Dad's Top 20 Western Outlaw Films - Ranked!

Countdown from #20 to #1.

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

Honorable Mention

Vera Cruz (1954), Director: Robert Aldrich, rated Approved

The Giants Battle In The Biggest Spectacle Of Them All!

Film ClipStarring: Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster, Denise Darcel, Cesar Romero, Sara Montiel, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam, Charles Bronson, George Macready, Morris Ankrum, Jack Lambert

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Ace used to say you don't take any chances you don't have to. Don't trust nobody you don't have to trust, and don't do no favors you don't have to do. Ace lived long enough to know he was right. He lived thirty seconds after I shot him." - Bob Valdez

Why watch this? Lancaster and Cooper shine, and man, what a supporting cast.

Plot Summary: After the Civil War, two American mercenaries, Ben Trane and Joe Erin venture into Mexico seeking fortune amidst a brewing revolution. They are hired by Emperor Maximilian to escort a French countess to the port city of Veracruz. On the perilous journey, they quickly discover gold coins, hidden in the stagecoach, intended for the Emperor's forces. This sparks a series of betrayals and shifting loyalties.

  Dad's Preview: Two men of the West are looking to hire out their gun skills in Mexico after the Civil War. Gary Cooper dependably portrays the iconic American Western man: alone, capable, hard-to-rile, and principled, even as a hired gunman. Burt Lancaster portrays the black hat, yet he's an almost loveable scoundrel. The genius of this film is their interactions. One minute their at each others throats, the next they show mutual respect. Under different circumstances, they might have been friends, but suddenly lots of gold is involved, therefore friendships and alliances are at stake. It was also a good idea to populate the mercenary gang with memorable performances by Jack Elam, Ernest Borgnine and a young Charles Bronson. The flick is standard Old West fare, but still worth a look.  


Hecht-Lancaster Productions,
Flora Productions; United Artists

Back
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #20 Top

The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), Director: Henry Hathaway, rated Approved

If Texas couldn't tame 'em ...could she?

Film ClipStarring: John Wayne, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer, Michael Anderson Jr., Earl Holliman, Jeremy Slate, James Gregory, Paul Fix, George Kennedy, Dennis Hopper, John Doucette, Sheldon Allman

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Ever since i got home, somebody's either asking me to leave or pulling a gun on me." - John Elder

Why watch this? This is a fine Western with an interesting plot and memorable moments.

Plot Summary: The oldest three sons of Katie Elder: John, Tom and Matt, have been away from home a long time. They finally reunite at their mother's funeral in their Texas home of Clearwater. One is a gunfighter, one a gambler, and the town's folks don't really want them around. But John, the eldest, wants some answers about why she sold the ranch... and why their father, Bass Elder, was shot in the back after a card game. All questions seem to point to the town's richest resident, Morgan Hastings.

  Dad's Preview: There is a lot to love in this film: the rough-and-tumble way the brothers get reacquainted, their capture and betrayal, the film's explosive climax. It's one of the Wayne's best efforts, and Dean Martin plays a great supporting role. Duke insisted on doing his own stunts literally four months after having one lung and two ribs removed due to lung cancer. Now I call that gettin' back in the saddle!   


Wallis-Hazen; Paramount Pictures
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #19 Top

Valdez Is Coming (1971), Director: Edwin Sherin, rated PG-13 for violence, language

They tore his body. They buried his pride. But they forgot his old uniform,
his Sharps rifle, and his Buffalo gun. Find Tanner, El Segundo,
and the 16 others. And tell them Valdez is coming.

Film ClipStarring: Burt Lancaster, Jon Cypher, Susan Clark, Frank Silvera, Richard Jordan, Barton Heyman, Hector Elizondo, Phil Brown, Ralph Brown, Werner Hasselmann, Lex Monson

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"You know something? I would have liked to get $100 for that Indian woman." - Bob Valdez

Why watch this? It's beautiful to look at, and Burt Lancaster, stoic and capable, carries the day.

Plot Summary: Mexican Bob Valdez is a humble public servant, serving as constable in a small border town. When an altercation, involving rich rancher Frank Tanner, results in Valdez's killing of an innocent man, Valdez approaches the town's council for the victim's pregnant Native American widow. The council agrees to donate $100, if Valdez can get Tanner to donate the same amount. When Valdez rides to Tanner's presidio fortress, pleading for the donation, Tanner rudely refuses. He then commands his band of Mexican thugs to beat and lash Valdez to a wooden cross. Laughing, they send him walking through the blazing desert to certain death. What they don't realize is that Bob Valdez is a tough-as-nails ex-Calvary scout and Indian-fighter. He's also an impressive marksman who can drop a buffalo at over 1000 yards.

