The other day I was at the video store with the lady checking out the lame romantic comedy chick flicks since I had picked out the last few movies we watched. I then passed by the western section and started thumbing through and saw Clint Eastwood on a cover standing there stone faced with a scruffy beard and a pair of six shooters looking like someone just ran over his dog and that sorry soul is about to pay. Then it dawned on me that I haven’t given Westerns a fair deal. I have only seen one western film in my life and that was Tombstone. I enjoyed it. Now, I’m looking for a little direction to get me started into the genre.
So…which westerns do you believe to be the greatest or just what are some of your favorites?
“Big Jake” , " True Grit" and “Rooster Cogburn” with John Wayne are great. They are not as dark as some of the more recent movies like “Unforgiven”
brian
I love all of Clint’s, but my favorite is Open range, with Costner. Just because of one scene. The scene where he faces off with the big bad gun fighter. It was just like I wanted it to be
“Once Upon a Time in the West” - Arguably the best of the spaghetti westerns. The soundtrack is superb. Henry Fonda as a bad guy.
“Monte Walsh” - Tom Selleck’s best western, and very realistic use of period firearms. “Crossfire Trail” is also quite good.
Another nod for “Big Jake”. My favorite John Wayne movie, and Richard Boone is excellent as the villain. Maureen O’Hara as John Wayne’s estranged wife is also very good.
I’ve always veen a sucker for westerns, good westerns. I love them. Af ew of my favorites:
Open Range - one of the best movies I have seen in recent years. Duvall and Costner are great together.
Conagher - A TV western with Sam Elliott, one that I really enjoyed.
Unforgiven
Tombstone
High Noon
Quigley Down Under
My Darling Clementine
Fort Apache
The whole movie is very well made, but the opening of the last gunfight scene is definitely way up in bad ass territory. Hell, the entire gunfight is awesome, except for the hollyweird trick of sending people flying from shotgun hits.
True Grit may be my most favorite true Western. The Shootist and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance are good also. Big Jake is another favorite.
Silverado is my most favorite “modern” Western, followed by Tombstone and Unforgiven.
If you watch The Outlaw Josey Wales, stop the DVD after about an hour. You’ve seen the best stuff, don’t let the last half hour or so ruin what is an otherwise good movie. Basically, when his wife shows up, stop the movie.
It’s not really a Western, but I’d watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid while you’re at it.
ETA: Blazing Saddles is one of my favorite movies, but just because there’s a bunch of dudes dressed like cowboys doesn’t mean it should be on any “Best Westerns” list.
Outlaw Josey Wales
True Grit
The Shootist
El Dorado
Tombstone
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
The Magnificent Seven
How the West was Won
My Darling Clementine
The Searchers
I’m sure I’ve forgot some. Hell, anything with John Wayne or Clint Eastwood.
Here is my list of favorite Westerns in no particular order:
Tombstone
Once Upon A Time in the West
Silverado
Geronimo
Broken Trail
Unforgiven
High Plains Drifter
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Hang 'Em High
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Fistful of Dollars
For A Few Dollars More
The Big Country
The Wild Bunch
-And of course Blazing Saddles.
From the scene where the bad guys are getting their own posse together:
Hedley Lamarr: Qualifications?
Applicant: Rape, murder, arson, and rape.
Hedley Lamarr: You said rape twice.
Applicant: I like rape.
-There’s no way you could get away with that dialogue in a modern movie. It’s not PC but that’s why it works so well…
Man with no Name trilogy - pretty much tops
2 mules for sister sarah
assassination of Jesse James
Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid (pretty high on my list)
THERE WILL BE BLOOD- fuckin loved that movie
ballad of cable hogue
high plains drifter
Gunfight at the OK Corral
Lonesome Dove
Pale Rider
Dead Man
There was a Crooken Man
That’s a good list right there as are the others posted here. Anything with Clint Eastwood or John Wayne is going to deliver. I’d add:
Two Mules for Sister Sarah
The Cowboys
Jeremiah Johnson, (a mountain man movie that is great)
