Dad's Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films - Ranked!

Countdown from #20 to #1.

This includes Dad's spoiler-free Mini-Preview!

Honorable Mention

The Cowboys (1972), Director: Mark Rydell, rated PG for violence, language

All they wanted was their chance to be men...and he gave it to them.

Film ClipStarring: John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Brown, Bruce Dern, Colleen Dewhurst, Adolfo Martinez, Slim Pickens, Stephen Hudis

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I'm thirty years older than you are. I had my back broke once, and my hip twice. And on my worst day I could beat the hell out of you." – Wil Anderson

Why watch this? Wayne has never been better, as a man desperate to drive his cattle to market.

Plot Summary: Wil Andersen, a rancher needing help for his cattle drive, is forced to hire on a group of inexperienced schoolboys after his regular crew leaves for the gold rush. He trains these youngsters, who learn about life and the responsibilities of being a cowboy during their arduous journey. Their challenging drive is complicated by the presence of a gang of rustlers who are after their herd.

  Dad's Preview: This is a superb non-standard Western. Wayne has to holster his pistols and become a surrogate father for the young boys he has hired for the trail drive. I'll forever love Roscoe Lee Brown as Mr. Nightlinger, the cook, who breathes real life into his role. And who will ever forget Bruce Dern as "Long Hair", the film's creepy, murderous antagonist. I love it when the Dukes tells the boys each early morning, "We're burnin' daylight!"  


Mark Rydell; Warner Bros.
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #20 Top

My Name Is Nobody (1973), Director: Tonino Valerii, rated PG

Nobody, but "Nobody," knows the trouble he's in!

Film ClipStarring: Terence Hill, Henry Fonda, Jean Martin, R. G. Armstrong, Leo Gordon, Geoffrey Lewis, Steve Kanaly, Karl Braun

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You shine like the door of a whorehouse. A blind man could spot you ten miles off." – Jack Beauregard

Why watch this? The scene in the bar where Nobody is given shot after shot.

Plot Summary: Aging gunman Jack Beauregard desires to retire peacefully in Europe, but a mysterious younger gunfighter, who calls himself "Nobody", idolizes Beauregard and insists he must achieve legendary status before leaving the West. Nobody tries to persuade Beauregard into a final, epic confrontation against the fearsome Wild Bunch gang, hoping to immortalize him in history. As Beauregard seeks to avoid this fate, Nobody persistently follows him, demonstrating surprising skill and a determined plan to make his hero a legend.

  Dad's Preview: This is one Italian Western that did not feature Clint Eastwood. The plot revolves around an aging gunfighter trying to retire, and a young gunfighter, called "Nobody", who insists that his hero must go out in a "blaze of glory". This has some of the best gun-skill tricks on film, all played in a very whimsical way; the film itself is almost a comedy. Regardless, it's fun to watch, especially due to a memorable Morricone soundtrack and the steady hand of the graceful Henry Fonda. There are two sequels, too.  


Rafran Cinematografica, Les Filmes Jacques
Leitienne, La Societe Im. Ex. Ci. La Societe Alcinter,
Rialto Fil Preben Philpsen; Titanus
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #19 Top

Hondo (1953), Director: John Farrow, rated PG-13

Heat of the plains in his veins... the gunfighter's stain on his name, and now a woman's life in his hands!

Film ClipStarring: John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond, Michael Pate, James Arness, Leo Gordon, Lassie

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You baked today. I can smell fresh bread on you. You smell all over like soap. You took a bath, and on top of that you smell all over like a woman. I could find you in the dark, Mrs. Lowe, and I'm only part Indian." - Hondo Lane

Why watch this? This was John Wayne's favorite Western novel and film. Mine, too.

Plot Summary: Set in Apache territory, cavalry dispatch rider Hondo Lane encounters Angie Lowe, a courageous woman raising her young son alone on an isolated ranch. He tries to convince her to abandon the dangerous area, but she insists on staying. A complex dynamic develops between Hondo, Angie, and the Apaches as tensions rise on the frontier.
 
