Westerns are set in the Wild West, typically spanning from the 1850s to the end of the 19th century. No other genre boasts a longer history than the Western; it’s estimated that nearly 40 percent of all movies made before 1960 were Westerns. So, what is the best Western movie ever made? Here, you can explore the best Westerns of recent years, as well as the most memorable old cowboy movies that continue to captivate audiences.
The best western movies 🤠
Westerns enjoyed their golden age in the early and mid-20th century, with many becoming cult classics. The genre continued to thrive into the late 70s, 80s, and 90s. Iconic actors such as Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, James Stewart, and Jeff Bridges made their names by starring in these movies. So, what are the best Westerns ever made? Here are the best Westerns of all time ⬇️.
1.The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
With Ennio Morricone’s memorable score, stunning visuals, extraordinary performances, and a gripping story, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is regarded as the greatest Western of all time. The movie explores the alliance between Blondie (Clint Eastwood) and Tuco (Eli Wallach), which is threatened when each man learns part of the secret regarding the whereabouts of a Confederate gold cache. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a masterpiece that uses stunning cinematography, meticulous pacing, and evocative music to immerse viewers in the Wild West, a ruthless world of betrayal and greed. It remains esteemed as one of the greatest movies ever made.
Information about The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- Cast: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach
- Release Year: 1966
- Duration: 178 minutes
- Country: Italy
- Genre: Western
- Language: Italian (English dubbed version available)
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
- Similar Movies: For a Few Dollars More (1965), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly on IMDb
2.Once Upon a Time in the West
Following the success of the Dollars Trilogy, Sergio Leone created another classic with Once Upon a Time in the West, widely regarded as his masterpiece. In the movie, a mysterious stranger known as Harmonica joins forces with an outlaw to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working on the railroad. Immortalized by Ennio Morricone’s magnificent score, Henry Fonda’s strikingly evil performance, and a complex yet magnificent epic story that gradually unfolds, Once Upon a Time in the West represents Leone’s most ambitious undertaking of his career. Once Upon a Time in the West is truly one of the best Westerns of all time.
Information about Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- Cast: Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards
- Release Year: 1968
- Duration: 165 minutes
- Country: Italy, United States
- Genre: Western
- Language: Italian (English dubbed version available)
- Age Rating: PG-13
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
- Similar Movies: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), For a Few Dollars More (1965), A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Once Upon a Time in the West on IMDb
3.Unforgiven
A masterpiece that heavily emphasizes violence, Unforgiven tells the story of the long-retired gunslinger Will Munny (played by Clint Eastwood), who takes up arms again to track down a bounty on a cowboy who disfigured a prostitute. Unforgiven casts aside the myth and romance of the Wild West, focusing instead on the harsh realities of life during that period. Eastwood delivers the best performance of his career in this movie and won the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture.
Information about Unforgiven (1992)
- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Cast: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris
- Release Year: 1992
- Duration: 130 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Western, Drama
- Language: English
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Similar Movies: The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), High Plains Drifter (1973), The Magnificent Seven (1960)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Unforgiven on IMDb
4.No Country For Old Men
Set in 1980s Texas, No Country for Old Men tells the story of a hunter who steals a safe full of cash from the scene of a cartel shootout and finds himself relentlessly pursued by the psychotic hitman Anton Chigurh (played by Javier Bardem). Amidst its complex and intense narrative, which takes some ambitious turns, No Country for Old Men explores standard Western themes of justice and morality, while also making thought-provoking points about modernity and the elements of humanity that have deteriorated with social evolution.
Information about No Country For Old Men (2007)
- Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
- Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Kelly Macdonald
- Release Year: 2007
- Duration: 122 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Language: English
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Similar Movies: Fargo (1996), There Will Be Blood (2007), True Grit (2010)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: No Country For Old Men on IMDb
5.For a Few Dollars More
The second movie in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy, For a Few Dollars More, sees Clint Eastwood reprise his role as the poncho-wearing Man with No Name, with Lee Van Cleef joining as his unlikely ally. The v centers on the disturbing bond between a bounty hunter and a former military officer who are on the trail of El Indio (played by Gian Maria Volonté), a cold-blooded bank robber, murderer, and rapist who has been freed from prison by his gang. For a Few Dollars More is a heart-pounding, gripping, and moving movie that makes extraordinary use of Ennio Morricone’s magnificent score.
Information about For a Few Dollars More (1965)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- Cast: Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Gian Maria Volontè
- Release Year: 1965
- Duration: 132 minutes
- Country: Italy
- Genre: Western
- Language: Italian (English dubbed version available)
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Similar Movies: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: For a Few Dollars More on IMDb
6.A Fistful of Dollars
Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy is one of the greatest trilogies ever made and has significantly impacted Western cinema over the last 60 years. Another movie inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s samurai movies, A Fistful of Dollars was a Western adaptation of the Japanese director’s 1962 movie Yojimbo. The movie follows Clint Eastwood’s eponymous hero as he arrives in a town divided by two rival criminal groups, playing the gangs off against each other. A Fistful of Dollars is a pioneer of low-budget Westerns and remains one of the best movies in the genre.
