I couldn’t pick just one.
High Noon
Unforgiven
The Searchers
The Magnificent 7
I nominate “The Frisco Kid,” with Gene Wilder and Harrison Ford, simply because no one else will.
Huh. No mention of “True Grit”? Either version.
Which is as it should be.
Although I would like to switch my vote from Red River to She Wore A Yellow Ribbon.
It may be time to go back to the drawing board on this topic.
Check out Lists of Western films - Wikipedia and see if you have any good idea(s) for doing such a thing.
I’ve always preferred For a Few Dollars More over GB&U. I think it’s more tightly plotted and better paced.
I noticed that there really have not been any good Westerns released since this poll was first conducted in 2010.
I know this post is five years old, but I’d like to agree. Though I can’t ever pick a single movie to a call my favorite, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is definitely one of my favorites.
EDIT: And now I wish I had waited 35 minutes so I could say “I know this post is exactly five years old…”.
Another thing is how little difference the more recent votes have made:
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View Poll Results: What is the Best Western Ever?
"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" 10 20.41%
"The Outlaw Josey Wales" 6 12.24%
"Unforgiven" 5 10.20%
"Once Upon a Time in the West" 4 8.16%
"Silverado" 3 6.12%
The best western was made for TV ("Lonesome Dove", "Deadwood") 2 4.08%
"The Searchers" 2 4.08%
"Rio Bravo" 2 4.08%
"The Magnificent Seven" 2 4.08%
"The Wild Bunch" 2 4.08%
"Tombstone" 2 4.08%
Voters: 49
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View Poll Results: What is the Best Western Ever?
"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" 12 20.34%
"The Outlaw Josey Wales" 7 11.86%
"Unforgiven" 6 10.17%
"Once Upon a Time in the West" 4 6.78%
"The Wild Bunch" 4 6.78%
"The Searchers" 3 5.08%
"Silverado" 3 5.08%
"Tombstone" 3 5.08%
"Rio Bravo" 2 3.39%
"The Magnificent Seven" 2 3.39%
The best western was made for TV ("Lonesome Dove", "Deadwood") 2 3.39%
Voters: 59
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View Poll Results: What is the Best Western Ever?
"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" 14 20.00%
"The Outlaw Josey Wales" 9 12.86%
"Unforgiven" 7 10.00%
"The Searchers" 5 7.14%
"Once Upon a Time in the West" 5 7.14%
"The Wild Bunch" 4 5.71%
"The Magnificent Seven" 3 4.29%
"Silverado" 3 4.29%
"Tombstone" 3 4.29%
"Rio Bravo" 2 2.86%
The best western was made for TV ("Lonesome Dove", "Deadwood") 2 2.86%
Voters: 70
Can you spot any on List of Western films of the 2010s that would make you change your mind on recent Westerns?
Most of those are winners and different enough to be unable for me to choose. The following in no particular order are favorites:
Treasure of The Sierra Madre, a different sort of western
The Oxbow Incident
Unforgiven, for its relentless character study of a man trying to overcome his nature.
Little Big Man, for the sheer entertainment value
Tombstone, for the brilliant casting and acting
Dances With Wolves, for the cinematography and good storytelling, not to mention the excellent Native American cast
I’m not going to badmouth Django Unchained.
“The Outlaw Josey Wales” for me but I do enjoy “Blazing Saddles” even more but won’t class it with the best westerns.
“Silverado” is pretty awesome also.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance gets my vote. Unforgiven is well worth it, and The Searchers too.
I like almost all of the choices, but I voted for TV, because you can do so much more with a miniseries, let alone a multi-year series, than a movie. The Lonesome Dove franchise, for sure, but also Centennial. And even today, I watch more 50-year-old western series like Cheyenne, Have Gun - Will Travel, Maverick, etc. than contemporary shows.
And there’s one clinker in the list for me. I’ve tried to watch The Wild Bunch a dozen times, but I always get bored before I’m halfway through it.
A vote for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
“The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” or “Jeremiah Johnson”
As of 100 Voters, here’s how the list has changed since 49 Voters:
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View Poll Results: What is the Best Western Ever?
"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" 10 20.41% +7
"The Outlaw Josey Wales" 6 12.24% +9
"Unforgiven" 5 10.20% +4
"Once Upon a Time in the West" 4 8.16% +1
"Silverado" 3 6.12% +1
The best western was made for TV ("Lonesome Dove", "Deadwood") 2 4.08% +1
"The Searchers" 2 4.08% +5
"Rio Bravo" 2 4.08% 0
"The Magnificent Seven" 2 4.08% +3
"The Wild Bunch" 2 4.08% +3
"Tombstone" 2 4.08% +2
"Red River" 1 2.04% 0
"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" 1 2.04% 0
"High Noon" 1 2.04% +1
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" 1 2.04% +1
"Little Big Man" 1 2.04% +2
A John Ford western not yet mentioned 1 2.04% +2
A Clint Eastwood western not yet mentioned 1 2.04% 0
A Kevin Costner western not yet mentioned 1 2.04% 0
The best western is a comedy ("Blazing Saddles", "Support/Sheriff") 1 2.04% 0
"My Darling Clementine" 0 0% +1
"El Dorado" 0 0% +2
An Anthony Mann or Budd Boetticher western 0 0% 0
A Sergio Leone or Sam Peckinpah western not yet mentioned 0 0% +2
A John Wayne (non-Ford) western not yet mentioned 0 0% +2
The best western is modern (takes place after WWII) 0 0% 0
The best western is something that doesn't fit any of these categories 0 0% +2
Voters: 49 +51
Voters: 100
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When I get to likin’ someone, they ain’t around long. But I still voted fer him.
Besides, I chaw plug sometimes myself.