The 10 best western movies of all time, ranked

2024-01-30

EntertainmentMoviesThe 10 best western movies of all time, rankedWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Howdy, partner! I don’t reckon we’ve seen your face before. What’s that? You’re looking for a selection of the best western movies ever made? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Apologies, it’s easy to get a little in character when we write about the best westerns. After all, this is a genre like no other. Set in the vast and dusty landscapes of the Wild West, where danger lurks around every corner and excitement is never more than a day’s ride away, the greatest cowboy films have left an indelible mark on the history of cinema.

10. Westworld

(Image credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

Westworld

Director: Michael CrichtonReleased: 1973

Westworld$10.84at Amazon$18.77at Amazon

Westworld

$10.84at Amazon$18.77at Amazon

$10.84at Amazon

$18.77at Amazon

9. Three Amigos

(Image credit: Orion Pictures)

Three Amigos

Director: John LandisReleased: 1986

Westerns are typically gritty affairs about tough men doing tougher things on the edge of polite society. Needless to say, Three Amigos is not that. In fact, this zany screwball comedy about three silent movie stars who end up on a real-life cowboy adventure is about as far from the grim-faced work of Leone and Eastwood as you can get. Still, what the film lacks in edge, it more than makes up for in laughs, largely thanks to the comedic talent and goofy charm of its three leading men: Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Chevy Chase.

8. Shane

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Shane

Director: George StevensReleased: 1953

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

7. True Grit

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

True Grit

Director: Joel and Ethan CoenReleased: 2010

Joel and Ethan Coen’s spellbinding and bleak remake of the 1969 film of the same name, True Grit, is a masterfully constructed film about the folly of revenge. The movie follows 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld in her breakout role) as she hires Deputy U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help her hunt down the man who killed her father. While the story is a simple one, the film’s central theme of justice vs revenge adds a degree of complexity that cuts through the gunsmoke and violence. Combine that with the deft direction of the Coens, Roger Deakins' sensational cinematography, as well as Steinfeld and Bridges' incredible chemistry and it’s easy to understand why this is often named the brothers' best movie.

6. The Magnificent Seven

(Image credit: United Artists)

Magnificent Seven

Director: John SturgesReleased: 1960

An action-packed remake of one of thebest samurai movies– Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai – The Magnificent Seven balances exciting spectacle with a surprising degree of heart and humor. As such, the film follows a remarkably similar plot but swaps the misty mountains of Japan for the dry deserts of Mexico. Our hero is Chris Adams, who puts together a group of gunslingers to stop a group of bandits who are terrorizing a Mexican village. While the film is well known for its exceptionally strong cast – which includes the likes of Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, and Charles Bronson – you shouldn’t underestimate the skill director John Sturges and his editor Ferris Webster show in giving each of the ensemble just enough time to shine. Still, we all know that it was Elmer Bernstein and his iconic score that put the magnificent in this cowboy classic.

5. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Director: George Roy HillReleased: 1969

A film of contradictions, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, is at the same time a lighthearted romp about two outlaws on the run while also a tremendously sad story about the end of an era. In the hands of a lesser director, these opposing tones would probably give anyone watching a headache, but George Roy Hill manages to mesh these contradictory ideas together with stylish grace. Of course, it helps that he had two of the most talented actors in the world, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, playing the titular outlaws. The pair’s strong chemistry and natural charm helped make Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid into movie legends.

4. Blazing Saddles

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Blazing Saddles

Director: Mel BrooksReleased: 1974

3. Hell or Highwater

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Hell or Highwater

Director: David MackenzieReleased: 2016

2. Once Upon A Time in the West

(Image credit: Euro International Films)

Once Upon a Time in the West

Director: Sergio LeoneReleased: 1968

1. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

(Image credit: Produzioni Europee Associate)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Director: Sergio LeoneReleased: 1966

The final installment in the Dollars Trilogy has been labeled one of the finest, if not the finest, western ever made, and it’s easy to see why. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is everything a good western should be, it’s got compelling, morally gray characters, breathtaking visuals, and enough bloodshed to paint an entire fleet of wagons red. While critics were initially sniffy about the film on its release time has been kind to Sergio Leone’s film, and its legacy speaks for itself. While the film boasts a relatively small ensemble cast, the real star of the show is, of course, Clint Eastwood as The Man With No Name, aka Blondie. It’s a role that allows Eastwood’s raw charisma to shine and despite his character’s taciturn nature he steals almost every scene he’s in. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is one of thebest films from the ’60s, and is still worth your time today.

While we don’t see all that many Westerns anymore, you can check to see all of theupcoming moviesandnew TV showson the near horizon.

See more Movies Features

TOPICSBest List

TOPICS

More about moviesThe 33 greatest post-credits scenesNosferatu ending explained: your biggest questions answeredLatestSkeleton Crew is everything I never knew we needed from Star WarsSee more latest►

More about moviesThe 33 greatest post-credits scenesNosferatu ending explained: your biggest questions answered

More about movies

The 33 greatest post-credits scenesNosferatu ending explained: your biggest questions answered

Jason Statham in Fast & Furious 6

The 33 greatest post-credits scenes

Nosferatu ending explained: your biggest questions answered

LatestSkeleton Crew is everything I never knew we needed from Star WarsSee more latest►

Latest

Skeleton Crew is everything I never knew we needed from Star Wars

See more latest►

Most PopularPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes

Most Popular

Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics”

Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé

17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding”

Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas

Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far

One of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strength

How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future

I’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle games

The Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier”

Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

Squid Game season 2

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”