250 Best Western Movies of All Time

Western films, often simply referred to as “Westerns,” are a legendary and iconic genre in cinema that transports viewers to the rugged frontiers of the American Wild West. This genre is celebrated for its timeless tales of cowboys, outlaws, lawmen, and the untamed landscapes of the frontier. Westerns have left an indelible mark on cinematic history, offering a window into the myths and realities of the American West.

One of the defining features of Western films is their ability to capture the spirit of the untamed frontier. These movies often transport viewers to a bygone era when the West was still a vast and unexplored wilderness. The sweeping vistas, arid deserts, rolling plains, and towering mountain ranges serve as both a backdrop for the narrative and a character in their own right, contributing to the genre’s distinctive atmosphere.

Westerns frequently feature iconic characters who have become legendary figures in cinematic history. The lone gunslinger, the honorable sheriff, the ruthless outlaw, and the resilient pioneer are archetypes that continue to resonate with audiences. These characters embody values of independence, courage, and self-reliance, becoming symbols of the American spirit.

The genre is known for its timeless themes of justice, morality, and the struggle between good and evil. Westerns often explore the complexities of human nature, depicting characters who face moral dilemmas and ethical choices in the harsh and unforgiving landscape of the frontier. The pursuit of justice and the code of honor are recurring motifs that add depth and resonance to the storytelling.

Westerns encompass a wide range of subgenres, each offering a unique perspective on the American West. From classic “cowboy and Indian” tales to revisionist Westerns that challenge traditional tropes, the genre has evolved over the years to reflect changing attitudes and historical interpretations. This diversity ensures that there is a Western film to cater to various tastes and interests.

Moreover, Western films often examine the clash of cultures and the impact of westward expansion on indigenous populations. They provide a platform for exploring the complexities of race, ethnicity, and the relationship between settlers and Native Americans. This aspect of the genre has led to a deeper understanding of the historical realities and cultural dynamics of the American West.

The genre has also made significant contributions to the art of cinematography and storytelling. Westerns are known for their expertly crafted cinematography, which captures the stark beauty of the landscape and the drama of the action sequences. Iconic shots of cowboy silhouettes against the setting sun and intense showdowns in dusty streets have become hallmarks of Western visual storytelling.

In conclusion, Western films are a genre that transports viewers to the untamed frontiers of the American West, offering timeless tales of heroism, justice, and the human spirit. They celebrate the legends and myths of the frontier, while also providing a lens through which to examine historical realities and cultural complexities. With their iconic characters, sweeping landscapes, and enduring themes, Westerns continue to captivate and inspire audiences, preserving the spirit of the Wild West in the annals of cinematic history.

Here are 250 of the best Western movies

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) – IMDb Rating: 8.8

Summary: Three gunmen set out to find a hidden fortune during the American Civil War.

Director: Sergio Leone

Lead Characters:

Blondie (Clint Eastwood)

Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef)

Tuco (Eli Wallach)

Django Unchained (2012) – IMDb Rating: 8.4

Summary: A freed slave teams up with a bounty hunter to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Lead Characters:

Django (Jamie Foxx)

Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz)

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) – IMDb Rating: 8.5

Summary: A mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a widow from a ruthless assassin.

Director: Sergio Leone

Lead Characters:

Harmonica (Charles Bronson)

Frank (Henry Fonda)

Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale)

The Searchers (1956) – IMDb Rating: 7.9

Summary: An ex-Confederate soldier embarks on a quest to rescue his niece from Comanche Indians.

Director: John Ford

Lead Characters:

Ethan Edwards (John Wayne)

Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter)

Unforgiven (1992) – IMDb Rating: 8.2

Summary: A retired gunslinger reluctantly takes on one last job in order to support his family.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Lead Characters:

William Munny (Clint Eastwood)

Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman)

Tombstone (1993) – IMDb Rating: 7.8

Summary: The events leading up to and following the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral are depicted in this Western.

Director: George P. Cosmatos

Lead Characters:

Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell)

Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) – IMDb Rating: 8.0

Summary: Two outlaws on the run find themselves pursued by a relentless lawman and decide to flee to Bolivia.

Director: George Roy Hill

Lead Characters:

Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman)

The Sundance Kid (Robert Redford)

The Wild Bunch (1969) – IMDb Rating: 7.9

Summary: A group of aging outlaws plans one last big heist as the traditional American West changes around them.

Director: Sam Peckinpah

Lead Characters:

Pike Bishop (William Holden)

Dutch Engstrom (Ernest Borgnine)

High Noon (1952) – IMDb Rating: 7.7

Summary: A marshal, personally compelled to face a returning deadly enemy, finds that his own town refuses to help him.

