Nope. Boring, over long and half way through I wanted to throw that annoying harmonica into the river. “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” is far better. The cinematography and score can’t save it. I’ve watch over 120 Westerns the past year and a half. “Once Upon A Time . . . . “ is not even in my top 50.
How did Shane and High Noon not make this list? Red River? My Darling Clementine? All broke ground in every arena: morally challenging themes, acting, cinematography. The symbolism in Shane alone should put it at the top of the list.
@@terben7339 Magnificent 7 was inspired by Seven Samurai, Fist full of Dollars was inspired by Yojimbo, Django also Yojimbo, etc. A lot of westerns were influenced by Akira Kurosawa. For that matter so was Bug's life, Last Man Standing, and Star Wars. All good movies but not fair to compare them too much to Kurosawa's originals. Like you said they were masterpieces.
Only two-thirds of those movies properly qualify as Westerns. For a start, no film set after the first world war qualifies in my view period. How the Rider ends up on that list and yet Once upon a time in the West doesn't also nullify this list completely.
Treasure of the Sierra Madre definitely is not a "western" by any stretch of the imagination. They probably got thrown off by the mules & horses; herbivorous ungulates do not a western make!
I don't know Once Upon a Time, but the other three you mentioned are must see's. Shane was the movie that vaulted Jack Palance into super stardom. I loved the character of the reluctant gunslinger who accepts the role of peace restorer in the end. I will keep an eye out for Once Upon a Time.
@@secretagent4322 You will love it, it's directed by Sergio Leone and has Charles Bronson, Jack Elam, Claudia Cardinelle, Jason Robards, and Henry Fonda who is a BADASS in this film, its better than Sergio's The Good, The Bad and the Ugly IMHO. If you have HULU or Paramount + you can watch it now, I have those, it's also on EPIX but I don't have that.
Missing are Shane, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Tombstone, True Grit (both versions)... if No Country for Old Men is included as a Western then so should Assault on Precinct 13
I was thinking also that it should be highly rated. It's better than "Tombstone," which is too Hollywood kitschy in its tone to be considered among the greatest.
Great list-----but we all would have our own lists for sure. I liked Fistful of Dollars and 5 Card Stud------but I wouldnot argue they are the best------just my favorites. Pick a couple of your favorites-----. A lot of 'great' movies I do not like-----but others love them.
I'm fairly sure that critical consensus on Outlaw Josie Wales changed after it was revealed that the author of the book it was based on was not a Native American Jimmy Carter Democrat as originally thought but in fact a former KKK white supremacist George Wallace Democrat speech writer which gives the story a somewhat different interpretive subtext.
@@Texasjim2007 Now living in the South, I saw all that in the film without knowing the background of the book's author. However, that doesn't invalidate the film's subtext.
Yes! The fabulous score, the cinematography, the all-star and just about perfect cast (Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Chuck Connors, Charles Bickford, Jean Simmons and Carroll Baker), the story -- I could see that movie over and over again!
I think I saw it the first time when I was a teenager, and I had dreams about it. I thought the score should have won an Academy Award, but Jerome Moross lost to Demitri Tiompkin, who scored "Old Man and the Sea." (Robbed!)
Big Country is one of those movies often overlook and not shown much, which is an injustice. It's a fantastic movie on all accounts. Great score, writing, characters, actors, scenes, etc. I'm a huge John Wayne fan and have a large collection of his movies, posters, etc., but I own the movie Big County as well. It ranks with the best as far as I'm concerned. I watch it at least once a month, LOL....
BLAZING SADDLES (1974) Directed by Mel Brooks. Screenplay by Andrew Bergman, Mel Brooks, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Al Uger, story by Bergman. Starring Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, David Huddleston, Claude Ennis Starrett, Jr., Mel Brooks, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn.😆
I think The Cowboys is an underrated John Wayne movie. It had mostly everything, tough as nails ranch owner, terrific bad guy, very colorful characters, cowboy lessons of life, humor, tragedy, and coming of age on the prairie.
Big Jake , true grit, El Dorado , tombstone, silverado , butch Cassidy the Sundance kid,Culpepper cattle company ,Valdez is coming, the outlaw Josie whales
I was thinking of signing up for "Fred C. Dobbs School of Prospecting" on line. Fred with teach camp cookery, choosing companions to travel with, mule skinning, making friends with the locals and so much more!
in my humble opinion were missing the greatest Western of all time it was called Tombstone then 3:10 to Yuma followed by Unforgiven and then Pale Rider.
I know this is personal preferance, and i love John Waynes True Grit but the one failing is the ending, the book is better, the film just cuts the story short by killing Le Beuf ( who does not die in the book )
To be fair, Wayne planned to do a trilogy from that source material. Only got through 2 films however. I'm sure the endings would have matched up in the 3rd installment: "Son of Rooster Cogburn in 3D."
@@mitchkenvin259 It's more of a character study and morality play and man-who-learns-better movie than most westerns. It's probably my favorite John Wayne movie. Consider: John Wayne's Ethan is: Hot for his brother's wife. (And she's hot for him in return it seems). Has somehow acquired bags of gold coins under dubious and unexplained circumstances that has the Texas Rangers looking for him. Has failed to surrender as a member of the Confederate army at the end of the Civil War. Is an unrepentant bigot that we slowly realize over the course of the film is going to outright murder the niece he's searching for because being an Indian squaw "ain't living", with the subtext that once she's had sex with an Indian, she's better off dead. At one point in the movie Ethan shoots a dead Indian in both eyes to prevent him from getting into the promised Indian afterlife. If you ever want to see John Wayne portray a character that directly contradicts the John Wayne stereotype of the Western hero, watch "The Searchers". It's brilliant, and John Wayne at his absolute best. It totally deserves to be considered as one of the best Westerns ever.
it's not a classic movie per se but it's one of the greatest of all-time westerns and it was screened on American Channel with the great actor Cullen Bohannon in Hell on Wheels
Open Range is an incredible film. A really perfect film. Just watching Robert Duval is worth the price of admission. But all the cast put in excellent performances. My number 1.