  Dad's Preview: John Wayne had a special place in his heart for this treasure. His estate kept the film out of public distribution for many years after the Duke's death in 1972. In 1990, I was working in California for EDS. It was announced that a local cable TV channel was going to air Hondo - in 3D! Special 3-D glasses were available at the station! It is so easy to watch. Wayne's so very comfortable as the independent, quiet, honorable man-of-action. Here he comes across a woman and her young son, living in Indian territory, and her husband hasn't been home for some time. I particularly admired the honorable portrayal of Vittorio, the Apache Chief. Unlike most white representatives, he was plain-spoken and honest.  


Batjac Prod., Wayne-Fellows Prod.;
Warner Bros.
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #18 Top

Winchester '73 (1950), Director: Anthony Mann, rated Approved

The Gun That Won The West!

Film ClipStarring: James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, Millard Mitchell, Charles Drake, Will Geer, Johh McIntire, Rock Hudson

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Yeah, he did, didn't he? Dad said if a man had one friend, he was rich. I'm rich." - Lin McAdam

Why watch this? James Stewart is cinema gold, so versatile and believable.

Plot Summary: A sharpshooter named Lin McAdam is pursuing a dangerous adversary, Dutch Henry Brown, into Dodge City where a shooting contest is underway with a prized, rare Winchester rifle as the grand prize. After McAdam wins the rifle, Brown steals it, leading McAdam on a relentless chase to retrieve both his gun and settle their deeper, personal score.

  Dad's Preview: When Stewart signed on for the Anthony Mann Westerns, he clearly wanted to toughen up his on-screen persona. It worked. A Western man wanders here and there, but it is clear that he has a score to settle against someone who wronged him in the past. This is the first of seven Stewart-Mann collaborations, and it may be the best. Look for a beautiful Shelly Winters as the saloon gal with a heart.  


Stuart N. Lake; Universal Pictures
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #17 Top

Bite the Bullet (1975), Director: Richard Brooks, rated PG

In the tradition of Shane and High Noon, a new Western Classic is born! BITE THE BULLET

Film ClipStarring: Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, James Coburn, Ian Bannen, Jan-Michael Vincent, Ben Johnson

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"When I cross the finish line, I get to be a big man. Top man. A man to remember." – Mister (the old cowboy)

Why watch this? ... it's an outstanding Western cross-country race.

Plot Summary: This oater centers around a grueling 700-mile endurance horse race held at the turn of the century. A diverse group of participants with varying motivations and personalities enters the race, including two former Rough Riders, a woman of questionable virtue, a gunfighter, and an aging cowboy. As the competition pushes them to their limits, their true characters are revealed.
 
  Dad's Preview: There were tons of Westerns made in the 1970's. Leone was making "Spaghetti Westerns". John Wayne was was still going strong. Some were masterpieces, some were cow dung. This little-known gem surprised me. It's a grand adventure, a cross-country race on horseback, plagued by natural hazards and man-made obstacles. This is one exciting film. We are blessed to have two great stars, Hackman and Coburn, both "men of action" who seek the $2,000 prize.  


Persky-Bright Productions, Vista;
Columbia Pictures
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #16 Top

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Director: John Ford, rated Approved

Wayne's greatest role as an Indian fighting Captain!

Film ClipStarring: John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwick, Arthur Shields, Chief John Big Tree

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Captain of the troop one day: every man's face turned towards you; lieutenants jump when I growl! Now, tomorrow, I'll be glad if a blacksmith asks me to shoe a horse." – Capt. Nathan Brittles

Why watch this? Wayne's performance, as a retiring cavalry captain, was Oscar-worthy.

Plot Summary: Nearing retirement, Cavalry Captain Nathan Brittles is tasked with one last mission: to prevent an impending Native American uprising and transport two women to safety. This final patrol takes them through dangerous territory.

  Dad's Preview: This the second of three cavalry films by director John Ford, and it is by far the best. A soon-to-retire outpost commander receives one last mission: handle the latest Indian uprising. The movie is a wonderful, beautifully shot, action-filled Western. Wayne, as Captain Nathan Brittles, has experience enough to use peace, keep his soldiers safe, and solve the issue at hand. This is one of the Duke's finest acting efforts, playing a man much older than his age.    


