Hi everyone! I’m back to talk about MORE western movies–faves, and not-so-faves. This is Part 2 of this blog series, so if you missed Part 1 last month, here’s the link! https://petticoatsandpistols.com/2024/06/17/favorite-western-movies-part-1-by-cheryl-pierson/
Last month, we talked about The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Purgatory, The Magnificent Seven, and El Dorado–all favorites! And…the not-so-favorite, which was The Searchers.
But gosh, there’s a lot more ground to cover! I know a lot of you mentioned Tombstone, with Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Michael Biehn, and Sam Elliot. What’s not to love, in this re-telling of one of the most famous gunfights that ever happened—the OK Corral.
Kurt Russell is just simply wonderful as Wyatt Earp, and he and Val Kilmer have spectacular chemistry together in this movie. I don’t think there’s ever been a better Doc Holliday than Val Kilmer’s portrayal. The casting was wonderful in this movie, and though it’s a story we are already familiar with, the actors involved bring it to life in a fresh, exciting way that has stood the test of time. One of my favorites, and when I’m scrolling on TV, I cannot ever pass it up. This is one of my favorite scenes.
Another favorite, though much different than most westerns, is Cowboys and Aliens. Now, some may disagree with this one, and at first, I wasn’t so sure about it, but by the end of the movie, I was loving it. Even my husband, a die-hard western fan, enjoyed this one and recorded it to watch it again. (Color me SHOCKED!) Cowboys and Aliens boasts and all-star cast including Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Adam Beach, and Olivia Wilde.
Because they do it so much better than I do, here’s the Google synopsis of the film:
Bearing a mysterious metal shackle on his wrist, an amnesiac gunslinger (Daniel Craig) wanders into a frontier town called Absolution. He quickly finds that strangers are unwelcome, and no one does anything without the approval of tyrannical Col. Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). But when Absolution faces a threat from beyond Earth, the stranger finds that he is its only hope of salvation. He unites townspeople, outlaws and Apache warriors against the alien forces in an epic battle for survival.
There is so much more to this movie, though—the development of the interpersonal relationships is one theme that, of course, can’t be allowed enough space in the synopsis to go into, but this is really worthy of watching, and in our house, watching more than once.
One of my favorites for many years is the original True Grit with John Wayne, Kim Darby, Dennis Hopper, and Glen Campbell. The original movie stays very true to the book by Charles Portis—and in my opinion, that book was a real masterpiece. I will say the same for the movie, even though Glen Campbell was not the best actor that ever graced the screen. But the other characters, and the scenery, as well as the close detail to the actual book, overcame Campbell’s (at times) wooden acting abilities.
True Grit is the story of Mattie Ross, a young teenage girl, who shoulders the responsibility of going after her father’s killer and seeing him brought in to face what he’s done. She is definitely no-nonsense and determined to see justice done.
After hired hand Tom Chaney (Jeff Corey) murders the father of 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Kim Darby), she seeks vengeance and hires U.S. Marshal “Rooster” Cogburn (John Wayne), a man of “true grit,” to track Chaney into Indian territory. As the two begin their pursuit, a Texas Ranger, La Boeuf (Glen Campbell), joins the manhunt in hopes of capturing Chaney for the murder of a Texas senator and collecting a substantial reward. The three clash on their quest of bringing to justice the same man.
My not-so-favorite candidate this week is Once Upon a Time in the West. I know, I know. It was very artsy and very well-received and highly acclaimed. But…it just went on and on and on forever. I honestly tried to watch this about three times and never could make it completely through in one sitting. It bored me to tears, and just seemed to go on forever. Stars include Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Jason Robards and Claudia Cardinale.
What’s your favorite “outside the box” western? I mentioned Cowboys & Aliens this week, and last week I talked about Purgatory. I love these kinds of stories. Anyone else got one to talk about? If not—just talk about one of your favorite westerns. And remember it doesn’t have to be famous, just one YOU liked.
