The folks at Americanwest.com have a list of their picks for the "Best Western Films of all Time". They came up with 14 films - they didn't specify which of the 14 they thought we better than the others. With one exception (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre), their choices are period pieces, set in the 19th century.

On the whole, it's a pretty good list . . . in terms of movies set in the 19th century, I'd probably add the English language version of "Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)" http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0064116/ And I'd likely not include "Dances with Wolves" - but that's just me ;-)

There are several period piece movies I'd probably add to the list, not because they're great films, but because they are favorites of mine. And there are a couple of Westerns set in the 20th century that I'd add as well.

But anyway, here is the list from Americanwest.com (in alphabetical order) - any thoughts on what should be added to the list?

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0064115/

Dances With Wolves (1990)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0099348/

Destry Rides Again (1939)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0031225/

High Noon (1952)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/

How the West Was Won (1962)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056085/

Little Big Man (1970)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0065988/

My Darling Clementine (1946)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0038762/

Red River (1948)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0040724/

Ride the High Country (1962)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0056412/

Shane (1953)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0046303/

Stagecoach (1939)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0031971/

The Searchers (1956)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0049730/

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0040897/

The Wild Bunch (1969)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0065214/

Unforgiven

Man that list is weak :P How can you have a "best westerns ever" list without one Clint Eastwood movie? Leaving out "The Magnificent Seven" is a crime as well. The only movies on that list that would make *my* top 10 list are Shane, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Little Big Man.

I would definitely add "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", "Unforgiven", and "The Outlaw Josie Wales" but I'm a big fan of Clint . Then "The Magnificent Seven", "Jeremiah Johnson" and "Lonesome Dove" (although that was a TV mini-series). "Tombstone" (the Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer one) might make the list as well.

They are obviously fans of the old fashioned white hats vs. black hats kind of shows I guess, and they have almost nothing made after 1970 which is sort of when some of the darker westerns came out.

[This message has been edited by Levi Forman (edited 12/17/2007).]

Dances with Wolves? Argh.

Blazing Saddles. Best Western ever.

Rustlers Rhapsody, 1985, Comedy - western.

> Blazing Saddles. Best Western ever.

"Excuse me while I whip this out."

I agree with Amorette...."Dances With Wolves" is terrible. The other movies, at least the ones I've seen, are pretty good.

I agree some Clint is needed....I would even argue for more John Wayne...like "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"....even "True Grit".

I saw "3:10 to Yuma" this fall....that was a pretty good movie.

I don't really have much of anything to add to the list that's been filmed in the recent past - and although I was really tempted to add "Big Jake (1971)" and "The Shootist (1976)" I resisted the impulse to load up on John Wayne films.

For Westerns set in the 19th century, I'd add these:

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) - a good film based on the short story by Dorothy Johnson - it would have been an even better film had it been set in Montana as the author wrote it.

A Man Called Horse (1970) - okay, not such a good film, but still based on a good story by Dorothy Johnson.

Jeremiah Johnson (1972) - alright already . . . so it's a corny film. ;-)

Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
One Eyed Jacks (1961)
The Rounders (1965)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
Paint Your Wagon (1969)
Cat Ballou (1965)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

For Westerns set in the 20th century, I'd add these:

Junior Bonner (1972)
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
Lone Star (1996)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

For a futuristic Western I'd suggest Serenity (2005) - despite the setting, it's as classic of a cowboy / Western movie as you're likely to find.
http://www.netflix.com/Mo...kid=190393

The series Serenity was based on (Firefly) was even better than the movie IMO. I just watched the whole series on DVD and although I liked the movie, I was actually a little bit retroactively disappointed in it after seeing the source material hehe. For Westerns set in the modern day, I saw "No Country for Old Men" a couple weeks ago and it was fantastic. 3:10 to Yuma was a good show too.

Nice thread. I love westerns .

Better add:

"Tom Horn" - Featuring Steve McQueen & Richard Farnsworth, Screenplay by Tom McGuane

"Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" and "The Missing" - Tommy Lee Jones

Ditto with Levi on "No Country for Old Men". A very taut film by the Coen Bros. Screenplay by my favorite living author, Cormac McCarthy.

(No worries. Lunch break.)

Hal, you know how I love Dorthy Johnson but I have to go with the Searchers and John Wayne. I would also have to agree with Dan the Unforgiven is great. My top five.

1. Searchers
2. Lonesome Dove
3. Unforgiven
4. Open Range
5. Once Upon a Time in the West- Henery Fonda is the best bad guy ever.

Duel in the Sun. Old but good.

I also vote Yeah! on Blazing Saddles.