@@rustybearden1800 - crow, blackfoot and flathead indians (western indians). mountain men/pioneers (western figures). i would consider it a western; my all time favorite movie.
@@z-z-z-z I love this movie, I think it is Redford's best movie and I love the respectfull and dignified way in which it portrays the Native Americans but it is not, in essence, a true western in it's style and storyline - it's more of an adventure movie but I'm in agreement with you - it's one of my top ten movies and I watch it often - I also love Little Big Man but it is more of a western styled story told with unnerving realism
People, No Country... and Rider... Treasure of Sierra Madre are not westerns. Lonesome Dove is not here, Tombstone isn't here... McCabe & Mrs. Miller... you have got to be kidding... How about Once Upon a Time in the West... The Shootist...
I agree. No Country, The Rider, Sierra Madre and McCabe... All movies that do NOT belong on this list. Four possible replacements would be Shane, Tombstone, Lonesome Dove, and the greatest western of all time, The Outlaw Josie Wales!
Really interesting, as I am seeing the exact same issues when looking at different genres of music for a course I am studying. I am old enough to have been around for some of them and your comment sums up how I feel about the obvious examples we are given.
Judging from the comments the list is neither safe nor predictable well, predictable perhaps for old conservatives who insist things were better in the past.
While a couple of the films listed are only tangentially westerns, this is a pretty good list. A truly modern western that belongs on the list is “Hell or High Water.”
Not suggesting it as a western, but if you love Hell or High Water, I urge you to watch Wind River. It's by Sheridan as well. EXCELLENT movie (as is Hell or High Water).
Wind River is one of the only films the recent years that has given me a feeling of real tension. Yup, it's great. Since it's from the same producer's as Sicario, one could have a valid point it's the better one of the two.
Okay, so No Country for Old Men, The Rider are not truly Westerns. Better choices are Shane, The Shootist, The Westerner, The Magnificent Seven, and even 1969's True Grit. Treasure of the Sierra Madre is set in 1925, it's really borderline thematically as a Western, though a great film anyway.
I would also consider "Hud", "Unforgiven", and "The Magnificent Seven" to be worthy candidates for your list, as well as the remake of "True Grit". And then there's "Lonesome Dove", which was a movie series made for TV.
The Big Country is a very underrated movie . I’m continually surprised at how many people that are “western movie fans” , that have never seen or heard of this movie .
After scrolling down quite a ways, there is one of my top five favorite westerns that wasn't mentioned: "One Eyed Jacks". Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Slim Pickens, Ben Johnson. Released 1961, everyone was in their prime. If there ever was an overlooked classic this is one.
Brando never approved the final cut, would have been amazing to see his true vision but it was going to be far too long for mainstream audiences. Still a beautiful movie
The Outlaw Josey Wales, Big Jake, Silverado, The Rare Breed, Cattle Empire, Union Pacific, Wells Fargo, Santa Fe Trail, Western Union, Ride the High Country, Canadian Pacific, The Cariboo Trail, The Tall T, Once Upon a Time in the West.
Tombstone is undoubtedly a modern day classic Not historically perfect but a cinema masterpiece Val Kilmer should have won an Oscar for his portrayal of Doc Holliday
Ole Loopers 11 best list is way different than mine. He has movies on there that I can`t even consider 'westerns'. First giveaway is if there`s a pickup truck in it, it`s not a 'western'....to me. My best 11 would be, in no particular order, and just off the top of my head....1) Open Range, 2) Unforgiven, 3) The Searchers, 4) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, 5) Wild Bill, 6) Shane, 7) She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, 8) Red River, 9) The Wild Bunch, 10) Outlaw Josie Wales, 11) Broken Trail. JMO, don`t get all butt hurt. ;) I`m also sure I forgot a few good ones. But 'Once Upon a Time in the West' wouldn`t be one of them. I actually like the movie a lot except for things already mentioned in the replies already. I just think Charles Bronson is the wrong guy for the lead.. I like Bronson, I just don`t love him in this character. Henry Fonda, as always, is great.
How could you leave out "Shane"? Beautifully acted, directed and photographed and has one of the loveliest musical themes of all time. I would also throw in "Vera Cruz" which is arguably the first Spaghetti western.
VERA CRUZ is without doubt one of the most influencal westerns ever. Largely forgotten by the smartphone generation who believe that Tarantino is the king of westerns.
@@UTArch1 Yeah...and both are essentially copies of "Shane", in my opinion. I really liked Pale Rider and still do, but now see it as more derivative than I used to. Which, tbh, is true of most Westerns (or movies in general regardless of genre, for that matter).
Another terrific western that was missing from this list was the exceptional and thought provoking film about vigilante justice "The Ox Bow Incident" starring Henry Fonda. A magnificent film that stays with you long after you see it and is very relevant today, 70 years after it was made.
THANK YOU!! I couldn't remember the name but kept thinking in my head..." What about the black-and-white movie concerning the hanging... You know the one with Henry Fonda and the 2nd banana from dragnet?"
The original "Stagecoach," with a stellar cast including a young John Wayne, John Carradine, Thomas Mitchell and Andy Devine, among others, should be number one on the list.
Both the opening and closing shots are classic symbolism. It’s beautifully filmed, and looks fantastic on the big screen. I saw it at the restored Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, CA.