  Dad's Preview: In my unofficial series called "White lead actors who portray brown men in Westerns" (Chato's Land (1972) and Hombre (1967)), Burt Lancaster and director Edwin Sherin bring the 1970 novel by Elmore Leonard to brutal life. In the '70s, Westerns like this were edgier - more sex, bad language, violence. At age nine, I first viewed this at a seedy El Paso drive-in, with my much-older sister. It is classified as a paella (as opposed to spaghetti) Western because even though it was shot in Spain, it's an American produced/directed movie. This oater has action, villains-galore, memorable quotes, and the Western ending that, I must say, is perfect in its uniqueness.  


Norlan Productions, Ira Steiner Prod.;
United Artists
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #18 Top

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen, rated G

Stories live forever. People don't.

Film ClipStarring: Tim Blake Nelson, Willie Watson, Clancy Brown, Tom Waits, James Franco, Liam Neeson, Zoe Kazan, Harry Melling, Tyne Daly, Brendan Gleeson, Willie Watson, Bill Heck, David Krumholtz, Stephen Root, Tom Proctor, Sam Dillon

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Well, don't let my white duds and pleasant demeanor fool ya. I too have been known the violate the statutes of man... and not a few of the laws of the Almighty." - Buster Scruggs, aka The San Saba Songbird

Why watch this? This neo-Western anthology film is so whimsical and real that you'll taste the prairie dust.

Plot Summary: This anthology is comprised of six distinct stories set in the American West. Each vignette offers a unique and often darkly humorous look at life, death, and human nature on the frontier. From a singing cowboy's misadventures to a prospector's quest for gold and a woman's journey westward, the film showcases a range of characters and their struggles in a harsh and unforgiving world.

  Dad's Preview: This film visually tells six stories from an old Western anthology novelette. Each yarn about the American West is completely unique, and starring some of filmdom's top talent. They range from traditional to eerily odd, and are all entertaining, even if not all have happy endings (much like the real West itself). My two favorites are, first, the title story, which features Tim Blake Nelson as a successful gunfighter who is a bit of a dude. I also warmly love All Gold Canyon starring Tom Waits as a crusty prospector who finally finds the perfect, secluded valley to ply his trade and hopefully strike it rich after years of trying. On the odd side is Meal Ticket, starring Liam Neeson and Harry Helling, a tale of a traveling sideshow barker who finds a twisted way to make some money. All stories address the hard life and lessons of that brutal time in our history, but there a few funny and poignant moments, too.    


Annapurna Pics, Mile Zoss Productions; Netflix
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #17 Top

Man of the West (1958), Director: Anthony Mann, rated Approved

Man of the Lean Jaw and Hard Fist... Man of the Notched Gun and Fast Draw...

Film ClipStarring: Gary Cooper, Julie London, Lee J. Cobb, Arthur O'Connell, Jack Lord, Royal Dano, John Dehner, Robert J. Wilke, Tina Menard

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Link, I never met a man like you before. Men I meet, all think they have a right to put their hands on me, like it comes with the introduction. All those lonely ones, looking for some kind of special thrill. I know what they are going to say before they say it. Funny part is, inside me, I'm just as lonely as they are." - Billie Ellis

Why watch this? Cooper finally makes a neo-Western and it's a bloody affair.

Plot Summary: A reformed, middle-aged man, called Link, is traveling on a train thru Texas to secure a teacher for his town. He finds himself stranded in the wilderness after a robbery, forced to seek shelter with two other passengers. He is compelled to take them to a nearby, isolated farmhouse, which he discovers is currently occupied by the ruthless outlaw gang he left behind years ago. To protect himself and his companions from his sadistic former leader and uncle, he must pretend to return to his violent, criminal ways.