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A native Oklahoman, I've been influenced by the west all my life. I love to write short stories and novels in the historical western and western romance genres, as well as contemporary romantic suspense! Check my Amazon author page to see my work: http://www.amazon.com/author/cherylpierson
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I loved Cowboys and Aliens, Tombstone, and True Grit. Another older favorite of mine is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I’m also a fan of television westerns- Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Paladin, and Wagon Train. Regarding books, I love all the mail-order bride ones set in the 1800s.
Have a blessed day.
Julie, I have soooo many favorites. It’s really impossible to just “pick one”, isn’t it? And like you, I love those old western series. We watch a LOT of the GRIT channel here in our house, and I just love seeing some of these older shows–some I didn’t remember at all from the first time around! I love mail-order bride stories, too!
One of the lesser known Westerns is THE TERROR OF TINY TOWN. A 1938 film with midgets playing all if the rolls. The Valley of Gwangi is a Western with stop motion dinosaurs.
I want to mention Buck Jones the western star who tried to save people in the Coconut Grove fire and died after going back in.
I almost forgot The Villain which is a live action western comedy that is basically a loony tune cartoon. Arnold S. Stars as Handsome Stranger, named after his father who is the typical hero versus Kirk Douglas who is the Villian – one who reads penny dreadful to learn how to be a villian. Think Roadrunner versus Coyote.
That sounds really campy and funny! I am going to have to look it up. Arnold never takes himself too seriously.
OH WOW, David! I didn’t know about any of this. HOW INTERESTING! Thanks so much for posting all this information. I didn’t know that about Buck Jones. That’s very sad.
Outside the Box: BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III.
Denise, all those Back to the Future movies were soooo good and so different. The person that came up with that idea was a genius, for sure!
Rooster Clyburn was one of my favorites. Katherine Hepburn and John Wayne made the perfect team. I don’t think John Wayne ever made a bad movie.
Ann, I agree–for the most part. There is one bad John Wayne movie that takes the cake. He was under contract and had to fulfill making a certain number of movies. One of the ones they cast him in was called The Conqueror, and he was Genghis Khan. OHHHHH MYYYY GOSH. Horrible mis-casting and you could tell he was just so uncomfortable all the way through the movie. I couldn’t even get through it once. Made me sad to see him in that role that he was so unsuited for and probably hated every minute of doing.
I always loved John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara together–they made a wonderful pair, but he and Katherine Hepburn did, too, didn’t they? He always needed a VERY strong woman opposite him and both of them definitely were THAT. So glad you stopped by today!
Conagher with Sam Elliott!!
SIGH. Teresa, you are a woman after my own heart. Yes. Congaher was just wonderful and I cannot even imagine anyone else in that role. A wonderful western! The book is really really good, too. I used to use it to teach in my creative writing classes and everyone loved it (even the non-western readers!) A great story, for sure.
I love cowboys and aliens.
Kim, I do, too. I have really liked Daniel Craig in everything I’ve seen him in, and that was a perfect role for him, I thought. The whole movie was just fabulous and kept me on the edge of my seat.
Hey Cheryl! Outside the box, huh? I’m a detailed realism colored pencil painter. I can not, for the life of me,go outside the lines! But, I do admire abstract and those that can think outside the box! I have been known to be creative by choosing items or subjects, no one has done before.
As far as westerns go. I love them all just about. I’m like you, didn’t like Once Upon a Time in the West. Clint Eastwood was my favorite growing up. My grandmother made me a red and gold crocheted poncho just so I could flip it up and shoot my cap guns right out of the holster! My father used to grin at me giving that steel glare before firing. I was one serious 10 year old girl with long blond hair, let me tell ya! I had to be! I had two brothers! They had a marathon of Clint movies over the weekend. It was wonderful watching them off and on with my husband.
By the way, I saw Horizon a couple of weeks ago with my husband and his sister. Loved it! Great to see another western on the big screen! Now they have delayed Chapter 2. Of course! They want more money on Chapter 1!
