The Western genre has long given audiences some of the greatest stories ever told, from John Ford’s The Searchers to Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven. Focusing on the lives and trials of gunslingers, lawmen, and weary travelers in the Wild West, these films have delved into deep topics, from forgiveness to redemption. Along the way, these films have contributed a number of cinema’s most devastating moments.
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Considering the depth and symbolism of Western films, few genres have captured the raw emotion of the human experience as the works and characters of film-makers like Sergio Leone and the Coen Brothers. The genre is at its best when it can play on the feelings of its audience. When remembering how difficult, violent and dangerous the Old West was, it’s no surprise that the best films in the genre can cause even the most stoic viewers to shed a tear.
You are watching: 10 Devastating Moments In Westerns That Made Us Cry
10
The Death Of Chavez y Chavez
Young Guns II (1990)
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Young Guns
R
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
Action
Drama
10/10
Release Date
August 12, 1988
Runtime
107 Minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
Christopher Cain
Writers
John Fusco
Cast
See All
-
Emilio Estevez
-
Kiefer Sutherland
A band of young gunslingers, led by the rebellious Billy the Kid, seeks retribution for the killing of their guardian. As they navigate the dangers of the Old West, their acts of vengeance draw the ire of both the law and their enemies.
Main Genre
Western
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When the first movie released, Young Guns took the 1980s’ ‘brat pack’ generation of young actors to the Wild West. Uniting Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips and more, the movie explored the tale of Billy the Kid, the Regulators and the Lincoln County War. In the sequel, the survivors of the group reunite, this time fleeing for their lives, culminating in a showdown that results in the death of Chavez y Chavez.
Heading out to die in solitude, the gunslinger finds some semblance of peace from his life of violence.
As one of the few moments serious enough to cause Billy to become introspective, the death of Chavez marks the final nail in the coffin for the Regulators. Heading out to die in solitude, the gunslinger finds some semblance of peace from his life of violence. However, like so many deaths in the duology, his passing should never have happened, and it leaves an already lonely Billy forced to contend with the consequences of his actions.
9
Cheyenne And Harmonica Leave Jill
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
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Once Upon a Time in the West
pg-13
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
Drama
10/10
Release Date
December 20, 1968
Runtime
166 Minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
Sergio Leone
Writers
Sergio Leone, Sergio Donati, Dario Argento, Bernardo Bertolucci
Cast
See All
-
Henry Fonda
-
Charles Bronson
Once Upon a Time in the West is a critically acclaimed Italian Western released in 1968. Directed by Sergio Leone, the film stars Henry Fonda as Frank and Charles Bronson as Harmonica, two men who work together to protect widow Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale) from an assassin. Sergio Donati and Leone wrote the screenplay for the film based on a story by Dario Argento.
Main Genre
Western
Studio(s)
Rafran Cinematografica, San Marco, Paramount Pictures
Distributor(s)
Paramount Pictures
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In Once Upon A Time In the West, Sergio Leone gave the genre one of its most epic revenge sagas, revolving around the team-up of a widow, a bandit, and vengeful drifter against a murderous outlaw. With the construction of a small town as its backdrop, Charles Bronson’s Harmonica gets his revenge. However, unlike what the audience might expect, neither man swoops the widowed Jill McBain off her feet.
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7
Leone’s epic Western makes the audience root for Jill McBain to find love in one of the heroes, only to watch as she’s abandoned by them at the end. In the span of just a few minutes, the widow is left behind, Cheyenne dies and Harmonica rides away, a holdover of the Old West in a new era that has no use for him. The scene is bittersweet, showing that Jill has a place in the new town, even if her farewell to the heroes is a moment of heartbreak — all to the tender music of Ennio Morricone.
8
Shane Riding Into The Horizon
Shane (1953)
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Shane
Approved
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
Drama
10/10
Release Date
August 14, 1953
Runtime
118 Minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
George Stevens
Writers
A.B. Guthrie Jr., Jack Sher, Jack Schaefer
Cast
See All
-
Alan Ladd
-
Jean Arthur
Shane is a classic Western directed by George Stevens. Released in 1953, the film stars Alan Ladd as a mysterious drifter who becomes embroiled in a conflict between homesteaders and a ruthless cattle baron. Jean Arthur and Van Heflin co-star as a frontier couple who find themselves drawn into the escalating tensions. Shane examines themes of heroism and sacrifice set against the backdrop of the American frontier.
