Westerns

D

Dixie - In Memoriam

New member
I was curious as to whether we have any fans of westerns here. I personally can't get enough of them, I think they remind me of my Dad, who passed away several years ago. We spent his last days in the hospital, watching John Wayne movies together at Christmas. The Duke was his favorite. I like John Wayne, but my personal favorite was always Clint Eastwood. I will present my list of favorites with a brief commentary here.

1. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly- (1966) Absolutely my hands down favorite western. Eastwood, VanCleef, and good ol' Eli Wallach, who is still kicking at 96. I have the DVD and have about worn it out. I've probably watched it a hundred times or more, and could watch it every day.

2. How the West Was Won- (1962) Another epic western by John Ford. Starring John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda, Richard Whidmark, George Peppard, Debbie Reynolds, Walter Brennan, Harry Morgan, James Stewart, Caroll Baker, Eli Wallach... shit, I know I am missing somebody... this one was chock full of big names.

3. Unforgiven- (1992) Eastwood with Gene Hackman as the bad guy... he makes the BEST bad guy! This is Eastwood's last western, and one of his best. Morgan Freeman also stars in this one, for an added bonus.

4. Lonesome Dove- (1989) Robert Duval and Tommy Lee Jones as former Texas Rangers, Gus McRae and Woodrow F. Call. I bet I've watched this a dozen times at least. Arguably the best mini-series of all time. Hated the way it ended, otherwise it would probably be #1. There have been 5 other notable actors who have portrayed Woodrow Call in various other mini-series and movies, but Tommy Lee Jones is always going to be Call to me.

5. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance- (1962) Directed by John Ford with an all-star cast including James Stewart, John Wayne, Lee Van Cleef, Lee Marvin, and Vera Miles. Something with Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne HAS to be in the elite of great movies. I have never understood why they chose to shoot it in black & white.

6. The Sons of Katie Elder- (1965) John Wayne & Dean Martin, (who had a few decent westerns in his day.) I just loved the story, it was well written and directed.

7. Firecreek- (1968) James Stewart & Henry Fonda ...that's all you need to say. Just a great movie. Jack Elam and James Best, in a movie that is very similar, I thought, to High Noon.

8. High Noon- (1952) Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane and Grace Kelly as his wife. This movie would become the standard by which all westerns were measured. Harry Morgan also gives an outstanding performance.

9. True Grit- (1969) What list would be complete without this John Wayne classic, and mention of Rooster Cogburn. Unbelievable this is John Wayne's only Academy Award performance. Also starring Glen Campbell, Robert Duval, and Dennis Hopper.

10. The Searchers- (1956) John Wayne and Vera Miles, with Natalie Wood and Jeffrey Hunter, this movie is probably not on most people's top 10 list, but I always liked it. Also featuring Ken Curtis before his 'Festus' days.

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Okay, I will stop at 10, but I could go on and on. If I missed one that you think I should have listed, please post.
 
Thomas Edison said:
Open Range
Shane (gotta be there)
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There are way to many to list; but don't forget Broken Trail.
They made two by the title of The Quick and the Dead; but one of them is a really good western.

The Pale Rider has roots in the un-natural.

Can Jerimiah Johnson be classified as a western?
 
Broken Trail.. awesome movie. I love anything western with Robert Duval. He's okay in other roles, but I love his westerns.

also.. Pale Rider, I liked it, but there was something 'dark' about it. The "preacher" doing all the killin' ...then gettin' him some from the 'fiance' of the sympathetic character... her obviously underage daughter chasing after him... it just kinda had a bit of a 'creepy' factor. Still... love Eastwood!
 
Dixie said:
Broken Trail.. awesome movie. I love anything western with Robert Duval. He's okay in other roles, but I love his westerns.
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There is a group of lines he's used in Broken Trail and Open Range.
Do you know what they are and when they were said.
 
USFREEDOM911 said:
There is a group of lines he's used in Broken Trail and Open Range.
Do you know what they are and when they were said.
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I don't know. He had some classic lines in Lonesome Dove though.

"I'd like a chance t' shoot at a educated man once in my life."

"A man who wouldn't cheat for a poke don't want one bad enough." ...loved that one!
 
Dixie said:
I don't know. He had some classic lines in Lonesome Dove though.

"I'd like a chance t' shoot at a educated man once in my life."

"A man who wouldn't cheat for a poke don't want one bad enough." ...loved that one!
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My mistake.
In Broken Trail, after the buriel of the girl who dies from tick fever, he says:
"We're all travelers in this world.
From the sweet grass to the packing house.
Birth 'til death.
We travel between the eternities."

And I thought in Open Range he said the same thing when they buried Mose.
 
I love westerns too. I think it goes back to my childhood.

Some others that deserve mention on the Best of list:

Outlaw Jose Wales - "Dyin' ain't much of a living, boy"
The Shootist - "Sometimes it isn't being fast that counts, or even accurate; but willing. Most men will draw a breath or blink an eye before they shoot. I won't."
Rooster Cogburn - "I'll be damned if she didn't get the last word in again. Well... " (He reminded me of my grandfather in this movie)

I watched the remake of True Grit and had planned on hating it. But it turned out to be pretty decent.
 
USFREEDOM911 said:
My mistake.
In Broken Trail, after the buriel of the girl who dies from tick fever, he says:
"We're all travelers in this world.
From the sweet grass to the packing house.
Birth 'til death.
We travel between the eternities."

And I thought in Open Range he said the same thing when they buried Mose.
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I liked his line when they buried Mose.

"You want to speak with the man upstairs, go on and do it. I'll stand right here and listen, hat in hand, but I ain't talking to that son or a bitch. And I'll be holding a grudge for him letting this befall a sweet kid like Mose"

But one of my fav lines from Open Range is when Duvall busts the outlaw on the side of the head and then says, "Now listen to me out of your good ear".
 