The Oxbox Incident, Red River, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance & Unforgiven are my top 5. Greatest Western Director - John Ford. Most underrated Western Director - Anthony Mann
I'm gonna get a lot of hate for this, but I understand why Tombstone isn't on the list. I think it's a perfect example of what I'd call the Dark Knight Effect. We remember the movie as being better than it is because of the brilliance of Val Kilmer's supporting performance.
although it is actually a miniseries lonesome dove is the best western ever made nothing else comes close and i dont know how tombstone would not be on this list
Had to scroll through the replies to see if anybody mentioned lonesome dove. I also checked metacritic and its not even listed. It is definitely in the conversation of greatest westerns of all time.
"The Outlaw Josey Wales," "The Big Country," "Tombstone," and "High Noon" are on my personal "best Western" list! And if a movie is set after, say, WWI, it isn't what I would include in a list of Westerns, either. Glad to see "The Wild Bunch" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" included, however! "McAbe & Mrs. Miller"? No way.
No Counry is neo-Western, but the fact that Metacritic didn't include Once Upon a Time is laughable...Unforgiven, and High Noon (85 and 89 respectively) are near these 11, but still deserve better ratings than Rider and The Gunfighter. Also comment that Rio Bravo is better because of the friendship between the characters is nonsense.
My top 11 westerns of all time 1. The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly 2. Unforgiven 3. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid 4. Once Upon A Time In The West 5. The Outlaw Josey Wales 6. Rio Bravo 7. True Grit(1969-2010) 8. The Proposition 9. Django Unchained 10. Tombstone 11. The Pale Rider
I'd forgotten about "Josie," but something reminded me of it a year or so ago, so I bought the Anniversary Edition. "Rio Bravo" has been my idea of The Best Western for many years, partly because I despised "High Noon" for the same reason Howard Hawks did---and John T. Chance's explanation of why he didn't want or _need_ the well-intended help offered to him explained why. "Josie" was such a well crafted story, so beautifully shot, that it deserved more accolades than it's received. Watch it, then watch it again with the Commentary, and watch the Bonus material. Wow.
The Searchers is in my opinion the best western movie ever made and John Wayne's real acting ability is highlighted in it. Much better than the film that he did win an Oscar for, True Grit.
Come on, you left out so many great westerns, Shane, My Darling Clementine, 310 to yuma, Broken Arrow just to name a few. Some modern westerns like Hud for instance. A top ten list of the greatest is never gonna get it right.
Shane, Unforgiven, Magnificent Seven, Silverado and Hombre should all be on this list. No Country isn't a part of the the "Western" genre. You just can't have a Western list without Shane...it's a rule! LOL!
I can't believe that Shane was not mentioned. To me it was the best western ever. There are so many great westerns that you totally ignored and some that you included that needed to be ignored.
Great List. I wish it also included some of my personal favorites: Dances with Wolves Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid The Magnificent Seven True Grit Appaloosa
Only 11 near perfect westerns?! I appreciate it's Metacritc, aggregate reviews, wide range bringing scores down, etc. But if someone came up to me and said there's only 11 near-perfect westerns, I'd assume those were the only 11 westerns they'd ever seen
A more correct title would have been 11 closest to perfect Metacritic score Westerns. On the good side I wasn't even aware of "The Gunfighter" so I will check that out.
What do you think is the best Western movie ever made?
Once Upon A Time In The West
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly and Once Upon a Time In The West.
Gunfighter's Moon
"Hombre" 1967
John Wayne's the The Cowboys and Silverado. I could watch those again and again.
A good list, but No Country for Old Men and The Rider aren't what most consider "westerns"; they're modern movies set in "the west".
And...No Country is NOT film noir.
@@bigcity2085 I would say it's Film Noir before a Western, LOL, at least it's Dark, but I guess the Sheriff's wife's 2 horses made it a Western, LOL.
Absolutely right
…and The Treasure of The Sierra Madre isn’t a Western either.
I agree completely. Where is the Lonesome Dove?
Metacritic? We don't need no stinking Metacritic!
hahahahaha perfect rebuttal
I laughed out loud at that!!
👏👏👏
Almost half of these movies wouldn't be on my list. Certainly Shane and The Outlaw Josie Wales would be. And She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.
Unforgiven is definitely missing from this list.
I totally agree!!!!
Watched it again a couple months ago. 10/10 A must see
Agreed.
I agree. 2 of those he had on the list were a long way from being westerns in my mind.
96% critics, 93% audience… definitely a miss without Unforgiven.
How on earth does Once Upon A Time In The West not make this list? It’s a masterpiece with incredible cinematography and a majestic score.
Ya. The best western
One of the best films ever to be made.
Nope. Boring, over long and half way through I wanted to throw that annoying harmonica into the river. “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” is far better. The cinematography and score can’t save it. I’ve watch over 120 Westerns the past year and a half. “Once Upon A Time . . . . “ is not even in my top 50.
You are right sir, best western ever made by a long shot nothing even comes close. Seen it a million times and it never gets old.
Think it might be too slow for some.
How did Shane and High Noon not make this list? Red River? My Darling Clementine? All broke ground in every arena: morally challenging themes, acting, cinematography. The symbolism in Shane alone should put it at the top of the list.
Totally agree. No Shane?????
Lonesome Dove, Tombestone, True Grit ( john Wayne). So many better then some on this list.
Agreed…more than puzzling.
Because they don't have a perfect rating on metacritic. It's in the title
High Noon, Red River, Shane are at the top of my list.
Unforgiven? Open Range? Dances With Wolves? 3:10 to Yuma? Appaloosa? Wyatt Earp? Tombstone? Magnificent 7? True Grit (old and new)
That was an amazing list you just named.
don't forget Silverado
Magnificent 7 is a poor remake of a Japanese movie masterpiece.