Director: Fred Zinnemann

Lead Characters:

Marshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper)

Amy Kane (Grace Kelly)

The Magnificent Seven (1960) – IMDb Rating: 7.7

Summary: Seven gunmen are hired to protect a Mexican village from bandits.

Director: John Sturges

Lead Characters:

Chris Adams (Yul Brynner)

Vin Tanner (Steve McQueen)

True Grit (2010) – IMDb Rating: 7.6

Summary: A stubborn teenager enlists the help of a U.S. Marshal to track down her father’s murderer.

Director: Joel and Ethan Coen

Lead Characters:

Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges)

Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld)

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) – IMDb Rating: 8.0

Summary: A wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge.

Director: Sergio Leone

Lead Characters:

The Man with No Name (Clint Eastwood)

Ramón Rojo (Gian Maria Volontè)

For a Few Dollars More (1965) – IMDb Rating: 8.2

Summary: Two bounty hunters with the same intentions team up to track down a Western outlaw.

Director: Sergio Leone

Lead Characters:

The Man with No Name (Clint Eastwood)

Colonel Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef)

The Revenant (2015) – IMDb Rating: 8.0

Summary: A frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Lead Characters:

Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio)

John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy)

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) – IMDb Rating: 7.8

Summary: A Missouri farmer joins a Confederate guerrilla unit and winds up on the run from the Union soldiers who murdered his family.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Lead Characters:

Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood)

3:10 to Yuma (2007) – IMDb Rating: 7.7

Summary: A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who’s awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma.

Director: James Mangold

Lead Characters:

Dan Evans (Christian Bale)

Ben Wade (Russell Crowe)

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) – IMDb Rating: 7.5

Summary: Robert Ford, who’s idolized Jesse James since childhood, tries hard to join the reforming gang of the Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader.

Director: Andrew Dominik

Lead Characters:

Jesse James (Brad Pitt)

Robert Ford (Casey Affleck)

Open Range (2003) – IMDb Rating: 7.4

Summary: A former gunslinger and his partner are forced to take a stand against a land baron who’s trying to force them off their cattle range.

Director: Kevin Costner

Lead Characters:

Charley Waite (Kevin Costner)

Boss Spearman (Robert Duvall)

Pale Rider (1985) – IMDb Rating: 7.3

Summary: A mysterious preacher protects a humble prospector village from a greedy mining company trying to encroach on their land.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Lead Characters:

The Preacher (Clint Eastwood)

The Proposition (2005) – IMDb Rating: 7.3

Summary: A lawman apprehends a notorious outlaw and gives him nine days to kill his older brother, or else they’ll execute his younger brother.

Director: John Hillcoat

Lead Characters:

Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone)

Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce)

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) – IMDb Rating: 8.1

Summary: A senator returns to a western town for the funeral of an old friend and tells the story of his origins.

Director: John Ford

Lead Characters:

Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart)

Tom Doniphon (John Wayne)

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) – IMDb Rating: 7.3

Summary: An anthology film comprising six stories set in the Old West.

Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen

The Hateful Eight (2015) – IMDb Rating: 7.8

Summary: In the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of nefarious characters.

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Lead Characters:

Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson)

John Ruth (Kurt Russell)

Little Big Man (1970) – IMDb Rating: 7.6

Summary: Jack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, tells of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer.

Director: Arthur Penn

Lead Characters:

Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman)

High Plains Drifter (1973) – IMDb Rating: 7.5

Summary: A gunfighting stranger comes to the small settlement of Lago and is hired to bring the townsfolk together in an attempt to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Lead Characters:

The Stranger (Clint Eastwood)

The Shootist (1976) – IMDb Rating: 7.6

Summary: A dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity.

Director: Don Siegel

Lead Characters:

J.B. Books (John Wayne)

Dances with Wolves (1990) – IMDb Rating: 8.0

Summary: Lieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Native Americans, making him an intolerable aberration in the military.

Director: Kevin Costner

Lead Characters:

John Dunbar (Kevin Costner)

Appaloosa (2008) – IMDb Rating: 6.7

Summary: Two friends hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow.

Director: Ed Harris

Lead Characters:

Virgil Cole (Ed Harris)

Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen)

True Grit (1969) – IMDb Rating: 7.3

Summary: A drunken, hard-nosed U.S. Marshal and a Texas Ranger help a stubborn young woman track down her father’s murderer in Indian territory.

Director: Henry Hathaway

Lead Characters:

Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne)

Mattie Ross (Kim Darby)

The Quick and the Dead (1995) – IMDb Rating: 6.4

Summary: A mysterious woman comes to compete in a quick-draw elimination tournament, in a town taken over by a notorious gunman.

