The best and worst western movies:

[North Country Gal]

One of my favorites is Winchester 73 with James Stewart.
It is interesting in that it was a ‘first’ in a few regards - one being it was the first movie where the lead actor (Stewart) took a % of the gross instead of an agreed upon amount - and did very well. It has also been referred to as the first ‘concept’ western In that there was an actual storyline that had a realistic plot with an adventure that led to a harmonious (and romantic) ending.
In effect W-73 ‘set the stage’ for what would become the ‘modern’ westerns starting in the 1950s. Another interesting thing is it was one if the first movies to use what would become a common ‘trifecta’ in action/adventure movies in that there is a defined, strong male lead (stewart) , a trusty sidekick (Millard Mitchell) and the beautiful woman (Shelly Winters).

Excellent movie and excellent analysis. Well done.

[ESquared]

Maybe I missed it in the thread so far, but I'd put the Coen Bros version of True Grit on my list.

Hard to argue with the others mentioned. Lonesome Dove, Tombstone, Butch Cassidy, most of "the Clints." SO many to choose from!

[Mistered]

but I'd put the Coen Bros version of True Grit on my list.

On your best or worst list?

[BigAl52]

I have a tie for the best at my house. Quigley Down Under. Outlaw Josey Wales and Tombstone. Cant tell you how many times Ive watched Josey Wales and Quigley. Another good Sellack movie is Crossfire Trail. PT would like that one Sellack uses one of those Schofield revolvers in that movie. Cant think of any of the worst right now.

[Mistered]

Another good Sellack movie is Crossfire Trail.

Probably Sellecks best. Good supporting cast also.
Last stand at Sabre River was good also. Both showed Selleck in a bit of a more 'serious' character.

[Mags]

.
Ya I liked those too. Not exactly a movie, unless one considers it a really long one, Hell on Wheels was great. Worst westerns I ever saw where the early years Clint Eastwood Italian B westerns. Those were awful. Looking forward to seeing his lastest, The Mule. His movies definitely got better overtime.

I have a tie for the best at my house. Quigley Down Under. Outlaw Josey Wales and Tombstone. Cant tell you how many times Ive watched Josey Wales and Quigley. Another good Sellack movie is Crossfire Trail. PT would like that one Sellack uses one of those Schofield revolvers in that movie. Cant think of any of the worst right now.

[Mistered]

Worst westerns I ever saw where the early years Clint Eastwood Italian B westerns.

It's not that the movies were bad but the Italian cast members were horrible.
Sergio Leon had a great concept for the 'Man with no name' genre and Clint was a natural for the part but it suffered from a lack of supporting actors who had virtually no 'American' identification of the character.
'High Plains Drifter' was probably the first 'Americanized' re-pop of the 'Man with no name' character but he never really gained a large following with it. Probably because he had already popularized himself with the 'Dirty Harry' character - which in a way was a 'modern' version of the 'Man with no name' - sort of.

[RanchRoper]

Check out Hostiles with Christian Bale. Best movie at theaters in a long time. We saw it last year.
Although not quite a western The Revenant was good too. And I agree with Winchester 73. Great.

John Fords cavalry trilogy as well.

[ESquared]

but I'd put the Coen Bros version of True Grit on my list.

On your best or worst list?

I'd put it on my Best List. Lots of Oscar nominations, as I recall.

[RanchRoper]

Ok I had to cheat and go to the DVD cabinet. I missed some so here is my definitive top 15 in no particular order, but if I had to grab movies and hit the trail in a hurry, these would be it.
Lonesome Dove
Conagher with Sam Elliott
Red River
Appaloosa with Ed Harris & Viggo Mortensen
My Pal Trigger with Roy Rogers
Monte Walsh with Tom Selleck
Last Stand at Sabre River with Tom Selleck
Searchers
Tom Horn
Tumbling Tumbleweeds with Gene Autry
The Long Riders
Tombstone
Open Range
Crossfire Trail
Winchester 73

(and The Miracle Rider with Tom Mix if I could fit it in my saddle bags)

[North Country Gal]

Maybe a stretch to call it a western, but don't forget Vigo in Hidalgo. If you love horses, how could you not love that movie? Definitely one of our favorites.

