Western films have been a dominant force in Hollywood almost as long as Hollywood has existed. Themes of freedom, escapism, and the strong appeal of the western frontier popularized the genre, providing an abundance of entertaining films. Characters with moral ambiguity and rugged charm explore and adventure across breathtaking western landscapes.
The western film genre has offered some of the most interesting stories that immerse the audience in a different and simpler life. The western genre has evolved in both content and popularity over the years. Yet there are still several films that remain perfect, regardless of how many times the audience watches them.
10 Tombstone Is Easily One of the Most Epic Western Films Inspired by True People
Directed by George P. Cosmatos & Kevin Jarre
Tombstone follows Wyatt Earp and his brothers as they attempt to settle in Tombstone, Arizona after a long life of working in law enforcement. Their plans rapidly change, however, when a violent band of criminals known as the Cowboys wreaks havoc in their newly settled town. Earp’s plan for retirement is put on the back burner, so he recruits his close enforcer friend Doc Holliday and several other worthy men to defeat the troublesome gang.
Tombstone is the perfect blend of real-life characters into a harrowing story, which builds to the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral. Wyatt Earp is often considered one of the greatest lawmen and one of the toughest western heroes, making him the perfect focal point of the film. The cast is perfect; the action is top-notch, and the story is perfectly balanced.
9 Blazing Saddles Is a Perfect Western Comedy That Gets Funnier With Every Viewing
Directed by Mel Brooks
Blazing Saddles is a western satire film by Mel Brooks, following a greedy magnate named Hedley Lamarr looking to steal land from the people of Rock Ridge, so he appoints a Black Sheriff to distract them from his ploy. As Lamarr sends waves of thugs to muscle the town away from the people, Sheriff Bart teams with an ex-gunslinger named Jim to save the town. Initially, the townsfolk dismiss their new sheriff because of racism, but eventually accept him once they see that Bart and Jim are the only ones helping save their town.
Blazing Saddles is a brilliant yet provocative laugh-out-loud comedy. It pokes fun at the conventions of Western films while cheekily addressing the racial undertones of the genre. At its core, it still conveys a well-composed western story of misfits banding together to take down a higher evil.
8 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Features the Best Stand-Offs & Duels in Cinema History
Directed by Sergio Leone
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly follows three unique gunslingers known as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, hunting for a hidden Confederate fortune during the American Civil War. The Good is a bounty hunter; The Bad is a ruthless gunslinger who won’t stop at murder to get what he wants, and The Ugly is a Mexican bandit known as Tuco. As the men attempt to find the treasure, their paths lead to alliances, betrayals, and one big showdown.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a perfect spaghetti western with flawless directing, interesting characters, and one of the best film scores by Ennio Morricone. At the time of its release, spaghetti westerns weren’t as popular, which led to a poor initial critical reception. The subgenre quickly garnered critical acclaim a couple of years later.
7 Rio Bravo Creates an Entertaining Dynamic With John Wayne & Dean Martin
Directed by Howard Hawks
Rio Bravo follows Sheriff John T. Chance and the complications he faces after arresting a prominent criminal with ties to a wealthy rancher. Chance arrests Joe Burdette for murder, but Joe’s wealthy brother, Nathan, will stop at nothing to free his brother. Nathan hires gunmen to take out the Sheriff, but Chance won’t go without a fight. Chance teams up with Dude, a former Sheriff, and Colorado Ryan, a young man with promising gun-slinging skills.
Rio Bravo is the perfect western to show its classic themes of honor and courage under the law. The film also shows the unlikely team-up of people who would otherwise steer clear of one another. Western film enthusiast Quentin Tarantino praised the film because of its slow-burning nature. Rio Bravo is a perfect example of a classic Howard Hawks western.
6 The Great Train Robbery Kicked off the World of Film & the Love for Westerns
Directed by Edwin S. Porter
The Great Train Robbery is a silent film that follows a group of outlaws who stage a train robbery and are pursued by a local posse. The bandits coerce the conductor to uncouple the passenger cars, and they swiftly steal all the money from the mail car on the train. After the robbery, the bandits head for the mountains to escape, but the pursuing locals catch up with them and a shootout unfolds.