Director: Sam Raimi

Lead Characters:

Ellen (Sharon Stone)

The Kid (Leonardo DiCaprio)

The Big Country (1958) – IMDb Rating: 7.9

Summary: A New Englander arrives in the Old West, where he becomes embroiled in a feud between two families over a valuable patch of land.

Director: William Wyler

Lead Characters:

James McKay (Gregory Peck)

Steve Leech (Charlton Heston)

Shane (1953) – IMDb Rating: 7.6

Summary: A weary gunfighter attempts to settle down with a homestead family, but a smoldering settler/rancher conflict forces him to act.

Director: George Stevens

Lead Characters:

Shane (Alan Ladd)

The Alamo (1960) – IMDb Rating: 6.9

Summary: In 1836, a small band of soldiers sacrifice their lives in hopeless combat against a massive army in order to prevent a tyrant from smashing the new Republic of Texas.

Director: John Wayne

Lead Characters:

Davy Crockett (John Wayne)

Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark)

3:10 to Yuma (1957) – IMDb Rating: 7.6

Summary: Broke small-time rancher Dan Evans is hired by the stagecoach line to put big-time captured outlaw leader Ben Wade on the 3:10 train to Yuma, but Wade’s gang tries to free him.

Director: Delmer Daves

Lead Characters:

Ben Wade (Glenn Ford)

Dan Evans (Van Heflin)

The Great Silence (1968) – IMDb Rating: 7.7

Summary: A mute gunfighter defends a young widow and a group of outlaws against a gang of bounty killers in the winter of 1898, and a grim, tense struggle unfolds.

Director: Sergio Corbucci

Lead Characters:

Silence (Jean-Louis Trintignant)

Loco (Klaus Kinski)

The Professionals (1966) – IMDb Rating: 7.3

Summary: An arrogant Texas millionaire hires four adventurers to rescue his kidnapped wife from a notorious Mexican bandit.

Director: Richard Brooks

Lead Characters:

Rico (Lee Marvin)

Jake (Burt Lancaster)

Rio Bravo (1959) – IMDb Rating: 8.0

Summary: A small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a cripple, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.

Director: Howard Hawks

Lead Characters:

Sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne)

Dude (Dean Martin)

Colorado (Ricky Nelson)

The Cowboys (1972) – IMDb Rating: 7.3

Summary: Rancher Wil Andersen is forced to hire inexperienced boys as cowhands in order to get his herd to market on time, but the rough drive is full of dangers and challenges.

Director: Mark Rydell

Lead Characters:

Wil Andersen (John Wayne)

Slim Honeycutt (Bruce Dern)

The Homesman (2014) – IMDb Rating: 6.6

Summary: Three women who have been driven mad by pioneer life are to be transported across the country by covered wagon by the pious, independent-minded Mary Bee Cuddy, who in turn employs low-life drifter George Briggs to assist her.

Director: Tommy Lee Jones

Lead Characters:

Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank)

George Briggs (Tommy Lee Jones)

My Name Is Nobody (1973) – IMDb Rating: 7.4

Summary: A young, easygoing gunman (Nobody) worships and competes with an old gunfighter (Jack Beauregard) who only wants to retire.

Director: Tonino Valerii

Lead Characters:

Nobody (Terence Hill)

Jack Beauregard (Henry Fonda)

High Plains Drifter (1973) – IMDb Rating: 7.5

Summary: A gunfighting stranger comes to the small settlement of Lago and is hired to bring the townsfolk together in an attempt to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Lead Characters:

The Stranger (Clint Eastwood)

Rio Lobo (1970) – IMDb Rating: 6.6

Summary: After the Civil War, Cord McNally searches for the traitor whose perfidy caused the defeat of McNally’s unit and the loss of a close friend.

Director: Howard Hawks

Lead Characters:

Cord McNally (John Wayne)

Shasta Delaney (Jennifer O’Neill)

The Missouri Breaks (1976) – IMDb Rating: 6.6

Summary: Tom Logan is a horse thief. Rancher David Braxton has horses, and a daughter, worth stealing. But Braxton has just hired Lee Clayton, an infamous “regulator,” to hunt down the horse thieves; one at a time.

Director: Arthur Penn

Lead Characters:

Lee Clayton (Marlon Brando)

Tom Logan (Jack Nicholson)

The Salvation (2014) – IMDb Rating: 6.7

Summary: In 1870s America, a peaceful American settler kills his family’s murderer, which unleashes the fury of a notorious gang leader. His cowardly fellow townspeople then betray him, forcing him to hunt down the outlaws alone.