Argosy Pictures; RKO Radio Pictures
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #15 Top

Quigley Down Under (1990), Director: Simon Wincer, rated PG-13 for Western violence

The West Was Never This Far West

Film ClipStarring: Tom Selleck, Laura San Giacomo, Alan Rickman, Chris Haywood, Roger Ward, Ron Haddrick, Tony Bonner, Jerome Ehlers, Ben Mendelsohn

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Major. We already run the misfits outta our country. We sent 'em back to England." – Matthew Quigley

Why watch this? Selleck fits this role like a pair of old comfortable kangaroo-skin boots.

Plot Summary: Sharpshooter Matthew Quigley travels from America to Australia after being hired by a wealthy rancher named Elliot Marston. Quigley discovers Marston expects him to use his skills to eradicate the local Aboriginal population, a task the principled American refuses. After a clash with Marston, Quigley finds himself stranded in the harsh Australian outback alongside a troubled woman, and together they navigate the unforgiving wilderness.

  Dad's Preview: Set in Australia, Quigley is a man not to be pushed around or betrayed. When he runs afoul with a wealthy land owner, he's beaten up and left for dead in the harsh outback, along with a slightly crazed saloon girl. I feel this is the best of Selleck's Western films. It's fun, beautifully shot, and "nice and dusty". Alan Rickman is once again superb as the villain - this time a greedy Aussie land-owner.  


Pathé Entertainment; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #14 Top

Silverado (1985), Director: Lawrence Kasdan, rated PG-13 for Western violence

Four strangers became friends. Four friends became heroes. On the road to... Silverado.

Film ClipStarring: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Rosanna Arquette, John Cleese, Kevin Costner, Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Jeff Goldblum, Linda Hunt

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Now, I don't wanna kill you, and you don't wanna be dead." - Mal Johnson

Why watch this? It is a fun-filled, all-star, modern homage to Western buddy films of old.

Plot Summary: Silverado tells the story of four unlikely companions who come together on their journey to the frontier town of Silverado. This group, each with their own past and motives, soon discovers the town is under the thumb of a corrupt sheriff and a ruthless rancher. With their lives and the town's future at stake, they must decide if they will unite and fight for justice.

  Dad's Preview: There were only a few good oaters from the 1980's. This is one of the best. It's full of Western staples: gun fights, the cocky kid, greedy landowners, a stampede, a final quick-draw showdown. What helps this rise above the rest is Kasdan's superb direction, and our lead actors' performances. NOTE: My Texas cousin, Roy McAdams, a former bull-rider and Hollywood stuntman, is listed in the credits as the "Tall Outlaw". Atta boy, Roy!  


Delphi III Prod.; Columbia Pictures
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #13 Top

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), Director: Sergio Leone, rated R for language and violence

For Three Men The Civil War Wasn't Hell. It Was Practice!

Film ClipStarring: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef, Al Mulock, Aldo Giuffrè, Aldo Sambrell, Benito Stafanelli, Antonio Casale, Livio Lorenzon, Rada Rassimov, John Bartha, José Terrón, Lorenzo Robledo, Luigi Pistilli, Mario Brega

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig." - Blondie

Why watch this? Director Sergio Leone, and Clint Eastwood, hit the jackpot with this dirty, grimy Italian horse opera.

Plot Summary: During the American Civil War, three men, a cool mercenary "The Good", a greedy bandit "The Ugly", and a ruthless killer "The Bad", are in a race to find a hidden treasure of Confederate gold. They must navigate through the war-torn landscape, engaging in complex alliances and betrayals as they seek the fortune. This epic spaghetti western is renowned for its iconic characters, captivating storyline, and legendary score.

  Dad's Preview: Yes, I know, many feel this is the best Western ever. Not me. I do like the film, but it's not even Leone's best effort, which is Once Upon a Time in the West (1966). It's not even Leone's best Eastwood film - that would be A Fistful of Dollars (1964). That said, this Spaghetti Western has a ton to offer. It's got gun battles, seedy characters, even a Civil War battle! Eastwood excels as himself, but the real spotlight goes to the incredible Eli Wallach, a Polish Jew who made a career playing slimy, Mexican bandits.  


