Once Upon A Time In The West

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly and Once Upon a Time In The West.

Gunfighter's Moon

"Hombre" 1967

John Wayne's the The Cowboys and Silverado. I could watch those again and again.

Ya. The best western

One of the best films ever to be made.

Nope. Boring, over long and half way through I wanted to throw that annoying harmonica into the river. “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” is far better. The cinematography and score can’t save it. I’ve watch over 120 Westerns the past year and a half. “Once Upon A Time . . . . “ is not even in my top 50.

You are right sir, best western ever made by a long shot nothing even comes close. Seen it a million times and it never gets old.

Think it might be too slow for some.

I totally agree!!!!

Watched it again a couple months ago. 10/10 A must see

Agreed.

I agree. 2 of those he had on the list were a long way from being westerns in my mind.

96% critics, 93% audience… definitely a miss without Unforgiven.

Totally agree. No Shane?????

Lonesome Dove, Tombestone, True Grit ( john Wayne). So many better then some on this list.

Agreed…more than puzzling.

Because they don't have a perfect rating on metacritic. It's in the title

High Noon, Red River, Shane are at the top of my list.

Didn´t know that. Interesting!

I'm fairly sure that critical consensus on Outlaw Josie Wales changed after it was revealed that the author of the book it was based on was not a Native American Jimmy Carter Democrat as originally thought but in fact a former KKK white supremacist George Wallace Democrat speech writer which gives the story a somewhat different interpretive subtext.

@@Texasjim2007 Now living in the South, I saw all that in the film without knowing the background of the book's author. However, that doesn't invalidate the film's subtext.

Absolutely!!!

Orson Wells also said 'Rear Window' was a horrible film, so his reviews weren't perfect.

And...No Country is NOT film noir.

@@bigcity2085 I would say it's Film Noir before a Western, LOL, at least it's Dark, but I guess the Sheriff's wife's 2 horses made it a Western, LOL.

Absolutely right

…and The Treasure of The Sierra Madre isn’t a Western either.

I agree completely. Where is the Lonesome Dove?

hahahahaha perfect rebuttal

I laughed out loud at that!!

👏👏👏

Almost half of these movies wouldn't be on my list. Certainly Shane and The Outlaw Josie Wales would be. And She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

"Red River" belongs on any list of best western movies. It's on mine and "Shane" fits depending how the list is defined. "Shane" is still a favorite

I don't know Once Upon a Time, but the other three you mentioned are must see's. Shane was the movie that vaulted Jack Palance into super stardom. I loved the character of the reluctant gunslinger who accepts the role of peace restorer in the end. I will keep an eye out for Once Upon a Time.

@@secretagent4322 You will love it, it's directed by Sergio Leone and has Charles Bronson, Jack Elam, Claudia Cardinelle, Jason Robards, and Henry Fonda who is a BADASS in this film, its better than Sergio's The Good, The Bad and the Ugly IMHO. If you have HULU or Paramount + you can watch it now, I have those, it's also on EPIX but I don't have that.

@@MrRondonmon you are sooooooooooo right.

@@MrRondonmon The opening sequence makes OUATITW a classic and there was still 2 hours to go. Brilliant film and definitely Sergio's best.

Really. Incomprehensible. And the type of character in Allan Ladd that wasn't found in any of the other movies. The reluctant hero.

Yap, has to make the list

@@secretagent4322 and the sub story.

Truth

It's really a war movie. LOL, put folks on horses and it's a Western? Heat is more of a Western, and NO HORSES.

@@floydvaughn836 No, it's a western. You people just leave me SMDH.

I'd say it's more of a western than "No Country for Old Men".

@@floydvaughn836 just because most of the movie takes place after the Civil War?

Modern western drama

Never thought of it as good.

Not a Western in my book but still enjoyed it .

It's not

100% agree. Not a western.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Yep. What-the-actual-fμ©×.

YES ! No such list is complete without "Unforgiven" and "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "SHANE" !

What about the great SILVERADO ?!

Missing are Shane, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Tombstone, True Grit (both versions)... if No Country for Old Men is included as a Western then so should Assault on Precinct 13

Incomplete and incompetent.

It is the quintessential western in my opinion.

@@alansach8437 spot-on

This list sucks

👍

Treasure of the Sierra Madre definitely is not a "western" by any stretch of the imagination. They probably got thrown off by the mules & horses; herbivorous ungulates do not a western make!