@@terben7339 Magnificent 7 was inspired by Seven Samurai, Fist full of Dollars was inspired by Yojimbo, Django also Yojimbo, etc. A lot of westerns were influenced by Akira Kurosawa. For that matter so was Bug's life, Last Man Standing, and Star Wars. All good movies but not fair to compare them too much to Kurosawa's originals. Like you said they were masterpieces.
Which 3: 10 to Yuma?
Only two-thirds of those movies properly qualify as Westerns. For a start, no film set after the first world war qualifies in my view period. How the Rider ends up on that list and yet Once upon a time in the West doesn't also nullify this list completely.
👍
Treasure of the Sierra Madre definitely is not a "western" by any stretch of the imagination. They probably got thrown off by the mules & horses; herbivorous ungulates do not a western make!
@@nunyabidniz2868 Yeahhh.... it doesn't get a "stinkin' badge" from me!
Agreed. Replace "No Country for Old Men" and "Rider" with "High Noon" and "Shane" in my opinion.
@@nunyabidniz2868 Ok then what makes a western in your opinion? Just the date?
Any top western list without The Outlaw Josey Wales is incomplete.
Truth
It's really a war movie. LOL, put folks on horses and it's a Western? Heat is more of a Western, and NO HORSES.
@@floydvaughn836 No, it's a western. You people just leave me SMDH.
I'd say it's more of a western than "No Country for Old Men".
@@floydvaughn836 just because most of the movie takes place after the Civil War?
Once Upon A Time in the West is another Sergio Leone masterpiece, especially the absolutely genius casting of Henry Fonda as the villain.
No Red River, no Shane, No Once Upon a Time in the West, no Magnificent 7 all say this guy's noggin has been bumped.
"Red River" belongs on any list of best western movies. It's on mine and "Shane" fits depending how the list is defined. "Shane" is still a favorite
I don't know Once Upon a Time, but the other three you mentioned are must see's. Shane was the movie that vaulted Jack Palance into super stardom. I loved the character of the reluctant gunslinger who accepts the role of peace restorer in the end. I will keep an eye out for Once Upon a Time.
@@secretagent4322 You will love it, it's directed by Sergio Leone and has Charles Bronson, Jack Elam, Claudia Cardinelle, Jason Robards, and Henry Fonda who is a BADASS in this film, its better than Sergio's The Good, The Bad and the Ugly IMHO. If you have HULU or Paramount + you can watch it now, I have those, it's also on EPIX but I don't have that.
@@MrRondonmon you are sooooooooooo right.
@@MrRondonmon The opening sequence makes OUATITW a classic and there was still 2 hours to go. Brilliant film and definitely Sergio's best.
Some of the movies aren't even westerns but WHERE IS "Once upon a time in the West"? It's a bloody Western masterpiece.
I mean it has 95% on rottentomatoes on both the critics and audience! What more do you need lol
Once Upon A Time In The West doesn't need any critics bs validation, the film speaks for itself.
@@g.panitikan1929 the first ten minutes is better than most films🤷♂️
@@hikl223 I think its 15 minutes
@@g.panitikan1929 you know what I meant😝I was overwhelmed when I was a kid a watched OUTIW
A list withouit "SHANE" is "INCOMPLETE" and it needs to go back to formula.📚
Missing are Shane, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Tombstone, True Grit (both versions)... if No Country for Old Men is included as a Western then so should Assault on Precinct 13
Incomplete and incompetent.
It is the quintessential western in my opinion.
@@alansach8437 spot-on
This list sucks
The Outlaw Josie Wales wasn't highly rated? Not too good of a list.
I agree
I was thinking also that it should be highly rated. It's better than "Tombstone," which is too Hollywood kitschy in its tone to be considered among the greatest.
👍🏼
Great list-----but we all would have our own lists for sure. I liked Fistful of Dollars and 5 Card Stud------but I wouldnot argue they are the best------just my favorites. Pick a couple of your favorites-----. A lot of 'great' movies I do not like-----but others love them.
‘One Eyed Jacks’ has always been one of my favs, but I vote ‘The Searchers’ as the best.
The Outlaw Josey Wales is a glaring omission. Orson Welles saw the film four times and said "it belongs with the great westerns."
Didn´t know that. Interesting!
I'm fairly sure that critical consensus on Outlaw Josie Wales changed after it was revealed that the author of the book it was based on was not a Native American Jimmy Carter Democrat as originally thought but in fact a former KKK white supremacist George Wallace Democrat speech writer which gives the story a somewhat different interpretive subtext.
@@Texasjim2007 Now living in the South, I saw all that in the film without knowing the background of the book's author. However, that doesn't invalidate the film's subtext.
Absolutely!!!
Orson Wells also said 'Rear Window' was a horrible film, so his reviews weren't perfect.
How can you not have Shane in this list?
Really. Incomprehensible. And the type of character in Allan Ladd that wasn't found in any of the other movies. The reluctant hero.
Yap, has to make the list
@@secretagent4322 and the sub story.
Sorry but The Magnificent Seven is a must for a western top list
It's a Japanese movie in drag.
magnificent 7 juvenile nonesense.
Never thought of No Country for Old Men as western. Good movie though
Modern western drama
Never thought of it as good.
Not a Western in my book but still enjoyed it .
It's not
100% agree. Not a western.
I'd say The Big Country deserves consideration.
Yes! The fabulous score, the cinematography, the all-star and just about perfect cast (Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Chuck Connors, Charles Bickford, Jean Simmons and Carroll Baker), the story -- I could see that movie over and over again!
