Noon.

I wouldn't put any of them in a top 5 (including Blazing Saddles), but it's fun to see that westerns can and do work across genres.

[Edouble]

I'll chime in...


The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Blazing Saddles
No Country for Old Men
High Planes Drifter
Soldier Blue

[CameronBlue]

Josie Wales, Chief Dan George will always be my favorite Western movie actor

Once Upon a Time in the West, the opening sequence which ends with Cardinale riding up to "Sweetwater" seeing the Irishman and his children laid out sets up Fonda's character perfectly. From that moment you wanted that bastard dead. I was just a kid when I first saw it and was shocked. I turned to my Dad and said "matinee idols don't kill people in cold blood do they Dad?"

My Name is Nobody, another Fonda classic with Terrence Hill

Paint Your Wagon, Lee Marvin, Jean Seberg, Eastwood

Dances with Wolves

[cato]

Of the westerns I've seen, my top five:

1. The Searchers
2. The Magnificent Seven
3. Unforgiven
4. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
5. A Fistful of Dollars

Highly-rated westerns I still need to see: True Grit, One Upon a Time in the West, The Outlaw Josey Wales, 3:10 to Yuma, The Assassination of Jesse James, and more.

Do yourself a favor and put Once Upon a Time in the West at the top of this list. It is an outstanding film, not just a great Western.

[Jeffrey]

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

[Devilwin]

Jeremiah Johnson. Son Of The Morning Star. (about Custer)

[gotoguy]

My five this week


The Seven Samarai Japan is west of here right? The final battle in a downpour...unbelieveable. Thankfully was able to see it on a biug screen.
The Searchers "That'll be the day" Dave Kehr, contoversial movie critic, regarded The Searchers as the "definitive American movie"
Little Big Man Jack Crabbe was there
Rio Bravo Dean Martin, John Wayne et al, another John Ford special
McCabe and Mrs Miller Julie Christie...sigh...need I say more?

[Devilwin]

Little Big Man..Good call..

[BD80]

Can we put "A New Hope" on the list?


At LEAST "Serenity" should be eligible.


"Space Cowboys" would be pushing it ...

[Devilwin]

Big Jake..El Dorado

[wilson]

Does Rango count? I love that one.

[JBDuke]

Came here for this. I have a real soft spot for that film (in fact, I watched it for the first time in a number of years just a few weeks ago). I don't think certain thematic elements have aged especially well (the "white man savior" part bugs me), but I think the cinematography is beautiful, and I really love the inclusion of so many Native actors. Lastly, it was filmed on location in the southwestern South Dakota, which is one of my favorite spots in all the world.

It also has a beautiful score by John Barry.

[JBDuke]

Do yourself a favor and put Once Upon a Time in the West at the top of this list. It is an outstanding film, not just a great Western.

I've wanted to see it for decades, but it doesn't seem to get shown as often as some of the others in this thread. Interestingly, "Once Upon a Time in America" (definitely NOT a western) is also on my list of classics that I still need to see.

[ncexnyc]

Can we put "A New Hope" on the list?


At LEAST "Serenity" should be eligible.


"Space Cowboys" would be pushing it ...

You forgot, "Cowboys vs Aliens", with Daniel Craig.

[WV_Iron_Duke]

This post is to show how to see these movies - especially the great ones from the fifties and sixties. Subscribe to STARZ. They have the rights to all of Encore's portfolio. On Fios/Encore they have 2 channels one in HD dedicated to Westerns. It shows tv series (no Gunsmoke) including Maverick during the day and movies at night. If you stream Starz it doesn't forget much and all are available. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) also has a lot.
Otherwise, you need to buy the dvd/blurays. Since these movies are old you can get great deals if you shop around. After watching the extended version (4 hours) of Dancing With Wolves I bought the bluray for $10. A bluray 3 pack of The Searchers How the West Was Won and The Wild Bunch was only $10 on Amazon a few years ago. The first two are two of the best ever recorded movies. The Western genre is nothing to snicker at for old tv watchers like me. For the most part growing up these were some of the best shows. But over the years good Westerns are just scattered about except those mentioned. (HBO Deadwood was a great series Netflix Godless a good short series.)

[tteettimes]

Hombre is a pretty good one too....
..Paul Newman, Richard Boone, Frederick March, Martin Balsam and two actresses names escape me right now

[dball]

Can we put "A New Hope" on the list?
..

Star Trek might work better than Star Wars. Roddenberry described it as a western in space. Roddenberry wrote numerous western TV scripts, especially for Have Gun Will Travel.

[left_hook_lacey]

1.) Blazing Saddles
2.) Nacho Libre
3.) The Cherokee Kid
4.) Duck, You Sucker
5.) Shanghai Noon

[CameronBornAndBred]

Star Trek might work better than Star Wars. Roddenberry described it as a western in space. Roddenberry wrote numerous western TV scripts, especially for Have Gun Will Travel.

