I’ve foolishly let myself be tempted into entering the ‘lists’
game. I’ve previously avoided them because of the negative reaction it can stir
up among browsers who disagree with your choices. All I’ll say is: the opinions
expressed are mine, if you disagree, fine, we can still respect each other and
be civil to each other.
This is
deliberately NOT a BEST OF list of films in order. I’d find that impossible to
compile – how do you rate one complete masterpiece over another? If I tried
that, I’m sure I’d end up disagreeing with myself an hour after this blog was
posted, and wanting to change things. Nor is it a list of my PERSONAL
FAVOURITES. I freely confess some of my favourite western movies aren’t classics,
just films that never fail to entertain me – ‘THE COMANCHEROS’ (1961) for
example.
I decided
to try and compile a list of ESSENTIAL westerns, movies you just have to see to
appreciate the western at its best, at its most ground-breaking, and touching
the main western bases. Films featuring the key western actors and directors. A
guide perhaps for someone new to the western, to help them ‘get’ them. I ended
up with 25, but it isn’t exhaustive and I’ll doubtless think of some others I
might also have listed. So some western movies regarded as ‘classics’ don’t
feature – for example I think THE BIG COUNTRY (1960) THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES
(1976) SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949) THE WESTERNER (1940) WESTERN UNION (1941) and WINCHESTER 73 (1950) are all very good/ great but not ground-breaking and
therefore don’t make my essential list. However, I couldn't resist breaking my own rule about this once, as you will see...
Meanwhile, here’s
my 25 essential westerns. And because I’m expressing my opinions throughout, I
decided to forgo the use of phrases like ‘in my view’ or IMHO as I’d be
repeating them endlessly. Films are listed in alphabetical order, not in any
order of merit.
THE COWBOYS (1972)
Late in his
career, JOHN WAYNE played a father figure to a bunch of children/young
teenagers he is forced to use to complete a gruelling trail drive. What could
have been a horribly sentimental exercise becomes a gripping experience by dint
of a gritty, authentic script, strong location photography and above all
outstanding acting. The supporting cast are first-rate, from an effective cameo
by SLIM PICKENS to ROSCOE LEE BROWNE’s trail cook to BRUCE DERN who is
tremendous as perhaps the ultimate western villain. Wayne meantime gives a
towering performance, one many consider the best of his career.
FORT APACHE (1948)
The most
important team in the history of western movies was actor JOHN WAYNE and
director JOHN FORD. This is part of the so-called ‘cavalry trilogy’ they made
together, Although Wayne gets top billing, and is excellent in his role, the
most fascinating and compelling performance is by HENRY FONDA as Colonel
Thursday. Thursday is clearly a brilliant man and soldier, but his ferocious
ambition, plus a contempt for his Apache enemies, drives him and the troops he
leads to destruction. One of the earliest westerns to depict Native Americans
sympathetically.
An early
example of the so-called ‘psychological western,’ this movie is similar to ‘High Noon’ in that it depends on
nail-biting tension rather than action as the clock ticks down to a deadly
appointment between the lone hero (an outstanding GREGORY PECK) and his
adversaries.
HOMBRE (1967)
Adapted
from ELMORE LEONARD’s superb novel, this is another slow-burning western with
PAUL NEWMAN as an outsider, a white man who prefers living with Apaches. But he
becomes the unlikely defender of a small party of whites trapped in the desert
by bandits. With dialogue terse enough to match the stark landscape and fine
performances from the supporting cast – FREDERICK MARCH, MARTIN BALSAM, DIANE
CILENTO in one of the best women’s roles in westerns, and RICHARD BOONE as a
menacing villain.
JESSE JAMES (1939)
The two most famous outlaws in the Old West were BILLY
THE KID and JESSE JAMES, so their lives have to be covered in any essential
list.
This take
on the career of the notorious JESSE JAMES treats him sympathetically. So it
could be dismissed as a whitewash job – but, if so, it’s an extremely well made
one. TYRONE POWER (as Jesse) leads an outstanding cast, also featuring HENRY
FONDA (as FRANK JAMES) and RANDOLPH SCOTT.
THE LEFT HANDED GUN (1958)
The best take on the Old West's other most famous outlaw: BILLY THE KID. PAUL NEWMAN plays the doomed young
outlaw in this brooding and atmospheric ‘psychological western.’ Billy wasn’t
left handed, by the way!
LITTLE BIG MAN (1970)
The most
notable film to depict the Indian Wars from the viewpoint of the Native
Americans. It’s admittedly less subtle than the great THOMAS BERGER novel it’s
adapted from, but manages to marry extremely funny moments with sections that
are tragic and moving.