I think I saw it the first time when I was a teenager, and I had dreams about it. I thought the score should have won an Academy Award, but Jerome Moross lost to Demitri Tiompkin, who scored "Old Man and the Sea." (Robbed!)
Beautiful movie!!
Big Country is one of those movies often overlook and not shown much, which is an injustice. It's a fantastic movie on all accounts. Great score, writing, characters, actors, scenes, etc. I'm a huge John Wayne fan and have a large collection of his movies, posters, etc., but I own the movie Big County as well. It ranks with the best as far as I'm concerned. I watch it at least once a month, LOL....
How about "The Oxbow Incdent
No such list can be complete without "Unforgiven" and "Once Upon a Time in the West"
Exactly what I was thinking.
Yep. What-the-actual-fμ©×.
YES ! No such list is complete without "Unforgiven" and "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "SHANE" !
What about the great SILVERADO ?!
BLAZING SADDLES (1974)
Directed by Mel Brooks. Screenplay by Andrew Bergman, Mel Brooks, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Al Uger, story by Bergman. Starring Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, David Huddleston, Claude Ennis Starrett, Jr., Mel Brooks, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn.😆
I think The Cowboys is an underrated John Wayne movie. It had mostly everything, tough as nails ranch owner, terrific bad guy, very colorful characters, cowboy lessons of life, humor, tragedy, and coming of age on the prairie.
A great movie.
Big Jake , true grit, El Dorado , tombstone, silverado , butch Cassidy the Sundance kid,Culpepper cattle company ,Valdez is coming, the outlaw Josie whales
That's my favorite John Wayne movie. If you've seen Longmire, Nighthorse was the Indian kid.
The Cowboys - great score by John Williams (before he signed up with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas).
@@brucekuehn4031 Didn't know that. That guy is a living legend.
John Wayne's "Red River" belonged on your list for it's spectacle of the Old West.
Absollutly
Yep. I didn't know how that thing was going to end until about 30 seconds before.
Yes, the greatest John Ford western that Ford never directed.
The Wild Bunch is my choice for the best of the rest!
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre is a stone cold classic. Lol. Never really thought of it as a “ Western” prior to seeing this list though.
That's what i thought too.
I was thinking of signing up for "Fred C. Dobbs School of Prospecting" on line. Fred with teach camp cookery, choosing companions to travel with, mule skinning, making friends with the locals and so much more!
And…. The Oxbow Incident
Humphrey Bogart got cast in that because the audience gasped at his menacing stage presence in the broadway play Here s looking at you kid
@@dannyvardanian He could take on any role and make good of it!
in my humble opinion were missing the greatest Western of all time it was called Tombstone then 3:10 to Yuma followed by Unforgiven and then Pale Rider.
Not a quality list without "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "Josey Wales."
The Outlaw Josey Wales is the greatest western of all time.........imo
It has the best 'old timey' style dialogue of all time.
Should have taken the first seven spots on the list.
Dyin ain't much of a livin boy
You missed "Once Upon A Time In The West" with Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda and Jason Robards. That should have been in the top 5.
From the point of view of a historian, this film is a fine example of the country's westward exspanion. It is also oneof my favorites
Agreed.
Yep I agree it’s a great film..My favorite western is the Unforgiven ..Clint is the man💯☮️
How about #1? Great plot, great actors, awesome score, and great cinematography. It beats all the others in all categories.
@@georgesealy4706 Absolutely. The best by far. And another with CC that should be included - The Professionals.
the satire parody and familiar grit and hilarity of the movie Three Amigos should be in the top 25
The best western ever, The Searchers! Matbe even the best movie ever.
we're missing 3:10 to Yuma were missing Unforgiven and missing Pale Rider
If Tombstone fails to appear on this list...Burn It!
Time to burn
I'm shocked it wasn't.
I've got the match!
Agree. It need to be on there.
It says a lot about John Wayne that he was in four of the best near perfect western films, especially spanning so many years.
That’s funny because he’s still 2nd to Eastwood as the best in westerns
@@chrishampton8842 That's a subjective opinion.
I'd include The Shootist and True Grit as two more for him.
John Wayne was not the best actor, and did not have much range. But he was REALLY good at cowboy roles. Pretty good as a soldier or sailor, too.
Yes I suppose it is
What about True Grit? (The John Wayne version, which had a better ending than the book.)
Agreed.
Definitely.
I know this is personal preferance, and i love John Waynes True Grit but the one failing is the ending, the book is better, the film just cuts the story short by killing Le Beuf ( who does not die in the book )
To be fair, Wayne planned to do a trilogy from that source material. Only got through 2 films however. I'm sure the endings would have matched up in the 3rd installment: "Son of Rooster Cogburn in 3D."
The Searchers has to be # 1 - it has the story, the scenery and John Wayne who is the the “ Western “…
The Searchers was the most boring, overrated, slow western ever.
@@mitchkenvin259 It's more of a character study and morality play and man-who-learns-better movie than most westerns. It's probably my favorite John Wayne movie. Consider: John Wayne's Ethan is: Hot for his brother's wife. (And she's hot for him in return it seems). Has somehow acquired bags of gold coins under dubious and unexplained circumstances that has the Texas Rangers looking for him. Has failed to surrender as a member of the Confederate army at the end of the Civil War. Is an unrepentant bigot that we slowly realize over the course of the film is going to outright murder the niece he's searching for because being an Indian squaw "ain't living", with the subtext that once she's had sex with an Indian, she's better off dead. At one point in the movie Ethan shoots a dead Indian in both eyes to prevent him from getting into the promised Indian afterlife. If you ever want to see John Wayne portray a character that directly contradicts the John Wayne stereotype of the Western hero, watch "The Searchers". It's brilliant, and John Wayne at his absolute best. It totally deserves to be considered as one of the best Westerns ever.
it's not a classic movie per se but it's one of the greatest of all-time westerns and it was screened on American Channel with the great actor Cullen Bohannon in Hell on Wheels
I feel “Open Range (with Kevin Costner & Robert Duvall)” is missing from this list.