Information about A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- Cast: Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volontè, Marianne Koch
- Release Year: 1964
- Duration: 99 minutes
- Country: Italy
- Genre: Western
- Language: Italian (English dubbed version available)
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Similar Movies: For a Few Dollars More (1965), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: A Fistful of Dollars on IMDb
7.The Outlaw Josey Wales
The Outlaw Josey Wales, a Western-style revenge thriller, follows a Missouri farmer who seeks vengeance after Union soldiers kill his wife and son. To achieve his goal, the farmer joins a Confederate guerrilla unit and becomes a notorious and feared gunslinger. Reminiscent of Clint Eastwood’s work in the Dollars Trilogy, The Outlaw Josey Wales is a poignant, anti-war movie.
Information about The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Cast: Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney
- Release Year: 1976
- Duration: 135 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Western
- Language: English
- Age Rating: PG
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Similar Movies: Unforgiven (1992), Pale Rider (1985), High Plains Drifter (1973)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: The Outlaw Josey Wales on IMDb
8.Cango’s Revenge (Django)
Beyond Sergio Leone’s movies, few low-budget Westerns are as iconic as the 1966 classic Django (also known as Mango’s Revenge). Co-written and directed by Sergio Corbucci, the movie follows a lone gunfighter who drags a coffin behind him wherever he goes. When he arrives in a border town divided between Mexican bandits and a former Ku Klux Klan faction, he becomes embroiled in their conflict. Initially criticized for its graphic violence, Django has since been celebrated as one of the best low-budget Westerns of all time.
Information about Django (1966) (Cango’s Revenge)
- Director: Sergio Corbucci
- Cast: Franco Nero, José Bódalo, Loredana Nusciak
- Release Year: 1966
- Duration: 91 minutes
- Country: Italy
- Genre: Western
- Language: Italian (English dubbed version available)
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Similar Movies: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), The Great Silence (1968)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Django on IMDb
9.The Magnificent Seven
An impressive remake of Akira Kurosawa’s captivating samurai epic Seven Samurai, Seven Musketeers is a true classic in its own right. The movie retains many of the rhythms of the Japanese original while adding a distinctive Western aesthetic. This thrilling tale of honor and friendship follows seven gunslingers who agree to help a poor Mexican village defend itself against a band of bandits. Featuring an incredible cast, including iconic actors like Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn, Seven Musketeers stands out as a memorable and influential Western.
Information about The Magnificent Seven (1960)
- Director: John Sturges
- Cast: Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn
- Release Year: 1960
- Duration: 128 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Western
- Language: English
- Age Rating: Approved (equivalent to G/PG)
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Similar Movies: The Seven Samurai (1954), The Wild Bunch (1969), Unforgiven (1992)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: The Magnificent Seven on IMDb
10.True Grit
True Grit is a remake of the 1969 John Wayne classic. In this version, young Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is determined to avenge her father’s murder. She enlists the help of a grumpy, drunken U.S. Marshal veteran, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), to bring the criminal to justice. True Grit effectively captures the atmosphere of the Wild West and features a talented cast delivering outstanding performances. Not only is it one of the best Westerns of the 21st century, but it also stands out as one of the best movies of 2010, receiving 10 Academy Award nominations.
Information about True Grit (1969)
- Director: Henry Hathaway
- Cast: John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall
- Release Year: 1969
- Duration: 128 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Adventure, Drama, Western
- Language: English
- Age Rating: G
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Similar Movies: Rio Bravo (1959), The Searchers (1956), High Noon (1952)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: True Grit on IMDb
11.The Hateful Eight
Fans of detective series and western thrillers will appreciate The Hateful Eight, a low-budget Western that is often underappreciated in Quentin Tarantino’s career. Set in 1870s Wyoming, the movie tells the story of eight strangers who become stranded in a cabin during a snowstorm. The Hateful Eight combines the tension of horror movies with the classic elements of the Western genre, making it a captivating movie you’ll want to watch over and over again.
Information about The Hateful Eight (2015)
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins
- Release Year: 2015
- Duration: 168 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
- Language: English
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Similar Movies: Django Unchained (2012), Reservoir Dogs (1992), Unforgiven (1992)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: The Hateful Eight on IMDb
12.Kidnapping By Indians
While The Great Train Robbery is often credited as the first Western movie, it actually wasn’t the first of its kind. The first Western movie is believed to be the 1899 British silent movie Kidnapping by Indians. This movie, directed by Mitchell and Kenyon, runs for less than two minutes and features a straightforward plot. It depicts an attack on a camp by a tribe of Indians who set the camp on fire and kidnap a young white girl. Cowboys arrive, gunfire ensues, and the girl is ultimately rescued. This movie is considered the first dramatic movie in the Western genre, predating Edwin S. Porter’s The Great Train Robbery by four years.
Netflix cowboy movies 🎬
Westerns were once as prevalent in Hollywood as superhero movies are today. Studios produced Westerns annually; some were exceptional while others were less impressive, but eventually, the genre fell out of favor. This decline is unfortunate because Westerns are among the most magnificent and compelling genres in movie history. Fortunately, the genre has experienced a revival through digital platforms. Whether you’re seeking classics, modern movies, or something in between, there are plenty of Westerns to enjoy on Netflix right now. Here are the best Westerns on Netflix ⬇️
- The Power of the Dog
- The Highwaymen
- An American Legend
- The Harder They Fall
- News from the World
- Those Who Escaped Execution
- That Matador
- Thar
- The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
- Urban Cowboy
Westerns are where outlaws face off against bounty hunters, where order meets chaos, and where man confronts unforgiving nature. As one of the most beloved genres, Westerns capture the essence of the Wild West like no other. For fans of Wild West movies, we have compiled a list of the best Westerns, ranging from the oldest classics to the latest releases. Here are some of the most unforgettable cowboy movies of all time.