ABC

Glad to see nobody getting behind 'Dances with Wolves'. It's not a bad movie, but not a great one. It's not even the best Kevin Costner western. 'Open Range' was better even if the last gunfight was a ripoff of 'Pale Rider' (which was a ripoff of 'Shane' hehe).

I have always loved Silverado (1985)with Costner amoungst others.

"Blaze Glory", 1969 (you didn't see it) and "Rustlers Rhapsody", 1985 (you didn't like it).

"Come back Shane, Shane, come back!" OOPS, I just threw up on my shoes a little.

The kid was a little corny, I'll give you that, but Jack Palance played the best bad guy ever in that movie (and got an Oscar nomination for it).

1.Outlaw Josey Wales
2.Unforgiven
3.Lonesome Dove
4.Tombstone

Dances with wolves is in about 150th place,as I estimate I've seen around 155 westerns.........
The Trinity flicks were good entertainment,also.

If I'm not mistaken "Shane" was filmed at the Triangle X (??) ranch in Jackson Wyo. A good friend of mine was a river guide years later at that ranch and we've had quite a few good river trips there. Also, the scene where Butch and Sundance jump off the cliff was partially filmed on a cliff overhanging the Snake River there.
I thought Lonesome Dove was okay until I read the story of Charles Goodnight - Larry McMurtry literally took his stories and just changed a few names (of course he added alittle embellishment to the story but not much!)
I also think Tombstone was a great film. Its amazing how closely the actors actually resemble the Earp brothers. In addition, the shoot out at the OK appears to have been filmed relatively close to the actual event.
Another film I really liked was "The Longriders"
One only has to look at the names of my children to figure out what some of my favorite westerns are....

[This message has been edited by Dan (edited 12/19/2007).]

I'm gonna go against the grain alittle here on "Dances with Wolves", I can understand how people dont consider it a western in the traditional sense (i.e. white hats vs. black hats) but I think that is why I like it. This is one of the first "environmental westerns" showing the effect of westward expansion on the great plains. The destruction of the buffalo, railroads, mining, etc. on the great plains. The main character knows the frontier is disappearing and he wants to see it before its gone. Another reason I like it is that it doesnt portray the plains indian as some sort of savage boogey man. I think the film does a nice job of showing that there was (is) compassion, brutality, humanity evident in the white and red culture. Sure, it was kinda sappy and sugary but I think it did a nice job of flying in the face of the "conventional" western.
Besides, the Midnight Star and Diamond Lil's are fun places to drink and loose money

Best Western??? Who would film a movie there? Check this link out...

http://www.hotels.com/to...081525968

Now those beat Best Western!

>>I thought Lonesome Dove was okay until I read the story of Charles Goodnight - Larry McMurtry literally took his stories and just changed a few names (of course he added alittle embellishment to the story but not much!)

McMurtry seems to have also "borrowed heavily" from E.C. "Teddy Blue" Abbott's life story.

Abbott, EC, and Helena Huntington Smith. WE POINTED THEM NORTH; RECOLLECTIONS OF A COWPUNCHER (1939, reprint: Chicago: Lakeside Press, 1991).

As with Goodnight, I've found Abbott's own story to be a better read than McMurtry's fiction.

Dances with Wolves was definitely not one of the first westerns to show the "winning of the west" in a negative light, and that wasn't my problem with it. 'Little Big Man' beat it by 20 years and was a much better movie...plus it had Dan George in it which gives it about 50 extra bonus points. 'Dances With Wolves' could almost be considered a remake of 'Little Big Man' but I found it preachy, boring, and major Oscar bait (for which it was richly rewarded). Even so it wasn't a *bad* movie. I didn't hate it, but it wouldn't make my top 50 westerns, let alone my top 10.

No one has mentioned "Cheyenne Social Club". Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda...great movie!!

true...Costner seems to take a preachy tone in most all he does

My favorite western is John Wayne and Katherine hepburn in "Rooster Cogburn"

Favorite line..."You don't mind if your women can outride you and outshoot you"

"As long as they're quiet about it" The dukes retort to her.
Also god help us if we give em the vote
Outlaw Josey Wales as well, loved him spitting chew on the dogs fore head.

[This message has been edited by BLT (edited 12/19/2007).]

Come on guys, can't any of you spell Julie Christie?
McCabe and Mrs. Miller!!

Dan, I have to agree with you Dances With Wolves was one of the first movies that I can remember that humanized Native Americans. Nonetheless, I did not care for the movie. I thought Costner was the week link, although he redeemed himself with Open Range.

