Saddle up for some great Westerns

Puddles — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:53:58 GMT

Once upon a time in the west! So bad and so good. Main reason i learned to play the harmonica as a boy.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Janice Larson, Newport Beach — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:40:55 GMT

The Claim. Combining a western with Thomas Hardy's Mayor of Casterbridge was genius and the cast is perfect.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Rick Martel, Grover Beach, Ca — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:51:59 GMT

Best Western?
"The Outlaw Josie Wales" and "The Professionals"

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Mike, Greensboro, North Carolina. — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:57:06 GMT

I am a huge western fan. I like just about all John Wayne or Clint Eastwood films. I think that one of the best in the past few years was Lonesome Dove. It was so good my wife even watched it. I also liked Open Range. I think that the reason these movies are so great is you know who is good and who is bad, even if the good guys are a little bad (Kevin Costner/Open Range), and evil is delt with quickly and you move on.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Kate, Columbus, OH — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:58:23 GMT

The Professionals. Richard Brooks’s 1964 offering is sly, cynical, but oddly full of joie de vivre, with a totally satisfying ending. The easy, obviously longstanding relationship between a laconic Lee Marvin and an ebullient Burt Lancaster showcases these actors at their best, with enjoyable support from Robert Ryan, Claudia Cardinale, Jack Palance, Woody Strode, and Ralph Bellamy. Well-written, well-shot, well-paced -- it’s very John Huston-esque and great fun from edge to edge.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Leslie, Albuquerque — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:58:32 GMT

I remember watching The Magnificent Seven when I was a kid because I had a thing for Yul Brynner. What a great movie that was. I also loved The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly...I think I drove my mom crazy trying to whistle/hum the theme song for it.
For me though, nothing on the big screen is ever going to be on par with Chuck Connors in The Rifleman. My husband got me hooked on that show, and really what's not to like? Chuck Connors was a great actor and the show had a neat mix of Western-y violence and manly situations with a nice shmaltzy mix of family values thrown in too. And did I mention that rifle is totally awesome?

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Ryan Smith, Clark, MO — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:01:08 GMT

It may technically be a miniseries, but Lonesome Dove is definitely a classic of the Western genre. I have seldom seen better character development in a movie,and the performances by both Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall are exceptional. The really resonant concept for me is the loss of all that the main characters stood for, the West they loved that needed their strength and character to tame, was being lost to settlement, and they didn't fit in at all anymore. That is the tragedy of the movie and its beauty.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Alessandro, San Francisco, CA — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:16:28 GMT

What about Tombstone, that is my favorite!

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Benjie--Tucson, Az — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:23:34 GMT

Oh Come one...one of the greatest of all was Shane, with Jack Palance as the killer bad guy and Alan Ladd (The good guy who had holstered his fastest gun) then when the homesteaders are threatened off their land by gunslingers, his love for a family he is staying with and working for, including a hero worshipping child he is forced one more time to strap on his guns. It is Palance at his most evil and best as well as the quiet, good guy Ladd, that make this the best Classic Western ever, next to High Noon.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Maddox — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:26:09 GMT

My favorite western is Silverado. I have seen it many, many times and it never gets old or outdated.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Mike,Seminole,FL — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:33:02 GMT

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, Fort Apache (anything by John Ford)Rustler's Rhapsody (best humorous western EVER), The Gunfighter,.... the list goes on and on.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

jersey girl — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:35:55 GMT

Okay my favorite John Wayne is McClintock...I think its the best of his westerns although the Searchers comes a close 2nd for me, as for modern I have to say I love American Outlaws with Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, Timothy Dalton... and one on the comedic side would have to be Support Your Local Sheriff with James Garner, Bruce Dern, etc...

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Shelly, Salem, Oregon — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:36:31 GMT

Silverado! Some of the best quotable lines in history: "He's not my friend; he used to be my brother." "Now I don't want to kill you and you don't want to be dead."

