The Western genre is one of the most iconic in the history of cinema and includes a few unique subgenres. While there might not be as many Westerns made today as there were in the genre’s golden age from the 1930s to the 1960s, the best Westerns have left their unmistakable mark on pop culture. Its tropes, esthetics, and stories have been reworked times and times again both within the Western genre and outside, and several other genres have found their way within Western proper.
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Among the many subgenres of Western into which the genre can be categorized, there’s one that is well known for producing sweeping epics that have tugged at the heartstrings of several generations—and that is the Western war movie. Usually set in a Western-like time and place and featuring a major conflict that shapes the lives of their characters, Western war movies are some of the most beloved in the whole genre.
You are watching: 10 Best Western War Movies Ever Made
10
Free State of Jones (2016)
Directed by Gary Ross
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The Free State of Jones
R
Free State of Jones is a 2016 war film starring Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, and Keri Russell. The film is inspired by Newton Knight, who was a real person that led a group of former Confederate soldiers to fight back against the Confederacy. The film is helmed by Oscar-nominated director Gary Ross.
Release Date
June 24, 2016
Cast
Liza J. Bennett
, Christopher Berry
, Jacob Lofland
, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
, Jessica Collins
, Matthew McConaughey
, Sean Bridgers
, Kerry Cahill
, Keri Russell
, Mahershala Ali
Director
Gary Ross
Free State of Jones is inspired by the life of Newton Knight—played by Matthew McConaughey in the movie—a Mississippi man who deserted the Confederate Army and led a small army of rebels against it during the Civil War, while also fighting racial inequality both during and after the conflict.
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While the movie does skirt dangerously close to a white savior narrative, as several reviews have pointed out, and in general falls somewhat short on the racial aspect it wanted to explore, it remains a great example of what constitutes a Western war movie. The Civil War is more often than not a preferred setting when it comes to this particular sub-category of the Western genre, as is the focus on a singular character through whose eyes the audience follows the unfolding of real historical events.
9
Hostiles (2017)
Directed by Scott Cooper
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Hostiles
R
Hostiles is a Western drama released in 2017, featuring Christian Bale as an Army captain in 1892. Tasked with escorting a Cheyenne chief and his family through treacherous land to their Montana reservation, the film explores themes of redemption and cultural confrontation amidst a perilous journey.
Release Date
December 22, 2017
Cast
Christian Bale
, Rosamund Pike
, Wes Studi
, Jesse Plemons
, Adam Beach
, Rory Cochrane
, Peter Mullan
, Scott Wilson
, Paul Anderson
, Timothée Chalamet
, Ben Foster
, Jonathan Majors
, John Benjamin Hickey
, Q’orianka Kilcher
, Tanaya Beatty
, Bill Camp
, Scott Shepherd
, Ryan Bingham
, Robyn Malcolm
, Ava Cooper
, Stella Cooper
, David Midthunder
, Gray Wolf Herrera
, Stafford Douglas
, Stephen Lang
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Hostiles follows the story of a perilous journey through the West, with soon-to-retire Captain Joseph Blocker and a group of his fellow soldiers being tasked to escort Cheyenne war chief Yellow Hawk and his family back to their lands in Montana. Along the road, they encounter Rosalee Quaid, whose husband and three children were killed in a raid and who joins them on their journey.
A stunning movie to look at thanks to its incredible cinematography, Hostiles is also a really brutal watch. The violence happens often, right from the harrowing opening scene, and it happens quickly, leaving the audience as shocked by it as the characters on the screen.
8
Woman Walks Ahead (2017)
Directed by Susanna White
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Woman Walks Ahead
R
Woman Walks Ahead (2017) is a period drama directed by Susanna White. Starring Jessica Chastain, the film portrays the true story of Catherine Weldon, a portrait painter in the 1890s who travels to Dakota to meet Sitting Bull (Michael Greyeyes) and paint his portrait. The film explores themes of cultural conflict and friendship against the backdrop of the Native American struggle to retain their land and identity.
Release Date
September 10, 2017
Cast
Jessica Chastain
, Michael Greyeyes
, Sam Rockwell
, Ciarán Hinds
, Chaske Spencer
, Bill Camp
, Willy RunsAbove
, Louisa Krause
Director
Susanna White
Woman Walks Ahead tells the story of Catherine Weldon, a painter who traveled from New York City to the Dakota territory at the end of the 19th century to paint a portrait of Lakota leader Sitting Bull. Once there, her life becomes entangled with the struggle of the Lakota people to reclaim their rights to their land, which will lead her to clash with the authorities, particularly the Indian agents operating in the region.
