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The Best Western Movies Ever Made 

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Originally by Ranker Community
Updated May 20, 2020 381.2k votes 19.6k voters 384.7k views 395 items

The best Western movies ever made include some true classics from the early days of cinema, and more modern day films that captured our imagination and took us to the days of the wild, wild West. From Sergio Leone's classics like The Good, The Bad and the Ugly to the 2010 Joel and Ethan Coen remake of True Grit, the Western movies listed here are considered some of the greatest of all time. Be sure to vote for your favorite Westerns and vote down any you don't like.

What makes a great Western? Aside from casting Clint Eastwood (he's in so many of these) or John Wayne, an outstanding Western offers movie goers fantastic characters, lots of drama and tension and certainly a nasty, memorable villain or two. Setting is obviously important in top western movies as well. Throw in a High Noon-style standoff and you simply can't miss. Those are really the most important elements in the best western and cowboy movies. (While faithfulness to history is a plus, you might be surprised how many famous westerns aren't historically accurate!)

What are you favorite western films? Which ones might convince you to stay home for the evening and relax in front of the tube? Vote for the greatest western movie ever made and be sure to add any of your favorite Western movies that might be missing! Giddyup, and enjoy!

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1
The Searchers is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Vera Miles

Released: 1956

Directed by: John Ford

The Searchers is a 1956 American Technicolor VistaVision Western film directed by John Ford, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May, and starring John Wayne as a middle-aged veteran who spends ...more

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#1,303 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #161 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #340 of 599 The Greatest Epic Movies Ever Made

2
Unforgiven is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman

Released: 1992

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Unforgiven is a 1992 American Western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood with a screenplay written by David Webb Peoples. The film portrays William Munny, an aging outlaw who takes on ...more

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#200 of 350 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime #306 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movieslisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever

3
The Good, the Bad and th... is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef

Released: 1966

Directed by: Sergio Leone

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach. The screenplay was written by Age ...more

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#94 of 374 The 50+ Best War Movies Ever Made, Ranked #203 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #8 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys

4
Tombstone is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Val Kilmer, Kurt Russell, Charlton Heston

Released: 1993

Directed by: Kevin Jarre, George P. Cosmatos

Tombstone is a 1993 American western film directed by George P. Cosmatos, written by Kevin Jarre and starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, with Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Michael ...more

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#99 of 350 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime #41 of 242 The Best Movies Based on True Stories #75 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies

5
The Man Who Shot Liberty... is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, James Stewart, Lee Marvin

Released: 1962

Directed by: John Ford

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a 1962 American Western film directed by John Ford starring James Stewart and John Wayne. The black-and-white film was released by Paramount Pictures. The ...more

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#314 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #24 of 195 The Best Movies of the '60s #119 of 710 The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars

6
The Outlaw Josey Wales ... is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, John Vernon

Released: 1976

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

The Outlaw Josey Wales is a 1976 American revisionist Western film. It was directed by and starred Clint Eastwood, with Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Sam Bottoms, and Geraldine Keams. The film ...more

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#417 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #54 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #34 of 591 The Best '70s Movies

7
True Grit is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper

Released: 1969

Directed by: Henry Hathaway

True Grit is a 1969 American western Technicolor film written by Marguerite Roberts, directed by Henry Hathaway, and starring John Wayne as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn; Wayne won his only ...more

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#75 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #17 of 195 The Best Movies of the '60slisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever

8
Rio Bravo is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson

Released: 1959

Directed by: Howard Hawks

Rio Bravo is a 1959 American Western film produced and directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, and Ward Bond. Written by ...more

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#151 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #119 of 126 Movies That Should Never Be Remade #286 of 395 The Greatest Movie Themes

9
The Magnificent Seven is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn

Released: 1960

Directed by: John Sturges

The Magnificent Seven is an American western film directed by John Sturges and starring Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach and Steve McQueen. The picture is an Old West-style remake of Akira Kurosawa's ...more

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#278 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #38 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #9 of 195 The Best Movies of the '60s

10
Butch Cassidy and the Su... is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Cloris Leachman

Released: 1969

Directed by: George Roy Hill

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 American Western film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman. Based loosely on fact, the film tells the story of Wild West ...more

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#17 of 242 The Best Movies Based on True Stories #946 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movieslisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever

11
High Noon is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Grace Kelly, Gary Cooper, Lee Van Cleef

Released: 1952

Directed by: Fred Zinnemann

High Noon is a 1952 American Western film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Gary Cooper. In nearly real time, the film tells the story of a town marshal forced to face a gang of killers by ...more

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#220 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #11 of 20 Wild West Movies That Are Probably More Fun Than Going Out On A Friday Nightlisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever

