The Greatest Westerns Ever

Are from the 60s

from JoeUser Forums
Are there any better western movies than the ones made in the 60s?

Talking about westerns on another article got me wondering about the greatest westerns ever. Well, there are too many to list. Way too many.

So I decided to list which decade had the greatest ones. To me, the sixties did. Here is my list. It was too hard to put them in order by which one I like the best, so I listed them by year.

If there's any other westerns I forgot from the 60s, that belong in my top ten, then feel free to tell me.

Or if you think there's another decade that produced 10 better ones, then again feel free to tell me.

1. The Magnificent Seven (1960)

2. How The West Was Won (1962)

3. Ride the High Country (1962)

4. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

5. Fistful of Dollars (1964)

6. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)

7. Once Upon A Time in the West (1968)

8. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

9. True Grit (1969)

10. The Wild Bunch (1969)


Tell me what you think. I think maybe the 50s comes the closest but it's top 10 doesn't equal the 60s.
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10,880 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I always liked For a Few Dollars more than I liked A Fistful of Dollars... but that might just be me.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yes I too enjoy Westerns though the politics of Western may be questioned; I would include Mckenna's Gold, 2 100 Rifles 3 High Noon and 4 Gunfight at OK Coraal.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Your list is great!

I'd add:

The Searchers (1956): Any Western that John Wayne would describe as the best role he ever played, and named his own son "Ethan" after the character, gets my vote!!

The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948): "Badges, We Don't Need No Stinking Badges"... 'nuff said. ;~D

The Cowboys (1972): One of my favorite movies, much less westerns!

Laura Dern told a great story to Johnny Carson. Her dad (Bruce Dern) played the part of the guy who shot Will Anderson (John Wayne). Her friends in school harrassed her relentlessly because her dad shot John Wayne in the back! ;~D

Many wonder if that shot didn't all but kill Bruce Dern's career also.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
1) Rio Bravo
2) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
3) Unforgiven
4) Lonesome Dove (mini-series)
5) The Sons of Katie Elder
6) The Cowboys
7) High Noon
8) The Shootist
9) The Outlaw Josey Wales
10) The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

I have to say from 2-10 there are in no particular order, I couldn't really decide which is better. I really wanted to put Once Upon A Time in the West in there, but honestly, I like those ten better. It is probably technically a more well-crafted movie, but I don't get into it the way I do the rest.

Honorable Mention:

Big Hand for the Little Lady. I want to put it in the top ten, and it is set in the old west, but I never really thought of it as a 'western' per se. I guess it would be, though. If you haven't seen it, it is a hell of a movie, well worth the effort to find it. Burgess Merideth, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards. Really great movie about a poker game.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
9) The Outlaw Josey Wales


That one's my favorite. We just watched that last weekend, actually. hehehe..."it's not fer eatin', it's fer lookin' through!"
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Paint Your Wagon
McClintock
Chisum
A Fistful of Dynamite (Duck you Sucker)
The Outlaw Josey Wales
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
El Dorado
Rio Lobo
The Train Robbers
True Grit
High Plains Drifter
Hang em High
The Magnificent Seven
The Sons of Katie Elder
True Grit

In no particular order except the first one.

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
As far as more contemporary westerns go, the Louis L'Amour adaptations (usually starring Tom Selleck) are favorites of mine. Louis L'Amour's stories are easily adapted to film, they are usually pretty historically authentic (you don't see people "circling the wagons" ;~D) and Tom Selleck is at his best when sharing the screen with a horse.

The Sacketts being the best (imho).
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
--I always liked For a Few Dollars more than I liked A Fistful of Dollars... but that might just be me.--

Actually I almost put it instead of How The West Was Won. I loved the scene where Lee Van Cleef strikes the match on Klaus Kinski's neck.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
--Yes I too enjoy Westerns though the politics of Western may be questioned; I would include Mckenna's Gold, 2 100 Rifles 3 High Noon and 4 Gunfight at OK Coraal--

Didn't Raquel Welch play in 100 Rifles? Did you like her in "Hannie Caulder"?