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Demetris Manolopoulos — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:42:01 GMT

If you are a fan of the Italian Westerns try these: Django, Keoma, The Great Silence, and Day of Anger. These films are typical Italian in the haunting musical scores and the isolated feeling of the protaganists. There is a special style that the Europeans have brought to the American Western, not only nostalgia for those days, but the etched lines of the characters. For example, the shots of the eyes and gritty facial features to bring us close to the characters is a mark of the Italian Western. One other distinction is the speed of the gunfights; men shooting three and four men at once with super-accuracy. These super-human characters, combined with the music and dust-filled settings make these movies classics of style bringing the Western into the mythological realm. Django and Keoma star Franco Nero and Day of Anger stars the great Lee Van Cleef; though, he was second-fiddle in the Eastwood Italian movies, he really never took a back seat in regards to playing tough and believable roles. His steely look of the hardened man was as believalbe as I've ever seen in a Western. Two other Italian mentions are:
Sabata
Death Rides a Horse

cheers

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Matt — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:53:44 GMT

Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday in "Tombstone".

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Peggy — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:55:31 GMT

"The Big Country" hands down is the best theatrical western. Gregory Peck Chsrlton Heston, William Wyler directing, tremendous musical score. "Lonesome Dove" for a TV western. It will never be topped.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Don Woods, Battle Ground, WA. — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:56:29 GMT

You forgot what I think is the best Western movie of all time. It is "Silverado". Check it out for great action from well known actors and superb music!

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Stan, Sparks, Nevada — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:02:05 GMT

My favorite modern Western is "Silverado." Plenty of action, clear good / bad guys. Not too much "heavy acting," though.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Mark, Xiamen, China — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:03:42 GMT

Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday in "Tombstone" is one of my favorite performances in a Western. I enjoy Westerns because they popularized the anti-hero, even though the "good guys" usually won in the end, but they typically weren't the hyper-macho cartoons of action movies. Every good Western that I've seen always has a current of nihilism and bleakness that matches the expansive desolate backdrops. For me, Westerns always seem like the closest imitations of real life to be found on the big screen, even more so than emotional art-house dramas.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

1950's cowgirl, Dunlap, TN — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:11:06 GMT

If a Western has Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Audey Murphy, John Wayne, or any other of the dozens of great cowboys, or their sidekicks, then I am there! I miss Saturday morning cowboy shows and Saturday afternoon movie serials. I am so politically incorrect...

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Thumper — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:12:11 GMT

Tombstone! Val Kilmer should have won an Oscar for that movie.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

otto99, Memphis, TN — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:15:29 GMT

"Silverado!" A great western, fabulous score, sweeping vistas, humor, and the always present struggle of good v. evil. What's not to love? I also think "The Cowboys" was excellent, and also displayed The Duke's ability as an actor.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Rod Mullins — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:18:11 GMT

I know there are many great Westerns but I have to say I like "The Shootist" with John Wayne as my favorite. The message is simple; the death of the Old West and the legends that made it "The Old West" due to modernization.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

ArtistHistorian, San Antonio, Tx. — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:29:43 GMT

I love all westerns!
That is the only movie genre that we can truly call our own.
I never tire of the stories of the Old West and always look forward to more.
Can never get enough!
Looking forward to Appaloosa!
Would appreciate it if Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck would get back in the saddle again and come out with more westerns.
Kevin Costner is working on one now. Thank you very much, Kev!

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Debbie, Jasper, Ga — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:31:32 GMT

Thank goodness for old movies! Westerns are a favorite in our house. John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Kirk Douglas...I could go on and on. Best one ever made has to be "How the West was Won" and I have NEVER seen a bad John Wayne movie!

Saddle up for some great Westerns

an eastern who loved the western — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:33:50 GMT

Too bad they don't have westerns now. Maybe it would teach some "good, bad and the ugly"

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Bklyncowgirl, Ringwood, NJ — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:36:37 GMT

"The Long Riders". A Mid-western really, but a great touch using three sets of real-life brothers (Carradine, Keach & Quade)to play out-law brothers Younger, James & Miller.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Norma De Plume, Twin Cities, MN — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:38:54 GMT

I would say I don't like westerns but I see that I've watched and greatly liked all of the modern westerns that you've listed. Maybe I don't care for the bigotry and racism that would be found in older movies. But I am probably missing out on some goodies because of a few bad ones.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Ben, Verona, NJ — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:43:14 GMT

The Outlaw Josey Wales, without a doubt.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Ned, Cincinnati, Ohio — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:01:29 GMT

One of the best teams in recent westerns have been Tom Selleck and Sam Elliot (Sacketts, etc). In the past, any male movie star worth his salt had to do a western. I miss those days............

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Blue Eyes — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:05:02 GMT

My favorite Westerns:

1. The Wild Bunch
2. Once Upon a Time in the West (Leone's masterpiece)
3. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
4. The Long Riders (the casting of real-life brothers to play the James/Younger gang siblings was genius)
5. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (sort of an anti-Western, the Altman masterpiece that never seems to get its due credit).

