The epic Western has been a part of film lore since the early days of movie making. The vast expanse of the background, and rugged hard men and stories of heroism and valour made these into masterpieces. Star casts like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood have left their mark on innumerable Westerns and the gritty tales have been the fodder for many a scriptwriter.
1. The Searchers – 1956
Nominated as the greatest Western movie of all time, this film has a great performance by the amazing John Wayne. He portrays a middle aged Civil war veteran seeking to locate his missing niece. There are some beautiful vignettes of frontier life, and many subsequent film directors have acknowledged their debt to this film.
2. High Noon – 1952
Gary Cooper’s finest performance in a riveting tale of one man’s courage against a bunch of goons, this film is an all time classic. With very few spoken words, the taut and intense showdown is the highlight of the film.
3. Shane – 1953
One of the finest films in its genre, it has been directed superbly by George Stevens. Splendid and restrained performances by Alan Ladd and Jean Arthur, and a guardian angel type of story have made this into a great film in all its facets.
4. Unforgiven – 1992
Clint Eastwood’s best directorial venture, this is a sombre, brooding film about guilt and shame, and about the rule of the strong over the weak, and of courage and heroism.
5. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid – 1969
A modern Western, this film had two superb actors as its main leads – Robert Redford and Paul Newman. More on the lines of a modern comedy, it has some breathtaking landscapes and some great chases.