I was interested in the thread on the Sam Peckinpah movie "The Wild Bunch," which almost everyone will admit was a great western movie, certainly one of the best. William Holden and Ernie Borgnine were the standouts in the cast.

So as not to hijack that thread, I thought I'd get some views on what you consider to be the best western movie ever made.

Some come to mind - Shane, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, High Noon, The Man who killed Liberty Valence, The Searchers, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Stagecoach, Unforgiven, Lonesome Dove, True Grit (both versions) The Shootist, etc. All great. But the best ever?

I'll start this off. My pick is Tombstone. Kurt Russell did a masterful job of portraying Wyatt Earp as a man with ice water in his veins, as a loyal brother, and as a man with an extremely vengeful nature. Val Kilmer did a superb job of playing the flawed, bucolic and ultimately doomed Doc Holliday. Technically, there were a few glitches (The Birdcage Theatre is shown when the Earps came into town, but it didn't exist until a bit later in Tombstone's history). The firearms used were authentic, and very well researched. The OK Corral fight was staged to be as close as possible to contemporary accounts of that fracas. All the characters were developed nicely, and their interplay fairly accurately depicted things as they were in the 1880s. The Clanton gang came across as really bad guys right from the opening scenes. I think the picture really gives you a flavor of Arizona Territory in the later years of the 1800s. True West magazine called it one of the 5 greatest Westerns ever made. It gets my vote and a hearty "well done." I don't think that it will ever be equaled.

Your mileage may vary. What do you say?

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Tombstone is great. I would also rate John Wayne's last, The Shootist, right at the top.

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CSM, U S Army(Ret) 1963-1990

High Noon is the best

I cant narrow it to one so my top 5 (not neccessarliy in order)
1. The Long Riders
2. Big Jake
3. Once Upon A Time In The West
4. Tombstone
5. The Wild Bunch

I don't know about the greatest but one I always enjoy is The Outlaw Josy Wales.

I saw Tombstone when it played in first-run theaters, but haven't seen it since. I remember thinking it was good, but it didn't strike me as great. Maybe after a few more watchings.

One that has stuck with me was "Once Upon a Time in the West". The others that spring immediately to mind feature Clint Eastwood: "Josey Wales", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", and "Unforgiven". There's probably no limit to how often I could watch those three.

Standing alone at the top of the heap for me is one starring Jeff Bridges, not "True Grit", but "Rancho Deluxe". Yup; that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

Lonesome Dove is right up there for me. Tom Selleck & Sam Elliot made several outstanding westerns. Crossfire Trail, The Sacketts, & others. Open Range, with Kevin Costner & Robert Duvall was excellent, too. Hard to pin down just one, but IMHO, the newer Westerns are much better than the older ones, JMO. And although John Wayne may have been a fine person & all that, I'm sorry to say, I don't think much of his acting ability.

About Tombstone, you're right on about the three dementionality of the "bad" guys. I think a photo of Curley Bill Brocious doesn't exist and he's only popped up in a couple Earp movies just to get killed for our entertainment. but not in Tombstone. He was fleshed out and it showed his freindship with one of the lawmen, Billy Brekinridge. And the opening scene when it shows the gang and I saw his outfit with the crossed gunbelts and flamboyant boots with a hand of cards on each one..Wow! He was my favorite character of that movie among so many other great ones.

I like most of those already mentioned but Open Range is right at the top.

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SWCA #1917

As most things tend to go, there are many old westerns I love that have many story or technical flaws that would preclude them from making my "best" listing; but as much as I like Eastwood and the "spaghetti westerns" they were quite fanciful and unrealistic.

I think he did much better on both counts in "The Outlaw Josey Wales".

But for story, star, action, and realistic human characters, I'll have to go with the Duke in his last, "The Shootist".

>THREAD HIJACK<
I really liked the treatment given the story in Bruce Willis' "Last Man Standing", since, it is a virtual remake of "A Fistful of Dollars", set in the Depression era instead of the 1880s. Arguably not a "western", you can't help but think of it that way since the characters and stories are identical.

OK - back to the discussion at hand

Another vote for "The Shootist."

I'm your huckleberry. Also The Shootist, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Open Range, and how about Silverado and Rio Bravo?

Ok, maybe not 'greatest' but favoritist!

The Outlaw Josey Wales is the one I watch most often with Big Jake and Quigley Down Under close behind.

Blazing Saddles

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

Surely you jest. I know, I know, don't call you Shirley, right?