Produzioni Europee Associati, United Artists
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #12 Top

Tombstone (1993), Director: George P. Cosmatos, rated R for language, Western violence

Justice is Coming

Film ClipStarring: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe, Dana Delany, Sam Elliott, Charlton Heston, Stephen Lang, Thomas Haden Church

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after... it's the reckoning." - Doc Holliday, speaking about Wyatt Earp

Why watch this? ... Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday. It's one of the great modern performances ever, with memorable quotes galore.

Plot Summary: Former lawman Wyatt Earp, seeking a peaceful life, moves to the booming town of Tombstone, Arizona, with his brothers. Already there is his ailing friend Doc Holliday. Their aspirations for a quiet existence and profitable business ventures are disrupted by the menacing presence of the Cowboys, a ruthless outlaw gang led by Curly Bill. As tensions between the Earps and the Cowboys escalate, an unavoidable confrontation looms, forcing the brothers to take a stand.

  Dad's Preview: Of the two Wyatt Earp films in 1993-94 (Costner's Wyatt Earp (1994) is the other), this is by far the best. Here the focus is less on historical accuracy, and more on making a good Western. The story hinges on the relationship between Earp and Doc Holliday, a man seriously ailing from consumption (aka tuberculosis). Their friendship is rock solid. The OK Corral gunfight is not the film's climax, but rather the start of a mission eliminate a murderous gang of thugs calling themselves "Cowboys". This film takes the time to build its characters, both main and secondary. And that's your huckleberry.  


Hollywood Pictures, Cinergi Pictures;
Buena Vista Pictures Dist.
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #11 Top

Stagecoach (1939), Director: John Ford, rated Approved

One of the Most Thrilling Pictures Ever Filmed!

Film ClipStarring: Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Thomas Mitchell, Louise Platt, George Bancroft, Donald Meek, Tim Holt

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Well, there are some things a man just can't run away from." - The Ringo Kid

Why watch this? This is the first great Wayne-Ford collaboration.

Plot Summary: This oater follows a diverse group of passengers on a stagecoach journey through the dangerous American frontier in the 1880s. The characters, including an outlaw, a prostitute, a gambler, a drunk doctor, and a banker, are forced to confront their prejudices and vulnerabilities as they face the threat of a looming Apache attack. Their perilous journey tests their courage and reveals surprising truths about human nature.

  Dad's Preview: This early John Ford Western featured a new actor, a young man named Marion Michael Morrison. His stage name? John Wayne. This classic film introduces the viewer to each stage passenger, one by one. Just outside of town, they stop to pick up "The Ringo Kid". The scene in which he stops the stage instantly made Wayne a star. As word of Indian problems reach them, the stage must race across the Great Salt Lake to the nearest fort. As the pursuing natives catch up to them, it's a question of who will survive the bullets and flying arrows! There's action, poignant moments and a little romance, too.  


Walter Wanger Prod.; United Artists
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #10 Top

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), Director: John Huston, rated Approved

The nearer they get to their treasure, the farther they get from the law.

Film ClipStarring: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt, Bruce Bennett, Barton MacLane, Alfonso Bedoya, Arturo Soto Rangel, Robert Blake

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Of course I'll go. Any time, any day. I was only waiting for one or two guys to ask me. Out for gold? Always at your service." - Howard

Why watch this? ... to see what gold-fever can do to men - as it exposes their true souls.

Plot Summary: Three Americans, two down-on-their-luck drifters and an experienced prospector, decide to team up and search for gold in the remote Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. While their quest is initially successful, the pursuit of riches gradually corrodes their sense of camaraderie and ignites a dangerous spiral of suspicion and greed.

  Dad's Preview: Three desperate men set out to find gold in the desert mountains of Old Mexico. On display is Bogart's incredible acting range, as he bounces back and forth between holding it together and letting his own paranoid greed consume him. By the end, he has transformed into a hideous, murderous monster. There is also a wonderful performance by Walter Huston (the director's father) as the old, trail-wise prospector, Howard.    


Warner Bros.-First National;
Warner Bros. Pictures
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #9 Top

Red River (1948), Directors: Howard Hawks and Arthur Rosson, rated Passed

Big as the men who faced this challenge! Bold as the women who loved them!