Tombstone was another western that should be on the list.

"From now on I see a red sash, I kill the man wearing it. So run you cur. And tell the other curs the law is coming. You tell 'em I'm coming! And Hell's coming with me you hear! Hell's coming with me!"

"Oh. Johnny, I apologize; I forgot you were there. You may go now"
 
WinterBorn said:
Tombstone was another western that should be on the list.

"From now on I see a red sash, I kill the man wearing it. So run you cur. And tell the other curs the law is coming. You tell 'em I'm coming! And Hell's coming with me you hear! Hell's coming with me!"

"Oh. Johnny, I apologize; I forgot you were there. You may go now"
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When Doc said that to Johnny, that had to be the biggest burn in all westerns. :D
 
WinterBorn said:
I liked his line when they buried Mose.

"You want to speak with the man upstairs, go on and do it. I'll stand right here and listen, hat in hand, but I ain't talking to that son or a bitch. And I'll be holding a grudge for him letting this befall a sweet kid like Mose"

But one of my fav lines from Open Range is when Duvall busts the outlaw on the side of the head and then says, "Now listen to me out of your good ear".
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I think the best one was at the end of the gun fight, when he said:
"I ain't wasting a good bullet to ease your pain, son of a bitch."
 
Also, I am a big fan of the FX tv show Justified. First Season was epic, I didn't really like the second all that much, but the third was pretty good. Hopefully they will make another season that matches the first.
 
Dixie said:
I was curious as to whether we have any fans of westerns here. I personally can't get enough of them, I think they remind me of my Dad, who passed away several years ago. We spent his last days in the hospital, watching John Wayne movies together at Christmas. The Duke was his favorite. I like John Wayne, but my personal favorite was always Clint Eastwood. I will present my list of favorites with a brief commentary here.

1. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly- (1966) Absolutely my hands down favorite western. Eastwood, VanCleef, and good ol' Eli Wallach, who is still kicking at 96. I have the DVD and have about worn it out. I've probably watched it a hundred times or more, and could watch it every day.

2. How the West Was Won- (1962) Another epic western by John Ford. Starring John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda, Richard Whidmark, George Peppard, Debbie Reynolds, Walter Brennan, Harry Morgan, James Stewart, Caroll Baker, Eli Wallach... shit, I know I am missing somebody... this one was chock full of big names.

3. Unforgiven- (1992) Eastwood with Gene Hackman as the bad guy... he makes the BEST bad guy! This is Eastwood's last western, and one of his best. Morgan Freeman also stars in this one, for an added bonus.

4. Lonesome Dove- (1989) Robert Duval and Tommy Lee Jones as former Texas Rangers, Gus McRae and Woodrow F. Call. I bet I've watched this a dozen times at least. Arguably the best mini-series of all time. Hated the way it ended, otherwise it would probably be #1. There have been 5 other notable actors who have portrayed Woodrow Call in various other mini-series and movies, but Tommy Lee Jones is always going to be Call to me.

5. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance- (1962) Directed by John Ford with an all-star cast including James Stewart, John Wayne, Lee Van Cleef, Lee Marvin, and Vera Miles. Something with Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne HAS to be in the elite of great movies. I have never understood why they chose to shoot it in black & white.

6. The Sons of Katie Elder- (1965) John Wayne & Dean Martin, (who had a few decent westerns in his day.) I just loved the story, it was well written and directed.

7. Firecreek- (1968) James Stewart & Henry Fonda ...that's all you need to say. Just a great movie. Jack Elam and James Best, in a movie that is very similar, I thought, to High Noon.

8. High Noon- (1952) Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane and Grace Kelly as his wife. This movie would become the standard by which all westerns were measured. Harry Morgan also gives an outstanding performance.

9. True Grit- (1969) What list would be complete without this John Wayne classic, and mention of Rooster Cogburn. Unbelievable this is John Wayne's only Academy Award performance. Also starring Glen Campbell, Robert Duval, and Dennis Hopper.

10. The Searchers- (1956) John Wayne and Vera Miles, with Natalie Wood and Jeffrey Hunter, this movie is probably not on most people's top 10 list, but I always liked it. Also featuring Ken Curtis before his 'Festus' days.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, I will stop at 10, but I could go on and on. If I missed one that you think I should have listed, please post.
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Excellent list Dixie. Love all those movies. I would add one more that I would put up high on your list. "The Ox-Bow Incident" with Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn and Harry Morgan.
 
USFREEDOM911 said:
There are way to many to list; but don't forget Broken Trail.
They made two by the title of The Quick and the Dead; but one of them is a really good western.

The Pale Rider has roots in the un-natural.

Can Jerimiah Johnson be classified as a western?
Click to expand...
Yes Jeremiah Johnson is a western and one of the all time Greats. I also list "The Outlaw Jossie Wales." and "Dancing with Wolves".
 
A few of my favorites...

The Wild Bunch (1969)
Silverado (1985)
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Winchester73' (1950)
The Sons Of Katie Elder (1965)
Hang Em High (1968)
Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
Big Jake (1971)
The Cowboys (1972)
 
My list:

#1. High Noon.
#2. Unforgiven.
#3. The Oxbow Incident
#4. The man who shot liberty valence
#5. The Outlaw Jossie Wales
#6. True Grit
#7. Shane
#8. Fort Apache (one of the few where Henry Fonda plays the bad guy)
#9. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
#10. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Special mention goes to Steve McQueens last movie "Tom Horn".
 
Some really great ones listed here. One I didn't have on my list, because I really don't view it as a "western" so much, it's kinda in that Jeremiah Johnson category... Shenandoah with Jimmy Stewart.
 
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