# Recommend Some Westerns **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2005, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173 "2005-09-24T04:01:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/41 "2005-09-25T17:13:32Z")
> [@Soylent Gene](#): > > The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is a great movie. Eli Wallach is expecially great. My only conplaint is that it’s about 30 minutes too long. The long Civil War battle/ bridge demolition scene near the end of the film was completely unecessary. I have to disagree with this. It’s a contrast between the idealism of the (needless) sacrifice of soldiers for a pointless objective and the venality of the main characters, who lie, cheat, steal, and kill for money. I guess Blondie sort of redeems himself (to the extent that a scoundrel can) by blowing up the bridge. Eli Wallach is great, though. And if you think _The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly_ is too long, what do you think about _Once Upon A Time In The West_? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/42 "2005-09-25T17:14:54Z")
I second **Silverado**. “Now, I don’t wanna shoot you, and you don’t want to be dead.” > [@Soylent Gene](#): > > My only conplaint is that it’s about 30 minutes too long. The long Civil War battle/ bridge demolition scene near the end of the film was completely unecessary. I saw it on a broadcast station a while ago, and it was chopped to ribbons. That entire sequence was cut, and the movie makes no sense without it. [spoiler]It’s as they’re lighting the charges to destroy the bridge that Tuco and Blondie tell each other their half of the secret of where the gold is buried. How is Tuco running around in a cemetary if he doesn’t know what name he’s looking for? It seems common for posters to the Ain’t it Cool News site to adopt the name of some movie character. If I ever post there, I want to be Arch Stanton.[/spoiler] I like that part, but if you take it out of the movie you still have to replace that vital piece. I want to get the DVD of **The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly** and just study the end of it a few times. It’s one of the best shot sequences ever made. And I want to take a stopwatch and time the final shootout. It could be 30 seconds, could be 2 minutes; I don’t know, time just stands still. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Silence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Silence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Silence)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/43 "2005-09-25T17:27:50Z")
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly For a Few Dollars More The Big Gundown The Great Silence Silverado ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/44 "2005-09-25T17:58:48Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > And you can’t get away without seeing [The Treasure of Sierra Madre](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040897/). Bogart may badly overact in this one (he’s much better in _African Queen_) but it’s a great film nonetheless. Not to mention being the source of one of the greatest lines in all movie history: “Badges? We don’ need no steekin’ badges!” ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/45 "2005-09-25T18:40:59Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > So, what was I missing in this movie (McCabe and Mrs. Miller}? I thought it was dreadful, even though I could see definite skill in its making. > > Daniel I thought it was great, but I’ll leave it to [Roger Ebert](http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19991114%2FREVIEWS08%2F911140301%2F1023) to explain it far better than I ever could. Also check out the [Imdb](http://imdb.com/title/tt0067411/) listing, where it also gets very good reviews. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/46 "2005-09-25T18:47:49Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Not to mention being the source of one of the greatest lines in all movie history: > > “Badges? We don’ need no steekin’ badges!” That phrase will NEVER die 😃 ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/47 "2005-09-25T20:29:29Z")
My vote is for **The Missing** , starring Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones. She’s a hardbitten rancher in 1885 southwest whose teenage daughter has been abducted by an Indian witch and some indian deserters from the Army. She’s forced to join forces with her father who abandoned the family several years before to live with the Apaches. Very good movie. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/48 "2005-09-25T20:53:50Z")
The major silent westerns: _The Great Train Robbery_ (1903) _In the Land of the Head Hunters (In the Land of the War Canoes)_ (1914) _Hell’s Hinges_ (1916) _The Last of the Mohicans_ (1920) \* _The Covered Wagon_ (1923) _The Wind_ (1928) _The Silent Enemy_ (1930) All are available on VHS or DVD. - Yes, I know it’s set in upstate New York. Call it an eastern. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/49 "2005-09-25T22:50:06Z")
> [@jimpatro](#): > > **The Valley of Gwangi** Aaaahhh…Cowboys vs Dinosaurs. I remember the film well. The final scene, in which the dinosaur is trapped in the burning cathedral, is actually a very powerful piece of cinema. There is also a sub-genre of horror/sci-fi Westerns, the most fun of which is **Radio Ranch**. ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/50 "2005-09-25T23:04:47Z")
And my forthcoming **StarRiders**. Well, one day :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/51 "2005-09-26T00:22:23Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > My vote is for **The Missing** , starring Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones. She’s a hardbitten rancher in 1885 southwest whose teenage daughter has been abducted by an Indian witch and some indian deserters from the Army. She’s forced to join forces with her father who abandoned the family several years before to live with the Apaches. Very good movie. I thought this was _very_ good for a current western, but only mediocre when held up beside the greats from the 1920s-60s. The only modern westerns I can think of that will really stand the test of time and achieve “classic” status are _Tombstone_ and _Unforgiven_. This is IMVHO, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173/52 "2005-09-26T01:32:07Z")
I have to add my two cents for the following: Shane - The pacing is incredible. A deep, sincere movie that will stay with you. Lonesome Dove - Best casting. Ever. Phenomenal movie. The Searchers - John Wayne’s best movie. A sweeping spectacle with a haunting ending. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-westerns/323173.md?page=2)