Agree!
Open Range is the best Western ever made. The realism is fantastic. Most of the ones listed do not put in the effort to be realistic.
I agree
Open Range is an incredible film. A really perfect film. Just watching Robert Duval is worth the price of admission. But all the cast put in excellent performances. My number 1.
The list needs to be longer. It should be top 25, not 10.
Lonesome Dove should have been on this list along with Jeremiah Johnson and The Mountain Men.
Totally Agree!!! 👍😎👍
I love Jeremiah Johnson but Robert Redford has said it is not a western movie
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Loved Lonesome Dove!!!! Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones were great it that movie!!!!
@@rustybearden1800 - crow, blackfoot and flathead indians (western indians). mountain men/pioneers (western figures). i would consider it a western; my all time favorite movie.
@@z-z-z-z I love this movie, I think it is Redford's best movie and I love the respectfull and dignified way in which it portrays the Native Americans but it is not, in essence, a true western in it's style and storyline - it's more of an adventure movie but I'm in agreement with you - it's one of my top ten movies and I watch it often - I also love Little Big Man but it is more of a western styled story told with unnerving realism
People, No Country... and Rider... Treasure of Sierra Madre are not westerns. Lonesome Dove is not here, Tombstone isn't here... McCabe & Mrs. Miller... you have got to be kidding... How about Once Upon a Time in the West... The Shootist...
"The Shootist"??? "Tombstone?can agree with most of what you've posted
I agree. No Country, The Rider, Sierra Madre and McCabe... All movies that do NOT belong on this list. Four possible replacements would be Shane, Tombstone, Lonesome Dove, and the greatest western of all time, The Outlaw Josie Wales!
@@michaelbaziotis8287 Not a Shane fan myself but Love the other three picks... I know its a classic but I just don't like Shane, sorry...
by far John Wayne in The Shootist and then Tombstone and then the movie Unforgiven absolutely to make the top 3
This is such a safe and predictable list. Something a liberal arts professor would be parroting in an introduction to film class.
I feel like a better list of would be even more obvious, this list has too many pseudo-westerns
Really interesting, as I am seeing the exact same issues when looking at different genres of music for a course I am studying. I am old enough to have been around for some of them and your comment sums up how I feel about the obvious examples we are given.
Judging from the comments the list is neither safe nor predictable well, predictable perhaps for old conservatives who insist things were better in the past.
@@rg1809 if you're a totalitarian things are better now
@@porterhouse_ Conservatives are the opposite of totalitarians.
While a couple of the films listed are only tangentially westerns, this is a pretty good list. A truly modern western that belongs on the list is “Hell or High Water.”
Not suggesting it as a western, but if you love Hell or High Water, I urge you to watch Wind River. It's by Sheridan as well. EXCELLENT movie (as is Hell or High Water).
HEAT
Wind River is one of the only films the recent years that has given me a feeling of real tension. Yup, it's great. Since it's from the same producer's as Sicario, one could have a valid point it's the better one of the two.
Okay, so No Country for Old Men, The Rider are not truly Westerns. Better choices are Shane, The Shootist, The Westerner, The Magnificent Seven, and even 1969's True Grit. Treasure of the Sierra Madre is set in 1925, it's really borderline thematically as a Western, though a great film anyway.
3:10 to Yuma should make the top list then Unforgiven and then Pale Rider and then tombstone
another movie that we should make the top 10 of all-time as the Coen Brothers Western called Buster Scruggs
how the hell do you miss the movie by the greatest director of all time Quentin Tarantino and Django Unchained
QT is not one of the greatest directors, not even top 100. And DJANGO UNCHAINED is his worst film.
I would also consider "Hud", "Unforgiven", and "The Magnificent Seven" to be worthy candidates for your list, as well as the remake of "True Grit". And then there's "Lonesome Dove", which was a movie series made for TV.
Don't consider HUD a real western and the remake of "True Grit" just isn;t that special. Agree with Unforgiven and Mag 7.
Tombstone, Good Bad Ugly, are the two best westerns ever!
Tombstone -- yes.
TGTBTU -- absolutely NOT. Deeply flawed. Boring for long stretches. Union Army camp should be dropped.
Both great also big jake,the outlaw Josie whales,El dorado,tombstone,silverado,true grit,
Oh once upon a time in the west
The Magnificent Seven, The Big Country, Shane, Once Upon a Time in the West.... Plenty of other great westerns missing from this list.
The Big Country is a very underrated movie . I’m continually surprised at how many people that are “western movie fans” , that have never seen or heard of this movie .
After scrolling down quite a ways, there is one of my top five favorite westerns that wasn't mentioned: "One Eyed Jacks".
Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Slim Pickens, Ben Johnson. Released 1961, everyone was in their prime. If there ever was an overlooked classic this is one.
Great shout.
Really great Western
Brando never approved the final cut, would have been amazing to see his true vision but it was going to be far too long for mainstream audiences. Still a beautiful movie
Shane the best ever. Big Country and High Noon next.
Not a fan of High Noon ,
If you like that film check out , "Silver Load " , a western that does the man abandon by his town story properly .
@@unclepatrick2 I will watch “Silver Load”. Thanks for the recommendation
"Quigley Down Under (1990)" certainly deserves an honorable mention. Not including "Unforgiven (1992)" is .. unforgivable.