While there are some historical inaccuracies, as in pretty much every movie based on real-life events, Woman Walks Ahead gained particular praise for Michael Greyeyes’s portrayal of Sitting Bull. All and all, it’s another movie that perfectly encapsulates what makes the western war sub-genre what it is—an explicit conflict that shapes the lives of everyone around it set against the backdrop of the American West, which is almost its own character.
7
Glory (1989)
Directed by Edward Zwick
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Glory
R
Based on documented events, Glory is a historical war-drama film by director Edward Zwick and tells the story of the first all-black infantry regiment in the Civil War. Being led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, comprised entirely of volunteers, fight to protect their nation and people while facing discrimination from all sides.
Release Date
December 15, 1989
Cast
Matthew Broderick
, Denzel Washington
, Cary Elwes
, Morgan Freeman
, Jihmi Kennedy
, Andre Braugher
Director
Edward Zwick
Glory is one of the great movies set during the Civil War and it focuses on the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first made up of African American soldiers in the entire Union Army. The climax of the movie is the Second Battle of Fort Wagner, which was never taken by the Union Army, and which many of the movie’s characters don’t survive.
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While not as Western-like as other movies, Glory nonetheless features some of the key elements of this subgenre, especially regarding the Civil War setting, and the plot points being a reflection on the larger social tides in the newborn United States of America. It also won Denzel Washington his first Academy Award, which he received for his work in the supporting role of Silas Trip.
6
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Directed by Sergio Leone
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The Good the Bad and the Ugly
R
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a Spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone, scored by Ennio Morricone, and starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach as three gunslingers who compete for a cache of Confederate gold during the American Civil War. The 1966 film is regarded as one of the greatest Westerns of all time.
Release Date
December 29, 1967
Cast
Aldo Giuffrè
, Eli Wallach
, Clint Eastwood
, Lee Van Cleef
, Luigi Pistilli
Director
Sergio Leone
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a pillar of the entire Western genre, so influential and so iconic that everything about it—from its characters to its shots to its music—has contributed to shaping the history of cinema after it. A movie so monumental fits many labels, and considering how it’s set during the Civil War, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly can also very much be considered part of the Western war sub-genre.
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The story follows the three titular characters, Blondie (“The Good”), Angel Eyes (“The Bad”), and Tuco (“The Ugly”) as they all ride through the Southwest chasing after a large sum of gold that is buried in a cemetery. Their allegiances shift along the way until they come face to face in said cemetery, where their infamous Mexican standoff takes place—at the end of which The Good, of course, rides off with his fair share of the treasure.
5
The Alamo (1960)
Directed by John Wayne
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The Alamo
NR
The Alamo (1960) is a historical epic directed by John Wayne, depicting the valiant defense by Texan revolutionaries against Mexican forces in 1836. The film dramatizes the legendary battle where a small group of soldiers, including iconic figures like Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, defend the Alamo Mission.
Release Date
October 23, 1960
Cast
John Wayne
, Richard Widmark
, Laurence Harvey
, Frankie Avalon
, Patrick Wayne
, Linda Cristal
, Joan O’Brien
, Chill Wills
, Joseph Calleia
, Ken Curtis
, Carlos Arruza
, Jester Hairston
, Veda Ann Borg
, John Dierkes
, Denver Pyle
, Aissa Wayne
, Hank Worden
, William Henry
, Bill Daniel
, Wesley Lau
, Chuck Roberson
, Guinn “Big Boy” Williams
, Olive Carey
, Ruben Padilla
, Richard Boone
Director
John Wayne
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Another landmark of the genre, The Alamo features John Wayne’s work both behind and in front of the camera—he directed the movie and also starred in it as Davy “King of the Wild Frontier” Crockett. As the name suggests, the movie tells the story of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, a decisive Mexican victory that still marked a turning point in the Texas Revolution.
Alongside the long siege and battle scenes, which earn The Alamo the label of “war movie,” there’s also the underlying conflict between the strong personalities of all the main characters involved, from Alamo commanders Bowie and Travis to Colonel Crockett, who all have very different ideas on how to run the garrison and its men. While its setting is not as open-air as that of other movies, the period in which the story takes place contributes to planting The Alamo firmly in the Western war subgenre.
4
Dances With Wolves (1990)
Directed by Kevin Costner
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8.7/10
Dances With Wolves
PG-13
Dances With Wolves, directed by Kevin Costner, follows Civil War soldier John Dunbar, who is sent to a remote post on the Western frontier. There, he forms an unexpected bond with a Sioux tribe, challenging his own beliefs and understanding of culture and identity.