[The Wiz]

I was tempted to put Roy and Gene A. movies on the list but they weren't that serious compared to the others. But dang, I sure enjoyed them growing up. Especially, their horses, Trigger and Champion.

BTW. Worst western was The Lone Ranger the movie with Depp. I could have made a better movie.

[North Country Gal]

I was tempted to put Roy and Gene A. movies on the list but they weren't that serious compared to the others. But dang, I sure enjoyed them growing up. Especially, their horses, Trigger and Champion.

BTW. Worst western was The Lone Ranger the movie with Depp. I could have made a better movie.

Oh, yeah, was hard to sit through that one. Glad we didn't pay full movie price. Got it for a buck at our pawn shop. Still probably a waste of a dollar. I suspect, though, it was more of a parody of a western movie than any attempt at the real thing. Kept telling myself, they can't be serious.

[Mags]

.
Long time ago for me. All I can really remember is how bad of an impression the one or two I tried to watch left. I liked Dirty Harry and expect from the trailers I'd like The Mule too.

Worst westerns I ever saw where the early years Clint Eastwood Italian B westerns.

It's not that the movies were bad but the Italian cast members were horrible.
Sergio Leon had a great concept for the 'Man with no name' genre and Clint was a natural for the part but it suffered from a lack of supporting actors who had virtually no 'American' identification of the character.
'High Plains Drifter' was probably the first 'Americanized' re-pop of the 'Man with no name' character but he never really gained a large following with it. Probably because he had already popularized himself with the 'Dirty Harry' character - which in a way was a 'modern' version of the 'Man with no name' - sort of.

[North Country Gal]

Interestingly, though, those spaghetti westerns with Clint and others were very popular in their day. Part of it it was they're so bad, they're good kind of thing, but I think it was also the fresh story lines compared to the usual 50s American westerns. The plots were very different than the usual John Wayne movie. To be sure, some of those spaghetti western story lines were copied in later American made movies. Oh, yeah, those old spaghetti westerns come up short in many ways when we look back and compare them to other westerns, over time, but they were cheap to make, they sold, and a lot of American actors cashed in on them. They were money makers at a time when the western was beginning to fade in popularity.

[johnsgwh]

Josey Wales
Tombstone
Big Jake / Unforgiven

[Redthies]

My contention has always been that John Wayne never truly "acted." They would just give him some lines and he would just "be John Wayne."

That’s possibly the best description one could give of him. I like it!

[Mistered]

My contention has always been that John Wayne never truly "acted." They would just give him some lines and he would just "be John Wayne."

Pretty accurate.
John Wayne was forever criticized for not have in any 'formal' acting education or training.
Bottom line is in the world of actors he was an 'enigma' - and the likes of which we will never see again.
John Wayne was not really 'cast' for his parts in movies - the movies he played in were more/less produced and directed around him.
The movies in which he was cast for a part were usually pretty bad and not what anyone who is/was a fan of JW expected and typically the movie did not do so well.
One example is the movie 'The Conqueror' in which he played Genghis Kahn - and is ranked as one of the worst films ever - and sadly the movie that ultimately killed him.

[ChefDuane]

Yes. Even when he was doing those really bad cop movies in the early 70's (McQ and Brannigan) they were just vehicles for Wayne to 'be John Wayne' on the movie screen. They were pretty bad movies and could have been produced as westerns but Wayne was trying to break out of the 'cowboy' type casting. (He never did.) Also, it was a chance to try out the new toupee's he was starting to wear. Still, he remains one the most beloved and perhaps revered movie stars of all time. I rarely miss a chance to see Liberty Valance, The Searchers, or even Rio Lobo or El Dorado (which were essentially the same movie). I have never seen The Conquerer but know it stunk - maybe that's why it isn't run all that often.

[dave77]

Josie Wales is probably my second favorite but so far I haven't seen my favorite mentioned, The Missing with Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeGgpIOSoYc