OT- What's your favorite Western?
I know a lot of people don't care for Westerns but my grandfather got me hooked on war movies and Westerns. My Favorite Western stars Jimmy Stewart and is called "Winchester '73." If you haven't seen it, you should check it out. Some others that I love include
-Stagecoach: Starring a young Duke
-The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Clint
-The Gunfighter: My man Gregory Peck
-Shane: Alan Ladd, a classic
-The Tin Star: with Henry Fonda and Anthony Perkins
What say you MGoBrethren?
Seriously?!?!
In just that one category the Kurt Russell/Val Kilmer version kicks the Costner flick's ASSS!!!
I'll be your Huckleberry...
But in truth, the greatest Western is also one of the greatest films, period - the John Ford/John Wayne epic The Searchers. Absolutely stunning visuals, with humor, family drama, racism, old war wounds, great supporting characters. It really is the colossus of the genre.
Other great Westerns are two Howard Hawks collaborations with the Duke, Red River & Rio Bravo. I lean towards Rio Bravo, as Red River is too serious & Oedipal for my tastes...
Kilmer is The Shit in that movie ... plus he gets all the good lines:
"I know ... how about a spelling contest?"
The Searchers was very good, and in places great. But every time I watch it, I find myself slightly annoyed by the more lighthearted parts, like the when Ethan and Marty come back just in time for the wedding. I keep thinking, "Stop wasting my time with this and get back to trying to find Natalie Wood."
Although it is fun to see young Patrick Wayne in his dad's movie.
Well, the more light-hearted moments help give The Searchers true epic scope, they are almost always a fun way of getting thru some sort of family drama or such. It's as much about the people left behind as the search for those missing. Such as the unspoken sub-text that the reason John Wayne never returned from the Civil War, and everyone thinks he's dead, is that his brother married the woman he loved, and she loves him too,
"I'll thank you to unhand my fy-ant-cee" & "So he went & got himself a Squaw!? Haw haw haw.." are two lines by the rival love interest that always bring a smile...
"Careful with that knife, boy!"
"Thank you for the plesaure of your rocking chair."
Amazing support players. Amazing cinemtography.
Spot on. I always find time to watch when it comes on. Ford's cinematograhy is always the real star, but Wayne's portrayal is riveting. His other Westerns with Ford are outstanding, if a bit cliched at times. Not so of The Searchers.
Also like Shane, True Grit 2, High Noon, and another movie that seldoms get mentioned, The Big Country with Gregory Peck.
Among the newer (in addition to TG2) would be Unforgiven, Silverado, and Tombstone.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was always a favorite. Tombstone is recent, but Val Kilmer's Doc Holiday was amazing. True Grit is another.
My John Wayne favorites:
- Big Jake
- The Man who Shot Liberty Valance
- The Cowboys
- The Son's of Katy Elder
The Shootist was good; a fitting farewell movie for John Wayne.
Ham, onions, green peppers, eggs, cheese and a side of hashbrowns. Westerns are the best.
I will also accept any Sergio Leone film as an acceptable answer
To add, Elmer Bernstein did a wonderful job with the main theme too -
I remember reading that Yul Brynner got annoyed that McQueen was shaking the shotgun shells in this scene. He felt Steve was trying to pull focus. Since by many accounts McQueen wasn't the easiest guy to work with, I can see his point.
Big Jake, John Wayne; the Cheyenne Social Club, Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda; and High Plains Drifter, Clint Eastwood.
Unforgiven. True Grit.
Unforgiven is a great one.
BWHAHAHAHAHAHA. Brilliant!
I love me a good western! For modern westerns, I'd have to say Tombstone. Val Kilmer is the truth.
For more old school Westerns, I would say the Good the Bad and the Ugly and High Noon. Grace Kelly is also legendary!
The Magnificent Seven and No Country For Old Men.
Honorable mention to Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia.
obviously, as my signature line would indicate.
"Whats Bolivia?"
"Its a country, stupid"
or.....
"Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch"
gets me every time
Other that Butch/Sundance, my faves are Good/Bad/Ugly, and McClintock! (for sentimental reasons)
One of the most quotable films of all time.
Great film. Pitt was amazing.
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You're a daisy if you do!
A Bustful Of Dollars
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It's Josey Wales
It's pretty slow and long by today's standards, and I can't remember the last time I watched the entire movie, but I don't know if there's a movie that does a better job of replicating the isolation/wilderness feel of the old west. Great cinematography, great quiet moments where you just hear the wind, and that piercing harmonica
That movie came to mind for me as well. Beautiful movie and tone of the west.
Another favorite of mine (also already touched on by the board) is The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance.
Ford, Stewart and Wayne + an excellent tale about the taming of the west. Hard to beat!
It had a little bit of everything in the movie. Really like the cast and the different story lines throughout.
Close second is Tombstone.
BIg shout out to Hotel Putingrad for citing Back to the Future 3. Hilarious