Main Genre
Western
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Few films have defined the Western mythos as well as Shane, which documents a retired gunfighter getting back in the saddle to save a family of homesteaders from harm. After fending off a gang of hired guns, the hero is wounded in a shootout and shares a tender moment with the young Joey. After delivering an iconic monologue, he rides off into the horizon, all while the boy pleads for him to come back, to no avail.
The ending of Shane is fully open to interpretation, and how a viewer perceives it will color their response to the final shot. While some see it as the triumphant hero riding off for the next chapter in his life, others strongly contend that the hero was mortally wounded — and he only left to spare Joey the pain of watching him die. The scene itself signals the end of the Old West, with the Starretts symbolizing the future — which has no place for the gunfighters of old.
7
Doc Holliday’s Death
Tombstone (1993)
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Tombstone
R
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
Biography
Drama
8/10
261
9.4/10
Release Date
December 25, 1993
Runtime
130 minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
George P. Cosmatos, Kevin Jarre
Writers
Kevin Jarre
Cast
See All
-
Bill Paxton
-
Charlton Heston
Tombstone is a Western film loosely based on true events. When a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys ride into a town and slay several police officers for revenge for the death of two of their gang members, word of their misdeeds reaches the ears of a retired lawman. Gathering a group together, the new vigilantes will defend the town and aim to end the terror of the Cowboys.
Main Genre
Western
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In 1993, Tombstone redefined the Western genre for a new generation, blending a buddy team-up action story with an epic tale of revenge. At its heart, the film focuses on the friendship between Wyatt Earp and legendary sharpshooter Doc Holliday as they take on the ruthless Cowboy gang. However, with Doc struggling with tuberculosis from the start, the audience and characters alike understand his days are numbered.
Throughout Tombstone, Doc Holliday makes his desire to die on his feet clear, placing himself in harm’s way and even taunting Johnny Ringo for his failure to kill him. The hero looked for a worthy challenger from start to finish, only to perish in a hospital bed at the hands of a bug. Thanks to the acting of Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, the moment truly feels like one friend watching another die, and marks the end of an era for both Earp and the West.
6
The Murder Of Silence And Pauline
The Great Silence (1968)
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The Great Silence
Not Rated
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
Drama
Release Date
January 27, 1969
Runtime
105 Minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
Sergio Corbucci
Writers
Sergio Corbucci, Vittoriano Petrilli, Mario Amendola, Bruno Corbucci, John Davis Hart, Lewis E. Ciannelli
Cast
See All
-
Jean-Louis Trintignant
-
Klaus Kinski
-
Frank Wolff
-
Luigi Pistilli
The Great Silence is a 1968 Western directed by Sergio Corbucci. Set in snow-covered Utah during the Great Blizzard of 1899, the film stars Jean-Louis Trintignant as a mute gunslinger who protects a group of persecuted outlaws from ruthless bounty hunters, led by Klaus Kinski’s character. Noted for its bleak tone and theme of social justice, the movie is recognized as a critical entry in the Spaghetti Western genre.
Main Genre
Western
Studio(s)
Adelphia Compagnia Cinematografica, Les Films Corona
Distributor(s)
Beta Film
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As one of the darkest Westerns ever made, The Great Silence documents the quest for vengeance of a silent gunslinger, who comes to the aid of a widow, Pauline, and her child. At first glance, viewers could be mistaken for expecting a triumphant finale in the vein of Django or a Clint Eastwood movie. Instead, they’re horrified by the film’s conclusion as they’re forced to watch the murder of its two protagonists.
The movie’s ending is a strong condemnation of gun violence, and it conveys that message incredibly effectively.
The Great Silence pushes its audience to root for swift revenge against its villain, making his victory over Silence all the more brutal. The movie’s ending is a strong condemnation of gun violence, and it conveys that message incredibly effectively. There’s no moment of glory or revenge, instead just the ignominious murder of the film’s protagonists, making for one of the genre’s most bleak and tragic conclusions.