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

(1969) True Grit

Well, there's so many truly excellent westerns that this one stands out from them all by itself (not becuase of it's excellence obviously). I feel that to pick only one of the great ones wouldn't be fair so I stand by my choice.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

6. The Shootist
I dont think it ranks among the best of all westerns, but it is probably one of the Duke's best, and the only one of his movies I got to see in a theatre when it was released.

I thought it was interesting at the time that Costner's "Wyatt Earp" supposedly was first in production and the story I heard was that "Tombstone" was rushed to release first. "Tombstone" was technically more accurate than most any movie done on the subject so far and I agree that Russell made an iconic and memorable Earp. But I think as far as the flawed character of the man himself the nod would go to Costner's take of the character. But that's about all; "Wyatt Earp" was technically flawed with weapons being used before they were invented and such and the clothing styles and whatnot mirrored "movie western" more than the flavor of reality captured in "Tombstone". John Holliday was a very interesting character historically and I've read quite a bit about him. Some really big name actors have given their portrayal of him their best shot, but so far I think Kilmer "owns" that role with his interpretation.

As far as the "bad guys" and story line goes, both movies took liberties with the historical accounts, but there is a concerted effort in that area these days I'm told to try to change the popular conceptions that the Earps were the good guys and the Clantons and McLowerys were the bad, mostly from the descendents of the losers of the gun fight. No doubt the Earps and especially Wyatt, were not the totally virtuous types they are often made out to be, but one has to consider their bahavior in the context of the area and the times in which they lived.

Fascinating and unique period of history.

they died with their boots on with earl flynn.

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God save the SOUTH

I have always enjoyed "Winchester '73", the original with James Stewart.

KAC

The 'Outlaw Josey Wales' is my all-time favorite movie period! But I do not consider it a western. After all , most happened in Kansas and Missouri.

And since not one of the classsic old time westerns really distinguishes itself in my mind , I'll vote for a fairly recent one in 'Silverado'.

Classic 'western' story line (good guys v bad guys)
All-star cast
Technically accurate for the time
Period correct firearms
Timely humor

Plenty of shootin' , fightin' , rustlin' , drinkin' , gamblin' , cheatin' , lyin' , and shootin'!

The Magnificent Seven. Yul Brenner,Eli Wallach,Steve McQueen,Charles Bronson,Robert Vaugn,James Cobern.Great movie.

I'm some kind of Western freak I guess. I like so many that I can't truly pick a favorite. Lonesome Dove is up on the "list" as of the great modern day actors. Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall are a very tough act to follow. Broken Trail and Open Range are pretty good late westerns also. JMO

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Go big or stay home

In no particular order:

Eldorado
Big Jake
Rio Lobo
Rio Bravo
The Sons of Katie Elder (yea, you can tell I'm a JW fan)
Josie Wales
True Grit (the very good one, not the one with the *** liberal man-hating bitch who can't act worth a ****)
The three spagetti westerns with Clint
Once Upon a Time in the West (great Fonda movie)
Unforgiven
Pale Rider
High Plains Drifter
Joe Kidd
2 Mules
Hang'em High

I love westerns, so picking a favorite is hard. But Tombstone is right up there at or near the top. Val Kilmer should have won an Oscar for his role as Doc. Another favorite is Rio Bravo. I also liked Unforgiven. And then there's.......

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Misty

It's Once Upon a Time in the West for me. Were it not for Ennio Morricone's score, there would have been a lotta neck-and-necks, but his music is just brilliant: The best movie music ever, IMHO.

This movie has every thing: Cast, direction, cinematography, music (Did I mention that? ), etc. As an extra, if you're a Western buff, it also has a lot of homages to other classic films, like Shane and High Noon.

Here's the opening scene:

YouTube - &#x202a;Once Upon a Time in The West - Opening sequence&#x202c;&rlm;

And here's the final duel between Chuck Bronson and Jane Fonda's daddy:

YouTube - &#x202a;Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) - the Duel&#x202c;&rlm;

That's my most favorite-ist movie scene ever.

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Festina lente - A. Caesar

And a great double feature with Seven Samurai, starring Toshiro Mifune.

Tombstone. Kilmer not even getting nominated for an Oscar was a crime. "Say when."

Silverado. Just a good all-around movie.

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Randy

Interestingly, the story line behind both "Last Man Standing" and the Clint Eastwood western where he plays two rival gangs against each other were not based on westerns. They were based on a Japanese film named the "Samurai" or some such, and came out in the late 1950s.

