The Western genre is well known for being a critical part of Hollywood and American cinema. Unsurprisingly, many great Westerns have been nominated at the Oscars, often earning a nod for Best Picture. While there are plenty of Western movies that have won the top prize, some have lost out to other iconic works, from Gone With The Wind to Casablanca. However, these films have remained significant parts of the cultural conversation and have been highly influential within the genre because they hold up so well today.
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It’s likely that many of these projects would win at the Oscars today since their themes and subjects are deeply in conversation with contemporary subjects and interests. These are some of the best Western movies to watch for the first time as an introduction. Many of the tropes and formulas of the Western were established in these fantastic movies and later subverted by them as well. Long-standing aspects of the Western genre include the concept of the outlaw, the gunslinger, and general rugged individualism. These elements are either celebrated or deconstructed by these films with care and attention to detail.
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10
Red River (1948)
Directed by Howard Hawks
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Red River
Drama
Western
10/10
Release Date
September 7, 1948
Runtime
133 Minutes
Cast
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-
John Wayne
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Montgomery Clift
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Red River is a great John Wayne movie for Western beginners who are looking for a foothold in the genre. Wayne is joined by Montgomery Clift in Red River, which follows an early cattle drive and the problems it posed for the ranchers involved. Wayne’s character, Thomas Dunson, gets caught up in a conflict surrounding the politics and external issues the drive faces. However, his dynamic with Clift, who plays Dunson’s surrogate son, Matt, is one of the most compelling emotional pieces of the film.
Red River gives Wayne some of his best material within the genre and pushes his traditional archetype of the rugged hero.
The depiction of Indigenous Americans in Red River is a prominent part of the project that hasn’t aged well and is the most glaring flaw with Red River. When revisiting the film today, grappling with these issues is important, as it allows the audience to understand the cultural context, as well as the prevalence of the myths of the American West. Red River gives Wayne some of his best material within the genre and pushes his traditional archetype of the rugged hero.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Red River (1948) |
100% |
87% |
9
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
Directed by William A. Wellman
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The Ox-Bow Incident
Drama
Western
Release Date
May 21, 1943
Runtime
75 Minutes
Cast
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Henry Fonda
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Dana Andrews
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Mary Beth Hughes
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Anthony Quinn
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The Ox-Bow Incident is a dark, gritty addition to the Western genre, with Henry Fonda leading the cast as Gil Carter. It’s impossible to look away from Fonda every moment he’s onscreen, not only because of his stellar performance but because the story is so shocking and stressful. Touching upon mob mentality and the terror of discrimination, which ultimately leads to the wrongful death of three men, The Ox-Bow Incident chronicles the dark side of the concept of the outlaw.
The Ox-Bow Incident is difficult to watch and not at all an uplifting addition to the genre. However, because of its important and relevant political themes, it’s well worth watching The Ox-Bow Incident. It’s not surprising that some audiences were turned off by the grim tone of the film, which led the movie only to be nominated in no other categories but Best Picture at the Oscars. Today, the well-paced and harsh story would connect with audiences interested in dissecting the Western genre.
|
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
The Ox-Bow Incident (1942) |
92% |
91% |
8
High Noon (1952)
Directed by Fred Zinnemann
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High Noon
PG
Drama
Western
7.3/10
Release Date
June 30, 1952
Runtime
85 Minutes
Cast
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Gary Cooper
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Thomas Mitchell
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Grace Kelly and Gary Cooper lead High Noon as a husband and wife who face pressure to leave town since Cooper’s Will Kane is an unwelcome Marshal. When an outlaw and his gang begin targeting Kane and his wife Amy (Kelly), the result is a tension-filled standoff as the couple wait for the men to arrive since Amy feels they should leave town immediately and Kane can’t back down from a fight. Much of the story is defined by the ideologically opposing viewpoints that Amy and Kane bring to the narrative.