@@nunyabidniz2868 Yeahhh.... it doesn't get a "stinkin' badge" from me!

Agreed. Replace "No Country for Old Men" and "Rider" with "High Noon" and "Shane" in my opinion.

@@nunyabidniz2868 Ok then what makes a western in your opinion? Just the date?

Absollutly

Yep. I didn't know how that thing was going to end until about 30 seconds before.

Yes, the greatest John Ford western that Ford never directed.

The Wild Bunch is my choice for the best of the rest!

That was an amazing list you just named.

don't forget Silverado

Magnificent 7 is a poor remake of a Japanese movie masterpiece.

@@terben7339 Magnificent 7 was inspired by Seven Samurai, Fist full of Dollars was inspired by Yojimbo, Django also Yojimbo, etc. A lot of westerns were influenced by Akira Kurosawa. For that matter so was Bug's life, Last Man Standing, and Star Wars. All good movies but not fair to compare them too much to Kurosawa's originals. Like you said they were masterpieces.

Which 3: 10 to Yuma?

A great movie.

Big Jake , true grit, El Dorado , tombstone, silverado , butch Cassidy the Sundance kid,Culpepper cattle company ,Valdez is coming, the outlaw Josie whales

That's my favorite John Wayne movie. If you've seen Longmire, Nighthorse was the Indian kid.

The Cowboys - great score by John Williams (before he signed up with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas).

@@brucekuehn4031 Didn't know that. That guy is a living legend.

Yes! The fabulous score, the cinematography, the all-star and just about perfect cast (Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Chuck Connors, Charles Bickford, Jean Simmons and Carroll Baker), the story -- I could see that movie over and over again!

I think I saw it the first time when I was a teenager, and I had dreams about it. I thought the score should have won an Academy Award, but Jerome Moross lost to Demitri Tiompkin, who scored "Old Man and the Sea." (Robbed!)

Beautiful movie!!

Big Country is one of those movies often overlook and not shown much, which is an injustice. It's a fantastic movie on all accounts. Great score, writing, characters, actors, scenes, etc. I'm a huge John Wayne fan and have a large collection of his movies, posters, etc., but I own the movie Big County as well. It ranks with the best as far as I'm concerned. I watch it at least once a month, LOL....

How about "The Oxbow Incdent

QT is not one of the greatest directors, not even top 100. And DJANGO UNCHAINED is his worst film.

Great shout.

Really great Western

Brando never approved the final cut, would have been amazing to see his true vision but it was going to be far too long for mainstream audiences. Still a beautiful movie

I mean it has 95% on rottentomatoes on both the critics and audience! What more do you need lol

Once Upon A Time In The West doesn't need any critics bs validation, the film speaks for itself.

@@g.panitikan1929 the first ten minutes is better than most films🤷‍♂️

@@hikl223 I think its 15 minutes

@@g.panitikan1929 you know what I meant😝I was overwhelmed when I was a kid a watched OUTIW

That's what i thought too.

I was thinking of signing up for "Fred C. Dobbs School of Prospecting" on line. Fred with teach camp cookery, choosing companions to travel with, mule skinning, making friends with the locals and so much more!

And…. The Oxbow Incident

Humphrey Bogart got cast in that because the audience gasped at his menacing stage presence in the broadway play Here s looking at you kid

@@dannyvardanian He could take on any role and make good of it!

The Big Country is a very underrated movie . I’m continually surprised at how many people that are “western movie fans” , that have never seen or heard of this movie .

I agree

I was thinking also that it should be highly rated. It's better than "Tombstone," which is too Hollywood kitschy in its tone to be considered among the greatest.

👍🏼

Great list-----but we all would have our own lists for sure. I liked Fistful of Dollars and 5 Card Stud------but I wouldnot argue they are the best------just my favorites. Pick a couple of your favorites-----. A lot of 'great' movies I do not like-----but others love them.

‘One Eyed Jacks’ has always been one of my favs, but I vote ‘The Searchers’ as the best.

Totally Agree!!! 👍😎👍

I love Jeremiah Johnson but Robert Redford has said it is not a western movie

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Loved Lonesome Dove!!!! Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones were great it that movie!!!!

@@rustybearden1800 - crow, blackfoot and flathead indians (western indians). mountain men/pioneers (western figures). i would consider it a western; my all time favorite movie.