Likewise, "The Magnificent Sevent" story was a westernized copy of the classic japanese "The Seven Samurai".

Some favorites here.

Ox Bow Incident.
Support Your Local Sheriff.
Man From Snowy River.
My Name Is Nobody as well as They Call Me Trinity and Trinity Is Still My Name.
Serenity which is more or less a Western set in the future and a different solar system.

For first time viewing, I think I probably enjoyed watching Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid more than most. I've watched Tombstone and Young Guns 1&2 more times.

Unforgiven...other westerns have more action...most, more fun...but this movie is so layered and it's theme is mesmerizing.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Tombstone is coming on CMT right now, 8:00 EDT. Tombstone was my wife's favorite movie. It was the last thing she watched the day she died.

That's a close second.

My GF and I are both movie addicts, but our tastes are very different. I like T's and A's and a lotta guys getting whacked, she likes girlie stuff.

We play a game where one of us makes the other of us watch their flicks. I'll make her watch Se7en and she will make me watch Howards End.

She suggested Unforgiven. I thought ***, you're giving away a Clint Eastwood flick?

Great movie. Clint apparently paid some attention to Sergio Leone while he was working with him.

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Festina lente - A. Caesar

The Shootist hands down.. My God, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Richard Boone, Hugh O'brian, Henry Morgan, Ron Howard, Lauren Becall!!

The Unforgivin is right behind.

BR

John Ford's Stagecoach with John Wayne, plus a great cast of character actors.

Certainly there are other good westerns, but this one has it all, IMHO.

my favorite western is el dorado starring john wayne robert mitchum and a young james caan

Jerimiah Johnson with Robert Redford and Will Geer is one I never miss. Some lesser known but ones I find entertaining are:
"Accross the Wide Missouri" with Clark Gable.
"Ride the High Country" with aging Randolf Scott and Joel McCrea.
"Two Rode Together" with James Stewart and Riced Wirmark

Jeremiah Johnson
Original 3:10 to Yuma
Pale Rider

Loved the Man with No Name Trilogy and Josie Wales as well.
Respect The Duke, but his acting leaves a little to be desired compared to others now that I am older. I'd still have a shot and a beer with him, mind you. He IS The Duke.

Nevada Smith is a GREAT western that never seems to get picked. And Steve McQueen wasn't even the best actor in the movie. Karl Malden yelling "Yer YELLA! Haven't got the guts!" over and over as McQueen walks away is probably one of the best endings in movie history. Martin Landau delivered one of the dirtiest lines I've ever heard, "You fight like your momma boy!" Brian Keith probably played the best character in the movie. He was the gunsmith that taught Max Sand how to handle a six shooter, and what to expect in his quest for vengeance.

I'll second Nevada Smith as a true classic that gets little mention.
Also on my list are: Once Upon a Time in the West, Winchester 76, Tombstone, The Searchers, Silverado, The Unforgiven, The Shootist and a movie I've watched more than any other, The Outlaw Josie Wales.

The Outlaw Josie Wales makes the list for the sheer volume of quotable lines. "You gonna pull them pistols or whistle Dixie?"
"Dyin' ain't much of a livin' boy." "Buzzards gotta eat same as worms."

Back when he was Walter.

(Image in the public domain.)

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Rule of law, not a man.

I like the Missouri boat ride scene the best in the Outlaw Josey Wales.

For me, the Searchers with John Wayne.

David

DODGE CITY with Erroll Flynn; DESTRY RIDES AGAIN with James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich; WILL PENNY with Charelton Heston; THE UNFORGIVEN (1960) John Huston's often overlooked western starring: Burt Lancaster, Audrey Hepburn, Audi Murphy, John Saxon, Charles Bickford, Lillian Gish, and (my old pal) Doug McClure...

The Shootist
Lonely Are the Brave
Cat Ballou
3:10 to Yuma
The Unforgiven

sigp220.45 I forgot about shane.I agree on jermiah johnson too it its on I always watch it.

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God save the SOUTH

I was always fond of The Culpepper Cattle Company.

Well, there's a lot of good flicks mentioned here. I'll cast my vote with "How the West was Won". The great American saga, 5 generations of a family. I like Tombstone, but I think Kilmer's Doc is lame, it's just Kilmer being Kilmer, to me. D. Quaid's Doc seemed much more realistic. More dark, more cold and eccentric.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed