HF Westerns

[TallTallMan]

I wanted to start a big ol' thread for all Western fans, to talk about movies, TV shows, video games, etc. (This is CW-related, since the majority of Westerns involve it in some way.)

I'll start by listing my favorite Western movies, and why.

The 2007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma is probably my favorite Western. I'm a big fan of the orignial, but this one blew my mind. It's not only exhilirating, but emotionally effective and surprising. The original goes on my favorite list too.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is literally perfect, and it can only be justified by a viewing.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly is the only Leone film I like. I was never crazy about his lengthy art-farts.

Unforgiven is still a masterpiece, one of the most authentic period pieces ever made.

The Gunfighter is a good obscure, black-and-white one, where Gregory Peck plays an aging gunfighter trying to reunite with his wife. Unforgiven but less sad, but still sad.

The Searchers needs no introduction.

Nor Lonesome Dove.

The Ox-Bow Incident screws with the mind!

Nevada Smith is a forgotten vehicle, very long but effective. Probably the only thing by Henry Hathaway I consider masterful.

You next!

 

[LtTevis]

Many fine westerns out there.
My fav is Tombstone with Kurt Russel.
Old man Clanton was a Confederate soldier, along with several in his gang. Today he's buried at Boot Hill along with the "Cowboys" who were killed at the OK corral.
The Earp's were from Yankee land. It's interesting to note that the Earp's Father was from one of the Carolinas. He moved the family north before the war.
When the war broke out he moved the family west so they wouldn't have to fight against his home state.
The oldest brother did stay and joined the Union. Wyatt tried to but was soon dismissed as he was to young.

My second fav is True Grit with Jeff Bridges, ( and that brush popper also )

 

[Pollaco]

There are some westerns that could have been way,way better if they had a decent technical advisor or historian on the set. Vera Cruz is a good example. Good plot but they were using equipment that hadn't been developed yet.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

I'm not much for old Westerns, especially as I don't care for John Wayne.

My favorites:

Tombstone

The Quick & The Dead

True Grit (the remake)

3:10 to Yuma (the remake),
especially for its haunting meditation on honor and cowardice.

The Magnificent Seven (remake)

Unforgiven

Honorable mentions to Firefly/Serenity and Hell or High Water, which are essentially Westerns in other settings.

 

[Dusty]

The Searchers
Once Upon A Time In The West
Jeremiah Johnson
Red River (original)

 

[archieclement]

Outlaw Josey Wales
Both True Grits
Rooster Cogburn
Pale Rider
Young Guns

Unforgiven and Open Range are recent enough have a little burn out from how often seen them, so time will tell

 

[Sheltowee]

The Cowboys
Open Range
Outlaw Josey Wales
For a Few Dollars More
Both True Grits
The Mountain Men

 

[Pollaco]

Once Upon a Time in the West is a must see. Henry Fonda should have gotten an Oscar for his "bad guy" portrayal. As Vil Kilmer should have gotten a best supporting Oscar for his Doc Holliday impression in Tombstone. Superb acting in both parts.

 

[Pollaco]

"Quigley Down Under" was not your typical western, it was far better.

 

[Pollaco]

Today's westerns lack the character actors that were around 60+ years ago like Jack Elam , Leo Gordan, Slim Pickens etc. I could go on with the likes of Chill Wills, Andy Devine, Edgar Buchannan etc. but I'm sure I got my point across.

 

[Kurtlg]

Today's westerns lack the character actors that were around 60+ years ago like Jack Elam , Leo Gordan, Slim Pickens etc. I could go on with the likes of Chill Wills, Andy Devine, Edgar Buchannan etc. but I'm sure I got my point across.

Leo Gordon could put a chill down your spine just by looking at you. He had a criminal past but got into acting and wrote scripts for TV shows as well. Looking at old episodes of Gunsmoke you see a lot of those old character actors and some young actors like Richard Dreyfuss and Jon Voigt who later became famous.

 

[Pollaco]

Leo Gordon could put a chill down your spine just by looking at you. He had a criminal past but got into acting and wrote scripts for TV shows as well. Looking at old episodes of Gunsmoke you see a lot of those old character actors and some young actors like Richard Dreyfuss and Jon Voigt who later became famous.

I forget who said it but someone once said "Leo Gordan was the scariest man I ever met". Director Don Siegal I think.

 

[Kurtlg]

I forget who said it but someone once said "Leo Gordan is the scariest man I ever met".

I remember that too. I'll try to look it up. About the easiest going role of his that I remember was as a reformed criminal on Andy Griffith.

 

[Sheltowee]

Today's westerns lack the character actors that were around 60+ years ago like Jack Elam , Leo Gordan, Slim Pickens etc. I could go on with the likes of Chill Wills, Andy Devine, Edgar Buchannan etc. but I'm sure I got my point across.

Always enjoyed a film with Bruce Dern.

 

[Kurtlg]

I forget who said it but someone once said "Leo Gordan was the scariest man I ever met". Director Don Siegal I think.

Yes it was.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

"Quigley Down Under" was not your typical western, it was far better.

A good movie. I wish Selleck had starred in a couple Quigley prequels.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

The way my mother told it, my father wanted to name me Jeremiah simply because he was such a big fan of "Jeremiah Johnson" (he would have been quite happy living that life), but she refused because she disliked the thought of me being called "Jeremy." The Pearl Jam song was still a decade in the future so maybe she really disliked the 1973 film?

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Another thread on the Greatest Westerns of All Times.

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/greatest-westerns-of-all-time.204685/

 

[bankerpapaw]

View attachment 493869

I wanted to start a big ol' thread for all Western fans, to talk about movies, TV shows, video games, etc. (This is CW-related, since the majority of Westerns involve it in some way.)

I'll start by listing my favorite Western movies, and why.

The 2007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma is probably my favorite Western. I'm a big fan of the orignial, but this one blew my mind. It's not only exhilirating, but emotionally effective and surprising. The original goes on my favorite list too.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is literally perfect, and it can only be justified by a viewing.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly is the only Leone film I like. I was never crazy about his lengthy art-farts.

Unforgiven is still a masterpiece, one of the most authentic period pieces ever made.

The Gunfighter is a good obscure, black-and-white one, where Gregory Peck plays an aging gunfighter trying to reunite with his wife. Unforgiven but less sad, but still sad.

The Searchers needs no introduction.

Nor Lonesome Dove.

The Ox-Bow Incident screws with the mind!

Nevada Smith is a forgotten vehicle, very long but effective. Probably the only thing by Henry Hathaway I consider masterful.

You next!

Don't forget Open Range.

 

[bayouace]

Are we considering Ulzana's Raid with Burt Lancaster as a Western? No Cowboys, but Cavalry, Apaches, and frontier settlers are in it.