Newsweek's "100 Best Westerns of All Time" list offers a comprehensive look at the most iconic and influential films in this quintessentially American genre. From classic John Ford epics to modern revisionist takes, these movies represent the very best the Western has to offer, spanning over a century of cinematic history. In this article, we'll explore Newsweek's selections, diving into the films that defined and redefined the Western, and examining why they've earned their place among the greatest of all time.

The Western genre has captivated audiences for decades, bringing tales of frontier justice, rugged landscapes, and mythic heroes to the silver screen. Newsweek's curated list of the 100 best Westerns showcases the evolution of the genre, from silent era classics to contemporary masterpieces. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to Westerns, this roundup provides an excellent guide to the must-see films that have shaped our understanding of the American West and its enduring mythology.

Let's saddle up and ride through this comprehensive list, exploring the standout films, notable directors, and unforgettable performances that have made these Westerns truly timeless.

100 Best Westerns of All Time: Newsweek's Ultimate Roundup

The Western genre has captivated audiences for over a century, bringing tales of frontier justice, rugged landscapes, and mythic heroes to the silver screen. In this comprehensive look at Newsweek's "100 Best Westerns of All Time," we'll explore the films that defined and redefined this quintessentially American genre. From classic John Ford epics to modern revisionist takes, these movies represent the very best the Western has to offer.

Top 100 Best Westerns of All Time

Here's the comprehensive list of the 100 best Westerns of all time, combining rankings from multiple sources:

1. The Searchers (1956)

2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

3. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

4. High Noon (1952)

5. The Wild Bunch (1969)

6. Unforgiven (1992)

7. Stagecoach (1939)

8. The Magnificent Seven (1960)

9. Shane (1953)

10. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

11. Rio Bravo (1959)

12. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

13. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)

14. Red River (1948)

15. My Darling Clementine (1946)

16. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

17. Johnny Guitar (1954)

18. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

19. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

20. Ride the High Country (1962)

21. A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

22. For a Few Dollars More (1965)

23. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

24. Winchester '73 (1950)

25. Dances with Wolves (1990)

26. True Grit (2010)

27. The Shootist (1976)

28. Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)

29. Dead Man (1995)

30. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

31. Django Unchained (2012)

32. The Big Country (1958)

33. The Naked Spur (1953)

34. Fort Apache (1948)

35. 3:10 to Yuma (1957)

36. The Gunfighter (1950)

37. Tombstone (1993)

38. The Great Silence (1968)

39. Blazing Saddles (1974)

40. No Country for Old Men (2007)

41. The Proposition (2005)

42. Meek's Cutoff (2010)

43. The Dollars Trilogy (1964-1966)

44. Open Range (2003)

45. The Magnificent Seven (1960)

46. The Rider (2017)

47. The Professionals (1966)

48. Lone Star (1996)

49. The Tall T (1957)

50. Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

51. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

52. The Westerner (1940)

53. Slow West (2015)

54. The Hateful Eight (2015)

55. The Revenant (2015)

56. Hud (1963)

57. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

58. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

59. The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017)

60. The Sisters Brothers (2018)

61. Hostiles (2017)

62. The Homesman (2014)

63. Bone Tomahawk (2015)

64. Hell or High Water (2016)

65. Appaloosa (2008)

66. The Long Riders (1980)

67. Silverado (1985)

68. 7 Men from Now (1956)

69. The Shooting (1966)

70. El Dorado (1967)

71. Pale Rider (1985)

72. 7 Women (1966)

73. A Bullet for the General (1967)

74. One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

75. Cat Ballou (1965)

76. How the West Was Won (1962)

77. Hang 'em High (1968)

78. The Alamo (1960)

79. The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972)

80. The Bravados (1958)

81. The Tin Star (1957)

82. The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972)

83. The Hired Hand (1971)

84. The Missouri Breaks (1976)

85. The Scalphunters (1968)

86. The Tall Men (1955)

87. The Violent Men (1955)

88. Warlock (1959)

89. Will Penny (1967)

90. Yellow Sky (1948)

91. The Great Train Robbery (1903)

92. Blood on the Moon (1948)

93. Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)

94. The Misfits (1961)

95. The Hanging Tree (1959)

96. The Last Sunset (1961)

97. The Rounders (1965)

98. The Sheepman (1958)

99. The Stalking Moon (1968)

100. Angel and the Badman (1947)

This comprehensive list showcases the breadth and depth of the Western genre, from early silent films to modern interpretations. It includes classic Westerns, Spaghetti Westerns, revisionist takes, and contemporary productions that have all contributed to the rich tapestry of Western cinema.

Top 10 Must-See Westerns

While the full list spans 100 films, here are the cream of the crop - the top 10 Westerns that no film buff should miss:

1. The Searchers (1956)

2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

3. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

4. High Noon (1952)

5. The Wild Bunch (1969)

6. Unforgiven (1992)

7. Stagecoach (1939)

8. The Magnificent Seven (1960)

9. Shane (1953)

10. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Classic Westerns That Defined the Genre

Many of the films on this list helped establish the conventions and archetypes we associate with Westerns today:

- "Stagecoach" (1939) - John Ford's seminal Western that launched John Wayne to stardom

- "The Searchers" (1956) - Often cited as the greatest Western ever made

- "High Noon" (1952) - A tense real-time thriller starring Gary Cooper

- "Shane" (1953) - The classic tale of a mysterious gunfighter

Spaghetti Westerns: A New Frontier

The 1960s saw Italian directors reinvent the Western with a grittier, more stylized approach:

- "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966)

- "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968)

- "A Fistful of Dollars" (1964)

- "For a Few Dollars More" (1965)

Revisionist Westerns: Challenging the Myth

Later films on the list took a more critical look at the mythology of the Old West:

- "The Wild Bunch" (1969)

- "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" (1971)

- "Unforgiven" (1992)

- "Dead Man" (1995)

Modern Westerns: Keeping the Genre Alive

Recent decades have seen filmmakers continue to find new stories to tell in the Western genre:

- "No Country for Old Men" (2007)

- "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (2007)

- "True Grit" (2010)

- "Django Unchained" (2012)

Award-Winning Westerns

Several films on this list have received major accolades:

- "Unforgiven" (1992) - 4 Oscars including Best Picture

- "Dances with Wolves" (1990) - 7 Oscars including Best Picture

- "No Country for Old Men" (2007) - 4 Oscars including Best Picture

- "Cimarron" (1931) - First Western to win Best Picture

International Westerns

While the genre is closely associated with America, filmmakers around the world have put their own spin on Western tropes:

- "Seven Samurai" (1954) - Japanese film later remade as "The Magnificent Seven"

- "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" (2008) - Korean Western

- "The Proposition" (2005) - Australian Western

Conclusion

From John Wayne to Clint Eastwood, from the dusty streets of Tombstone to the snowy landscapes of "The Hateful Eight," Westerns continue to captivate audiences with their exploration of morality, justice, and the human condition. This list of 100 films represents the very best the genre has to offer, spanning nearly a century of cinematic history. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to Westerns, these movies offer something for everyone - action, drama, breathtaking vistas, and unforgettable characters that have become icons of American culture.

Richard Sutherland

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Richard is a western lifestyle author for Bits N' Spurs, the weekly newsletter that keeps pace with today's rodeo. His articles are featured on dozens of rodeo and Western related websites and provide a window to the world of cowboy culture.