The Outlaw Josey Wales, Big Jake, Silverado, The Rare Breed, Cattle Empire, Union Pacific, Wells Fargo, Santa Fe Trail, Western Union, Ride the High Country, Canadian Pacific, The Cariboo Trail, The Tall T, Once Upon a Time in the West.
Plus The Magnificent Seven (original), High Noon and Open Range.
another amazing movie is Outlaw Josey Wales a Civil War veteran out to redeem himself
Tombstone is undoubtedly a modern day classic
Not historically perfect but a cinema masterpiece
Val Kilmer should have won an Oscar for his portrayal of Doc Holliday
I think western lovers consider Wayne to be the only great western actor, unfortunately. JMO
Magnificent 7 is a perfect Western! Yul, McQueen, Bronson, Vaughan and Coburn!
No Tombstone. No True Grit (John Wayne version). No Shane. No respect.
The remake was really good, Jeff Bridges nailed Rooster.
Ole Loopers 11 best list is way different than mine. He has movies on there that I can`t even consider 'westerns'. First giveaway is if there`s a pickup truck in it, it`s not a 'western'....to me. My best 11 would be, in no particular order, and just off the top of my head....1) Open Range, 2) Unforgiven, 3) The Searchers, 4) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, 5) Wild Bill, 6) Shane, 7) She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, 8) Red River, 9) The Wild Bunch, 10) Outlaw Josie Wales, 11) Broken Trail. JMO, don`t get all butt hurt. ;) I`m also sure I forgot a few good ones. But 'Once Upon a Time in the West' wouldn`t be one of them. I actually like the movie a lot except for things already mentioned in the replies already. I just think Charles Bronson is the wrong guy for the lead.. I like Bronson, I just don`t love him in this character. Henry Fonda, as always, is great.
You ignored "Once Upon a Time in the West ", why ? This is one of the most remarkable westerns ever filmed !
How could you leave out "Shane"? Beautifully acted, directed and photographed and has one of the loveliest musical themes of all time. I would also throw in "Vera Cruz" which is arguably the first Spaghetti western.
VERA CRUZ is without doubt one of the most influencal westerns ever. Largely forgotten by the smartphone generation who believe that Tarantino is the king of westerns.
Indeed, any TOP WESTERN Movie list - that leaves out "SHANE" is not worth looking at !
"Shane" is as good as any of these.
The Outlaw Josey Wales and Pale Rider are my favorites
What about "High Plains Drifter", wasn't "Pale Rider" just a copy?
@@UTArch1 Yeah...and both are essentially copies of "Shane", in my opinion. I really liked Pale Rider and still do, but now see it as more derivative than I used to. Which, tbh, is true of most Westerns (or movies in general regardless of genre, for that matter).
You could've made best top 10 just using Clint Eastwood and John Wayne's IMDB pages
underrated
Jimmy Stewart was in Winchester '73 and TMWSLV. So him as well.
El Dorado will forever be my favorite movie, used to watch it and other westerns with my grandfather before he passed away.
It's a better film than Rio Bravo in my opinion
@@cdfreester hell yea i have to agree
I absolutely LOVE Westerns. Sadly never anymore on Channels. I would be so happy if there was a Channel DEDICATED to Westerns and old movies ONLY.
Another terrific western that was missing from this list was the exceptional and thought provoking film about vigilante justice "The Ox Bow Incident" starring Henry Fonda. A magnificent film that stays with you long after you see it and is very relevant today, 70 years after it was made.
THANK YOU!! I couldn't remember the name but kept thinking in my head..." What about the black-and-white movie concerning the hanging... You know the one with Henry Fonda and the 2nd banana from dragnet?"
Tombstone, Good Bad Ugly, Buck and the Preacher, and The Magnificent 7 are my personal favorite western movies.
Good list
The original "Stagecoach," with a stellar cast including a young John Wayne, John Carradine, Thomas Mitchell and Andy Devine, among others, should be number one on the list.
In my opinion, The Searchers, is the best movie ever made.
Both the opening and closing shots are classic symbolism. It’s beautifully filmed, and looks fantastic on the big screen. I saw it at the restored Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, CA.
Best Western and top 10 over all film.
The Oxbox Incident, Red River, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance & Unforgiven are my top 5.
Greatest Western Director - John Ford. Most underrated Western Director - Anthony Mann
Sam Peckinpah's 1962 "Ride The High Country" with Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea certainly belongs on this list. It is my favorite western.
Without Blazing Saddles and Back to the Future 3 this list is highly suspect.
LMAO!! Is excellent point!
Hilarious!
Many great western comedies. Support Your Local Sheriff and Waterhole #3 are fantastic movies.
I'm gonna get a lot of hate for this, but I understand why Tombstone isn't on the list. I think it's a perfect example of what I'd call the Dark Knight Effect. We remember the movie as being better than it is because of the brilliance of Val Kilmer's supporting performance.
Agreed, he should have gotten an Oscar for that role.
Absolutely the best supporting role I’ve ever seen
You tell ‘ em Wyett Earp’s comin’! And Hells comin’ with me!
“Once upon a time in the west” has to be here.
Possibly the best western ever. Definitely the most artistic.
One of the best: this list was immediately suspicious without Once Upon a Time
although it is actually a miniseries lonesome dove is the best western ever made nothing else comes close and i dont know how tombstone would not be on this list
Had to scroll through the replies to see if anybody mentioned lonesome dove. I also checked metacritic and its not even listed. It is definitely in the conversation of greatest westerns of all time.
Once Upon A Time In The West, Shane, Unforgiven, Open Range.....
Where's "Shane" on this list?
