The western is one of the most essential genres in American cinema. The popularity of traditional westerns died out when audiences realized its myths were a skewed, whitewashed version of a very ugly, grisly chapter of history. But some more recent westerns have leaned into the ugliness of their historical context to upend those myths and present a more brutal, realistic take on the Old West.

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Either way, some of the greatest movies ever made have been westerns. Tales of marshals, gamblers, and bounty hunters trying to make it on the American frontier have provided the groundwork for a handful of cinema’s finest western movies.

Updated on April 12, 2022, by Jason Van Duine: The western is a staple of both cinema and western culture. Once considered the definitive blockbuster before superheroes ever graced the screen, westerns portrayed an idealized version of American history that offered a wonderful escape for its early viewers. More modern westerns began to critique both the true American past as well as its depiction in the western genre, creating fantastic introspective work within film. Regardless of whether these films are escapist entertainment or thought-provoking pieces, they still stand the test of time as some of the greatest western films ever made.

13 Rio Bravo

John Wayne and Angie Dickinson in Rio Bravo

For anyone looking for a laid-back and fun western, it's hard to beat Rio Bravo. After setting up a trio of flawed heroes, Rio Bravo becomes a hangout movie as they wait for a gang to show up and try to liberate their prisoner. John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson are compelling in the lead roles, while Angie Dickinson gives a terrific supporting turn.

Howard Hawks and John Wayne made Rio Bravo as a direct response to High Noon, having been unhappy with how the Gary Cooper classic positioned itself as a critique of McCarthyism and ended with the lawman throwing down his badge. In response, they created a western where unlike the marshal in High Noon, the town sheriff receives help from anyone in town in order to catch the bad guys. Howard Hawks went on to make two more films with a similar premise, and director Quentin Tarantino has listed Rio Bravo as one of his favorite movies of all time.

12 High Noon

High noon (1)

While polarizing when it was first released, High Noon now ranks high as one of the most suspenseful westerns ever made. Gary Cooper plays Will Kane, the marshal of a small town, who has recently married and is just about to retire when news arrives that a vicious outlaw he sent to prison is on his way back for revenge. He has until noon that day to prepare. Knowing how deadly the outlaw is, everyone Will approaches for help declines, forcing Will to face down the outlaw and his gang alone.

Often considered one of the earliest "revisionist westerns", High Noon stands apart from both the classic and modern westerns as a story mostly devoid of action and heroics until its very end. Instead, audiences are treated to a nuanced character introspection in a western setting. Part of the tension comes from the fact that High Noon plays out in real-time, with frequent shots of clocks to remind the audience of the oncoming threat. The film is largely seen as a metaphor for the McCarthy witch hunts that were going on at the time, of which High Noon screenwriter Carl Foreman was a victim.

11 Stagecoach

John Ford's Stagecoach

One of the most seminal westerns ever made, John Ford’s masterpiece Stagecoach is considered to be so profound and influential that discussion of it has surpassed the western genre altogether. Adapted from the short story “The Stage to Lordsburg,” Stagecoach has a great setup: the stagecoach setting introduces a bunch of characters who don’t know each other, then the ambush puts them all in danger, raising the stakes.

Along with its interesting premise, Stagecoach manages to be just as exciting as it is personal, with each of the well-rounded characters bringing something special to the story. Recognized as a transgressive western, Stagecoach became an enormously influential movie, with Orson Welles screening it countless times in preparation for filming Citizen Kane. Most notably, however, the film transformed actor John Wayne into a household name and synonymous with the western genre.

10 The Outlaw Josey Wales

Outlaw Josey Wales Clint Eastwood (1)

Even today, it would be difficult to remove Clint Eastwood from the western genre, who is arguably as iconic in a cowboy outfit as John Wayne. One of his best as both an actor and a director is 1976's The Outlaw Josey Wales. The story follows Josey Wales, a farmer who joins the Confederacy after his family is murdered by Union soldiers. After the war, Wales' group of soldiers surrenders to Union soldiers, who then proceed to kill everyone except Wales. Wales then becomes an outlaw, on the run from bounty hunters and Union soldiers alike.

In the mid-to-late 70s, the western genre was seemingly on its way out, slowly being replaced by more modern police procedurals and science-fiction spectacles. For a brief moment, Josey Wales revived interest in the genre, thanks to Eastwood's careful balance of humor, action, and emotion. This ultimately culminates in a satisfying dramatic confrontation and an ending of heart and care. Eastwood himself has listed Josey Wales among one of his own favorite movies, and it's not hard to see why.

9 The Wild Bunch

The Wild Bunch

With all the brutal violence that one would expect from a western directed by Sam Peckinpah, The Wild Bunch is a large-scale action extravaganza with an iconic gun-toting ensemble. The story follows an old gang of outlaws on the Mexican-American border who attempt to adapt to a modern world that seems to be abandoning the days of the old west.

Peckinpah’s blood-soaked epic was wildly controversial upon release for its boundary-pushing buckets of blood and it still packs a heck of a punch after 50 years. Despite its controversy, it still was highly praised upon release, even receiving an Oscar nomination for its screenplay. Apart from its exciting action and introspective themes, The Wild Bunch is also noteworthy for its innovative filmmaking, Slow-motion, and quick editing may seem commonplace today, but they were revolutionary in 1969.

