From classic high noon showdowns to heroic journeys across the Wild West, the Western genre has captivated audiences for decades. We just can’t get enough with themes of adventure, justice, and human triumph. So grab your Stetson and join us as we ride into the heart of Western cinema, where legends are born and myths are made, with the 17 greatest Westerns of all time.
The Magnificent 7
An emotional tale of honor and brotherhood, seven gunslingers who pledge to assist a tiny Mexican community fight back against thieves. The Magnificent Seven is as thrilling today as it was in 1960, thanks to its lively score, engaging character motives, and emotionally riveting story.
The Wild Bunch
The outstanding breakout of director Sam Peckinpah, The Wild Bunch is both shocking and thrilling, a highly acclaimed hit cloaked in controversy. A violent masterpiece, the film follows a group of aging criminals looking for one final big score before retiring. But when the heist turns into an ambush, they flee to Mexico and encounter a nasty general.
The Power of the Dog
Based on Thomas Savage’s obscure 1967 novel, this Western is a character study of Phil Burbank, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, a vicious and volatile Montana rancher who despises anybody who does not fit into his masculine views. The film clearly exposes the restrictive limits of gender and sexuality propagated by the American Western myth and masterfully explores how they lead to one man’s destruction.
Django Unchained
Messy, daring, and raucously amusing, Django Unchained is classic Quintin Tarantino. It’s a bold reinvention of the spaghetti Western, with elements of homage and subversion. Set in the Deep South, the film follows Django, played by Jaime Foxx, an African American slave. As expected from Tarantino, the film is jam-packed with visual and plot references, as well as classic Western actors such as Bruce Dern. But thanks to Tarantino’s brilliant original screenplay, it stands on its own as a stylish and horrific historical piece.
High Noon
A must-watch for any Western fan, High Noon is the perfect blend of chaos among action when a deserted town leaves Will Kane facing the bad guys alone. Originally met with mixed reviews due to its strong themes of communism, Fred Zinnemann’s classic, starring Gary Cooper, is now regarded as one of the greatest Westerns of all time. When retired marshal Will Kane’s plans to leave town are disrupted by a freed criminal out for revenge, Kane is faced with a tricky dilemma: flee or fight.
The Gunfighter
With a storyline reminiscent of a Greek tragedy that evolved into one of the great Western clichés, aging gunman Gregory Peck attempts to put his violent past behind him, only to discover that there’s always one more youngster to outdraw.
Rio Bravo
This John Wayne classic remains one of the greatest Westerns of all time. When Wayne’s small-town sheriff John T. Chance arrests a local cattle baron for murder, chaos ensues as the criminal’s vicious crew rides into town. With help from a young gunslinger, an old town resident, and the town drunk, Chance sets out to defend the town.
The Homesman
Set in the 1950s, the Homesman has rightfully earned its title as a feminist Western, exploring societal pressures in a creative plot that places women at the center of the action. Following Mary Bee Cuddy, played by Hilary Swank, the film centers on her journey to free women from pioneer life. As she teams up with drifter George, played by Tommy Lee Jones, the film perfectly captures the psychological peril and constant threat of the Wild West.
The Proposition
A tale as old as time, the classic Western meets the Australian Outback in John Hillcoat’s brutal tale of loyalty and revenge. After notorious outlaw Charlie Burns, played by Guy Pearce, is arrested, he is given nine days to make a difficult decision: be pardoned for his crimes or sacrifice his older brother. In a vicious tale of sibling rivalry, Burns sets out to locate and kill his brother in an attempt to save himself. The Proposition is a gut-wrenching watch that not only explores themes of colonial imperialism but pays visual and narrative homage to classic Leone Westerns.
Shane
This brooding masterpiece has influenced the genre since its release in 1953. A coming-of-age tale, Shane follows a bounty hunter, played by Alan Ladd, who starts a new life as a farmhand in 1880s Wyoming. When Shane befriends the family that hired him, he begins fantasizing about a peaceful life on the ranch. But the arrival of a ruthless cattle mogul forces the gunslinger back into action.
True Grit (2010)
A remake of Henry Hathaway’s 1969 Western classic, True Grit is a tale of vengeance, sacrifice, and redemption. When 14-year-old Mattie (Hailee Steinfeld) teams up with drunken U.S. Marshal Rooster (Jeff Bridges) to track down the man who murdered her father, a gripping tale of revenge commences. With a stellar cast and an exceptional breakthrough performance by Steinfield, True Grit has become a modern Western classic, weaving an old-fashioned plot in a classic coming-of-age tale.
Unforgiven
Perhaps the pinnacle of modern Westerns, this Oscar-winning epic is a gloomy meditation on the West, exploring mythology and history through a violently dark lens. Set in 1881, the film stars Clint Eastwood as a retired outlaw who returns to the trade. Praised for its moral uncertainty, the film pays homage to the Western genre by juxtaposing courage and revenge.
No Country for Old Men
A modern take on the Western flick, this Oscar-winning neo-Western adapts the 2005 Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name. A tragic story in 1980s West Texas unfolds when a welder, played by Josh Brolin, discovers a briefcase filled with millions of dollars and unwittingly becomes a target. Another Coen Brothers hit, this modern Western is as suspenseful as it is visually captivating.
The Hateful Eight
Another Western from Quintin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight a tense and, in true Tarantino style, brutal thrill ride as it swaps the classic Western backdrop for a cold blizzard as a group of outlaws take shelter in a stagecoach stopover. Mixed with a twisty whodunit narrative, The Hateful Eight is a modern classic in the Western genre.
A Fistful of Dollars
The first installment in Sergio Leone’s Dollar Trilogy, A Fistful of Dollars is a Western reimagining of the Japanese film Yojimbo. It follows Clint Eastwood’s nameless protagonist as he arrives in a town divided into two competing criminal factions and pits the gangs against one another.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Perhaps the most renowned spaghetti Western of all time, Sergio Leone’s cult classic is a stylish and colorful visual treat. Complimented by Ennio Morricone’s unforgettable soundtrack, this massively influential Western boasts memorable scenes and a young Clint Eastwood as he competes for a stash of gold. What more could we want?