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Amy is an unusual character for Kelly, but the actress holds her own next to Cooper, and her position as his savior, not just a damsel in distress, was well ahead of its time. The fact that High Noon argued against violence made a case for friendship and teamwork rather than the rugged individualism that was so prevalent in High Noon. Throughout the story, High Noon grapples with the parts of Western movies that have come under fire today and explore a more humanist take on the genre.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
High Noon (1952) |
95% |
89% |
7
Shane (1953)
Directed by George Stevens
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Shane
Approved
Western
Drama
10/10
Release Date
August 14, 1953
Runtime
118 Minutes
Cast
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Alan Ladd
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Jean Arthur
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Alan Ladd had an amazing career as a Western gunslinger, and no movie better embodies this than Shane. Immediately hailed for its gorgeous cinematography and setting, Shane questions the breadth of what the mythic Western outlaw was allowed to do with his gun and his land. Touching upon conflicts between early settlers and cattle ranchers who tried to buy up land and exploit other people on the frontier, Shane follows its titular character as he rides in and out of one small town in the midst of one of these battles.
Shane is told through the singular lens of white settlers and grapples with the romanticism of the idea that leaving for the Western frontier will spark prosperity and a fresh new life. Ladd also had an illustrious career within the noir genre, which lent itself to his ability to bring the enigmatic Shane to life. Shane doesn’t hold back from looking at the casual cruelty of everyday people looking to make their fortune off the land.
|
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Shane (1953) |
97% |
81% |
6
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Directed by George Roy Hill
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Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
PG
Western
Adventure
9.7/10
Release Date
September 24, 1969
Runtime
111 Minutes
Cast
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Paul Newman
Butch Cassidy
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Robert Redford
Sundance Kid
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Few pairs of Hollywood actors are as iconic as Robert Redford and Paul Newman, who elevated every second of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid thanks to their chemistry. Newman is Butch, while Redford portrays Sundance, and though it’s clear from the start that this odd couple is doomed to fall by their own sword, it’s endlessly entertaining seeing them get to their destination. Though there’s plenty of violence and crime in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, as well as tragedy, the film is remembered for its humor more than anything.
The final shootout of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is worthy of the myths and legends that follow the two outlaws.
The final shootout of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is worthy of the myths and legends that follow the two outlaws. There’s a cognitive dissonance that’s prevalent in the movie, which is what has kept it relevant and allows the story to maintain a hold on the cultural conversation. Holding together the idea that these men can be goofballs, as well as tributes to the idea of the classic Western outlaw, set the film apart from other projects that were strictly comedies or tragedies.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) |
89% |
92% |
5
Giant (1956)
Directed by George Stevens
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Giant
G
Drama
Action
Documentary
Romance
Western
Release Date
November 24, 1956
Runtime
201 minutes
Cast
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Elizabeth Taylor
Leslie Lynnton Benedict
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Rock Hudson
Jordan Bick Benedict Jr.
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James Dean
Jett Rink
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Carroll Baker
Luz Benedict II
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Giant looks at the Western genre through a unique lens, following a family of Texas ranchers and oil barons beginning in the 1920s and expanding into the mid-20th century. Rock Hudson plays the patriarch of this family, with Elizabeth Taylor appearing as his more progressive wife and James Dean as the troubled ranch hand who becomes intertwined with the family. Though the film is initially about the dynamic between this trio, it eventually expands to include their children, who see the world in new ways.
The thesis of Giant is in conversation with the way the American West changed during this pivotal era and how each generation plays a critical role in helping shape a more accepting future. Though Giant is far from perfect in its representation of the treatment of Mexican people living and working in Texas during this period, it made some strides in more tolerant representation onscreen and isn’t as problematic as many films within the genre. Watching Giant is a long and winding journey, but seeing the film through is satisfying.
|
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Giant (1956) |
86% |
87% |
4
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (1948)
Directed by John Huston
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The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Not Rated
Adventure
Drama
Western
10/10
9.5/10
Release Date
January 24, 1948
Runtime
126 Minutes
Cast
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Humphrey Bogart
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Walter Huston
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Humphrey Bogart didn’t lead many Western movies, but it’s a gift that he was part of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The director, John Huston, had previously worked with Bogart on the noir film The Maltese Falcon and would again in the early ’50s on the adventure romance movie The African Queen. However, both Bogart and Huston were up to the challenge in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, as there are mystery and adventure elements prevalent throughout the film.