Film ClipStarring: John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Walter Brennan, Joanne Dru, Harry Carey, John Ireland, Noah Berr Jr., Coleen Gray, Chief Yowlachie

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You're soft, you should have let 'em kill me, 'cause I'm gonna kill you. I'll catch up with ya. I don't know when, but I'll catch up. Every time you turn around, expect to see me, 'cause one time you'll turn around and I'll be there." - Tom Dunson

Why watch this? Wayne rarely played against "the good guy" character. Here he is downright nasty as a Western Captain Ahab.

Plot Summary: Thomas Dunson is a determined rancher leading a massive cattle drive from Texas to Missouri after the Civil War renders his land valueless. Faced with Dunson's increasingly tyrannical methods during the arduous journey, his adopted son, Matthew Garth, must choose whether to challenge his adoptive father's authority for the sake of the men and the herd. This conflict between father and adopted son unfolds against the challenging backdrop of the cattle drive.

  Dad's Preview: This picture is hailed by many as one of the greatest Western ever made. I love it, too, but feel there are many better Westerns. This features does, for historical purposes, depict the drama and dangers along the epic "cattle drive". I grew up working on a Texas cattle ranch hand so the topic of herd beef rings true to me. Wayne's performance, channeling Mutiny on the Bounty's Captain Bligh, is excellent as a herd owner who pushes his men too hard. This results in a mutiny, led by his adopted son, Matt. They leave Wayne on the trail with barely enough water to survive. Don't ever strand The Duke alive... There's lots of great cowboy action and an excellent ending.  


Monterey Productions; United Artists
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #8 Top

Once Upon a Time in the West (1966), Director: Sergio Leone, rated PG-13 for Western violence

There were three men in her life. One to take her... one to love her... and one to kill her.

Film ClipStarring: Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robarbs, Charles Bronson, Woody Strode, Cabriele Ferzetti, Jack Elam

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"He's whittlin' on a piece of wood. I've got a feeling when he stops whittlin'... Somethin's gonna happen." - Cheyenne

Why watch this? This Leone Western is as good as they get.

Plot Summary: Jill McBain, a former prostitute turned landowner, arrives in the frontier town of Flagstone only to find her new husband and his children murdered. A ruthless assassin, Frank, working for railroad baron Morton, is responsible for the murders and has framed the bandit Cheyenne. A mysterious man, known only as Harmonica, also arrives seeking revenge against Frank. Jill, Cheyenne, and Harmonica form an uneasy alliance as they attempt to hold onto the valuable land that Morton wants for his railroad.

  Dad's Preview: Sergio Leone directed many spaghetti Westerns, but this is by far his magnum opus. There are many Western themes present, but the line between good guys and bad guys is blurred enough to really make it interesting. The film is large and epic, and Charles Bronson is wonderful as the "harmonica player". The Morricone soundtrack is top notch, even by his standards.  


Euro Int'l Films, Rafran Cinematografica,
Finanzia San Marco; Paramount Pictures
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #7 Top

The Magnificent Seven (1960), Director: John Sturges, rated Approved

They were seven - And they fought like seven hundred!

Film ClipStarring: Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Horst Buchholz, Brad Dexter, James Coburn, Jorge Martinez de Hoyos, Vladimir Sokoloff, Rosenda Monteros, Rico Alaniz

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Running a farm, working like a mule every day with no guarantee anything will ever come of it. This is bravery." - O'Reilly

Why watch this? It's a real treat to see all this star-power in one film!

Plot Summary: A poor Mexican village, repeatedly raided by bandits, sends three villagers to seek help. They encounter Chris Adams, a seasoned gunslinger, who advises hiring other gunmen instead of buying weapons. Chris recruits six other skilled fighters. The seven train the villagers to defend their homes against the bandits' inevitable return.

  Dad's Preview: What's better than a classic Western? A classic Western with an all-star cast. In 1960, the top new talent list started with Brynner, McQueen, Bronson, Vaughn and Coburn. The film's showdown is very memorable, as the seven alone stand against a horde of assaulting bandits and their leader, the devious Mexican Calvera (played by Eli Wallach). This film was inspired by Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece Seven Samurai (1954).  


The Mirisch Co., Alpha Productions;
United Artists
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #6 Top

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Director: Clint Eastwood, rated PG

... an army of one.

