The Western genre has been a defining hallmark of cinema ever since it first rose to prominence as far back as the 1930s. Reaching its pinnacle in the 50s and 60s, it became emblematic of American film, with screen icons like John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and Gary Cooper being prolific stars of the genre. However, with the advent of Italy’s spaghetti Westerns, which surged in popularity through the 60s, the Western has become a cherished pillar of cinema’s identity on the global stage.
One of the strengths of the Western, and the reason for its evergreen timelessness, has been its willingness to constantly evolve, with each new generation of filmmakers able to re-align the genre to contemporary sensitivities. As such, the Westerns’ greatest films span across the better part of a century. From pioneering classics of the 30s and 40s to modern-day iterations of the genre, and everything in between, the 25 best Westerns of all time make up some of cinema’s most iconic and enduring achievements.
55
‘Giant’ (1956)
Aptly named, given its expansive 201-minute runtime, Giant is a picture of burning romantic passion and simmering hostilities set amid the traditions and trials of the Old West. It unfolds as Texas rancher Bick Benedict (Rock Hudson) shakes up the family life of his home when he returns from a trip to the East Coast with a new love interest, Leslie Lynnton (played by Elizabeth Taylor). While her presence causes a rift in the Benedict family, she also catches the interest of ambitious farm hand Jett Rink (James Dean), sparking a rivalry between Rink and Benedict that boils over the course of years.
The film has a talent for extracting drama from every possible detail, a necessity given its runtime. Everything from the impressionable cinematography to the romantic angst, grandiose thematic ideas, and even the juxtaposition between Hudson’s quiet style and Dean’s dynamic, dramatic bombast conjures a sense of intense stakes and electric energy. The fact that it also stands as the last film Dean ever featured in only adds to the movie’s legacy, forging a Western classic that is as intoxicating as it is imposing.
54
‘A Man Called Horse’ (1970)
Released in 1970, just as Hollywood’s infatuation with Western stories was coming to an abrupt end, A Man Called Horse is definitely an underrated entry into the genre, despite its financial success and warm critical reception. Richard Harris stars as John Morgan, a hunter from the English aristocracy who is captured by the Sioux tribe and forced to work as a slave for their matriarch, Buffalo Cow Head (Judith Anderson). Learning their language, appreciating their way of life, and proving his own bravery in battle alongside them, Morgan comes to be accepted as a member of the tribe.
Granted, it has its anachronistic elements by today’s standards, and can easily be viewed as a muted forbear to Dances with Wolves, but A Man Called Horse still finds a powerful beating heart in its exploration of cultural clashes and its bold revisionist edge. It earned two sequels in the ensuing 13 years, both of which starred Harris, yet its impact has sadly proven to be not quite as enduring as other Westerns from the era.
53
‘The Revenant’ (2015)
While many may remember it simply as the film that netted Leonardo DiCaprio his first Academy Award, The Revenant is one of the defining epics of the 2010s. One of several Western gems that has found a distinguishing strength in its wintery setting, it follows fur trapper Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) as he embarks on a quest for revenge after his half-Pawnee son is murdered by the brutish John Fitzpatrick (Tom Hardy) and he himself is left for dead after a gruesome bear attack.
Combining Western cinema’s awe-inspiring scope and focus on such themes as vengeance, justice, and violence with a stirring and viscerally confronting sense of survivalist suspense, The Revenant absorbs with its unflinching nature. Buoyed by DiCaprio’s committed performance and the uncompromising might for Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s direction, complete with the stark beauty of its visuals, its standing in the pantheon of great Western films can’t be overlooked.
52
‘The Man from Snowy River’ (1982)
Humorously dubbed “meat pie” Westerns, Australia’s exploits in the typically American genre have yielded some truly brilliant and rousing results. Among the finest of them is 1982’s national classic The Man from Snowy River, which, based on Banjo Patterson’s poem of the same name, follows Jim Craig (Tom Burlinson), a proud young man who sets out to make his own way in life after his father’s death. Romance and rivalry ensue when he secures a position under horse rancher Harrison (Kirk Douglas), leaving Craig eager to prove his honor in order to make himself worthy of marrying the rancher’s daughter, Jessica (Sigrid Thornton).
It occupies a peculiar place between the coarseness of Western stories and the ethereal wonder of fairy tale love, its sweeping visuals marrying beautifully with its affectionate flourishes to deliver a rousing tale of horse wrangling and romance. With its astonishing finale—which Tom Burlinson actually performed himself—delivering a striking exclamation point in its story, The Man from Snowy River thrives as a stirring crowd-pleaser of old-fashioned Western bravado.
