Hang 'Em High (1968), Tom Horn (1980), Smoky (1946), Frontier Outlaws (1944), The Last Posse (1953), Prairie Moon (1938), Shine on Harvest Moon (1938), The Virginian (1946) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best Cattle Rustling movies.
Storyline: A band of vigilantes catch Jed Cooper (Clint Eastwood) and, incorrectly believing him guilty of cattle rustling and murder, hang him, and leave him for dead. But he doesn't die. He returns to his former profession of lawman to hunt down his lynchers and bring them to justice.
Plot Keywords: marshal, judge, cattle rustler, criminal, victim, cool, dark ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: A renowned former army scout is hired by ranchers to hunt down rustlers but finds himself on trial for the murder of a boy when he carries out his job too well. Tom Horn finds that the simple skills he knows are of no help in dealing with the ambitions of ranchers and corrupt officials as progress marches over him and the old west.—Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>
Plot Keywords: gunslinger, rancher, pretty woman, sheriff, cattle rustler, intense, spirited ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: Clint Barkley (MacMurray) first sees Smoky as a runaway, and drives him back to the ranch where he meets the owner, Julie Richards (Anne Baxter). He is given a job on her ranch, but the head cowhand is doubtful about Clint and fears that since he refuses to talk about himself, he must have some dreadful secret in his past. Clint and Smoky become close to each other, weathering the hardships of Western life and the suspicions of others together, until one day, Smoky tragically vanishes. Will Clint ever see him again?—melissa-bur
Plot Keywords: cowboy, rancher, horse, brother, heartwarming, charming, ranch ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: Wolf Valley is in the throes of a land-grab engineered by Barlow and Taylor. The fight against them is led by Billy Carson, who is framed on a murder charge which the outlaws believe will drive him out of the territory. But instead of running, Billy surrenders and stands trial before Judge Ryan, a square shooter. After weighing the evidence, Ryan finds Bill not guilty but sentences Billy to jail for 30 days for disturbing the peace because the Judge thinks that is the only way to save Billy from the vengeance of Barlow and Taylor. But, without Billy's leadership, the settlers are helpless and ranches are burned, cattle rustled, the town is shot up, the bank robbed and the mining claim owned by Billy and Fuzzy Jones is confiscated. Ryan releases Billy who puts on a fake mustache, gets a sombrero and poses as a Mexican cattle-buyer in order to work his way into the gang.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
Plot Keywords: banker, judge, miner, gunslinger, sidekick, girlfriend, engaging ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: When the anxiously awaited posse returns with neither prisoners nor the stolen money, we learn in flashback what happened. Having been cheated by Sampson Drune, a father and his two sons have robbed him and fled. A posse led by Drune took off after them and although unwanted, the town's drunken Sheriff joined them. The Sheriff's influence on Jeb, the adopted son of Drune, was the key to Jed later revealing who killed Drune, the robbers, and what happened to the money.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>
Plot Keywords: sheriff, drunk, cattle rancher, bandit, deputy, family member, brooding ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: The dying outlaw Barton gets Gene to be the guardian of his three boys. The three troublemakers arrive on the Barton ranch from Chicago where they soon uncover Welsh's smuggling operation located there. So Welsh adopts the boys and boots Autry out. Gene counters by bringing three other boys and getting the Judge to declare them to be the real Bartons.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>
Plot Keywords: gene autry, sheriff, sidekick, old friend, shopkeeper, child, suspenseful ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: The one time partnership between two men has turned into a full fledged range war. Roy is the son of one of the former partners, the heroine is daughter to the other. The film featured and debuted the then popular radio duo Lulubelle and Scotty.—Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