Oh, I’m glad to hear to you enjoyed Horizon, Tracy. I have not gotten to see it, but have heard a lot of mixed reviews on it. Seems like people either love it or hate it, but that’s how it is with almost all of Kevin Costner’s movies. LOL I think I’m going to like it from what I’ve seen and heard.
Oh, Tracy! I envy that poncho your grandmother made you!!! That is wonderful! I had cap guns too, but I also had an “Annie Oakley” outfit that was a little red twill skirt and a checked flannel shirt with pearl button pockets. I don’t know why, but my parents who were always such picture takers never took one of me in that outfit. BUT. My mom had it packed away and actually gave it to me before my daughter reached that size, so I was able to have it ready for her when she was old enough–I think she was about 4 or 5. Of course I dressed her up and got her picture in it–even still had the little red cowboy hat that went with it, AND I found my cap pistols and holster my mom had kept. I will never get rid of that stuff! LOL
I love Clint Eastwood too. One of my faves (and I hope I’ll get to talk about it next time) is High Plains Drifter–that’s another “outside the box” movie I forgot to mention in this post! LOL
So glad you came by!
How sweet! Annie Oakley outfit and passed down! Love i!
Thank you Rachel! Grandma Tom was the best grandmother any child could have!
I always wished I had taken Jessica to Olan Mills Studios or something professional like that and gotten her picture in that little outfit, but at least I have my snapshots.
Tracy,
Great memories and a tribute to your Grandmother!
I have never seen Cowboys and Aliens, so I can’t comment. True Grit was good, but it’s not on my list of fav John Wayne movies. I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me, but I loved The Sacketts, with Tom Selleck and Sam Elliot. Lots of great stars in this made for TV series. And on TV it was Rawhide, The Big Valley and Bonanza.
Hi Kathleen, I read somewhere that Louis L’Amour actually wrote the Sacketts with Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott in mind for the roles. Both of them always did really well with Louis L’Amour stories. My husband recorded The Sacketts the other night — he has not ever seen it, so one weekend we will sit down and watch it. Rawhide was my favorite on tv for many years, and then as a teen I loved Lancer and Alias Smith and Jones (Cute cowboys!) LOL There were so many wonderful tv western series and I’m so thrilled to have GRIT so we can watch a lot of the older shows and movies on there.
TV Westerns – Have Gun Will Travel, and Maverick… Loving this series of blogs (horrible word! let’s invent another!) (or go back in time and call them essays) and all the marvelous memories, even though I’ve missed a lot of the newer ones.
Elissa, I’m so glad you are loving this–I’ve got Part 3 coming up next month–gosh, there are so many great movies to talk about aren’t there? LOL YES, We need to think of another word. That word “BLOG” is really awful sounding, isn’t it? You made me laugh!
We have been watching so many old ones from years gone by lately, nothing comes to mind that will stick. Sorry. I am a Tom Selleck fan as well as Sam Elliott to mention a few actors.
Judy, you made me laugh. Sometimes, that’s how I feel too, because there are just so many good ones. LOL It’s hard to even start a list in my own mind! LOL So glad you are enjoying all thoses good ol’ western shows. We sure do love them here!
I just watched 5 of the Roy Rogers westerns and I enjoyed Helldorado.
Becky, I love Roy Rogers too! I don’t think anyone loved him like my sister. When she was little, she used to declare she was going to marry him, move to California, and they would raise lemons together in a big orchard of their own. LOL
One I can watch over and over is Rio Bravo with John Wayne and Dean Martin.
That is a really good one, too, Barbara. I really love that scene where Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson are singing together. That was a great little “insert” in there to showcase their wonderful talent.
I like watching old black and white cowboy movies where there was an obvious villain and maybe a little singing. Give me a stagecoach robbery or at least rob the train.
I love those, too, Rachel. I’m adding a train robbery in the book I’m working on right now! Those are always exciting! LOL
One of my favorites is The Big Country…..has so many well known actors in it: Gregory Peck, Burl Ives, Chuck Connors, Charlton Heston, Jean Simmons.