Saddle up for some great Westerns

kenaiqueen, kenai ak — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:05:03 GMT

My heroes have always been cowboys! I love every single western cliche in "Silverado" and watch my dvd of it frequently. I'll sit down and watch every time "The Searchers" comes on also. The Duke stars in a lot of my favorites: "True Grit," "The Comancheros" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence." Favorite hidden gem is "The Long Riders" in spite of the graphic violence that rivals "The Wild Bunch." For fun, "Cat Ballou."

Saddle up for some great Westerns

twinheart — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:14:59 GMT

oh where to start - Fort Apache, The Shootist, War Wagon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Big Jake, El Dorado, Rio Lobo, and one of my all time favorite movies - the Sons of Katie Elder for John Wayne - Shenandoah, The Rare Breed, Bandelero, and the Cheyenne Social Club for James Stewart, and Unforgiven for Clint Eastwood - these are some of my favorite Westerns, - a Sunday afternoon, maybe some hot soup or pasta, some ice cream, and I'm a little kid again, watching these movies with my Dad - best Sundays ever -

Saddle up for some great Westerns

David Shahan, Lindsay, OK — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:15:21 GMT

A few of my favorites in no particular order... Lonesome Dove (the original mini-series)
Rio Bravo (the anti-High Noon)
Dances With Wolves; Open Range; Wyatt Earp
(why does Hollywood hate Kevin Costner now?)
Tombstone (Val Kilmer over Dennis Quaid)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (my personal Eastwood favorite)
The Missing (Jones and Blanchett are magical together)
Wild Bill (Jeff Bridges channels Hickock)
Junior Bonner (Steve McQueen embodies the cowboy persona)
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (A greatly overlooked movie, Tommy Lee Jones goes Woodrow Call one better)

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Lynn, Dallas, TX — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:16:02 GMT

The Wild Bunch, Silverado, Hondo, Shane and many more.
My generation grew up on the Western genre. Never got tired of them as a youngster. Good modern westerns are getting further and further apart.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Robert, Los Altos, CA — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:38:40 GMT

As enjoyable as Tombstone and Silverado are, there is little indication that either film-makers have any real feel for the western genre. As best as I can tell, those were one-off's. There's no real comparison between Cosmatos or Kasdan to:

Ford (Stagecoach, The Searchers, etc.)
Hawks (Red River, Rio Bravo, etc.)
Mann (Winchester '73, Man from Laramie, etc.)
Boetticher (7 Men from Now, Tall T, etc.)
Peckinpah (Ride the High Country, Wild Bunch, etc.)
Leone (Good, Bad, & & Ugly, Once Upon A Time in the West, etc.)
Eastwood (Outlaw Josey Wales, Unforgiven, etc.)

Saddle up for some great Westerns

THETISHOMINGOKID, Indian Territory — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:46:18 GMT

Well Pard, I kin tell yew ain't got any idee what a good western ought ta be so I'll give ya a quick little lesson.

HIGH NOON, Gary Cooper
THE SEARCHERS, John Wayne
THE CAVALRY TRILOGY by John Ford

Them's westerns Pard.

Yew might talk me into considerin' SHANE or THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE. THE CULPEPPER CATTLE COMPANY is another'n that'd makes mah honorable mentions list.

BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID, temptin', mighty temptin'. But them boys was too purty to be real men or real westerners. TOMBSTONE? Purty good. But just not in the same class with HIGH NOON.

Now yew can tell yer kinfolks and the rest of the hands down at the deli that yew know what a real western is and what ain't, savvy?

Saddle up for some great Westerns

jersey girl... — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:52:36 GMT

OMG I forgot half of these...Yes there is nothing like Selleck and Elliot in the westerns, and The Outlaw Josey Wales, there really are too many to choose from, Silverado was incredible, so was Wyatt Earp and Tombstone, there really are way too many to choose...

Saddle up for some great Westerns

the guy The Guy counts On — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:17:35 GMT

Loved 3;10 from Yuma, and Josey wales is an old favorite as well - but what about Unforgiven? Shouldn't that have gotten a mention in the modern westerns category, as it practically revived the genre?