Plot Keywords: business owner, cattle rancher, roy rogers, love interest, cowgirl, daughter, charming ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: Arriving at Medicine Bow, eastern schoolteacher Molly Woods meets two cowboys, irresponsible Steve and the "Virginian," who gets off on the wrong foot with her. To add to his troubles, the Virginian finds that his old pal Steve is mixed up with black-hatted Trampas and his rustlers...then finds himself at the head of a posse after said rustlers; and Molly hates the violent side of frontier life.—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Plot Keywords: foreman, schoolteacher, best friend, cattle rustler, ranch hand, sheriff, engaging ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: The Mesquiteers are supposedly losing cattle to a bear from the adjoining National park. But the culprits are the Dawson clan who kill the cattle and use Davey's pet bear to leave tracks. When Davey breaks his leg, they find a crutch mark along with the bear tracks and head after the Dawson's.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>
Plot Keywords: cattle rancher, cattle rustler, park ranger, partner, stepson, crafty, suspenseful ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: Dawson is running rustled cattle across the abandoned Trenton ranch and has given it the reputation of a ghost ranch to keep people away. When Henty Tenton arrives from England to take over the ranch, Dawson tries to get rid of him. But Billy and Fuzzy are on hand to help Henry and it's not long before they have to go into action.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>
Plot Keywords: cattle rustler, cowboy, niece, englishman, butler, sidekick, suspenseful ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: After his family moves to a frontier town in Kansas, city-bred teenager Billy Bonney (Michael J. Pollard) finds he has no appetite for farming. He runs away, taking up with local outlaw Goldie (Richard Evans), who operates a saloon in town with the help of a prostitute named Berle (Lee Purcell). The three form a gang of sorts, menacing the locals until the townsfolk collectively decide to drive the outlaws away. Bonney escapes and begins the life of crime that makes him famous as Billy the Kid.
Plot Keywords: gunslinger, prostitute, stepfather, mayor, unrestrained, bleak, small town ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: Though recognized for heroism as a lad, Ned Kelly can not escape the stigma of being the eldest of a brood sired by a known criminal. In days when an arrest equaled guilt and a conviction, his unfair imprisonment for horse thievery puts him steadfast, in the eyes of Victorian police, on the wrong side of things for life. With a sister unable to dissuade the unwanted advances of Constable Fitzpatrick, Ned, his brother Dan, and friends Joe Byrne and Steve Hart soon find themselves labeled "an outlaw gang" by the less-than-honorable constable. It's a designation they're apt to live up to after Ned's mother is unfairly arrested and sentenced to three years hard labor. In retaliation, the Kelly Gang strikes out against the oppressive Victorian government, with ultimately tragic results and passage into Australian folklore.
Plot Keywords: bandit, brother, police chief, rebel, ranger, murderer, gutsy ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: In order to end the cattle rustling, Gene Autry becomes one of the first ranchers in his territory to fence in the open range with barbed wire and he incurs the wrath of small-ranch owner Ginger Kirby. Range warfare, fanned by livery stable owner Sandy Reeves, breaks out between the two factions of ranchers to differ on the use of barbed-wire fences. Reeves hopes the fighting will drive the cattlemen out of business and he can use the range for sheep. Gene and Ginger patch up their differences and with the help of Duke Kirby, her younger brother, Autry discovers that Reeves is responsible for most of the trouble. Cowpunchers, believing that the wire will put them out of work and urged on by Reeves, engage Gene's men in a gun battle.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
Plot Keywords: gene autry, neighbor, rancher, sheriff, brother, partner, spirited ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: After Gene has his watch stolen by the Gypsy he takes a job on the Thomas ranch. Thomas' dog has brought home the cradle with the Gypsy's baby and when the Gypsy retrieves his baby, Gene thinks he is a kidnaper. But as he chases after him he now sees that Thomas' cattle are being rustled.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>
Plot Keywords: gene autry, sidekick, daughter, rancher, bandit, gypsy, lighthearted ...
Movie Details Click Here!Storyline: Having been sent to prison by his look-alike cousin Billy Carson, Jim is back as the head of a gang of outlaws. When his man Matt gets the job of bossing Foster's trail drive, he goes after the herd. When Billy interferes, he has him captured and dressed in Billy's clothes, he wounds Foster and lets Foster's daughter Helen see him. Then he has Matt ride into town with Billy as his prisoner and Helen is there to identify him.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>
Plot Keywords: deputy, friend, cousin, outlaw, cattle rustler, rancher, rousing ...
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