10 Greatest Western Movies

1. The Searchers (1956)

The Searchers - Original Theatrical Trailer • World of Warner Bros. • YouTube

4. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid•#TBT Trailer • 20th Century FOX • YOuTube

2. The Wild Bunch (1969)

The Wild Bunch - Original Theatrical Trailer • World of Warner Bros. • Youtube

3. The Unforgiven (1992)

Unforgiven - Theatrical Trailer • World of Warner Bros. • YouTube

6. Rio Bravo (1959)

Rio Bravo-Trailer • World of Warner Bros.•YouTube

5. High Noon (1952)

High Noon (1952): Original Trailer - Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly - 1950s Classic Westerns• TCM • Youtube

The Long Riders(1980)-Official Trailer • MGM Studios• Amazon MGM Studios • YouTube

4K Restoration for The Proposition-on UHD and Blu Ray • BFI • YouTube

The Magnificent Seven (1960)-Official Trailer • MGM•Amazon MGM Studios YouTube

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)-Official Trailer • MGM•Amazon MGM Studios • YouTube

10. The Proposition (2005)

7. The Magnificent Seven (1960)

8. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1968)

9. Long Riders (1980)

John Wayne's best performance and John Ford's greatest movie. The film deals with racism and Ethan's (Wayne) obsessive search for his niece Debbie (Natalie Wood), who was kidnapped by Indians. Two of the most iconic scenes in film: the funeral with the mourners singing "Shall we gather at the river" and the search party with the Indians riding above and parallel to them. One of the movie's most iconic shots with Ethan (Wayne) framed in the doorway leaving the homestead after rescuing Debbie (Natalie Wood.) This film influenced so many others such as Taxi Driver, Hardcore and The Missing among others.

Sam Peckinpah's greatest film depicting the end of the old west and the outlaw who roamed it. An all-star cast starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Ben Johnson, Warren Oates, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien and Strother Martin among others. Riveting from its opening scene of "soldiers" entering a bank to its bloody finale. The 5 min. long "Battle of the Bloody Porch"-- with slow motion intercut with normal speed portraying a "ballet of death"--is epic and often mimicked. It set a new standard for the depiction of violence influencing films to this day.

The first bromance in moviedom. A western mixing comedy with action starring two of the screen's greatest stars, Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The other star of the movie is the Zion National Park in Utah, where most of the movie was filmed. The charisma of the actors and their witty banter, briskly moving screenplay brought to fruition by George Roy Hill and solid supporting cast led by Katherine Ross help make this film great. Although the music by Burt Bacharach is anachronistic, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" became a standard.

Underrated Walter Hill western starring four sets of real-life brothers--the Keaches, Carridines, Quaids, and Guests-- representing a casting feat that likely won't be repeated. The attempted bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota is a spectacular action scene heavily borrowed from Peckinpah's TheWild Bunch. The slow motion bullet sound effects are unique and mesh with the slo-mo action. The warm cinematography by Ric Waite captures the feeling of the old west. Outstanding score by Ry Cooder.

Mad Max in the 1800's Australian outback. A brutal, sun-baked tale dealing with family loyalty, revenge, race and British imperialism. A solid cast, starring Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Emily Watson, John Hurt. Nick Cave wrote the screenplay and soundtrack, the latter of which he performed.

The pinnacle of excellence in Clint Eastwood's acting and directing career. A revisionist tale of a retired gunslinger, William Munny (Eastwood),donning his guns to help a young bounty hunter collect a reward. In doing so, his recruited friend, Ned (Morgan Freeman), gets killed causing Munny to seek revenge. Eastwood, Freeman, Gene Hackman, Saul Rubinek and Frances Fisher make-up the all star cast. The direction is lean and efficient. The shout-out in the saloon is thrilling.

The best spaghetti western. Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef star in an epic saga taking place during the civil war which is a violent essay on greed. Masterful direction by Sergio Leone, alternating long shots with extreme close ups. Brilliant widescreen cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli. Outstanding score by Ennio Morricone, bits of which are used in current commercials. The Mexican standoff at the film's end, is a masterpiece of cinematography and editing.

A revisionist western with the hero asking for help and being denied. The only black and white film on this list. A simple plot going against the usual western tropes. It is driven by an Oscar winning performance by Gary Cooper and tension generated by the events occuring in real time, counting down to a showdown at noon. Grace Kelly's screen debut. The theme song "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling" summarizes the plot and is played many times including at the beginning of the film.

An all star ensemble starring Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Horst Buchholz, Brad Dexter and Eli Wallach. It is based on the superior Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa. The stellar cast, rollicking screenplay, beautiful outdoor cinematography (Charles Lang), and spectacular symphonic score (Elmer Bernstein) make this a classic. The onscreen jockeying for the limelight between Brynner and McQueen is legendary.

A stellar cast featuring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan, Angie Dickinson, and Ward Bond. The antithesis of High Noon with Sheriff Chance (Wayne) enlisting the aid of a motley crue to help him prevent a land baron and his gang from breaking his brother out of jail.