The Great Train Robbery is likely loosely inspired by the real Butch Cassidy, a famed outlaw who held up and robbed steam trains. For a silent film, The Great Train Robbery expertly crafted a comedic tone wrapped in Victorian details, wrapped in creative action sequences. The film is short, sweet, and simple, yet its legacy inspired an entire genre from its success.
5 The Searchers Is the Perfect Search-And-Rescue Western
Directed by John Ford
The Searchers follows a band of men in their pursuit of captives by Comanche Native Americans. Ethan Edwards returns from fighting in the Civil War to his brother’s ranch, hoping to settle down and reconnect with the family that he grew estranged from. Soon, the ranch is raided by Comanches, leading to the murders of most of the family members and the kidnapping of Edwards’ nieces.
Edwards, along with Martin Pawley, the adopted son of Edward’s family, goes on a multi-year journey hoping to rescue his nieces. The Searchers is filmed in the beautiful Monument Valley of Arizona and Utah, which provides some of the most breathtaking backdrops in this iconic western. Today, critics still applaud the film’s ability to address notions of racism, obsession, and the solitude that comes with being the hero.
4 Winchester ’73 Shows One Man’s Pursuit Against Injustice & a Stolen Iconic Rifle
Directed by Anthony Mann
Winchester ’73 follows Lin McAdams on pursuiting a stolen rifle, after he wins it in a contest. Lin enters a shooting contest with the grand prize being a rare and masterfully crafted rifle, a Winchester 1873. Dutch Henry Brown, Lin’s rival, steals the rifle and sells it, yet somehow the rifle makes it back to him in the end. Lin’s journey tracking the rifle leads him to many confrontations and unique characters until he ultimately confronts Brown in a cat-and-mouse showdown.
Winchester ’73 is the quintessential film for any Western film class in college. The film solidified James Stewart as a popular western film star, while demonstrating his range as an actor. The film brilliantly showcased an exceptional rifle from the Wild West era, making for a perfect thing to craft a great story around.
3 The Wild Bunch Shows a Group of Aging Outlaws and How They Cope With the Dying West
Directed by Sam Peckinpath
The Wild Bunch follows a group of aging outlaws in 1913, when the days of the Wild West were drawing to a close. Led by Pike Bishop, the group attempts a high-stakes robbery in Texas, but the robbery is botched, so they flee to Mexico. In Mexico, they attempt to lie low but work with a ruthless Mexican general, Mapache, putting together one last score. As an ex-member turned bounty hunter pursues them for their crimes, the bunch prepares for one final stand.
The Wild Bunch defined the western genre by looking at it as a whole, reflecting on many years of films. It gracefully tackles themes of a changing western frontier, aging, and loyalty within a misfit group. The final moments of the film are over-the-top action and violence, filled with elaborate gunfights.
2 Django Unchained Is Tarantino’s Love Letter & Brilliant Take On the Western Genre
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Django Unchained follows a newly freed slave named Django, who teams up with a German bounty hunter. Django is freed by Dr. King Shultz to help him capture various outlaws. As Django develops a knack for bounty hunting with Shultz, he discovers his wife is being held at a plantation owned by Calvin Candie. Shultz and Django devise a plan to infiltrate the plantation to rescue Broomhilda, but things quickly go awry when Candie picks up on some suspicions.
Django Unchained is a perfect one-man-army western film and Tarantino’s brilliant homage to all spaghetti westerns. The film expertly explores the horrors of slavery, revenge, and the nature of seeking justice in an unjust society. Django Unchained was a gateway film for Tarantino, aiding him in pursuing the genre once again for The Hateful Eight.
1 Once Upon a Time in the West Is a Tale of Revenge That Never Gets Old
Directed by Sergio Leone
Once Upon a Time in the West follows a mysterious gunslinger known as Harmonica who seeks revenge against an evil assassin working for a railroad tycoon. Frank, the assassin, will sink to any low, like killing a man to seize land for the railroad. The widow of the man killed for land, Jill, and an outlaw framed by Frank, Cheyenne, have had enough of Frank’s evil ways.
As Harmonica crosses paths with Frank’s enemies, he teams up with Cheyenne and Jill as they inch toward an epic showdown. Once Upon a Time in the West is not only one of the best westerns made, but it is also the best performance by Peter Fonda. The story is flawless; the cinematography is vastly beautiful, and every character submits a memorable performance.
