The Best Ward Bond Movies

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Updated August 11, 2023 1.1K votes 158 voters
Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Ward Bond Movies
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List of the best Ward Bond movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Ward Bond's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Ward Bond movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Ward Bond movies will be at the top of the list. Ward Bond has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Ward Bond movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Ward Bond films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Ward Bond role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Ward Bond performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

List features films like Hondo, The Time of Your Life and more!

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Ward Bond movies?" and "What are the greatest Ward Bond roles of all time?"

Notable directors that worked with Ward Bond include names like John Ford, Cecil B. DeMille and Jean Renoir. Movie fans who love Ward Bond have also been known to enjoy films starring Edgar Buchanan and Warren Oates.

Most divisive: Waterfront Lady
Ranked by
  • The Searchers
    1

    The Searchers

    John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Natalie Wood
    47 votes
    • Released: 1956
    • Directed by: John Ford
    In this revered Western, Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) returns home to Texas after the Civil War. When members of his brother's family are killed or abducted by Comanches, he vows to track down his surviving relatives and bring them home. Eventually, Edwards gets word that his niece Debbie (Natalie Wood) is alive, and, along with her adopted brother, Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter), he embarks on a dangerous mission to find her, journeying deep into Comanche territory.

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  • The Quiet Man
    2

    The Quiet Man

    John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald
    38 votes
    • Released: 1952
    • Directed by: John Ford
    After accidentally killing an opponent in the ring, boxer Sean Thornton leaves America and returns to his native Ireland, hoping to buy his family's homestead and live in peace. In doing so, he runs afoul of Will Danaher, who long coveted the property. Spitefully, Will objects when his fiery sister, Mary Kate, begins a romance with Sean, and refuses to hand over her dowry. Mary Kate refuses to consummate the marriage until Sean retrieves the money.

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  • Fort Apache
    3

    Fort Apache

    John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple
    23 votes
    • Released: 1948
    • Directed by: John Ford
    When arrogant and stubborn Civil War hero Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) arrives in Arizona with his daughter, Philadelphia (Shirley Temple), to assume command of the Fort Apache outpost, he clashes with level-headed Captain Kirby York (John Wayne). Viewing the local Native Americans through an ignorantly negative lens, Thursday is determined to engage them in battle for his own glory, despite the warnings of York -- an act of folly that will have dire consequences.
  • Wagon Master
    4

    Wagon Master

    Ben Johnson, Joanne Dru, Ward Bond
    22 votes
    • Released: 1950
    • Directed by: John Ford
    When a group of Mormons are run out of town for their religious beliefs, Elder Wiggs (Ward Bond) searches for a wagon master to guide the outcasts to the San Juan Valley. Happening upon horse traders Travis Blue (Ben Johnson) and Sandy (Harry Carey Jr.), Wiggs convinces the men to take the position due to their intimate knowledge of the area. Despite Blue and Sandy's guidance, the travelers experience numerous setbacks, especially when the Clegg family outlaws take refuge in their wagon train.

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  • Gone with the Wind
    5

    Gone with the Wind

    Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard
    33 votes
    • Released: 1939
    • Directed by: Victor Fleming
    Gone with the Wind is a sweeping saga of love and loss in the Civil War-era South. Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), the headstrong daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, nurses an unrequited love for Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). When handsome rogue Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) enters her life, a tumultuous romance unfolds against the backdrop of war and societal change. This 1939 epic won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and stands as one of cinema's most enduring classics. Its vivid portrayal of historical events complements the complex dynamics between its unforgettable characters.

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  • Mister Roberts
    6

    Mister Roberts

    Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon, James Cagney
    25 votes
    • Released: 1955
    • Directed by: John Ford, Mervyn LeRoy
    Bittersweet film about a supply officer aboard a decrepit cargo ship during World War II who yearns for a transfer into a combat zone but is thwarted by the ship's captain, a petty tyrant. Forced to endure various humiliations in exchange for privileges, the crew engage in minor acts of resistance, and look to Mr. Roberts for inspiration and moral support. Based on the hit Broadway play.

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