  Dad's Preview: Director Anthony Mann took the heroic James Stewart and toughened up his image with films like Winchester '73 (1950). Here Mann takes perhaps Western's most iconic legend, Gary Cooper, and makes him a complicated man trying to move on from his sordid past. This film is one of the grittiest revisionist Westerns of the late '50s. Opposite Cooper is Lee J. Cobb, portraying a terror of a man, who rules his gang of cut-throats with an iron fist. He orders his men to kill for him to prove their loyalty. They rape women. This film portrays the outlaws, not as film trope villains, but as broken men who destroy everything around them and have lost all humanity. I feel this is Cooper's best career performance - there's a weariness to him. He would die four years later from cancer in 1961.  


Walter Mirisch; Uniited Artists
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #16 Top

Hombre (1967), Director: Martin Ritt, rated Approved

Hombre means man... Paul Newman is Hombre!

Film ClipStarring: Paul Newman, Fredric March, Richard Boone, Diane Cilento, Cameron Mitchell, Barbara Rush, Peter Lazer, Margaret Blye, Martin Balsam, Frank Silvera, David Canary, Val Avery, Skip Ward

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"You better put down that gun. You got two ways to go, put it down or use it. Even if you tie me, you're gonna be dead." - John Russell

Why watch this? This gritty Western showcases Newman's cool-eyed confidence.

Plot Summary: John Russell is a captive white man who was raised by Apaches on an Indian Reservation. He was later adopted by a white business owner. Now grown, "Hombre", as people call him, prefers to live with the Apaches, and he's very capable of taking care of himself. When his adopted father dies and leaves him a boarding house, John decides to trade it for a herd of horses, however this requires a stage ride to seal the deal. Enroute, the stage is held up by a ruthless gang of thieves who have inside information regarding money on board.

  Dad's Preview: In the late '60's it was becoming more acceptable for films to depict Native Americans as real people, not the savage villains of the past. Much of Newman's acting is curt or completely non-verbal, but he sells the part. I was reminded of Stagecoach (1939), as we are introduced the seven passengers, all with their own agendas. I also reminded that Richard Boone may be one of the best bad guys in the Western genre - he's tough and really enjoys being nasty.  


Hombre Productions; 20th Century Fox
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #15 Top

A Fistful of Dollars (1964), Director: Sergio Leone, rated R for language, Western violence

This is the man with no name. Danger fits him like a glove.

Film ClipStarring: Clint Eastwood, Marianne Koch, Gian Maria Volonte, Sieghardt Rupp, W. Lukschy, Joe Edger, Antonio Prieto

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"When a man with .45 meets a man with a rifle, you said, the man with a pistol's a dead man. Let's see if that's true." - Joe

Why watch this? ... it's my favorite of the Leone "Dollars" trilogy.

Plot Summary: A wandering, nameless gunfighter arrives in a small Mexican village caught in a brutal power struggle between two rival smuggling families, the Rojos and the Baxters. Recognizing an opportunity for profit, he cleverly manipulates both sides against each other, exacerbating the conflict for personal gain. However, as the escalating violence takes its toll, particularly on innocent individuals, the Stranger's motivations appear to shift, hinting at a more complex, ambiguous morality that transcends mere financial reward.
 
  Dad's Preview: OK, it is a shameless rip-off of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo (1961) (BTW: Leone was sued for it and lost), but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? That said, Fistful is a great Western. Eastwood used these Italian films to rough up his image and that blew his career wide open.  


Jolly Film, Constantin Film, Ocean Films; Unidis
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #14 Top

The Proposition (2005), Director: James L. Brooks, rated R for language, Western violence

Three brothers: one must live; one must die; one must decide

Film ClipStarring: Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, John Hurt, David Wenham, Emily Watson, Richard Wilson, Noah Taylor, Jeremy Madrona

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I was, in days gone by, a believer. But, alas, I came to this beleaguered land and the God in me just evaporated. Let us change our toast, then, to the God that has forgotten us."- Jellon Lamb

Why watch this? This uber-realistic film is stark, honest and bare-bones wonderful.

Plot Summary: In the harsh Australian outback of the 1880s, two outlaw brothers are apprehended by a lawman determined to bring order to the land. Faced with an impossible choice, the captured outlaw must hunt down and kill his older brother, the true leader of their gang, within nine days to save their younger brother from hanging.

  Dad's Preview: This 1880's outback Western is brutally unromantic. There are no heroics, no men who save the day. It's just kill or be killed and good luck figuring out who is noble vs. devious. Everyone is a little of both. Still, the film draws you in. So much so that you have to see it through. I feel this is Guy Pearce's best performance on the big screen. His portrayal of Charlie Burns is so raw and uncomplicated. It reminded me of "the kid" from Cormac McCarthy's likewise brutally violent book Blood Meridian.  


