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Are these the best Westerns?
That compulsive list-maker Entertainment Weekly recently singled out 15 “must-see” Westerns. With 3:10 to Yuma topping the box office this weekend (my review is here) and another (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) on the way, I thought it would be fun to see how viable the list is.
I’ll list the titles, followed by my take on each. The films don’t appear to be in any order.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Certainly the best of the Clint Eastwood/Sergio Leone Westerns, though I think For a Few Dollars More doesn’t get enough attention.
Red River: An early hint that John Wayne could be magnetically frightening as an actor.
Lonesome Dove: I’m a little embarrassed to say I’ve never seen this, although it was actually a TV miniseries and not a theatrical film. Still, I understand it was very well done.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: Very entertaining, though I’ve always considered it more of a buddy comedy than a Western.
Seven Men from Now: A film by Budd Boetticher, whose work I’d really like to be more familiar with.
The Magnificent Seven: Lots of fun. It can’t match the dramatic heights of its inspiration, The Seven Samurai, but it does the Kurosawa film proud.
Once Upon a Time in the West: Another great Sergio Leone opera, with Henry Fonda playing an utterly irredeemable b——-d.
The Searchers: John Wayne and John Ford’s finest hour. Nuff said.
Tombstone: I’ve never quite gotten into this as much as many people have, but Val Kilmer is lots of fun to watch.
Shane: Never one of my absolute favorites, but I understand its appeal.
The Wild Bunch: Even before I saw it on the big screen, it impressed me. After I saw it on the big screen, it became indelible.
High Noon: My absolute favorite Western of all time, masterfully paced and played in more or less real time by Fred Zinnemann, with an iconic turn by Gary Cooper. I don’t care what anyone says; this has it all over Howard Hawks’ response, Rio Bravo.
Unforgiven: Undeniable.
My Darling Clementine: John Ford and Henry Fonda made the best of the Wyatt Earp Westerns.
Dances with Wolves: I flatly disagree with its inclusion in the list. Not because it isn’t a very fine film, but because it’s not a Western. A Western has to have at least one cowboy playing a key role. They are mostly if not entirely absent from Kevin Costner’s film. Back to the Future III is more of a Western than this.
Other titles worthy of consideration
Stagecoach: It’s really rather shocking this isn’t in the list. It only defined the genre and made John Wayne a star. No big deal.
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon: My favorite of the John Ford Cavalry trilogy.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: When the legend becomes fact, print the legend. And that means not passing over this film.
Winchester 73: No James Stewart/Anthony Mann Westerns in the list? For shame! This is the best of the lot.
The Shootist: Not quite a great film per se, but the fact that it’s John Wayne’s last movie makes it feel like the end of an era.
What do you think of the list? Any other Westerns get left out?
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Lists
Comments
By Derwood
September 11, 2007 2:22 AM | Link to this
Um, everyone seems to have forgotten Outlaw Josey Wales. For me, that is the best western of all time. Eastwood in his prime.By Randy O.
September 10, 2007 9:22 PM | Link to this
McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)…Robert Altman’s best film Far below, but entertaining throughout, is Maverick, with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster. Far far below, but still fun if you’re in the right mood…The Sons of Katie Elder.By Zack
September 10, 2007 5:24 PM | Link to this
But RIO BRAVO should still have been on the list, fer cryin’ out loud!By Jcason
September 10, 2007 5:08 PM | Link to this
Well, as far as Wyatt Earp, I thought the Costner’s version was better and possibly the only Costner movie I ever liked. A movie to go on the list? Major Dundee with Charlton Heston. It was a movie before it’s time and didn’t suck nearly as bad as some people say. The battle against the French at the end is memorable simply because it is a historical oddity.By Ron
September 10, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this
damn good list, cowpokeBy Bud Norton
September 10, 2007 1:35 PM | Link to this
Another silly list. I guess they put a quota on John Ford movies; otherwise, it’s hard to understand why “Stagecoach,” “Yellow Ribbon,” and “Liberty Valance” aren’t on the list. Here’s another that’s better than several on the list: Sam Peckinpaugh’s “Ride the High Country.”By Allie D
September 10, 2007 1:11 PM | Link to this
I absolutely agree with you about Dances With Wolves. In fact, I think the movie itself is generally overrated. I would have instead picked Costner’s slightly-bloated but still entertaining due to Dennis Quaid’s Doc Holiday performance, Wyatt Earp. I’m a big Sergio Leone fan and also agree about For a Few Dollars More. I also love Fistful of Dollars. In fact, I love the entire Dollars Trilogy. :) Lonesome Dove was good. And Unforgiven goes without saying.