Film ClipStarring: Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, John Vernon, Sam Bottoms

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You gonna pull them pistols or just whistle Dixie?" -  Josey Wales

Why watch this? Star/Director Eastwood hits his stride with this memorable Western.

Plot Summary: A Missouri farmer's family is murdered by pro-Union militants during the Civil War. Driven by a desire for vengeance, he joins a Confederate guerrilla band, becoming a feared gunfighter. After the war, he refuses to surrender and becomes an outlaw pursued by bounty hunters and soldiers. He must navigate the treacherous landscape of the post-Civil War West, encountering allies and enemies as he seeks to survive and find a new path for his life.

  Dad's Preview: In a performance chock full of iconic quotes, Clint Eastwood created one of the great Westerns, and characters, of all time. Wales is a man driven by revenge, but also justice, as he hunts the men responsible for murdering his wife and son. It is set immediately after the Civil war when gangs of ex-Union soldiers roamed the West using their power, and the lack of valid law enforcement, to murder and pillage. The scene where Wales parlays with Chief Ten Bears is one of my all-time favorites.  


The Malpaso Company; Warner Bros.
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #5 Top

Open Range (2003), Director: Kevin Costner, rated R for Western violence

No place to run. No reason to hide.

Film ClipStarring: Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, Annette Benning, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter, Diego Luna

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Men are gonna get killed here today, Sue, and I'm gonna kill 'em." - Charley Waite

Why watch this? ... the respect-filled relationship between cowhands Costner and Duvall.

Plot Summary: Boss Spearman and his cattle crew, as free-grazers, are driving their herd across the vast prairies of the Old West. When they encounter a town ruled by a corrupt rancher and sheriff, their peaceful existence is threatened. Forced to defend their values and way of life, Boss and his second-in-command, Charley Waite, find themselves drawn into an inevitable confrontation.

  Dad's Preview: Costner (as actor and director) and Duvall deliver one of the best Westerns ever made. And I mean EVER! This film has breath-taking scenery, great action sequences (one of the best, and most realistic gun battles ever filmed), and many of the classic Western elements. That said, the film's true strength is its character-building. There are numerous, small interactions that acquaint us with Charley, Boss, Sue, and the rest. Costner should have taken home at least one Oscar for his efforts here.  


Touchstone Pics, Cobalt Media Group, Beacon
Comm., Tig Prod.; Buena Vista Pictures Dist.
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #4 Top

The Searchers (1956), Director: John Ford, rated Approved

The Biggest, Roughest, Toughest ...and Most Beautiful Picture Ever Made!

Film ClipStarring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood, John Qualen, Olive Carey, Henry Brandon, Ken Curtis, Harry Carey Jr.

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #8 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Searchers

"Seems like he never learns there's such a thing as a critter that'll just keep comin' on. So we'll find 'em in the end, I promise you. We'll find 'em. Just as sure as the turnin' of the earth." – Ethan Edwards, referring to the Indians who kidnapped Debbie

Why watch this? Basically to watch the greatest Western ever made.

Plot Summary: Confederate veteran Ethan Edwards has returned to his brother's Texas homestead only to find it raided by Comanches, his family massacred, and his niece Debbie abducted. Fueled by a complex mix of hatred and a desire for vengeance, Ethan embarks on a years-long search with Debbie's adopted brother, and half-breed, Martin.
 
  Dad's Preview: This is by far the most complex character in John Wayne's long, storied career. Set in the stark, beautiful desert landscape of Monument Valley, famous director John Ford masterfully delivers this Western odyssey filled with danger, tragedy, and two lost men - determined to rescue a kidnapped family relative, young Debbie. After years of making movies together, Ford knew Wayne could create a compelling, conflicted character, and not just play himself. Throw in our history's racism towards Native Americans, and you've got a powerful film. The final scene forever belongs to cinematic history. Wayne deserved the Oscar for Best Actor, in my opinion.  


C.V. Whitney Pictures; Warner Bros.
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #3 Top

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Director: George Roy Hill, rated PG

You never met a pair like Butch and The Kid.