I love the L’Amour movies with Tom Selleck, Sam Elliott and Jeff Osterhage in them, The Sacketts and The Shadow Riders
Naomi, what else was Jeff Osterhage in? He’s unfamiliar to me except for the Sackett films. I just wondered. Yes, the Big Country was on just the other night–I didn’t get to see it all but saw a good part of it. I love watching the old movies NOW because when you watch them at different points in your life you see things you missed before, don’t you?
Cheryl, there was a series of six TV movies called Desperado back in the 80s. They starred Alex McArthur featuring Duel McCall. Oh man! Each one thrilled my heart. I couldn’t get enough. Then they made a movie by the same name with Duel McCall. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092876/
Another little known, but excellent, movie was The Outsider with Tim Daly as the gunslinger Johnny Gault. Oh man, oh man! I watched this as often as I could, then bought the DVD and I almost wore that out. Here’s a short blurb: the forbidden love between a young widow from a Mennonite-like religious group and a cold-blooded gunslinger whom she takes into her home after he is wounded. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289374/
Linda, thanks for including those links. I remember vaguely that Desperado series, but I don’t remember watching it. YAY! A NEW WESTERN.
The Outsider–I have never seen that movie, but I read the book, and OH MY GOSH, what a way she had of telling that story. Made you feel like you were right there in every scene. It’s by Penelope Williamson. I’ll try to include the link below but it’s really cumbersome–not sure it will come through. https://www.amazon.com/Outsider-Penelope-Williamson-ebook/dp/B00GEEB6MC?ref_=ast_author_dp&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.l_5tUTtMDkHZz-l1uFcRmyFdB0VmoYYhPPEoVDod9IpvC1FZm-vc0eelhCklR57KTbplDHVfE_tHnMFPbf_vMG7CrgXXgwvRq-eT6nkbUKpD84vgQpKFYq6RpMgfi0oJNQvu0kv0WpIlOLa7dZWUUgmJEaYrxZqUSico4OjyVrMFIs6VNOYYdJMPoiJGwQm1.BikVjD0fyJEU1JJ1PPYa3oVxUXZ78bYUqV_wqS27f54&dib_tag=AUTHOR
I’m so glad you stopped by today, Linda! Love you, filly sis!
I really like The Sacketts, with Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck, and GRIT has it this Sunday night! That’s another movie that stuck close to the book, too. I have to say, I really enjoyed Dances With Wolves, though I could have totally done without Kevin Costner! Rodney Grant, on the other hand, was excellent!! And, so good looking!! A friend and I actually saw it twice in the theater, as we found we couldn’t pay attention to the action on screen and the subtitles at the same time! lol!! It stayed true to the book, too. I love the scene you picked from Tombstone!! I’d have like that one even more if Sam had had a bigger part! Michael Biehn did great as Johnny Ringo, and I loved him as Chris in the TV show The Magnificent Seven. He did great in the part best played in movies by Yul Brenner.
Trudy, I’m hoping to get to sit down with Gary and watch The Sacketts–he’s never seen it before. It’s been a long time since I watched it, so it’ll be like a new movie. LOL I enjoyed Dances With Wolves, but it ran a bit long for me (man, I’m seeing a theme in some of my comments and descriptions about some of these movies being too long, but I guess others might not think so.) LOL Tombstone is such a great movie. I love that scene too, and I agree, it would have been nice if Sam had had a bigger part! Michael Beihn did do a great job as Johnny Ringo, but he’s a great actor. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do a poor job of any part, and yes, he did a great job of Chris in The Magnificent Seven. But…Yul Brynner owned that role. Did you ever notice the way Yul Brynner walked–so graceful, yet dangerous. I wonder how he figured out how to do that? lOL
Hugs, Trudy, I’m glad you stopped by today!
Yul certainly did own it!! Michael’s eyes are what grabbed me!! That close up of him near the beginning of Tombstone! I was like, I know those eyes!! lol! With Sam, you know that voice!
Trudy, YES–the eyes! And of course, as you said, with Sam, it’s the voice. SIGH…
I love anything that Sam Elliott is in, Sacketts being a favorite. I saw Horizon this weekend and have mixed feelings on it. I thought it was a great true representation but it felt disjointed somehow. Looking forward to the other parts. Anything with John Wayne are favorites as well.