For film, I think Star Wars is a solid western set in space. Western serials were an influence on how Lucas crafted the story.
Per Star Trek, the shootout at the OK Corral episode is one of my favs.

[rasputin]

Stagecoach
My Darling Clementine
The Magnificent Seven
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

[CameronBlue]

Stagecoach
My Darling Clementine
The Magnificent Seven
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Good list. Stagecoach forgot about that one. Great film from an entirely forgettable year in film, 1939. Who can recall these flops

Dark Victory
Gone with the Wind (Best Picture winner)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Love Affair
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Ninotchka
Of Mice and Men
Stagecoach
The Wizard of Oz
Wuthering Heights

Holy jeebus.

[Udaman]

I have not yet begun to defile myself.

[Devilwin]

" I will not be pawed at, thank you very much".

[left_hook_lacey]

"You there, music love-ah."

[wilson]

I asked this once upthread, but got no response. I'm genuinely interested in knowing if y'all think Rango qualifies as a western.
It's animated, yes, but the title character fits a lot of Western tropes: mysterious outsider, called to rise to the occasion and find courage he didn't know he possessed, in response to the nefarious actions of an oppressive villain.
It also has really vividly textured visuals throughout the film. Good for animation fans, and for anyone looking for an offbeat riff on westerns. 88% on Rotten Tomatoes (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rango/).

[CameronBornAndBred]

I asked this once upthread, but got no response. I'm genuinely interested in knowing if y'all think Rango qualifies as a western.
It's animated, yes, but the title character fits a lot of Western tropes: mysterious outsider, called to rise to the occasion and find courage he didn't know he possessed, in response to the nefarious actions of an oppressive villain.
It also has really vividly textured visuals throughout the film. Good for animation fans, and for anyone looking for an offbeat riff on westerns. 88% on Rotten Tomatoes (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rango/).

I'd say it does. I liked Rango, but have only watched it once. It isn't one of those movies I jump to and say "Ooooh, Rango is on, Imma watch!"

[Faustus]

Generally not a big Western fan myself, but I was glad to see Silverado getting a couple of mentions - I think it was a film that helped 'bring Westerns back' to the silver screen after a decade or two in the shadows. It's quite entertaining, great pace, and has an outstanding cast.

I think I only noticed one mention of The Big Country, which supposedly has one of the 'great' fist-fight scenes in all westerns, between Atticus Finch and Moses.. oops, Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston.

And another vote of course for Magnificent Seven, but I'd also add that Magnificent Seven and The Big Country should get votes if only because those two in my mind gave us the two truly iconic 'Western' themes and film scores, and I'd add Silverado as a third (and I know most afficionados would add all the Italian ones by Morricone but I'll pass on those). Great stuff.

Tombstone has so many good lines, including "are you just gonna stand there and bleed?", and Dana Delany, getting off the stage coach, and after espying the tall Earp brothers and asking who they are, responds with an earthy, "I WANT one..."

[Devilwin]

Generally not a big Western fan myself, but I was glad to see Silverado getting a couple of mentions - I think it was a film that helped 'bring Westerns back' to the silver screen after a decade or two in the shadows. It's quite entertaining, great pace, and has an outstanding cast.

I think I only noticed one mention of The Big Country, which supposedly has one of the 'great' fist-fight scenes in all westerns, between Atticus Finch and Moses.. oops, Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston.

And another vote of course for Magnificent Seven, but I'd also add that Magnificent Seven and The Big Country should get votes if only because those two in my mind gave us the two truly iconic 'Western' themes and film scores, and I'd add Silverado as a third (and I know most afficionados would add all the Italian ones by Morricone but I'll pass on those). Great stuff.

Tombstone has so many good lines, including "are you just gonna stand there and bleed?", and Dana Delany, getting off the stage coach, and after espying the tall Earp brothers and asking who they are, responds with an earthy, "I WANT one..."

She was a fox in that role. Very beautiful hair especially..

[Faustus]

She was a fox in that role. Very beautiful hair especially..

Probably not all her actual hair, though, but yes, yes indeed.

Whenever I run across Tombstone on tv, I always have to stop and watch a few minutes of it. On the other hand, one that almost never shows up on cable anymore is Cat Ballou, but when it did a while back, I realized why -- it has not aged well through the years. But one of Lee Marvin's greatest moments.

Surprised no one's mentioned The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp (just kidding).

[CameronBornAndBred]

Surprised no one's mentioned The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp (just kidding).
He still made Wilson's list with Rango. :cool:

[CameronBlue]

By the way--sorry for the spoiler--but you must watch Costner explain how the script for DWW came into existence. Pretty incredible story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT2S1OkSld4