A MAN CALLED HORSE (1970)
An
unusual western in that it’s about Native American life before they had much contact with the white man – represented here
by their captive RICHARD HARRIS. Expanded from a short story by the great
DOROTHY M. JOHNSON.
MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946)
The story
of Wyatt Earp/ Doc Holliday and their doings in Tombstone have featured in
countless western movies. JOHN FORD’s take on it is the best. He cheerfully
gets his hard facts wrong, he even deliberately sets it in the wrong year, but
the end result is marvellous, a lyrical celebration of the Old West not as it
was, but as it should have been.
THE NAKED SPUR (1953)
Another
strong director/actor team was the pairing of actor JAMES STEWART and director
ANTHONY MANN, producing a string of fine 1950s westerns. ‘The Naked Spur’ is a gripping morality tale that takes places
entirely outdoors in stunning Colorado/Rocky Mountain locations. Stewart leads
a brilliant cast; I particularly liked ROBERT RYAN’s treacherous, laughing
villain.
THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (1943)
Almost an
anti-western in that it’s dark, claustrophobic and mostly studio bound. A good
example of the ‘intelligent’ western, it’s a searing indictment of vigilante
‘justice’, with very effective performances by HENRY FONDA, DANA ANDREWS and
ANTHONY QUINN.
RED RIVER (1948)
The
classic trail drive western. JOHN WAYNE bravely risks hardening his image in
his warts-and-all portrait of a tyrannical trail boss, a man whose harsh regime
causes his drovers to mutiny. The result gave his screen persona a realistic
edge that made him a film superstar.
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY (1962)
Here old
meets the new – two aging western legends, RANDOLPH SCOTT and JOEL MCREA, are
directed by up-and-coming SAM PECKINPAH. Both leads give wonderful performances
in this elegiac western, and McCrea gets to utter the classic line ‘All I want
to do is enter my house justified.’
RIO BRAVO (1959)
'Rio Bravo' is not ground-breaking or innovative, so I broke my own rules including this movie here. I felt it had to claim a place on any 'essential' list, simply because it is so good; you won't find a better made western. My dictionary defines ‘quintessential’ as ‘purest and most perfect manifestation or embodiment’ and ‘Rio Bravo’ must be a contender for the ‘quintessential’ western. Sheriff JOHN WAYNE and a few allies are besieged in a town gaol by a small army of bad guys. Even though Wayne and company are all flawed heroes, they prevail through sheer guts and skill. A long and leisurely film, but director HOWARD HAWKS never lets up on tension. He wisely uses the time to flesh out the characters, ably played by Wayne, DEAN MARTIN, WALTER BRENNAN and – in one of the best roles for a woman in westerns – ANGIE DICKINSON.
THE SEARCHERS (1956)
I
wouldn’t rate this the best western ever made – as many do – not even the best
JOHN WAYNE/ JOHN FORD collaboration. I think the film sags after an
electrifying first hour or so. But it makes my list because of WINSTON C. HOCH’s
stunning photography, capturing Fords favourite location – Monument Valley –
and Wayne’s performance. Again showing a brutal side, he powers through the
movie like a force of nature, as in his spell-binding ‘Turning of the Earth’
speech – which led director MARTIN SCORSESE to describe the character Wayne
played as ‘a poet of hatred.’
SHANE (1953)
OK, I’ll
get my reservation about this movie out of the way. While ALAN LADD’s
performance is adequate, I think he was miscast, and Gregory Peck (in ‘The Gunfighter’ mode) would have been
more convincing. But the other elements of the film are superb – from the
location photography to the period detail to the expertly staged action scenes.
Ladd gets first-class support, including JACK PALANCE as a particularly
memorable villain.
THE SHOOTIST (1976)
JOHN
WAYNE’s final film performance also marks for me the end of the classic western
film era. Appropriately enough it’s also sombre and elegiac in tone and
features fine acting from veteran stars. The scenes between Wayne and JAMES
STEWART, and between Wayne and LAUREN BACALL, are particularly rewarding.
STAGECOACH (1939)
‘Stagecoach’ is a rarity – a perfect film
script, in this case by DUDLEY NICHOLS. I challenge anyone to find one dud line
in the entire movie. Director JOHN FORD worked for the first time with two elements
that would feature strongly in his subsequent westerns - JOHN WAYNE in his breakthrough
role, and Monument Valley, the Utah/Arizona location that would become perhaps
the most iconic landscape in western movies.
Dudley
Nichols
THE TALL T (1957)
Another
notable actor/director team was RANDOLPH SCOTT and BUD BOETTICHER. The best of
their collaborations is this lean, taut adaption of an ELMORE LEONARD short
story. One of the most enjoyable aspects is the interplay between the good guy
– Scott – and the lead villain, RICHARD BOONE, excellent in the role. The only
jarring aspect is the title, which doesn’t relate to anything in the movie!