Nikki, I’m in total agreement with your comment about loving anything Sam Elliiott is in. He’s one of my favorites, too. John Wayne is also a favorite–so many really entertaining movies he gave us! I’m looking forward to seeing Horizon. Westerns are few and far between anymore!
One of my favorite is McClintock with John Wayne. I like most of John Wayne’s western movies. Ialso like light hearted ones like the Apple Dumpling Gang.
Oh, we watched that last half of McClintock the other night and I still loved it even after about a million times of watching it. LOL Both of those movies are really good ones, Karijean!
I loved John Wayne movies. Especially “McClintock”
Lori, that was my daughter’s FAVORITE movie for many, many years. I bought it for her for Christmas one year back when we had VCRs and she squealed! LOL She was so thrilled.
I loved John Wayne and I watched a lot of the westerns on tv. I liked Tom Selleck in Quigley Diwn Under. My sons favorite is McClintock.
Linda, I’m glad you mentioned Quigley! That’s another one that’s kind of “outside the box” and a very different premise, for sure. John Wayne is a favorite of so many people. I always think how great would that be to write a book that everyone read or knew about, like To Kill a Mockingbird, or to write a song that everyone knows or has heard of–maybe something iconic like Hotel California, etc. or be a star that everyone knows and loves. LOL I can’t even imagine the way that has to feel for those people. John Wayne has been loved by so many for so long, it’s hard to imagine what Hollywood would have been without him!
I have to agree with you about the original True Grit. Of all you have mention it is one of the few I have seen. That said, it is one of my favorite western movies. I did get to watch Cowboys and Aliens, sort of. I was doing something else and catching just parts of it. It may have worked better if I had been able to just sit and watch it, but I was finding it hard to figure it out. I guess I really need to just sit and watch it. I never saw Tombstone. I did watch Once Upon A Time In The West, but didn’t finish it. It didn’t catch my interest. The bad guys were really bad, and the good guys weren’t really good. I really didn’t care for anyone or what happened to them.
One western I enjoyed was The Mask Of Zorro starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Antonio Banderas, and Anthony Hopkins. There are serious issues and parts of the movie, but it is fun to watch. The interactions between Hopkins and Banderas as well as Banderas and Zeta-Jones are well choreographed and enjoyable to watch. I will admit I was a fan of the 1957 to 1959 Disney Zorro series starring Guy Williams .
Thanks for bringing back good memories. I’ll have to dig out my DVD of The Mask Of Zorro. It will be an enjoyable revisit.
Hi Patricia–YES, definitely watch Cowboys & Aliens when you can sit down and pay attention to it. You really can’t follow it unless you do. I think you will like it. I loved The Mask of Zorro! I thought Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones were both just fabulous, and of course, Anthony Hopkins always is, too. I remember the Disney series with Guy Williams, though I”m sure it was through reruns since I was born in 1957 and wouldn’t remember it that young. But I DO remember my mom liked him and enjoyed most everything he was in. Probably why she put up with us watching Lost in Space every week (we only had one tv and looking back, I think I must have monopolized it a lot!) LOL So glad you came by!
I literally live in True Grit country! I’m about 12 miles from Fort Smith, Arkansas, where Judge Parker had his court and where the new Marshal’s Museum is drawing in tourists. One of the lesser known Western movies that I’m a huge fan of is My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys, starring Scott Glenn as a broken-down bull rider and Ben Johnson as his aging father. I just rewatched it this year and fell in love with it all over again!
Kim, my niece and her family live in Sallisaw and spend an awful lot of time in Ft. Smith! Her daughter got married at the Marshal’s Museum a couple of years ago–it was not open to tour at that time, but boy, that wedding venue they have was just fabulous! I have heard of My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys, but I have not ever seen it. Sounds different, and good–I’ve never heard anything bad about it. It’s going on my list! Thanks for stopping by!