The complexities and nebulous storytelling of the film would be just as well received today as it was in the 1940s.
Unlike the traditional Westerns that were being made during this period, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre stood out because of its morally ambiguous or explicitly violent themes. The film touches upon issues like greed and the cyclical nature of violence. Overall, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is defined by its darkly ironic tone, as well as Bogart’s performance. The complexities and nebulous storytelling of the film would be just as well received today as it was in the 1940s.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) |
100% |
93% |
3
Stagecoach (1939)
Directed by John Ford
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Stagecoach
Not Rated
Western
Adventure
9/10
Release Date
March 3, 1939
Runtime
96 Minutes
Cast
See All
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Claire Trevor
Dallas
-
John Wayne
The Ringo Kid
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John Wayne is one of the names that first come to mind when discussing the Western genre, and his frequent collaborator, the director John Ford, is a large part of why. Wayne’s place as a Western hero was cemented by his performance in Stagecoach. The film might be from the late 1930s, but its story is as gripping in the contemporary era as it was then. Today, watching Stagecoach sparks controversy due to its portrayal of Indigenous Americans, but criticisms like this help audiences engage with these problematic themes that are so prevalent in the genre.
Stagecoach is the best collaboration between John Wayne and John Ford, which is saying something considering the actor and director worked with each other on fourteen movies. Unfortunately, the competition at the 1940 Academy Awards was fierce, with Gone With The Wind beating out Stagecoach for Best Picture. Though there are elements of Stagecoach that would have to be altered, it’s consistently ranked as one of the greatest Westerns of all time.
|
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Stagecoach (1939) |
100% |
86% |
2
How The West Was Won (1962)
Directed by John Ford, Henry Hathaway, & George Marshall
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How the West Was Won
G
Western
Adventure
War
7.3/10
Release Date
November 1, 1962
Runtime
164 Minutes
Cast
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James Stewart
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John Wayne
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The all-star cast of How The West Was Won is reason enough to revisit this classic addition to the Western genre. Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, and Debbie Reynolds are only a few of the huge names that appear in How The West Was Won, which was nominated for Best Picture at the 1965 Academy Awards. How The West Was Won earns the title of epic as much as it does Western, as the sweeping story has something for everyone.
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Though there are certain outdated concepts and themes in How The West Was Won, as it’s a tribute to the idea of the West, it weaves together these iconic myths in an unforgettable package. Every element of How The West Was Won lends itself to carving a place for the movie in cinematic history and eventually inspired a TV show of the same name. Audiences today would likely respond well to the large-scale historical tone of How The West Was Won and appreciate its dedication to the craft of filmmaking.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
How The West Was Won (1962) |
88% |
74% |
1
Unforgiven (1992)
Directed by Clint Eastwood
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Unforgiven
R
Western
Drama
16
9.4/10
Release Date
August 7, 1992
Runtime
130 Mins
Cast
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Clint Eastwood
Bill Munny
-
Gene Hackman
Little Bill Daggett
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Clint Eastwood’s magnum opus, Unforgiven, is remembered as one of the best Western movies of all time, subverting expectations and transforming how people think about the genre. Eastwood has a long history and connection to the genre, as he began his career as a gunslinging hero, then an anti-hero, and eventually went behind the camera to direct his own projects. Directed by and starring Eastwood, Unforgiven demonstrates a depth of understanding of the Western rarely seen onscreen.
His character, the protagonist Will Munny, is a metaphor for the Western genre itself, as an aging, morally ambiguous figure unsure of his place in the world. When Munny is convinced to go on one last ride to seek vengeance on the terrifying Little Bill Daggett (Gene Hackman), it sparks a conflict full of tension and poetic resonance. Unforgiven enjoyed many victories at the Oscars, including Best Picture, and it’s undeniable that it would perform just as well today.
|
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Unforgiven (1992) |
96% |
93% |
Source: Oscars.org
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Category: Entertainment