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Judy, Raleigh, NC — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:20:44 GMT

"Hidalgo" (also a Viggo Mortensen Western) is one of my favorites. Sure a lot of it takes place in the Arabian desert, but it's still a "western.) It's not terribly well-known but was just a fun adventure. (And had one of the best horse co-stars.)

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Lee Ann, Bedford Tx — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:21:46 GMT

Ah, c'mon....Cat Ballou

Saddle up for some great Westerns

THETISHOMINGOKID, Indian Territory — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:36:33 GMT

Dang it! Yer right. I plum fergot STAGECOACH with John Wayne. That'n goes to the top of the list in mah book.

Ah'll admit that THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES and LITTLE BIG MAN have ther supporters. Mostly 'cause of the fine performance of Cheif Dan George. A reel Indin playing a reel Indin.

But even with his fine performance ah cain't include them two movies in the herd of prime beef I gave ya before. Plus STAGECOACH, natchally.

Gotta check the wire on the south 40, hasta la vista amigoes.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Rick — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:55:10 GMT

Missing
A man called horse
Unforgiven
Will Penny

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Aaron, Columbus, Ohio — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:01:49 GMT

Can we mention any television westerns? I think HBO did an awesome job with "Deadwood", and maybe I'm alone on this one, but I enjoyed Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall in "Open Range".

And good call on finally mentioning "Unforgiven", one of my favorite movies of all time.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

JoAnne, Tucson AZ — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:26:50 GMT

I've never been a fan of Westerns, but I must admit that I love Tombstone. Val Kilmer was just perfect, and he uttered one of the best movie lines ever: "I'll be your huckleberry".

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Karen, Georgia — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:52:18 GMT

Magnificent Seven and The Searchers. Hands Down. The Sacketts is awesome too.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

douglas — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:33:58 GMT

You all are right on but what about Blazing Saddles! how much fun can you have than this!

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Tina, Sonoma, CA — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:18:30 GMT

As a kid I loved "The Cowboys" with John Wayne - what kid wouldn't want to be one of the lucky boys who gets to trail ride with "The Duke"! And on TV, I was a huge "Young Riders" fan (cheesy but oh-so-good!) Modern favorite has to be "Tombstone" - Val Kilmer gives one of the best performance of all time.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Eric, Ft. Lauderdale, FL — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:40:20 GMT

McCabe and Mrs. Miller is one of the most beautiful and ugly movies ever made. Shows the west as it really probably was - people were rotten and nasty, weather sucked, mud everywhere, ugly prostitutes...perfect movie.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Toni, southern california — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:25:18 GMT

The Magnificant Seven, just a great movie. Robert Vaughn was so good in it.

Silverado, great fun.

the 3:10 to Yuma remake was so, so good (with such a good ending).

I LOVE Rooster Cogburn (essentially a remake of the African Queen with Katherine Hepburn paired with John Wayne this time) and True Grit (John Wayne's first outing as Rooster Cogburn).

OH! And The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance! I love that movie.

My guilty pleasure, though, is Hang 'em High. I watch it every time I see it on television. It's so cheesy, but i like it.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Tobin Rice — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:55:43 GMT

I think good westerns tap into something essential to the American character. We hold them dear because they speak to us in a way no other movie genre can. A good western depends on good story telling and does not need to rely on special effects to hold your attention. My favorite westerns include Lonesome Dove and Shane, both of which have tremendous heart.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

cooley, morehead city, nc — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:13:26 GMT

looks like all the great movies and great stars have been mentioned here, and i do love western movies....
but come on, not one time did i see the name of Randolph Scott, a great actor, who was one of the most outstanding western star in my opinion.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

RKS, New Jersey — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:46:19 GMT

I really prefer the classics:
The Searchers (John Wayne as dysfunctional anti-hero!)
The Calvary Trilogy: Fort Apache, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande
My Darling Clementine (Henry Fonda)
The Oxbow Incident (Henry Fonda)
Broken Arrow (James Stewart)
Destry Rides Again (James Stewart)

Any John Ford western is worth watching. He understood how to film the wild West. By the way, I used to think that, as an actor, John Wayne was only playing himself until I actually sat down to watch The Searchers and the Calvary trilogy.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Carla B, Centreville, VA — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:45:11 GMT

In our house Tombstone ranks high. My son knows all the dialogue by heart. At the top of my list are the John Ford westerns with John Wayne, Winchester 73, Open Range, Ride a Pale Horse (Eastwood at his best) and Once Upon a Time in the West.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Trevor — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:08:30 GMT