UK Film Council, Surefire Films, Autonomous,
Jackie O Prod., Pictures in Paradise, The Pacific Film
and TV Comm., The Film
Consortium; Sony Pictures Releasing
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #13 Top

The Shootist (1976), Director: Don Siegel, Rated PG

He's got to face a gunfight to live up to his legend once more - TO WIN JUST ONE MORE TIME.

Film ClipStarring: John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart, Richard Boone, Hugh O'Brien, Bill McKinney, Harry Morgan, John Carradine, Sheree North

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." - John Bernard Books

Why watch this? This was Wayne's final film - a fitting, if prophetic, tribute to the great Western actor.

Plot Summary: An aging, renowned gunfighter, J.B. Books, is diagnosed with terminal cancer and seeks a quiet end to his days in Carson City, Nevada. His reputation, however, brings him unwanted attention from those seeking to exploit his name or settle old scores. As he confronts his mortality, Books forms a poignant bond with the boarding house owner and her son while navigating his final days with dignity and a desire to face his end on his own terms.

  Dad's Preview: Life imitates art as The Duke portrays an aged gunman who finds out that he is dying from cancer with only a short time to live. When the opportunistic town council finds out, they arrange a group of notorious gunfighters to square off against the legend. Three years after this film's release, Wayne would also die from cancer. He passed away the same day as my grandfather, Charley Straley. Same Day. Same Year. That day I lost the two greatest Cowboy heroes in my life.  


M.J. Franovich; William Self; Paramount Pics
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #12 Top

Will Penny (1968), Director: Tom Gries, rated Approved

The brute in every man was also in him... And the love and the violence!

Film ClipStarring: Charlton Heston, Joan Hackett, Donald Pleasence, Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Slim Pickens, Lee Majors, Anthony Zerbe

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Leave him be. Out here, by hisself, no goods, winter coming on. He's gonna be a long while dying. And all that time, he's gonna know who done it to him. Yes, sir, a mighty long time, and then he'll be dead." - Preacher Quint

Why watch this? ... what happens when a loner suddenly starts to care for others?

Plot Summary: Aging cowboy, Will Penny, accepts a job as a line rider on a vast ranch during a harsh winter. He discovers a stranded woman and her son have taken refuge in his assigned cabin. Though initially resistant, Will allows them to stay, leading to a blossoming romance and a newfound sense of family. However, a past confrontation with a vengeful outlaw family threatens their fragile happiness.

  Dad's Preview: This was a very realistic Western for its time. Heston delivers a career-defining performance as reclusive ranch hand, Will Penny, who encounters a woman, Catherine, and her young son living his line shack miles into the wilderness. He's torn between duty to his employer, and the affection he develops for the woman and son. Then a group of cutthroats show up at the cabin. This small, intimate film intensifies when the gang takes Will hostage and threatens to rape Catherine.    


Fred Engel, Walter Seltzer; Paramount Pics
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #11 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 Outlaw Films #10 Top

The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), Director: William A. Wellman, rated Approved

LYNCH LAW RULES THE MOB!

Film ClipStarring: Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Harry Morgan, Frank Conroy, Anthony Quinn, William Eythe, Jane Darwell, Matt Briggs

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You don't even care whether you've got the right men or not. All you know is you've lost something and somebody's got to be punished." - Donald Martin

Why watch this? This is a twist on the old West's posse - what if they catch the wrong people?

Plot Summary: In a small Western town, news arrives that a local rancher has been murdered and his cattle stolen. With the sheriff out of town, a posse forms to track down the perpetrators. When the posse finds three men with cattle bearing the rancher's brand, a heated debate ensues about whether to administer immediate justice or wait for the sheriff and a formal trial.

  Dad's Preview: The American Western film is a great vehicle for the morality tale. It's easier to depict how people will act in a setting where many laws had to be enforced by the citizens, not the government. In this film a rancher has been murdered and a mob forms to bring justice. They find three men with cattle and assume these men are the murders. The mob, led by the tyrannical, bigoted Major Tetley, sets to hang the men. This is a great exercise in the evils of mob mentality and groupthink.  


Lamar Trotti; 20th Century Fox
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #9 Top

The Wild Bunch (1969), Director: Sam Peckinpah, rated R for language, violence

Nine men who came too late and stayed too long...