I know somebody else mentioned `The Outlaw Jose Wales'. It was a great film because of Dan George. He was also in 'Little Big Man' but his one-liners made the show. "I didn't surrender either, they took my horse and made him surrender."

Hal, I know how you feel about McMurtry but we are talking about the movie. When you put Tommie Lee Jones and Robert Duvall on the same screen- magic. "The hanging scene"

If people are going to say Blazing Saddles then I have to mention Three Amigos.

Re: McMurtry

Stone, I know you're talking the movie, but any time I can talk up Dorothy Johnson and snipe at ol' Larry, I'll do it ;-)


So who is the best ever Western villain?

Palance was good in Shane. Richard Boone was good in Big Jake.

But I think I have to vote for Hank Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West.


Best drunken sot in a Western?
Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou.


Best drunken horse in a Western?
Lee Marvin's horse in Cat Ballou.


Homeliest actor in any Western he was ever in?
That's gotta be Jack Elam.


Which is better The Magnificent Seven or The Wild Bunch?

I always admired the sheer bloody spectacle in the opening scene of The Wild Bunch. But Steve McQueen delivered one of the all-time best gunfighter lines in The Magnificent Seven: "We deal in lead Friend."

Of course The Professionals (1966) wasn't bad either - good enough anyway to inspire Peckinpah to do The Wild Bunch.

Best bad guys?

Johnny Ringo is pretty good

My favs are Good Bad & the Ugly
Lonesome Dove - Open Range
Comanche Moon is the 3rd sequel to Lonesome Dove

I love all Cowboy Movies

Stagecoach. An oldie, really old, but good. El Dorado (spelling?) and Son's of Katie Elder are also good Duke Wayne flicks. A Fistfull of Dollars was probably the most groundbreaking spaghetti western. I also recently saw No Country for Old Men and thought it was great. Some people leaving the theatre were unhappy with the ending, however.

I think She wore a Yellow Ribbon is the best western of all time.

How about the following:

A Fistful of Dollars
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...of_Dollars

Hondo
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...%28film%29

The Magnificent Seven
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...cent_Seven

Or the movies that inspired the Spaghetti Westerns:

Spaghetti Westerns
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...ti_Western

Yojimbo
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...%28film%29

The Seven Samurai
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...en_Samurai

Sanjuro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjuro

Ok so the last three aren't "Westerns" but without them the Clint Eastwood/Sergio Leone westerns and The Magnificent Seven would not exist.

[This message has been edited by Kyle L. Varnell (edited 1/5/2008).]

Haha, I'm a little late on catching up - Anyway, I used to think Dances with Wolves was good, but I guess I was too young to judge. The last time I saw it, yeah... it was pretty damn lame. Deserving of an "Aaargh."

Cat Ballou was intersting, even with Hanoi Jane and when I saw Tombstone, I thought that was great - but I imagine I'd probably laugh if I saw it again.

I mostly enjoy any of the ones where they paint some Italians to look like the natives.

P.S. No Brokeback Mountain? Or what was that crappy horse movie that played for about a month in Miles City - Seabiscuit - maybe that was a racehorse movie. Apparently, anything with a horse deserves to be played forever in MC.

[This message has been edited by Buck Showalter (edited 1/5/2008).]

Fort Apache, part of the same trilogy that included She Wore a Yellow Ribbon was also great. What was the third in the trilogy? Rio Grande?

I actually thought Brokeback Mountain was a pretty good movie although I could have lived my whole life without that tent scene. I thought Heath Ledger played a rancher/cowboy pretty darn well and the scenery (which was actually in Canada) was georgeous. I don't know if I'd call it a western though. I heard that Heath Ledger's part was originally going to be done by Mark Walberg but he didn't want to do the tent scene.

The ending to "No Country for Old Men" is kind of confusing if you weren't really paying attention. I actually wound up seeing it twice and both times there were some groans when the credits started rolling. If anything I liked it more the 2nd time than the first though. The 2nd time I saw it was in Billings on New Years day at a Matinee and the theater was over half full. Considering it had been out for a month at that point I have to say people in Billings have pretty good taste in movies .

[This message has been edited by Levi Forman (edited 1/7/2008).]

Everyone should go see No Country For Old Men, modern day western, very entertaining, great show.

I heard part of it was filmed in the Olive Motel....

Yeah - they groaned at the end in the theater I was at. The crowd was of an odd demographic - lot of old people - don't think they knew what they were in for.

Good one Deadeye - they were going to, they just couldn't get 30 years worth of crap scraped off to fit the movie's period.

[This message has been edited by Buck Showalter (edited 2/4/2008).]