While the earliest days ofWesterncinema saw countless disposable movies set in the Wild West, several genuine masterpieces have been produced throughout the years. From trailblazing filmmakers like John Ford to modern auteurs like the Coen Brothers, the Western genre has endured better than almost any other. As a way for the United States to explore its history and mythology, Westerns tap into the American psyche and reveal the dark complexities of the country’s once lawless history.
Some of thegreatest directors of all timeproducedWestern classics that have built up reputations as true cinematic masterpieces. These incredible movies include high-octane action, satirical comedy, and deeply thoughtful stories of revenge and retribution. Featuring majorWestern movie starslike Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and, of course, John Wayne, these Western masterpieces represent some of the verybest films ever made.
Blazing Saddles
Cast
Written and directed by Mel Brooks, Blazing Saddles stars Cleavon Little as Bart, a black sheriff appointed in a small frontier town by Hedley Lamarr, a railroad man who believes Bart’s appointment will destabilize the town enough to drive everyone out and allow him to build a new railroad line through it. Instead, with the help of gunslinger Jim the Waco Kid, Bart works to thwart Lamarr’s schemes. Gene Wilder and Harvey Korman star alongside Little.
The satirical WesternBlazing Saddleswas a masterclass in comedy from director Mel Brooks that pointed its sharp, humorous aim at stories of bandits, cowboys, and outlaws. As a critique of American racial attitudes and the whitewashing of history within Hollywood Westerns,Blazing Saddleswas not only extraordinarily funny but also highly politically charged and socially relevant. The casting of Cleavon Little as Bart, a Black railroad worker who eventually becomes sheriff,highlighted just how infrequently African American actors were seen in classic Western movies.
Blazing Saddleswas a truly groundbreaking release at the time as it parodied and paid homage to Hollywood and spaghetti Westerns. With plenty of knowing, tongue-in-cheek humor, and metacommentary,Blazing Saddleswas about far more than slapstick comedy and was truly a masterpiece of its times. While it’s often heard thatBlazing Saddlescouldn’t be made today due to its racial humor, the truth was that this film was so subtly clever and had such razor-sharp wit that it was actually far ahead of its time and remarkably modern in its underlying themes.
The Wild Bunch
The Wild Bunch is a Western drama film by director Sam Peckinpah, released in 1969. A group of aging outlaws decides to take on one last heist before retiring from their lives of crime. However, Pike Bishop, the head of the gang, discovers that they’ve been betrayed by a former partner, forcing them into a final standoff.
Director Sam Peckinpah was an essential filmmaker of the New Hollywood era, the period in American film history from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s when directors reigned supreme and gained previously unimaginable creative freedom. This period allowed Peckinpah to create truly influential films likeThe Wild Bunch,whose innovative use of slow-motion imagery influenced modern action filmmaking.The Wild Bunchwas pivotal in bringing Westerns into the modern era, as its slow and suspenseful sequences gave new meaning to the violent excesses of the Wild West.
The legacy ofThe Wild Bunchhas only grown in the years since its release as it gained spots on endless best movies of all time lists, including fromThe New York Times,Entertainment Weekly, and theBFI’s Sight & Soundpoll. Telling the story of an aging outlaw gang trying to adapt to a quickly modernizing world on the Mexican-US border,the trailblazing nature ofThe Wild Bunchwas reflected in the plot. While aremake ofThe Wild Bunch, written and directed by Mel Gibson, has been announced, it may be wiser to leave this masterpiece well enough alone.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a 1962 Western film directed by John Ford. Starring James Stewart as an idealistic senator and John Wayne as a rugged rancher, the story explores themes of justice and legend as they confront the outlaw Liberty Valance, played by Lee Marvin. The film examines the conflicts between law, order, and personal morality in the American West.
After a career that truly revolutionized the Western genre, director John Ford took a look back at the style that made him famous withThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Featuring two Hollywood icons,James Stewart and John Wayne, this unique black-and-white Western explored themes around mythmaking and how the legends of the Wild West came to be. As a statement on the glorification of violent bandits,The Man Who Shot Liberty Valancehinted at a more self-aware style of filmmaking that became prominent as the 1960s progressed.