Director: Kristian Levring

Lead Characters:

Jon Jensen (Mads Mikkelsen)

Delarue (Jeffrey Dean Morgan)

Meek’s Cutoff (2010) – IMDb Rating: 6.6

Summary: Settlers traveling through the Oregon desert in 1845 find themselves stranded in harsh conditions with no water, food, or shelter, and they must rely on a guide whose sanity is questionable.

Director: Kelly Reichardt

Lead Characters:

Emily Tetherow (Michelle Williams)

Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood)

The Claim (2000) – IMDb Rating: 6.5

Summary: A prospector who sold his wife and infant daughter in exchange for a mining claim, tries to win them back as he helps to build the Pacific Railroad with a group of pioneer friends.

Director: Michael Winterbottom

Lead Characters:

Daniel Dillon (Peter Mullan)

Elena Burn (Nastassja Kinski)

Hud (1963) – IMDb Rating: 7.8

Summary: Honest and hardworking Texas rancher Homer Bannon has a conflict with his unscrupulous, selfish, arrogant, and egotistical son Hud, who sank into alcoholism after accidentally killing his brother in a car crash.

Director: Martin Ritt

Lead Characters:

Hud Bannon (Paul Newman)

Homer Bannon (Melvyn Douglas)

The Wind (2018) – IMDb Rating: 6.1

Summary: A plains-woman faces the harshness and isolation of the untamed land in the Western frontier of the late 1800s.

Director: Emma Tammi

Lead Characters:

Lizzy Macklin (Caitlin Gerard)

Isaac Macklin (Ashley Zukerman)

Hondo (1953) – IMDb Rating: 7.1

Summary: Army despatch rider Hondo Lane discovers a woman and young son living in the midst of warring Apaches and becomes their protector.

Director: John Farrow

Lead Characters:

Hondo Lane (John Wayne)

Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page)

The Electric Horseman (1979) – IMDb Rating: 6.3

Summary: A rodeo star past his prime steals his company’s horse and rides into the desert, with a feisty reporter accompanying him.

Director: Sydney Pollack

Lead Characters:

Sonny Steele (Robert Redford)

Hallie Martin (Jane Fonda)

Joe Kidd (1972) – IMDb Rating: 6.5

Summary: An ex-bounty hunter reluctantly helps a wealthy landowner and his henchmen track down a Mexican revolutionary leader.

Director: John Sturges

Lead Characters:

Joe Kidd (Clint Eastwood)

Frank Harlan (Robert Duvall)

The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) – IMDb Rating: 8.0

Summary: When a posse captures three men suspected of killing a local farmer, they become strongly divided over whether or not to lynch the men.

Director: William A. Wellman

Lead Characters:

Gil Carter (Henry Fonda)

Donald Martin (Dana Andrews)

The Furies (1950) – IMDb Rating: 7.1

Summary: A New Mexico cattle man and his strong-willed daughter clash over the man’s choice for a new bride. Things get worse when the elder man has his daughter’s lover hanged.

Director: Anthony Mann

Lead Characters:

Vance Jeffords (Barbara Stanwyck)

T.C. Jeffords (Walter Huston)

Comanche Station (1960) – IMDb Rating: 7.0

Summary: A man saves a woman who had been kidnapped by Comanches and now has to escort her back to civilization.

Director: Budd Boetticher

Lead Characters:

Jefferson Cody (Randolph Scott)

Nancy Lowe (Nancy Gates)

Man of the West (1958) – IMDb Rating: 7.1

Summary: A reformed outlaw becomes stranded after an aborted train robbery with two other passengers and is forced to rejoin his old outlaw band.

Director: Anthony Mann

Lead Characters:

Link Jones (Gary Cooper)

Billie Ellis (Julie London)

The Shooting (1966) – IMDb Rating: 6.6

Summary: A mysterious woman persuades two cowboys to help her in a revenge scheme, but their simple journey quickly turns into a deadly cat-and-mouse game.

Director: Monte Hellman

Lead Characters:

Billy Spear (Warren Oates)

Gashade (Will Hutchins)

         Lead Characters:

Dr. Joseph

Frail (Gary Cooper)

Elizabeth Mahler (Maria Schell)

Hour of the Gun (1967) – IMDb Rating: 6.5

Summary: Marshal Wyatt Earp kills a couple of men of the Clanton gang in a fight. In revenge, Clanton’s thugs kill the Marshal’s brother. Thus, Wyatt starts to chase the killers together with his friend Doc Holliday.

Director: John Sturges

Lead Characters:

Wyatt Earp (James Garner)

Doc Holliday (Jason Robards)