A very well-made, enjoyable western with John Wayne as a stoic small-town sheriff and Dean Martin as his alcoholic deputy.
Category Archives: Westerns
GIANT (1956)
This sweeping story of a huge Texas cattle ranch over several decades lives up to its name, but I think falls short of its clear ambition to be “Gone With the Wind, but as a Western.”
DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)
Probably the best known movie about Native Americans, directed by and starring a very laconic white guy who I’m not sure can actually act. But I think it mostly works?
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
This extremely affable western about a couple of outlaws on the run feels like the direct ancestor of your average Marvel movie.
SHANE (1953)
A (very) widescreen western about the consequences of violence, or something, which I would’ve enjoyed more if not for the super-whiny little kid.
HIGH NOON (1952)
A western parable in which Gary Cooper is very convinced he is right and everyone else is wrong. He would have fit right in on Twitter.
THE WILD BUNCH (1969)
A violent, nihilistic revisionist Western that changed how violence was shown on-screen.
THE SEARCHERS (1956)
John Wayne drags a handsome guy around the American West because he is so racist. It’s kind of like the Odyssey.
BLAZING SADDLES (1974)
Mel Brooks takes a western pastiche and pushes the boundaries of comedy about racism. Oh, and it’s super funny.
