Another film which I've also not seen is Stagecoach (1939). With all the research I have done on old films, this one continuously pops up as the number one western. Even members of the Wayne family have confessed this as their favorite film on the West. It's been said that it has all of the elements of a western and has never been matched since.
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So here they are, my top ten favorite westerns:
#10: They Died with their Boots On (1941)
Though Errol Flynn was more of a romantic actor, he held his own in many an epic film. This one stands out to me more than other westerns for its historical background. When I watched it for the first time, it was like Batman Begins, I kept saying to myself, "This isn't a western." Then suddenly at the end you know whats going to happen and you just wish this once that it wouldn't.
#9: The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)
Whoever thought that Bogart could only do romance and gangster films is proved terribly wrong in this film. Not only can he do western, he can pull off a demented soul better than most. I just happened to catch this one on TMC and was glued since the beginning. I later found it on sale for $5 at Wal-mart and snatched it up. This film is also a favorite for the fact that it stars Walter Huston. His performance in this film won him an Oscar over Bogart. Walter won the Oscar along side his son who directed the film, John Huston. This was the first ever father-son victory at the Oscars.
#8: The Searchers (1956)
This is an obvious classic of western films. The struggle and eventual triumph portrayed by Wayne is as inspiring as it is saddening. One thing that may have not been noticed by the naked eye is Ford's focus on the family. Ford, himself, grew up in a troubled home and as a film director he tried to emphasize the power that the family can have on an individual. In the begging shots of this film we see the reunion of a family after the war. At the end, the theme returns as the family is once again reunited together. What a powerful story!
#7: True Grit (1969)
Who would of thought that the only Oscar Wayne would win was when he played a fat one-eyed Marshal. Maybe since it was so different from his other characters that it took everyone by surprise. This is one of the films that I watched over and over as a kid. It took me awhile to put together the fact that the Ranger was John Campbell the singer. I feel that the remake has done a fine job of paying tribute to this film and yet kept it's own stamp of individuality. This is a true classic.
#6: The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
Martin and Wayne where in a few westerns together and you would of never thought a team-up like this would have worked out so well. Once when Wayne appeared on Martin's show, Wayne asked if he would join him in other films. Martin quickly replied that he couldn't, since he found it difficult to read the cue cards while riding a horse. All-in-all this is a beautiful story of the aspect of each child in a family and the roles they play in life.
#5: Shane (1953)
I just watched this film for the first time last week. I found it in the $5 bin at Wal-mart. I was told by a friend of mine that this was their favorite western. I never watched it as a kid and I had thought that I had seen all there was to see about the West as portrayed by Hollywood. Man, was I in for a surprise. Shane is the perfect hero who is idealized by an honest small boy. Through the boy's eyes you see violence in its truly ugly form and the struggle Shane has to avoid it. This is a must see!
#4: El Dorado (1966)
This storyline has been done once before in Rio Bravo (1959). I like the Robert Mitchum version over the Dean Martin one. With Wayne & Mitchum as the leads this film is a very popular classic. I also enjoy the addition of James Caan. My wife couldn't believe he was the same guy in Elf. Another thing I like about this film is Mississippi's long name. With a long name myself, I find the scenes, in which he is asked to recite it, very accurate.
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#3: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
This film has two of my favorite cowboys; John Wayne & Jimmy Stewart. Though Stewart is a struggling lawyer instead of sturdy gunslinger like Wayne you find the opposites entertaining. This film teaches courage and devotion. An incident surrounding this film is something I wish to mention. Stewart received his first roast from Ford during this picture, as Ford was known for his searching questions that he would then turn on his victim in front of the whole cast. In this particular moment, Stewart admitted that the character, played by Woody Strode, looked a little "Uncle Remusey." With that, Ford stopped production and announced Stewart as Anti-Negro to the cast. Wayne, who was often the brunt of such pranks, beamed from ear to ear at that moment.
#2: Big Jake (1971)This film used to always be my favorite western. This was partly for the fact that I share the same first name as the main character. I also love the pairing of John and Pat as father and son on the screen. One of my favorite lines, comes from the scene where Pat calls him Daddy. This film also has a great historical aspect of the end to the west with the invention of the horseless carriage. The villains are treacherous and the hero is questionable, just the way I like it. All-in-all I have became even more proud of my name as I watched this film as a kid.
#1: The Big Country (1958)
The first time I watched this film, I was blown away! This film teaches so much about life in general that it has become one of my favorite inspirational films as well. Here you have the classic Gregory Peck, with his usual quite character set in the wild frontier of Texas in between an even wilder war of families. It's up to him to solve the problems in a peaceful way and yet still keep his honor. This picture also taught me a thing or two about humility & pride and what it means to be a real man. If you haven't seen this movie you must!
Well there you have it, my top ten westerns. I hope to hear from any readers out there about your favorite films of the west and I encourage you to advise me to watch ones that you've treasured.
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