5
Bob Sangster’s Sacrifice
Three Godfathers (1936)
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Three Godfathers
NR
Action
Drama
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
Release Date
March 6, 1936
Runtime
81 minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
Richard Boleslawski
Writers
Ainsworth Morgan, Edward E. Paramore Jr.
Producers
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Cast
-
Chester Morris
Robert ‘Bob’ Sangster
-
Lewis Stone
James ‘Doc’ Underwood
-
Walter Brennan
Samuel ‘Gus’ Barton
-
Irene Hervey
Molly
Three Godfathers follows three bank robbers who, after a heist in New Jerusalem, flee into the Arizona desert. Encountering a dying woman and her baby, they are urged to take care of the child, compelling them to face the challenges of returning to the town where they are outlaws.
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The 1936 version of Three Godfathers follows a trio of outlaws as they’re forced to care for an orphaned baby in the desert. With the heat bearing down on them and the authorities waiting back in town, they’re forced to choose between the child’s life and their own freedom. The hero of the story is Bob Sangster, initially the group’s most selfish member. After losing his friends, the cynical outlaw gives his life for the child’s by knowingly drinking from a poisoned well, allowing him the strength to make it back.
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In a moment that perfectly symbolizes the film’s Biblical roots, he stumbles back to the town of New Jerusalem, staggers into a church service and hands the baby over. The scene doesn’t get the respect it deserves, and it gives the genre one of its greatest character arcs. For a man initially driven by greed and self-interest, to see value in another life speaks to the idea that even the coldest cynic isn’t beyond redemption.
4
The Killing Of Two Socks
Dances With Wolves (1990)
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Dances With Wolves
PG-13
Adventure
Documentary
Drama
Romance
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
24
8.8/10
Release Date
March 30, 1990
Runtime
181 minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
Kevin Costner
Writers
Michael Blake
Cast
See All
-
Kevin Costner
-
Mary McDonnell
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.
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Since its release, the story of Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves has proven one of the most copied in cinema, influencing everything from The Last Samurai to Avatar. After befriending a wolf, a US Army lieutenant, John Dunbar, builds a relationship with a local Sioux tribe. After enjoying the solitude of his post and becoming one with the tribe, his world is shattered by the arrival of soldiers who, in a moment of senseless cruelty, shoot the wolf in front of Dunbar.
The killing of Two Socks is one of the most helpless moments in the Western genre…
The killing of Two Socks is one of the most helpless moments in the Western genre, with the captured Dunbar forced to watch as his friend, scared by the gunfire, tries to run only to be killed. From the yelp of the animal when it’s finally shot to the hero’s own captivity, this heartbreaking moment is a reminder of the film’s themes of the destructive nature of Western expansion. Befriending the wolf symbolized Dunbar embracing nature, only for his death to rip that world away from him.
3
Samuel Forgives John Henry
Forsaken (2015)
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Forsaken
R
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
Release Date
September 16, 2015
Runtime
90 minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
Jon Cassar
Writers
Brad Mirman
Producers
Bill Marks, Wilson DaSilva, Trevor Wilson, Lisa Sohn, Dan Galang, Jessica Martins, Paul Tan, Kenny Cheung, Craig Yu, Barbara Voynovich, Harry Gabel, Ted Yew, Gerard Demaer, Allison Taylor, Douglas Falconer, Lisa Byrne, Kevin DeWalt, Isabella Marchese Ragona, Trish Cook, Patrick Roy, Mark Slone, Mark Montague, Richard Goldstein, Josh Miller
Cast
See All
-
Demi Moore
Mary-Alice Watson
-
Kiefer Sutherland
John Henry Clayton
-
Donald Sutherland
Rev. Clayton
-
Brian Cox
James McCurdy
Forsaken is a 2015 Western drama featuring Kiefer Sutherland as John Henry, who returns to his hometown to mend his relationship with his estranged father, played by Donald Sutherland. He faces a moral dilemma when a local gang threatens the community, challenging his decision to live a life of peace.