8 The Magnificent Seven

Magnificent seven cast (1)

An American remake of Akira Kurosawa's equally brilliant Seven Samurai, The Magnificent Seven reimagines samurai in feudal Japan as cowboys in the old west. When a small village is terrorized by a group of bandits, seven different but powerful gunfighters come together for their protection.

A great example of an exciting and entertaining classic, The Magnificent Seven benefits from a magnificent cast of then-all stars, lead most notably by Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson. Their interactions can often be just as much fun to watch as the thrills and the climactic action, all of which are elevated by Elmer Bernstein's iconic and heroic score. A rare remake that rivals the original, Kurosawa himself was impressed enough to present a sword to Magnificent Seven director John Sturges.

7 Once Upon A Time In The West

Once Upon a Time in the West

Sergio Leone intended to retire from the western genre with Once Upon a Time in the West (although he later returned to it with Duck, You Sucker!), so he made it as a swansong to the western featuring everything he loved about the genre. Leone and his screenwriters Dario Argento and Bernardo Bertolucci watched a western movie marathon and stitched together a plot from all their favorite western moments to create a kind of greatest hits album, so to speak.

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The opening scene of Once Upon a Time in the West is one of the greatest in film history, expertly building tension toward a dazzling payoff. Of course, this is only the beginning of a fantastic story, which follows a mysterious man who works to protect a widow from a deadly assassin. This assassin is played by Henry Fonda, mostly known at the time for playing good guys, who is fantastically terrifying in the role. Legendary composer Ennio Morricone gives it his all, producing one of the most profound scores ever made for a western. Ultimately, however, Leone is the star of the show, directing one of the most profound films in the genre.

6 Unforgiven

Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven

To avoid repeating himself, Clint Eastwood decided to stop directing and starring in westerns after helming Unforgiven, the story of a retired gunslinger being reluctantly called back into action to avenge a prostitute who was attacked and permanently scarred by two cowboys.

Eastwood’s bittersweet farewell to the western is also one of the genre’s greatest entries. William Munny is a classic antihero, while Unforgiven’s deconstruction of the western’s essential elements resulted in a movie with strong themes. This results in a darker and more grounded western decades after they went out of fashion. The film won Eastwood two long-overdue Oscars, both for Best Picture and Best Director.

5 The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is the definitive cinematic portrait of the corrupting power of wealth. It’s about a couple of guys heading out into the desert with an old prospector and finding a fortune in gold. One of the guys, played by Bogart, becomes paranoid, convinced that the other two are going to stiff him out of his share. Ironically, that paranoia makes him the guy to keep an eye on.

Even over 80 years later, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is still just as powerful and suspenseful today as it was in 1948. Humphrey Bogart was arguably snubbed an Oscar nomination, as his slow descent into insanity is both mesmerizing and terrifying. It's an intriguing and tense story that still holds interest decades later, all leading to an impactful and devastating ending.

4 Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

William Goldman’s screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was groundbreaking in its subversion of western tropes. The movie ended up being one of the first anti-westerns as the heroes flee to the border at the first sign of danger and the movie ends on a hopeless, but ambiguous note. Loosely based on a true story, the film follows two outlaws on the run from the law after a series of train robberies.

The snappy dialogue between the title characters is brought to life spectacularly by Paul Newman and Robert Redford’s classic on-screen dynamic. Of course, this doesn't take anything away from the story itself, which manages to be both wildly entertaining and exciting. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid also has arguably one of the most shocking and devastating endings in western history, though is all the more memorable for it.

3 Shane

Alan Ladd in Shane

Anchored by a brilliant lead performance by Alan Ladd in the title role, Shane is one of the most thematically strong westerns ever made. On the surface, it's about a former gunfighter looking to start a quiet and peaceful life, though is later dragged into violent conflict. Thematically, however, it’s about the struggles of moving on from a checkered past and finding new stability.

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In a soft and wholesome western, it's hard to watch Shane and not be moved by the title character's persistent search for peace. Building to one of the most iconic final scenes of all time, Shane is filled with gorgeous landscape cinematography captured by an Oscar-winning Loyal Griggs. Shane is also one of the most influential westerns ever made; referenced directly in Logan, its influence can still be felt in cinema to this day.

2 The Searchers

The Searchers

The Searchers isn't only considered to be one of the greatest westerns of all time, but also one of the greatest films in general. John Ford’s masterpiece chronicles antihero Ethan Edwards’ years-long quest to rescue his niece from the Native Americans who abducted her, only to find that she doesn’t want to be saved after all.

To call The Searchers one of the most influential movies ever made would be an understatement. Its influence can be seen in everything from Taxi Driver to Breaking Bad. John Wayne's portrayal of Edwards makes this character one of the most complex ones within the western genre, and Ford's direction is nothing short of powerful. The Searchers also has one of the most famous openings and closing shots in film history, both of which add volumes to the story at hand.

1 The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Sergio Leone’s conclusion to the Dollars trilogy, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, just might be the revered filmmaker’s masterpiece. It’s an action-packed epic that refuses to ignore the bleak side of history or take sides in age-old conflicts. In telling the story of its central trio’s quest to discover a fortune in buried gold, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is three hours of glorious cinematic visuals culminating in a perfect finale.

It would be difficult to find a more finely-crafted western than one from Leone, who arguably mastered the genre. Everything from its score to its characters has become instantly recognizable in modern pop culture, which speaks to just how impactful The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly truly is. The final showdown is arguably the greatest in film history, with the editing, music, and camerawork slowly building to a boiling point of tension, resulting in a sequence that is a masterclass in filmmaking.

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