12
Shane is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Jack Palance, Jean Arthur, Alan Ladd

Released: 1953

Directed by: George Stevens

Shane is a 1953 American Technicolor Western film from Paramount. It was produced and directed by George Stevens from a screenplay by A. B. Guthrie, Jr., based on the 1949 novel of the same name ...more

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#891 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #161 of 293 The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Crylisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever

13
Jeremiah Johnson is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Robert Redford, Tanya Tucker, Will Geer

Released: 1972

Directed by: Sydney Pollack

Jeremiah Johnson is a 1972 western film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford as the title character and Will Geer as "Bear Claw" Chris Lapp. The film has been said to ...more

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#1,399 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #292 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #87 of 591 The Best '70s Movies

14
Pale Rider is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Chris Penn, Michael Moriarty

Released: 1985

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Pale Rider is a 1985 American western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the lead role. This movie bears a striking similarity to the classic Western Shane, as well ...more

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#143 of 571 The Greatest Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked #1,000 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #142 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys

15
The Shootist is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, James Stewart

Released: 1976

Directed by: Don Siegel

The Shootist is a 1976 Western film directed by Don Siegel and starring John Wayne in his final film role, about a gunfighter who spends his last days looking for a way to stop with the least ...more

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#226 of 293 The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Cry #188 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #100 of 591 The Best '70s Movies

16
A Fistful of Dollars is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volonté, Aldo Sambrell

Released: 1964

Directed by: Sergio Leone

A Fistful of Dollars, titled on-screen as Fistful of Dollars, is a 1964 spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood, alongside Gian Maria Volonté, Marianne ...more

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17
Open Range is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall, Annette Bening

Released: 2003

Directed by: Kevin Costner

Open Range is a 2003 American western film directed and co-produced by Kevin Costner, starring Robert Duvall and Costner, with Annette Bening and Michael Gambon appearing in supporting roles. ...more

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#5 of 62 The 30+ Best Modern Western Movies #27 of 102 The Best Movies Directed by the Star #1 of 59 The Best Western Movies of the 21st Century

18
High Plains Drifter is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Geoffrey Lewis, John Hillerman

Released: 1973

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

High Plains Drifter is a 1973 American film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, written by Ernest Tidyman, and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Company and Universal Studios. ...more

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#148 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #45 of 591 The Best '70s Movies #4 of 45 The Best Western Movies of the '70s

19
Dances with Wolves is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Charles Rocket

Released: 1990

Directed by: Kevin Costner

Dances with Wolves is a 1990 American epic western film directed, produced by, and starring Kevin Costner. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 book of the same name by Michael Blake and tells ...more

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#50 of 374 The 50+ Best War Movies Ever Made, Rankedlisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked

20
For a Few Dollars More ... is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Sergio Leone

Released: 1965

Directed by: Sergio Leone

For a Few Dollars More is a 1965 Italian spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Gian Maria Volonté. German actor Klaus Kinski also ...more

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#950 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #87 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #130 of 599 The Greatest Epic Movies Ever Made

21
Stagecoach is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, John Carradine, Claire Trevor

Released: 1939

Directed by: John Ford

Stagecoach is a 1939 American Western film directed by John Ford, starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne in his breakthrough role. The screenplay, written by Dudley Nichols, is an adaptation of ...more

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22
Hang 'Em High is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Dennis Hopper, Bruce Dern

Released: 1968

Directed by: Ted Post

Hang 'Em High is a 1968 American Western film directed by Ted Post and produced and co-written by Leonard Freeman. It stars Clint Eastwood as Jed Cooper, Inger Stevens as a widow who helps him, ...more

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#109 of 195 The Best Movies of the '60s #8 of 47 The Greatest Western Movies of the 1960s #13 of 45 The Best Movies Starring Clint Eastwood

23
Once Upon a Time in the ... is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale, Charles Bronson

Released: 1968

Directed by: Sergio Leone

Once Upon a Time in the West is a 1968 Italian/American epic Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone for Paramount Pictures. It stars Henry Fonda cast against type as the villain, ...more

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#1,029 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #259 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #214 of 293 The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Cry

24
Red River is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters

Released: 1948

Directed by: Howard Hawks, Arthur Rosson

Red River is a 1948 Western film directed and produced by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift, giving a fictional account of the first cattle drive from Texas to Kansas ...more

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#2 of 50 The Best 1940s Western Movies #12 of 99 The Best John Wayne Movies of All Time, Ranked

25
The Wild Bunch is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Western Movies Ever Made
William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan

Released: 1969

Directed by: Sam Peckinpah

The Wild Bunch is a 1969 American epic Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah about an aging outlaw gang on the Texas–Mexico border, trying to exist in the changing "modern" world of ...more

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#857 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #260 of 548 The Greatest Movies for Guys #21 of 195 The Best Movies of the '60s