Release Date
March 30, 1990
Cast
Kevin Costner
, Mary McDonnell
, Graham Greene
, Rodney A. Grant
, Floyd Westerman
, Tantoo Cardinal
Director
Kevin Costner
An adaptation of the 1988 novel of the same name by Michael Blake, Dances With Wolves is one of the great titles of Kevin Costner’s career, who starred, produced, and directed it. It follows Union Army Lieutenant John Dunbar, who travels to an outpost in the Colorado frontier after being wounded in battle in Tennessee. He soon meets a group of Sioux who live close to the fort, and his life becomes deeply entangled with the tribe.
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Dances With Wolves is certainly a product of its time, relying on a series of tropes—from the “white savior” to the “noble savage”—which are slightly more outdated today, but it remains a grand epic filled with sweeping emotions, one where war and the frontier are both their own characters, as it always should be in a good Western.
3
Seraphim Falls (2006)
Directed by David Von Ancken
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Seraphim Falls
R
Seraphim Falls is a western thriller directed by David Von Ancken, starring Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson. Set after the Civil War, the film follows Gideon (Brosnan) as he is relentlessly pursued through the rugged landscapes by Morsman Carver (Neeson). Both men are driven by personal vendettas, leading to a fierce and harrowing chase that explores themes of vengeance, survival, and the harsh realities of frontier life.
Release Date
September 13, 2006
Cast
Liam Neeson
, Pierce Brosnan
, Michael Wincott
, Xander Berkeley
, Ed Lauter
, Tom Noonan
Director
David Von Ancken
Like many modern Westerns, Seraphim Falls strips away the charm from the idea of the West and the frontier and really digs into the brutality and violence of it all. Like Hostiles, it’s a beautiful movie to look at, with truly show-stopping cinematography, but also one that doesn’t shy away from blood.
The story follows two men, Gideon and Colonel Carver, who are chasing each other across Nevada after an event that irrevocably pitted them one against the other during the Civil War. Gideon accidentally started a fire in Carver’s barn, which then spread to his house and caused the death of his wife and children. Carver has been chasing Gideon ever since, and the movie culminates in their final confrontation in the desert.
2
How the West Was Won (1962)
Directed by Henry Hathaway
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How the West Was Won
G
A sprawling epic that chronicles the westward expansion of the United States through the lives of four generations of a pioneer family. From the dangerous rivers to the sweeping plains, the film captures the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of settlers as they confront the harsh realities of the American frontier.
Release Date
November 1, 1962
Cast
James Stewart
, John Wayne
, Gregory Peck
, Henry Fonda
, Carroll Baker
, Lee J. Cobb
, Carolyn Jones
, Karl Malden
Director
John Ford
, Henry Hathaway
, George Marshall
, Richard Thorpe
One of the great family sagas of the Western genre, How the West Was Won follows a cast of characters that are all related to each other in one way or another through a series of pivotal events in the history of the West spanning a period from the 1830s to the 1880s. Included in these events is the Civil War, particularly the 1862 Battle of Shiloh.
A massive commercial success at the time of its release, it’s another one of the great staples of the Western genre that also spans several sub-genres. Its storyline is particularly helpful in this since the jumping from one moment of the history of the West to the other allows the movie to take on several labels at the same time, including that of Western war movies.
1
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Directed by Michael Mann
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10/10
The Last of the Mohicans
R
The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 historical drama directed by Michael Mann. Set during the French and Indian War, the film follows Hawkeye, a European-raised adoptive son of a Mohican man, as he navigates the complexities of colonial conflicts and personal relationships. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, the movie intertwines themes of love, loyalty, and survival against the backdrop of early American frontier life.
Release Date
September 25, 1992
Cast
Daniel Day-Lewis
, Madeleine Stowe
, Russel Means
, Eric Schweig
, Jodhi May
, Steven Waddington
, Wes Studi
, Maurice Roëves
Director
Michael Mann
The Last of the Mohicans is probably the most famous title of the Western war sub-genre, bar only a timeless classic like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Based on the 1826 novel of the same name by James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans is set during the French and Indian War in the late 18th century.
The story follows Mohican man Chingachgook and his sons, Uncas and Hawkeye—the latter a white man whom Chingachgook has adopted—as they escort Cora and Alice Munro to their father, a British Army colonel who commands a fort in the New York mountains. A siege, rival Native tribes, and tragedy await them all.
The Last of the Mohicans has everything a Western war movie should have, from a gripping conflict that shapes the lives of its characters to sweeping emotions that course through the whole piece. Its final sequence is an absolute masterpiece that is nothing short of iconic, accompanied by very few lines of dialogue and the movie’s immediately recognizable main theme.
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