51
‘How the West Was Won’ (1962)
In many respects, How the West Was Won can be considered the ultimate Western production in Hollywood during the genre’s golden run through the ’50s and ’60s. Directed by three genre greats in John Ford, George Marshall, and Henry Hathaway, and featuring a staggering ensemble cast including the likes of John Wayne, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and Debbie Reynolds (among many more), the 1962 epic today stands as something of a forgotten landmark of Hollywood greatness, one that exemplifies just how substantial a role Western cinema played in defining the industry’s famed golden era.
Covering everything from life as a rancher to the brutality of the Civil War, and ending up in the new frontier of 1880s San Francisco, How the West Was Won depicts the rise and fall of the Old West across its monumental story that spans six decades. An essential viewing experience for any genre fan due to the sheer scope and star power it contains, How the West Was Won is a truly massive movie that captures the scale and social upheaval of the era in breathtaking fashion.
50
‘Ride the High Country’ (1962)
The best of Sam Peckinpah’s early Westerns before his international breakout later in the decade, Ride the High Country may have been largely overlooked upon release, but it has aged gracefully through its narrative sharpness and its outstanding presentation considering its budget. Aging lawman Steve Judd (Joel McCrea) makes his money transporting gold from a mining town to the bank and enlists his old pal Gil (Randolph Scott) to help guard the stash. However, unbeknownst to Judd, Gil harbors a cunning plan to steal the gold. The web of treachery and deceit grows more complex when the men take in a young runaway.
While there are thematic ideas present and solid performances in abundance, what truly makes Ride the High Country such a gem of Western cinema is its astute storytelling craft. Peckinpah executes every plot beat and grand revelation with the perfect inflection to make for a ceaselessly engrossing 94 minutes that is never rushed. Many herald it as being the director’s first truly great film.
49
‘Gunfight at the O.K. Corral’ (1957)
Wyatt Earp’s famed gunfight at the O.K. Corral is the stuff of Western legend, being relayed time and time again, especially in Hollywood movies eager to bring his heroics to life for masses of adoring fans. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is one of the best of those films, starring Burt Lancaster as the famous U.S. Marshal who embarks on a quest for revenge alongside Doc Holliday (Kirk Douglas) against the outlaw gang that killed his brother.
Well directed by John Sturges and excellently cast, the film thrives as a tense and suspenseful Western, albeit one that sensationalizes the real-life events it is based on. While a couple of awkward scenes do stick in the memory, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is largely a Western triumph that is engaging and emotionally rousing.
48
‘3:10 to Yuma’ (1957)
Presenting a tighter tale compared to James Mangold’s famous 2007 remake (which will appear on this list), the original 3:10 to Yuma runs largely as a confined two-character drama. As his drought-ravaged ranch struggles and he battles to care for his two sons, Dan Evans (Van Heflin) agrees to escort ruthless criminal Ben Wade (the fast-drawing Glenn Ford) to Contention City where he will be placed on a train to be sent to his trial. Helped only by the town drunk, Evans must fight off one of Wade’s vengeful henchmen while also being tempted by a lucrative bribe from the criminal.
One of the earliest revisionist Westerns, 3:10 to Yuma has some narrative and thematic weaknesses, but its pitfalls still present intriguing ideas about the morality of the Old West and the sensitivities of those on both sides of the law who inhabited it. Its sense of claustrophobia even amid the vastness of Arizona is a triumph of atmospheric creativity.
47
‘Bone Tomahawk’ (2015)
Released in 2015, Bone Tomahawkhas steadily established itself as something of a modern cult classic over the past decade, mixing the themes and setting of Western storytelling with a vicious appetite for horror violence. When several residents from the small town of Bright Hope are abducted by a savage tribe of cave-dwelling cannibals, Sheriff Hunt (Kurt Russell) forms a small posse to carry out a rescue mission and dismantle the troglodyte horde.
Above all else, Bone Tomahawk is fundamentally impressionable. Few who see it will ever be able to forget its most brutal and confronting sequences, and yet it still manages to be defined by its tale of heroism and its technical craft as much as it is by its graphic violence. A gripping slow-burn enhanced by its visceral qualities and an array of strong performances, Bone Tomahawk is among the finest and most daring Westerns released this century.
46
‘True Grit’ (1969)
Another classic that received a modern remake that will appear later on this list, 1969’s True Gritis a rousing story of revenge, one that also contains one of John Wayne’s best performances. In the midst of 1880s Arkansas, 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) enlists the help of an aging U.S. Marshal to help her track down and apprehend the man responsible for murdering her father. When a young Texas Ranger joins the search hoping to capture the crook to earn a bounty, the three characters begin to clash over their notions of justice and punishment.
Wayne won his only Academy Award for his grizzled performance as the cantankerous and coarse “Rooster” Cogburn, and his lead role is an obvious highlight of the picture. While the rest of the movie sometimes errs in its juggling of the characters, their ambitions and desires, and the larger thematic focus on justice, True Grit remains a terrific Western that all lovers of the genre ought to enjoy.