Film ClipStarring: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Jaime Sánchez, Ben Johnson, Warren Oates, Emilio Fernández, Strother Martin, L.Q. Jones, Albert Dekker, Bo Hopkins, Alfonso Arau, Dub Taylor

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"We're gonna stick together, just like it used to be! When you side with a man, you stay with him! And if you can't do that, you're like some animal, you're finished! We're finished! All of us!" - Pike Bishop

Why watch this? Peckinpah's great ode to Western violence stands the test of time.

Plot Summary: Set in 1913, an aging group of outlaws attempt one last big score during a time when the traditional American West is fading. After a botched railroad office robbery, they flee to Mexico with bounty hunters on their trail, led by a gang member. In Mexico, they get involved with a rogue Mexican general while trading guns and ammo.

  Dad's Preview: Two years after the shocking violence (well, not by today's standards) in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), this film hit screens. Critics were split, mostly due to the wanton violence and ruthless nature of the lead characters. What everyone, then and now, can agree upon is that the film is well-directed, the all-star cast's performances are career-defining, and the cinematography, a slow-motion ballet of savagery set in the angry Mexican landscape, is breathtaking. William Holden deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of Pike. These men depicted - killers, thieves, hired guns - have no concept of a normal life. They are past their prime. Yet, they live by the brutal outlaw code of the West: stick together to the bitter, and in this case bloody, end.  


Touchstone Films, Silver Screen Partners II;
Buena Vista Distribution Company
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #8 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 Outlaw Films #7 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 Outlaw Films #6 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 Outlaw Films #5 Top

Shane (1953), Director: George Stevens, rated Approved

There never was a man like SHANE. There never was a motion picture like SHANE.

Film ClipStarring: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon deWilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan, Ellen Corby, Emile Meyer, Elisha Cook Jr.

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Joey, there's no living with... with a killing. There's no going back from one. Right or wrong, it's a brand. A brand sticks. There's no going back." - Shane

Why watch this? An epic tale of the loner who tries to help a family in need.

Plot Summary: A mysterious, soft-spoken ex-gunfighter becomes entangled in the lives of a family of homesteaders in 1889 Wyoming. The homesteaders, led by Joe Starrett and his family, are facing a bitter struggle against a powerful cattle baron, Rufus Ryker, who wants their land for his herds. Shane's presence brings a glimmer of hope to the settlers as they fight to protect their homes and way of life against Ryker's increasing intimidation tactics, including the hiring of gunslinger Jack Wilson.

  Dad's Preview: This is the quintessential Western story: A stranger joins settlers in need of help. He has a hidden, violence-filled past, but is trying to put that behind him. When a greedy landowner brings in thugs to run the settlers off the land, Shane has a choice to make. I love the little boy in this film (Brandon deWilde) because he reminds me of, well, me.  


George Stevens; Paramount Pictures
Top 20 Western Outlaw Films #4 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 Outlaw 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 Outlaw Films #2 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 Outlaw Films #1 Top

Unforgiven (1992), Director: Clint Eastwood, rated R for language, Western violence

It's a hell of a thing, killing a man

Film ClipStarring: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek, Frances Fisher

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"It's a hell of a thing, killin' a man. You take away all he's got, and all he's ever gonna have." - William Munny

Why watch this? This is Eastwood's masterpiece, a testament to a lifetime in the film business.

Plot Summary: Set in the late 1800s, this Western follows William Munny, a retired, once-feared gunslinger turned struggling hog farmer. When news of a bounty for the killing of two cowboys who disfigured a prostitute reaches him, Munny, needing money for his children, reluctantly takes on the job. He teams up with his old partner Ned Logan and a young, aspiring gunfighter known as the Schofield Kid to confront the harsh realities of violence and the changing West, blurring the lines between hero and villain.

  Dad's Preview: This gem is the culmination two key factors: Eastwood's vast experience and clout in directing, and a tonal shift in Westerns to be more realistic. An aging widower (and ex-gunman) has no choice but to perform one last dirty job to get badly needed money to support his kids. However, when pushed too hard, his old ways resurface. Eastwood and Freeman are superb, but Gene Hackman's performance, as the notorious sheriff Little Bill, steals every scene. It's brutal and real and worth your time.  


Malpaso Productions; Warner Bros.