Film ClipStarring: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin, Jeff Corey, Henry Jones, George Furth, Cloris Leachman, Richard Kiel

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"It's your great ideas that got us into this mess. I never want to hear another one of your great ideas. Ever!" - Sundance Kid

Why watch this? It's really fun to see Newman and Redford having such a good time.

Plot Summary: Two notorious outlaws, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, rob banks and trains in the late 1800s American West. Facing relentless pursuit by a skilled posse, they flee with Sundance's girlfriend, Etta Place, to Bolivia seeking a fresh start. However, their attempts to escape their past lead to a series of humorous and action-packed events as they continue their criminal ways.

  Dad's Preview: This film certainly stands out as different among Westerns of its time. Newman and Redford portray the famous real-life bank robbers, Butch and Sundance. The film's quip-filled dialog almost doesn't fit the era, but I can let that slide, as it helps the film flow. During the movie, we root for our anti-heroes to escape the law, get across the Mexican border, and make it to Bolivia. But even there, they still become wanted men. The lauded film won four Oscars.  


Campanile Prod., Newman-Foreman Co.;
20th Century-Fox
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #2 Top

Lonesome Dove (1989), Director: Simon Wincer, rated TV-14 for frontier violence

An Epic Film as Big as The West

Film ClipStarring: Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Diane Lane, Robert Urich, Frederic Forrest, D. B. Sweeney, Ricky Schroder, Anjelica Huston, Chris Cooper, Barry Corbin, William Sanderson, Steve Buscemi

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #4 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Lonesome Dove

"By god, it ain't dyin' I'm talkin' about, it's livin!" - Gus McCrae to Captain Woodrow Call

Why watch this? An American masterpiece that perfectly balances Western myth and Western realism.

Plot Summary: This epic Western is about two retired Texas Rangers, Augustus "Gus" McCrae and Woodrow Call, who decide to leave their quiet life in Texas for one last great adventure. They gather a crew and embark on a massive, perilous cattle drive spanning 3,000 miles to the unsettled lands of Montana Territory. Along the journey, the men face numerous challenges, including dangerous terrain, outlaws, and personal struggles that test their enduring friendship and character in the unforgiving American West.

  Dad's Preview: This epic saga is unforgettable, with its wonderful characters, converging story lines and brutally honest plot points. Capt. Call is a hard, determined leader. He's kept in step by his more laid-back partner, Gus, whose warm smile reminds me of my grandfather, Charley Straley. Charley was a lifelong Texas rancher... humble, hard-working, intelligent, apolitical. He loved to joke, smoke his pipe and partake in an occasional sip o' whiskey down at the barn's tackroom. He and Gus would have been good buddies, for sure.  


Dyson Lovell, Suzanne de Passe,
Motown Productions; CBS
Top 20 Western Action-Adv. Films #1 Top

True Grit (1969), Director: Henry Hathaway, rated PG for Western violence

The strangest trio ever to track a killer.

Film ClipStarring: John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glenn Campbell, Robert Duvall, Jeremy Slate, Dennis Hopper, Strother Martin, Jeff Corey, John Fieldler

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #41 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of True Grit

"They say he has grit. I wanted a man with grit." - Mattie Ross

Why watch this? For his role as Rooster Cogburn, the Academy finally delivered Best Actor to John Wayne.

Plot Summary: A determined teenager, Mattie Ross, hires a gruff, one-eyed U.S. Marshal named Rooster Cogburn to track down Tom Chaney, the outlaw responsible for her father's murder. They are joined by a Texas Ranger, La Boeuf, also pursuing Chaney for a separate crime. Despite the Marshal's initial reluctance to allow Mattie on their dangerous journey into Indian Territory, her tenacity and courage earn her a place alongside the two lawmen.

  Dad's Preview: Wayne was in movies all his life, mostly Westerns. He finally won the Best Actor statuette for his role as the cantankerous, one-eyed, bounty hunter Rooster Cogburn. In the film, young Mattie Ross sets to avenging the death of her father. She hires Cogburn because he "has grit". A Texas Ranger joins in and they head into Indian Territory to find the wanted man. This wonderful film, at Wayne's high point, is engrossing, fun, and at times more violent than Wayne's previous oaters. There are many iconic film moments.  


Hal B. Wallis; Paramount Pictures