3.10 TO YUMA (1957)
Like ‘The Tall T’ this movie is based on an
ELMORE LEONARD short story, and focuses on the grudging respect that grows between
an outlaw – GLENN FORD – and the rancher who holds him captive, a performance
of quiet intensity by VAN HEFLIN. Another western that demonstrates tension can
be more effective than action.
UNFORGIVEN (1992)
CLINT EASTWOOD
had been a staple of western films since his breakthrough to stardom in Spaghetti
Westerns of the 60s. Here he directs himself in arguably his greatest western,
as a grizzled former gun man who comes out of retirement to confront corrupt sheriff
GENE HACKMAN.
VERA CRUZ (1954)
A
Mexico-set western with a veteran western legend – GARY COOPER – up against a
rising star – BURT LANCASTER. Lancaster gives a roistering performance playing
against type as a ‘laughing’ villain in what one critic called ‘great outdoor
entertainment.’
WAGON MASTER (1950)
JOHN
FORD’s personal favourite of his own westerns is this low-key affair about
Mormons travelling an arduous desert trail to their promised land. It’s low on
action, or even incident. Ford instead presents a mood piece with the emphasis
on atmosphere, character, a warm sense of community and what he called ‘grace
notes.’ He eschewed using stars, letting some of the best western character
actors – BEN JOHNSON, HARRY CAREY Jr. and WARD BOND – shine instead. A poem of
a film, beautifully made.
THE WILD BUNCH (1969)
Part of
the ‘revisionist’ western trend, SAM PECKINPAH’s second western masterpiece
after ‘Ride the High Country’ was
another end-of-the-west tale set in the early 20th Century. Unable
to survive in a changing America, a band of outlaws are driven south of the
border into the savagery of the Mexican Revolution. Its stunning action
sequences have been called ‘a ballet of violence.’
WILL PENNY (1967)
Westerns
are routinely described as ‘cowboy movies’ but only a minority deal with the
Spartan lives of real cowboys. CHARLTON HESTON plays an aging cow hand who
finds hope of escape from his semi-monastic existence in a relationship with a
settler woman – JOAN HACKETT in a marvellous performance – and her child. I
like everything about this poignant tale except the last 5 minutes, which I
would change!
ESSENTIAL MODERN WESTERNS:
BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (1954)
SPENCER
TRACY arrives in an isolated western desert town in 1945 to find it’s hiding a
very guilty secret. A masterpiece of tension and a feast of fine acting from
character actors of the calibre of ROBERT RYAN and WALTER BRENNAN. Of Tracy’s
majestic performance, ROBERT DUVALL said, ‘It doesn’t get any better than that.’
LONELY ARE THE BRAVE (1962)
KIRK
DOUGLAS is superb in this moving fable of a lone cowboy trying to live an
independent life in the 1960s. When he falls foul of the law, he ends up in a desperate
flight to freedom, taking on the modern world with just his rifle, his horse
and his wits.
ESSENTIAL TV WESTERN SERIES:
THE HIGH CHAPARRAL (1967-1971)
Unlike
most TV Westerns, ‘The High Chaparral’
wasn’t filmed on the cheap and on sound stages and familiar Hollywood
locations. It had the production values of a Hollywood movie and the location
photography in Old Tucson, Arizona made it physically beautiful. This, plus
gritty, authentic scripts (particularly in Seasons 1 and 2) and an excellent
cast portraying flawed and complex characters – not the ‘strong, silent’ heroes
of too many TV Westerns – made it the best of this genre.
ESSENTIAL MINI SERIES:
None
(sorry ‘LONESOME DOVE’ fans!)
Reflecting on my completed list, I realised there were no ‘Spaghetti Westerns’ included. Without
wanting to sound too high-brow about it, I find them entertaining but lacking
in depth. I wasn’t surprised no westerns after 1992 feature. Films like ‘TOMBSTONE’
(1993) and ‘OPEN RANGE’ (2003) have their merits and plenty of admirers but for
me, they don’t match the standard of the best westerns from the classic period,
which I would define as 1939 - 1976. I find it a bit depressing that modern
film makers can’t seem to make a great western any more. I’d be delighted for some
of them to prove me wrong!
Monument
Valley
Two
omissions I noted were ‘HIGH NOON’ (1952) and ‘THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN’ (1960.) I
have to say that ‘HIGH NOON’ has never really grabbed me. As for ‘MAGNIFICENT
SEVEN’ I find it entertaining, with a great score and good action scenes, but
I’ve never shared the general feeling it’s a classic. But, as I said at the
beginning, that’s just my opinion. Feel free to disagree!