@@z-z-z-z I love this movie, I think it is Redford's best movie and I love the respectfull and dignified way in which it portrays the Native Americans but it is not, in essence, a true western in it's style and storyline - it's more of an adventure movie but I'm in agreement with you - it's one of my top ten movies and I watch it often - I also love Little Big Man but it is more of a western styled story told with unnerving realism

It's a Japanese movie in drag.

magnificent 7 juvenile nonesense.

It has the best 'old timey' style dialogue of all time.

Should have taken the first seven spots on the list.

Dyin ain't much of a livin boy

Agreed.

Definitely.

I know this is personal preferance, and i love John Waynes True Grit but the one failing is the ending, the book is better, the film just cuts the story short by killing Le Beuf ( who does not die in the book )

To be fair, Wayne planned to do a trilogy from that source material. Only got through 2 films however. I'm sure the endings would have matched up in the 3rd installment: "Son of Rooster Cogburn in 3D."

Agree!

Open Range is the best Western ever made. The realism is fantastic. Most of the ones listed do not put in the effort to be realistic.

I agree

Open Range is an incredible film. A really perfect film. Just watching Robert Duval is worth the price of admission. But all the cast put in excellent performances. My number 1.

The list needs to be longer. It should be top 25, not 10.

I think western lovers consider Wayne to be the only great western actor, unfortunately. JMO

From the point of view of a historian, this film is a fine example of the country's westward exspanion. It is also oneof my favorites

Agreed.

Yep I agree it’s a great film..My favorite western is the Unforgiven ..Clint is the man💯☮️

How about #1? Great plot, great actors, awesome score, and great cinematography. It beats all the others in all categories.

@@georgesealy4706 Absolutely. The best by far. And another with CC that should be included - The Professionals.

That’s funny because he’s still 2nd to Eastwood as the best in westerns

@@chrishampton8842 That's a subjective opinion.

I'd include The Shootist and True Grit as two more for him.

John Wayne was not the best actor, and did not have much range. But he was REALLY good at cowboy roles. Pretty good as a soldier or sailor, too.

Yes I suppose it is

THANK YOU!! I couldn't remember the name but kept thinking in my head..." What about the black-and-white movie concerning the hanging... You know the one with Henry Fonda and the 2nd banana from dragnet?"

Not suggesting it as a western, but if you love Hell or High Water, I urge you to watch Wind River. It's by Sheridan as well. EXCELLENT movie (as is Hell or High Water).

HEAT

Wind River is one of the only films the recent years that has given me a feeling of real tension. Yup, it's great. Since it's from the same producer's as Sicario, one could have a valid point it's the better one of the two.

Time to burn

I'm shocked it wasn't.

I've got the match!

Agree. It need to be on there.

The Searchers was the most boring, overrated, slow western ever.

@@mitchkenvin259 It's more of a character study and morality play and man-who-learns-better movie than most westerns. It's probably my favorite John Wayne movie. Consider: John Wayne's Ethan is: Hot for his brother's wife. (And she's hot for him in return it seems). Has somehow acquired bags of gold coins under dubious and unexplained circumstances that has the Texas Rangers looking for him. Has failed to surrender as a member of the Confederate army at the end of the Civil War. Is an unrepentant bigot that we slowly realize over the course of the film is going to outright murder the niece he's searching for because being an Indian squaw "ain't living", with the subtext that once she's had sex with an Indian, she's better off dead. At one point in the movie Ethan shoots a dead Indian in both eyes to prevent him from getting into the promised Indian afterlife. If you ever want to see John Wayne portray a character that directly contradicts the John Wayne stereotype of the Western hero, watch "The Searchers". It's brilliant, and John Wayne at his absolute best. It totally deserves to be considered as one of the best Westerns ever.

Not a fan of High Noon , If you like that film check out , "Silver Load " , a western that does the man abandon by his town story properly .

@@unclepatrick2 I will watch “Silver Load”. Thanks for the recommendation

Incredible performance by Paul Newman. That's for sure.

One of my very favourite westerns 💜

It's a better film than Rio Bravo in my opinion

@@cdfreester hell yea i have to agree

Don't consider HUD a real western and the remake of "True Grit" just isn;t that special. Agree with Unforgiven and Mag 7.

I feel like a better list of would be even more obvious, this list has too many pseudo-westerns

Really interesting, as I am seeing the exact same issues when looking at different genres of music for a course I am studying. I am old enough to have been around for some of them and your comment sums up how I feel about the obvious examples we are given.