As a story about how legends are made in the first place,The Man Who Shot Liberty Valanceleaned into Western tropes and cliches to highlight the way society can often choose to bend the truth in service of a good story. With a complex presentation of heroes and villains, Ford managed to blend a deeply engaging narrative with his powerful use of mise-en-scène and highlight picturesque cinematography. The themes of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance can be most accurately summed up in its famous quote: “This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”
Tombstone
Tombstone chronicles legendary marshal Wyatt Earp and his brothers as they seek fortune in a prosperous mining town. Forced to confront a gang threatening the community, Earp joins forces with the infamous Doc Holliday, highlighting a tense battle between lawmen and outlaws in the American West.
The friendship between the Western outlaws Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday and the subsequent gunfight at the O.K. Corral has been the subject of countless movies, yet none were as powerful as the Western masterpieceTombstone. Starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer as the two Wild West figures,Tombstonewas one of the most stylish and perfectly cast Westerns out there. As a cult classic that’s only become more esteemed in the years since its release,Tombstonedepicted the retired lawman Wyatt Earp’s plans for a peaceful life interrupted by the very men he used to put away.
Tombstonewas a modern Western that told a solid story of bandits and outlaws. However, itTombstonewas the incredible ensemble cast, spearheaded by a never-better Val Kilmer as Holliday, that truly made it stand the test of time. While Kilmer did receive widespread praise, he was unfortunately snubbed for an Academy Award nomination, one of the biggest travesties in Western movie awards history.
No Country for Old Men
No Country for Old Men is a western crime-thriller based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy and directed by the Cohen Brothers. Following three protagonists, the film centers around a large $2,000,000+ cache of dirty money lost near the Rio Grande. With a veteran who finds it, a hitman who will stop at nothing to get it, and a sheriff trying to investigate the crimes connected to it, all roads lead to death and mayhem as they find themselves in each other’s crosshairs.
The pairing of the dark humor and intense love for Americana of the Coen brothers with the harsh exploration of the American frontier seen in the work of Cormac McCarthy was a stroke of genius. These worlds came together perfectly inNo Country for Old Men,one of the few Western movie Best Picture winners that utilized its neo-Western style to tell a bleak story about the violent underbelly of the United States. With Javier Bardem as the cunning hitman Anton Chigurh, the wayNo Country for Old Menexplored themes of fate and death made it stand out as a true neo-Western masterpiece.
With themes around the moral decline of modern life in the West,No Country for Old Menwas a Western crime thriller of serious depth and intrigue. Through Bardem’s unmatched portrayal of a sinister sociopath,No Country for Old Menexplored the two conflicting sides of the American psyche, as depicted through Anton’s fateful coin tosses. Like the best Westerns,No Country for Old Menreflected the values and practices of modern America, although viewers may not like what they find as the results are relentlessly grim.
Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West is a critically acclaimed Italian Western released in 1968. Directed by Sergio Leone, the film stars Henry Fonda as Frank and Charles Bronson as Harmonica, two men who work together to protect widow Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale) from an assassin. Sergio Donati and Leone wrote the screenplay for the film based on a story by Dario Argento.
After already making the definitive spaghetti Western series with hisDollars Trilogy, director Sergio Leone opted to return to the genre that made him famous for an epic tale that acted as a true magnum opus.Once Upon a Time in the Westgave Leone a far bigger budget than he used to, and he spent it well to tell a grand story about a harmonica-playing stranger joining forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful woman from a deadly assassin. This classic tale of bravery and justice saw Henry Fonda cast against type as the villain.
Once Upon a Time in the Westreceived mixed reviews upon release but has since been praised as an underappreciated masterpiece that has gained cult status. Having influenced countless filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and George Lucas, this epic tale even paid tribute to filmmakers of the past as it contained references to works by everyone from John Ford to Howard Hawks. While its nearly three-hour uncut runtime may be daunting, it’s worth it to witness a true Western masterpiece.
High Noon
High Noon is a classic western directed by Fred Zinnemann and stars Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane, who must face a gang of outlaws alone after townsfolk abandon him. The film is notable for its real-time narrative as Kane prepares for a duel with the outlaws set to arrive by noon. Grace Kelly co-stars as Kane’s pacifist bride, adding emotional depth to the story.
