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

Starring: 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

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

Starring: 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

May the Lord have mercy and grant you a swift death.

Starring: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, Evan Jonigkeit, David Arquette, Kathryn Morris

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"This is why frontier life is so difficult. Not because of the Indians or the elements but because of the idiots." - Samantha

Why watch this? This Western horror film is intense, gory, disturbing and amazing.

Plot Summary: In the Old West, a small-town sheriff and his unlikely posse of four embark on a perilous journey. Their mission is to rescue three abducted townspeople, including a sheriff's deputy, local doctor and his daughter. The abductors are a brutal, cannibalistic clan living in a desolate region. As they venture into dangerous territory, they quickly realize their foe is far more savage and ruthless than they could have imagined.

Dad's Preview: After Tombstone, I eagerly awaited Kurt Russell's next Western. It took a while, then this film popped up on IMDB. I read the summation, and knew I'd love it - sight unseen. I was not wrong. Set in the old West, ill-prepared pursuers are tracking a kidnapped girl. They are expecting a tribe of Indians they can over-come as they have times before. What they actually find is a blood-thirsty cult of cannibalistic savages. This one gets a little bloody, well actually, very, very bloody.

Caliber Media Company, The Fyzz Facility; RLJ Entertainment

some say he's dead... some say he never will be.

Starring: Robert Redford, Will Geer, Stefan Gierasch, Dell Bolton, Josh Albee, Joaquin Martinez, Allyn Ann McLerie, Paul Benedict, Jack Colvin, Matt Clark, Richard Angarola, Charles Tyner, Tanya Tucker

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"And there ain't no churches, except for this right here! And there ain't no priests excepting the birds. By God, I are a mountain man, and I'll live 'til an arrow or a bullet finds me. And then I'll leave my bones on this great map of the magnificent..." – Del Gue

Why watch this? This simple, compelling Western film focuses on a lone man in the Rocky Mountains of the mid 1800's.

Plot Summary: Jeremiah Johnson is a veteran who seeks to escape civilization and live a solitary life as a mountain man in the Rocky Mountains. He faces the challenges of the harsh wilderness and learns to survive with the help of others, eventually forming a unique family. However, a tragic event leads to conflict with the Crow tribe, resulting in an ongoing vendetta and Jeremiah's transformation into a legendary figure.

Dad's Preview: There is a realness, a raw edge, to this neo-Western. Portraying a wild, bearded mountain man was an odd choice for the suave, handsome Redford, but it pays off. The story is based on the life of trapper John "Liver-Eating" Johnson. Seeing our American wilderness, as it was back then, is awe-inspiring. That said, it would be a dangerous, confusing, and difficult place to survive. That is the beauty of the film. I believe this is how it would have been. The Native Americans are portrayed honestly, with traits both brutal and humane. People isolated in a harsh wilderness would all have to be a little odd. That is reality.

Sanford Productions (III); Warner Bros.

The Gun That Won The West!

Starring: 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.

Universal Pictures

They were seven - And they fought like seven hundred!

Starring: 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

The West Was Never This Far West

Starring: 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 land-owner.

Pathé Entertainment; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

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

Starring: 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

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

Starring: 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

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

Starring: 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

LYNCH LAW RULES THE MOB!

Starring: 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

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

You never met a pair like Butch and The Kid.

Starring: 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 Productions, Newman-Foreman Company; 20th Century-Fox

Two Great Stars Appear Together For the First Time!

Starring: James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O’Brien, Andy Devine, Woody Strode, Strother Martin, Lee Van Cleef

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact...print the legend." – Maxwell Scott

Why watch this? ... finally! Two classic film titans, Wayne and Stewart, together on screen!

Plot Summary: Senator Ransom Stoddard returns to the small frontier town of Shinbone for the funeral of an old friend Tom Doniphon. When asked by a newspaper reporter about his presence, Stoddard recounts the story of his arrival in the lawless territory as a young lawyer and his fateful confrontation with the notorious outlaw, Liberty Valance. Stoddard's tale delves into the complex relationship between himself, Tom, and the pursuit of law and order in the developing West.

Dad's Preview: This allegorical film chronicles the decline the Wild West and the hard men who thrived in its chaos. The strength of the film is its director, the legendary John Ford. This man knew Westerns and he knew how to direct John Wayne. Lee Marvin was superbly cast as the cruel, sadistic title ruffian. Pilgrim, you're going to love this complicated, black and white horse opera.

John Ford Productions; Paramount Pictures

... an army of one.

Starring: 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.

No place to run. No reason to hide.

Starring: 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 Pictures, Cobalt Media Group, Beacon Comm., Tig Productions;
Buena Vista Pictures Dist.

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

Starring: 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.

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

Starring: 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 Dist. Co.

the story of a man who was too proud to run!

Starring: Gary Cooper, Thomas Mitchell, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado, Grace Kelly, Otto Kruger, Lon Chaney Jr., Henry Morgan

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You risk your skin catching killers and the juries turn them loose so they can come back and shoot at you again. If you're honest you're poor your whole life and in the end you wind up dying all alone on some dirty street." - Martin

Why watch this? Watching Cooper act is like butter melting on a piece of toast.

Plot Summary: On the day of his wedding and retirement, Marshal Will Kane learns that Frank Miller, an outlaw he sent to prison, has been released and is returning on the noon train for revenge. Despite his new wife's urging to leave, Kane feels a duty to stay and confront the threat, but finds the townspeople, including his deputies and friends, unwilling to help him. As the clock ticks towards the inevitable showdown, Kane must grapple with the decision to face Miller and his gang alone or abandon the town that has abandoned him.

Dad's Preview: It had all the ear marks of a standard Western drama: a sheriff has to stand against outlaws, backed by his deputies and concerned citizens. Except that is not what happens. This sheriff is forced to really stand alone. His friends and deputies quit, one by one. Even his fiancé leaves him. Yet this lawman, portrayed by the great Gary Cooper, knows he has to stay - this is his job, and a man does his job. This simple plot element makes this Western classic unique and feel more real.

Stanley Kramer Productions; United Artists

Lt. John Dunbar is about to discover the frontier...within himself.

Starring: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney Grant, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Tantoo Cardinal, Jimmy Herman

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #2 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Dances With Wolves

"I've never known a people so eager to laugh, so devoted to family, so dedicated to each other.  And, the only word that came to mind was harmony." - John Dunbar

Why watch this? This "Western" finally depicts Native Peoples with accuracy.

Plot Summary: This epic Western film, starring and directed by Kevin Costner, was adapted from Michael Blake's novel of the same name. It tells the story of a Union Army lieutenant who requests duty on the American frontier and develops a profound connection with a tribe of Sioux Indians. The film explores themes of cultural exchange, prejudice, and the conflict between expanding American civilization and Indigenous ways of life.

Dad's Preview: For five years Costner established himself as a leading man in such films as Silverado (1985) and Bull Durham (1988). Dances changed all that, by proving that he was a also a serious filmmaker. This beautiful work of frontier art strips away many previous notions of the American West as portrayed on film. A lone Northern soldier heads West. There he encounters Native Americans, namely a Lakota Sioux tribe. He learns that all the rumors about these people are false, and he embraces the relationship. However, in America, it's never that simple. The scenery is breath-taking, all set to an incredible musical score. This Oscar-winner is a glorious epic to behold. 

Tig Productions, Majestic Films Int.; Orion Pictures

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

Starring: 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.