Judging from the comments the list is neither safe nor predictable well, predictable perhaps for old conservatives who insist things were better in the past.

@@rg1809 if you're a totalitarian things are better now

@@porterhouse_ Conservatives are the opposite of totalitarians.

Plus The Magnificent Seven (original), High Noon and Open Range.

Surprised these rope suckers didn't.

When I see a western, I expect to see rough men shooting guns, not shooting loads on each other's faces.

VERA CRUZ is without doubt one of the most influencal westerns ever. Largely forgotten by the smartphone generation who believe that Tarantino is the king of westerns.

Indeed, any TOP WESTERN Movie list - that leaves out "SHANE" is not worth looking at !

Good list

I agree - it's a forgotten and under appreciated movie - I think it's Dustin Hoffman's best picture

What about "High Plains Drifter", wasn't "Pale Rider" just a copy?

@@UTArch1 Yeah...and both are essentially copies of "Shane", in my opinion. I really liked Pale Rider and still do, but now see it as more derivative than I used to. Which, tbh, is true of most Westerns (or movies in general regardless of genre, for that matter).

underrated

Jimmy Stewart was in Winchester '73 and TMWSLV. So him as well.

Tombstone -- yes. TGTBTU -- absolutely NOT. Deeply flawed. Boring for long stretches. Union Army camp should be dropped.

Both great also big jake,the outlaw Josie whales,El dorado,tombstone,silverado,true grit,

Oh once upon a time in the west

"The Shootist"??? "Tombstone?can agree with most of what you've posted

I agree. No Country, The Rider, Sierra Madre and McCabe... All movies that do NOT belong on this list. Four possible replacements would be Shane, Tombstone, Lonesome Dove, and the greatest western of all time, The Outlaw Josie Wales!

@@michaelbaziotis8287 Not a Shane fan myself but Love the other three picks... I know its a classic but I just don't like Shane, sorry...

Possibly the best western ever. Definitely the most artistic.

One of the best: this list was immediately suspicious without Once Upon a Time

Both the opening and closing shots are classic symbolism. It’s beautifully filmed, and looks fantastic on the big screen. I saw it at the restored Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, CA.

Best Western and top 10 over all film.

The remake was really good, Jeff Bridges nailed Rooster.

Why is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid above Once Upon A Time in the West?

@@ScofieldStudios cause that's the first western my dad is introduced me to so it has a nostalgic feeling for me.

@@Swampthing86 That makes sense

I'd forgotten about "Josie," but something reminded me of it a year or so ago, so I bought the Anniversary Edition. "Rio Bravo" has been my idea of The Best Western for many years, partly because I despised "High Noon" for the same reason Howard Hawks did---and John T. Chance's explanation of why he didn't want or _need_ the well-intended help offered to him explained why. "Josie" was such a well crafted story, so beautifully shot, that it deserved more accolades than it's received. Watch it, then watch it again with the Commentary, and watch the Bonus material. Wow.

Your list is better!

Agreed, he should have gotten an Oscar for that role.

Absolutely the best supporting role I’ve ever seen

You tell ‘ em Wyett Earp’s comin’! And Hells comin’ with me!

Open Range was great

Open Range was great agreed. How many people jumped and thought wtf when Charley shot "the killer" in the forehead ?

Both trash.

"High Noon" a movie that has been called The First Adult Western. Should be on any list of best western movies

I'd add 'Silverado'. I don't think Treasure... is a Western.

Totally agree with your comment. As for Hombre, it's one of my all-time favourites. Another is One-Eyed Jacks. A brilliant western.

Agree with omissions (esp Shane!) however I do think No Country counts as a modern day Western.

I hope that is sarcasm....though I thoroughly enjoy the movie it is barely top ten for movies Clint Eastwood sings in.

These are two of the most underratest westerns ever. Along with THE LAST HUNT by Richard Brooks.

You might be right and I would throw in Stagecoach.

Just my opinion but I think that the Oscar for True Grit was to make up for all of the other movies he could have at least been nominated for.

@@stevegillis5297 That is a possibility.

IMHO, The Searchers is the greatest movie ever. Perfection

@@spearsba I have no argument against it!

YES!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely! Gregory Peck is the man. Another great western from him is the Stalking Moon - great film 👍

Had to scroll through the replies to see if anybody mentioned lonesome dove. I also checked metacritic and its not even listed. It is definitely in the conversation of greatest westerns of all time.