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Forsaken plays on the real-life father-son bond of its stars, Kiefer and Donald Sutherland, who bring their relationship to the Old West. Following the return of a gunslinger after a decade’s absence, it focuses on the pair trying to make amends. Torn between his father’s pacifist religious beliefs and his code of honor compelling him to take on a gang, the younger John Henry spends most of the film practicing non-violence — even when it hurts him.
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In the film’s best scene, John Henry breaks down in front of his father in church, confessing to his sins, including the accidental killing of a child. Fighting back tears, Samuel forgives him, solidifying the healing of their relationship. The scene is all the more tragic considering the film’s progression towards the son inevitably turning to violence to save the town and, in turn, his dad. Here, the backdrop fades away and nothing but the pain and love between a father and son remains — and it’s heartbreaking.
2
The Death Of Little Blackie
True Grit (2010)
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True Grit
PG-13
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
Drama
9/10
9.8/10
Release Date
December 22, 2010
Runtime
110 minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Writers
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast
See All
-
Jeff Bridges
-
Barry Pepper
An adaptation of Charles Portis’ 1968 novel of the same name, True Grit tells the story of 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), who enlists the help of morally-questionable lawman Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) in order to avenge the death of her father by apprehending the criminal Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). They are joined by a cocksure Texas Ranger named Labeouf (Matt Damon), who insists upon collecting the bounty on Chaney’s head. The three travel across the Arkansas plains in pursuit of Chaney, risking life and limb against outlaws and wild animals in pursuit of justice.
Main Genre
Western
Studio(s)
Paramount Pictures
Distributor(s)
Paramount Pictures
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Telling the story of a young girl, Mattie Ross, hiring a pair of lawmen to avenge her father, True Grit brilliantly combines Western adventure with revenge. When they finally track down and kill the man responsible, Mattie is bitten by a venomous snake, forcing the aged marshal, Rooster Cogburn, to ride her to a doctor. Using the girl’s horse, Little Blackie, they ride through the night, eventually exhausting the small but trusty animal. In a moment of mercy, the seasoned hero shoots the dying nag, and carries Mattie in his arms the rest of the way.
The death of Little Blackie is a reminder of Mattie’s innocence in contrast to Rooster’s more realistic and pragmatic personality. It’s all the more tragic when the audience looks back to earlier in the film, and remembers how much the Marshal cares for horses. The scene brilliantly emphasizes the film’s eponymous theme, showing the harsh realities of life out West, the resilience of Cogburn and the cost of revenge.
1
The Death Of Dan Evans
3:10 To Yuma (2007)
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3:10 to Yuma
R
Adventure
Crime
Drama
See more : Who are David Lee Parents? Meet Gary Lee and Susan Lee
Western
10
8.5/10
Release Date
September 6, 2007
Runtime
122 minutes
See more : Cole Hamels Ethnicity, What is Cole Hamels Ethnicity?
Director
James Mangold
Writers
Halsted Welles, Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, Elmore Leonard
Cast
See All
-
Russell Crowe
-
Christian Bale
A struggling rancher volunteers to escort a notorious outlaw to the train that will take him to prison. As the journey unfolds, both men engage in a psychological battle of wills, testing their morals and resolve while facing relentless danger from the outlaw’s gang and the harsh frontier.
Main Genre
Western
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Based on Elmore Leonard’s story of the same name, 3:10 To Yuma follows a farmer, Dan Evans, as he joins a posse to take dangerous outlaw Ben Wade to a train bound for prison. The central theme of the movie revolves around the hero’s integrity and courage, which slowly earns him the respect of the almost nihilistic criminal. When the duo, along with Evans’ son, finally reach the train, the hero is gunned down by one of the villain’s henchmen.
3:10 To Yuma’s ending is one of the biggest gut-punches of the Western genre, in no small part due to Evans’ son watching him die. Having come to respect and like Evans, a repentant Wade loads himself aboard the train, accepting his fate. Nobody wins here, and the finale only underscores the senseless nature of violence in the West. After building up one of the Western genre’s best, most sympathetic heroes, everything comes tumbling down in a single shot.
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Category: Entertainment