Which movie about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday is the best? Gunfight at the O.K. Corrall, My Darling Clementine or Tombstone?
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Which movie about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday is the best? Gunfight at the O.K. Corrall, My Darling Clementine or Tombstone?


Didn't like "My Darling Clementine" much (although it had its moments).. this is a cop out, but I liked both Tombstone and Gunfight pretty equally, but for different reasons.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
--The Searchers (1956): Any Western that John Wayne would describe as the best role he ever played, and named his own son "Ethan" after the character, gets my vote!!--

Good piece of trivia. I didn't know that. Great movie and the final shot was so good.

--The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948): "Badges, We Don't Need No Stinking Badges"... 'nuff said.--

Terrific movie. One of those movie quotes that everyone knows.

--The Cowboys (1972): One of my favorite movies, much less westerns!

Laura Dern told a great story to Johnny Carson. Her dad (Bruce Dern) played the part of the guy who shot Will Anderson (John Wayne). Her friends in school harrassed her relentlessly because her dad shot John Wayne in the back! ;~D

Many wonder if that shot didn't all but kill Bruce Dern's career also.--

In another interview she told Bob Costas that her dad still gets hate mail over that scene. Incredible.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
If anyone is up for real cheezy B-Movie Western fun... check out "Jesse James Meets Frankenstien's Daughter" But only with someone you love...

(((Because no one else will ever look at you quite the same again))) ;~D
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
--4) Lonesome Dove (mini-series)--
--7) High Noon--
--Honorable Mention: Big Hand for the Little Lady.--

I love all them all. Lonesome Dove never gets enough credit. Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones were perfect in their parts.

Everytime I see High Noon the more I love when Will Kane throws his badge down.

Nice mention on "Big Hand for the Little Lady". I was totally taken in, too. Like a fish that got hooked.
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
--#5 by dharmagrl
Friday, September 09, 2005

9) The Outlaw Josey Wales

That one's my favorite. We just watched that last weekend, actually. hehehe..."it's not fer eatin', it's fer lookin' through!"--

Well that's a great choice. Some great quotes in it, too. One of my favorite one is,"..don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining".
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
--A Fistful of Dynamite (Duck you Sucker)--

Good choice, Doc. I forgot about that one. Sergio Leone, too. How could I forgotten.

Is there any better music than Ennio Morricone's?
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
--"Tom Selleck is at his best when sharing the screen with a horse"--

Did you like "Quigley Down Under"?

--"The Sacketts being the best"--

Damn another one I forgot. That's a very good one. I like Sam Elliot's Arkansas toothpick scene.

--"Didn't like "My Darling Clementine" much (although it had its moments).. this is a cop out, but I liked both Tombstone and Gunfight pretty equally, but for different reasons."--

Val Kilmer was good. Did you like the Kevin Costner version?

--"If anyone is up for real cheezy B-Movie Western fun... check out "Jesse James Meets Frankenstien's Daughter" But only with someone you love..."--

I can't say I ever saw it. I wonder if they ever showed it on Mystery Science Theater.
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
Saw "How the West Was Won" back when I was in high school, we had a field trip to St. Paul
to tour the Kodak film building, had a picnic at Como Park, then went to the great Cooper
theater to see the movie. It was awesome, the theater had some kind of 'wrap around" picture.
Huge screen!
Have it now on DVD.

As a kid, and still do, love any movies with Roy Rogers and Trigger........yup, he was my childhood hero
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
--Saw "How the West Was Won" back when I was in high school, we had a field trip to St. Paul
to tour the Kodak film building, had a picnic at Como Park, then went to the great Cooper
theater to see the movie. It was awesome, the theater had some kind of 'wrap around" picture.
Huge screen!--

I want something like that in my house, with a great sound system, too.


--As a kid, and still do, love any movies with Roy Rogers and Trigger........yup, he was my childhood hero---

Trudy, I'm going to sing to you ... Happy Trails to you .. until we me again