Liam Gaughan is a writer at Collider with a passion for classic films and the work of Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese.
The Western genre is highly foundational within the development of some of cinema’s greatest storytellers, as many of the best filmmakers of all-time got their start working on gunslinger films set on America’s frontier. The longevity of the Western genre has allowed it to be interpreted in wildly different ways by several generations of storytellers, each of whom have brought a different perspective to what makes it so unique.
High Noon PGDramaWestern Release Date June 9, 1952 Director Fred Zinnemann Cast Gary Cooper , Thomas Mitchell , Lloyd Bridges , Katy Jurado , Grace Kelly , Otto Kruger Runtime 85 Main Genre Drama Writers Carl Foreman , John W. Cunningham Tagline The story of a man who was too proud to run Expand Watch on Prime Video
Release Date April 23, 1953 Director George Stevens Cast Jean Arthur , Van Heflin , Jack Palance Runtime 118 minutes Main Genre Western Writers A.B. Guthrie Jr. , Jack Sher Studio Paramount Pictures Expand Watch on Prime Video 7 ‘The Searchers’ Directed by John Ford The Searchers was one of the many films that Wayne made with John Ford, but is often cited as the strongest of their collaborations for the way in which it cuts away Western mythology to tell a dark story about the cycle of violence on the frontier.
6 ‘The Magnificent Seven’ Directed by John Sturges The Magnificent Seven was a very ambitious undertaking for director John Sturges, as the film served as a loose re-imagining of the Akira Kurosawa classic Seven Samurai. Although Seven Samurai is often cited as one of the greatest action films ever made, The Magnificent Seven proved to be a worthy successor through its inventive mix of charismatic actors and exhilarating stunt sequences.
Once Upon A Time in The West features one of the best opening scenes in any film, and ends with a shocking twist that changes the viewers’ perception of the main characters. Leone is also a filmmaker known for his ability to harness the power of a great composer, as the use of Sergio Leone’s all-time great soundtrack resulted in some of the most impressive moments in the film.
McCabe & Mrs. Miller deserves credit because Altman was willing to challenge traditional gender norms and show a dominant female character and a male scumbag who is only willing to help others if he stands to benefit. No amount of modern visual effects or advanced camera trickery can match the practical beauty that Altman crafted with one of his most aesthetically gorgeous and heartbreaking films ever.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid hasn’t aged today, as the exciting chase and heist sequences that Hill pulled off certainly laid the groundwork for modern action franchises like Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, and The Mummy. Hill also deserves credit for delivering one of the most surprising, cheekiest movie endings in history that is bound to catch any viewer off guard if they weren’t already familiar with the true story.
Unforgiven reached a level of brutality that never felt like it was exploitative, as Eastwood was able to tell a compelling story about the ways in which violence is cyclical in the frontier era. While Eastwood’s performance in the film is often heralded as the best of his entire career, Unforgiven solidified the fact that Eastwood would be regarded as a great director first and foremost as his filmography continued to take shape.
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