"The Outlaw Josey Wales," "The Big Country," "Tombstone," and "High Noon" are on my personal "best Western" list! And if a movie is set after, say, WWI, it isn't what I would include in a list of Westerns, either. Glad to see "The Wild Bunch" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" included, however! "McAbe & Mrs. Miller"? No way.
"High Noon" a movie that has been called The First Adult Western. Should be on any list of best western movies
I'd add 'Silverado'. I don't think Treasure... is a Western.
"Little Big Man" pokes fun at the whole genre, but I'd still put it on this list.
I agree - it's a forgotten and under appreciated movie - I think it's Dustin Hoffman's best picture
Shane should be on this list. And, I don't consider No Country For Old Men a western.
The Big Country should be on here. Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Jean Simmons, Chuck Connors, and Charles Bickford made a terrific film.
Well at least they didnt include broke back mountain. I'd have picked a bunch of others though.
Surprised these rope suckers didn't.
When I see a western, I expect to see rough men shooting guns, not shooting loads on each other's faces.
I'll go with Open Range over the above mentioned. And Tombstone!
Open Range was great
Open Range was great agreed. How many people jumped and thought wtf when Charley shot "the killer" in the forehead ?
Both trash.
No Counry is neo-Western, but the fact that Metacritic didn't include Once Upon a Time is laughable...Unforgiven, and High Noon (85 and 89 respectively) are near these 11, but still deserve better ratings than Rider and The Gunfighter. Also comment that Rio Bravo is better because of the friendship between the characters is nonsense.
Yeah,but this list isnt about "neo-westerns". It's about "Westerns".
Just remember that Metacritic simply aggregates reviews. your beef lies with the reviewers/critics.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Tombstone with the great Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday
No mention of Paul Newman and "Hombre", for me one of the best and should at least should have got a mention.
Incredible performance by Paul Newman. That's for sure.
One of my very favourite westerns 💜
My top 11 westerns of all time
1. The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
2. Unforgiven
3. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid
4. Once Upon A Time In The West
5. The Outlaw Josey Wales
6. Rio Bravo
7. True Grit(1969-2010)
8. The Proposition
9. Django Unchained
10. Tombstone
11. The Pale Rider
Why is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid above Once Upon A Time in the West?
@@ScofieldStudios cause that's the first western my dad is introduced me to so it has a nostalgic feeling for me.
@@Swampthing86 That makes sense
I'd forgotten about "Josie," but something reminded me of it a year or so ago, so I bought the Anniversary Edition. "Rio Bravo" has been my idea of The Best Western for many years, partly because I despised "High Noon" for the same reason Howard Hawks did---and John T. Chance's explanation of why he didn't want or _need_ the well-intended help offered to him explained why. "Josie" was such a well crafted story, so beautifully shot, that it deserved more accolades than it's received. Watch it, then watch it again with the Commentary, and watch the Bonus material. Wow.
Your list is better!
How can you possibly leave out Shane
The Searchers is in my opinion the best western movie ever made and John Wayne's real acting ability is highlighted in it. Much better than the film that he did win an Oscar for, True Grit.
You might be right and I would throw in Stagecoach.
Just my opinion but I think that the Oscar for True Grit was to make up for all of the other movies he could have at least been nominated for.
@@stevegillis5297 That is a possibility.
IMHO, The Searchers is the greatest movie ever. Perfection
@@spearsba I have no argument against it!
I'd put Shane and Hud on the list. Also, The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven, both by Clint Eastwood are all-time classics.
If The Treasure of ... qualifies as a western then why not put HUD there too.
You left out Unforgiven, Eastwood's best western, which had a critics/Tomatometer score that matched The Searchers and a better audience score.
Come on, you left out so many great westerns, Shane, My Darling Clementine, 310 to yuma, Broken Arrow just to name a few. Some modern westerns like Hud for instance. A top ten list of the greatest is never gonna get it right.
Shane, Unforgiven, Magnificent Seven, Silverado and Hombre should all be on this list. No Country isn't a part of the the "Western" genre. You just can't have a Western list without Shane...it's a rule! LOL!
Totally agree with your comment. As for Hombre, it's one of my all-time favourites. Another is One-Eyed Jacks. A brilliant western.
Agree with omissions (esp Shane!) however I do think No Country counts as a modern day Western.
I can't believe that Shane was not mentioned. To me it was the best western ever. There are so many great westerns that you totally ignored and some that you included that needed to be ignored.
metacritic
Shane in the top 10 best western's IMO The Searchers is the best John Wayne movie
Indeed, any TOP WESTERN Movie list - that leaves out "SHANE" is not worth looking at !
The Sons of Katie Elder. Great acting, scenery, storyline and superb music.
Great List. I wish it also included some of my personal favorites:
Dances with Wolves
Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid
The Magnificent Seven
True Grit
Appaloosa
Where is Tombstone, and Unforgiven ?
Only 11 near perfect westerns?! I appreciate it's Metacritc, aggregate reviews, wide range bringing scores down, etc.
But if someone came up to me and said there's only 11 near-perfect westerns, I'd assume those were the only 11 westerns they'd ever seen
hahahahahaha
A more correct title would have been 11 closest to perfect Metacritic score Westerns. On the good side I wasn't even aware of "The Gunfighter" so I will check that out.
What about The Unforgiven with Burt Lancaster and Audie Murphy wow and Duel in the Sun
These are two of the most underratest westerns ever. Along with THE LAST HUNT by Richard Brooks.
"The Big Country" is another outstanding Western, should be on any "best of" list, and, of of course, Shane and Unforgiven are also excellent
YES!!!!!!!!!!
Absolutely! Gregory Peck is the man. Another great western from him is the Stalking Moon - great film 👍