Clocking in at just 85 minutes long,High Noonproved Westerns didn’t need a bloated runtime to be considered a true masterpiece. As one of the best Western movies ever made,High Noon’spolitical themes made it highly controversial upon release, as many viewed it as a subtly disguised exploration of McCarthyism and blacklisting in Hollywood, as Marshall Will Kane (Gary Cooper) had to make the tough decision about whether to split or stay and face a gang of killers determined to take him down.
While Western legendJohn Wayne famously hatedHigh Noon, it was also a firm favorite of several U.S. presidents (viaThe Independent), as its themes of standing firm in the face of imminent danger represented bravery in the truest sense of the word. Taking place in real-time,High Noonhas endured through these decades due to the timeless relevance of its message around duty and honor. As a more realistic look at the true perils of life in the Wild West,High Noonrepresented a move toward a more realistic type of Western movie hero.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
In the United States, a mysterious gunfighter tries to work together with a bandit and a bounty hunter to find a hidden treasure. The men are forced to forge a difficult alliance as each knows only part of the location. The big problem is that none of them has any intention of sharing the wealth once they’ve found it.
The king of spaghetti Western filmmakers was undisputedly Sergio Leone, whose unmatchedDollars Trilogygot between each installment. WhileA Fistful of Dollarsintroduced the world to Clint Eastwood’s iconic portrayal of The Man with No Name for the very first time andFor a Few DollarsMore expanded upon its style and aesthetic, the final movie in the trilogy brought everything that was great about this genre together into one glorious film. From its epic soundtrack by Ennio Morricone to its famous Mexican standoff climax,The Good, the Bad and the Uglywas a true Western masterpiece.
Not only did Eastwood give one of the defining performances of his career, but he was also joined by the Western legend Lee Van Cleef as the ruthless mercenary Angel Eyes. Packed with violence and a knowing, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, Leone saved the best for last in what just might be the most iconic Western movie ever made. As a great entry point for viewers unfamiliar with the genre,The Good, the Bad and the Uglywas an accessible and intensely entertaining piece of filmmaking.
Unforgiven
Unforgiven follows retired gunslinger Will Munny as he is drawn back into his former life for a final mission, seeking justice with his old partner and a young outlaw called The Schofield Kid.
Unforgivenwas truly the best ofall Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-nominated moviesand represented his greatest masterpiece in the Western genre. As a Best Picture winner that powerfully subverted the revenge tropes the genre was known for, Eastwood played William Munny, an aged gunslinger forced out of retirement for one last job. With a performance that hinted at the actor’s unmatched legacy in the Western genre, Eastwood brought a lifetime of Wild West movie experience to his characterization of Munny.
The way thatUnforgivendeconstructed notions of the Old West was truly admirable, and it’s no surprise that Eastwood decided this would be his final traditional Western movie. As the summation of his entire career in Westerns,Unforgivenwas a movie masterpiece made even better by the inclusion of Gene Hackman in his Oscar-winning performance as Sheriff “Little” Bill Daggett. In tribute to his past,Eastwood even dedicatedUnforgivento his Western filmmaking mentors, Sergio Leone and Don Siegel.
The Searchers
The Searchers, released in 1956, stars John Wayne as a Civil War veteran who embarks on a years-long quest to rescue his kidnapped niece. Directed by John Ford, the film delves into themes of obsession and racial tension as the protagonist’s motivations become increasingly complex.
As John Ford’s magnum opus and undisputed Western masterpiece,The Searcherswas one of the most iconic and influential movies ever made. Featuring John Wayne as Ethan Edwards traversing an intensely picturesque Wild West landscape as he spent years looking for his abducted niece, this revenge story stood as a defining film in American cinema. Through the use of VistaVision and Technicolor,The Searcherswas a visually stunning example of what great Westerns can achieve as it told its powerful narrative while highlighting the artistic merits of movies themselves.
AlthoughThe Searcherscan be criticized for its harsh depiction of Native Americans, it also signaled Western movies moving toward a more complex characterization of indigenous people. As a self-aware look behind the motivations of brave Western heroes,The Searchersdid not shy away from the violent excess and dark realities of the American frontier. As a look into the psychological aspects of theWesterngenre,The Searcherspointed toward a new kind of filmmaking.