What are you guys talking about? One of the best westerns in recent times is Brokeback Mountain. Sigh, just seeing those to saddle up and take charge brings chills to my spine. Sure all the westerns that have been mentioned are amazing but when it comes to something that has substance and deep emotions its Brokeback Mountain. Excuse me im sweating just thinking about the movie.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Suzi Nixx — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:22:35 GMT

What about "Young Guns"?!?!
I know it was a spoof of westerns, but I stil LOVE "Blazing Saddles". The fight scene at the end where they traverse the back lots of the studio is just a riot.
I also have to give my kudos to HBO's "Deadwood" and wish that they would bring it back. Timothy Olyphant is definately on MY "top 5" list (ala Friends)

Saddle up for some great Westerns

A. Nonymous Denver CO — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:45:45 GMT

Cat Ballou, Blazing Saddles & Rustler's Rhapsodhy for comedies. For classics, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and anything with John Wayne as long as he isn't in the Calvary. Modern, Val Kilmer's hypnotic portrayal of Holliday in Tombstone, Kurt Russell, Sam Elliot and Bill Paxton as the Earps are wonderful too, and Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Mike — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:24:22 GMT

"The Outlaw Josey Wales" hands down!

"Dyin' ain't much of way to make a livin' boy"

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Toni, Southern California — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:50:02 GMT

Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
True Grit (Wayne's first outing as Rooster Cogburn)
Rooster Cogburn (essentially a remake of the African Queen but with Katherine Hepburn paired with John Wayne)
3:10 to Yuma (the recent version with such a good ending)
Silverado (it's just so much fun!)
Hang 'em High (okay, totally cheesy, but I watch it everytime it's on)
Magnificant Seven (I love Robert Vaughn's character. Hate Horst Bucholz, Jr., though)
Quigly Down Under (Cowboys in Australia).

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Myra, Stillwater, OK — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:16:15 GMT

Didn't see anyone mention John Wayne's Oscar winner, "True Grit." He was really great in that. And I loved Lee Marvin in "Cat Ballou." Nor did I see anyone mention "Little Big Man" or "Dances with Wolves." Both of those were Westerns, but not from the Cowboy perspective. I loved both of them and watch them whenever I have the opportunity.

I also like:
The Magnificent Seven
Red River
Silverado
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Tombstone
and the original Stagecoach

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Cinema Retro — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:24:11 GMT

Excellent suggestions...but of course no list would be complete without the aforementioned Magnificent Seven. For those who are more adventurous, however, some of the lesser known westerns have great merit. I suggest two very underrated films starring Burt Lancaster: "Valdez is Coming" (1971) and director Robert Aldrich's superb 1972 film "Ulzana's Raid" in which Lancaster gives a remarkable late career performance. In terms of relatively modern westerns, none could top Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven", a film of raw emotional power that grows more intense with every viewing. It just brings to mind the frustration that Hollywood continues to largely ignore the one film genre that is uniquely American.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Springfield, MO — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:59:49 GMT

Gunfighter's Moon with the exceptional Lance Henriksen. If there was ever a man to play in a western, it is Lance! Tom Selleck and Sam Elliot are great as well

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Rrobert — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:12:16 GMT

The Wild Bunch! The best western about an end of era of loyalthy. Searchers is probably my 2nd favor with John Wayne best performance of his career.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Ray, Tulsa Oklahoma — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:03:35 GMT

I do not see a single mention of "Winchester '73" in this list. That is a travesty. The final 10 or so minutes of the movie when we learn WHY Jimmy Stewart has been tracking down "the bad guy" is just devastating.

Also, how about "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Just for the line about when lies become legend, print the legend.

Saddle up for some great Westerns

Ralph Ives — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:01:58 GMT

I've gotta go with Robert in Los Altos in his conceptual scheme, except I have great difficulty in deciding what titles come before the ellipses! Must confess that as an adult I’ve always leaned toward the ‘mythic’, even if outrageously derivative, so long as well acted. Since confessing, I’m also voting for the black & white, good versus evil, heroes of Saturday afternoon. I don’t care how many times they rode around that same rock formation in Lone Pine! Only later, around adolescence, does the glossing of unhealthy class and racial attitudes dawn and we then look for the anti-hero and the ‘naturalistic’ debunking. Then…as intimations of ‘old timers’ appear those Saturday afternoons are so popcornistic…