Highest-Rated Movies about 'Ranch Hand', Sort by Popularity

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005), Desert Hearts (1985), The Violent Men (1955), Rancho Grande (1940), The House of the Spirits (1993), Young Guns (1988), Sioux City Sue (1946), The Dude Ranger (1934) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best Ranch Hand movies.

#1. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

Storyline: A man is shot and quickly buried in the high desert of west Texas. The body is found and reburied in Van Horn's town cemetery. Pete Perkins, a local ranch foreman, kidnaps a Border Patrolman and forces him to disinter the body. With his captive in tow and the body tied to a mule, Pete undertakes a dangerous and quixotic journey into Mexico.

Plot Keywords: rancher, border patrol officer, sheriff, waitress, wife, ranch hand, brooding ...

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#2. Desert Hearts (1985)

Storyline: It is 1950s Nevada, and Professor Vivian Bell arrives to get a quickie divorce. She's unsatisfied with her marriage, and feels out of place at the ranch she stays on, she finds herself increasingly drawn to Cay Rivers, an open and self-assured lesbian, and the ranchowner's daughter. The emotions released by their developing intimacy, and Vivian's insecurities about her feelings towards Cay, are played out against a backdrop of rocky landscapes and country and western songs.—Neil Lewis <njl@cix.compulink.co.uk>

Plot Keywords: professor, ranch hand, young woman, lesbian, ranch owner, emotional, casino ...

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#3. The Violent Men (1955)

Storyline: Former Union soldier John Parrish (Glenn Ford) wants to sell his ranch and start a new life by settling down out east. However, the ruthless tactics of Lew Wilkison (Edward G. Robinson), the scheming businessman interested in his property, make Parrish reconsider the move, especially after one of his ranch hands is murdered. Adding to the increasingly tense conflict is Wilkison's wife, Martha (Barbara Stanwyck), who is cheating on her husband with his brother, Cole (Brian Keith).

Plot Keywords: veteran, rancher, ranch hand, wife, brother, girlfriend, brooding ...

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#4. Rancho Grande (1940)

Storyline: This Gene Autry entry was sold to the exhibitors as a "Special" (a term used about once a production season when Republic wanted to charge the exhibitors a higher fee than usual for an Autry film) and finds "Rancho Grande foreman Gene Autry more than a little distressed when he learns that the heirs of the ranch, siblings Kay, Patsy and Tom Dodge, are on their way. The young Dodges have a nation-wide reputation as wild irresponsibles, and Gene already has his hands full trying to save the ranch from foreclosure. Before his death, the late John Dodge had mortgaged the ranch in order to secure funds for a vast irrigation system which must be completed by a certain date or face foreclosure from the Citrus Valley Association. Kay and Tom Dodge show up with intentions of turning the property into a pleasure resort for their eastern society friends, and they are encouraged in this by Dodge family attorney Emory Benson, who also happens to be a heavy stockholder in the Citrus Valley Association and will profit greatly if the Dodges are unable to meet their obligations. To ensure this will happen, Benson also hires some henchies to dynamite the irrigation project. But, hey, not to worry, this isn't the first time (nor the last) that Gene has faced the problem of impudent heirs taking bad advice.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>

Plot Keywords: gene autry, foreman, brother, sister, attorney, ranch hand, rousing ...

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#5. The House of the Spirits (1993)

Storyline: Chile, second half of the 20th century. The poor Esteban marries Clara and they get a daughter, Blanca. Esteban works hard and eventually gets money to buy a hacienda, eventually to become a local patriarch. He becomes very conservative and is feared by his workers. When Blanca grows up, she falls in love with a young revolutionary, Pedro, who urges the workers to fight for socialism. It is unavoidable that Pedro and Esteban are pitted against each other. Esteban tries to stop the love affair between Pedro and his daughter by all means possible but soon Blanca becomes pregnant and has a daughter. The void between father and daughter seems unbridgeable when Blanca moves in with Pedro.

Plot Keywords: rancher, wife, daughter, ranch hand, revolutionary, granddaughter, brooding ...

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#6. Young Guns (1988)

Storyline: 1878 in New Mexico: John Tunstall picks up young gun men from the road to have them work on his ranch, but also to teach them reading and to civilize them. However he's a thorn in the side of the rich rancher Murphy, as he's a competitor in selling cattle. One day he's shot by Murphy's men. Judge Wilson can't do anything, since Sheriff Brady is one of Murphy's men. But attorney Alex persuades him to constitute Tunstall's young friends to Deputies and give them warrants of arrest for the murderers. Instead of arresting them, William Bonney just shoots them down. Soon the 5 guys become famous and William gets the name "Billie the Kid" - but they're also chased by dozens of Murphy's men and the army. The people however honor him as fighter for justice.

Plot Keywords: rancher, ranch hand, gunslinger, english gentleman, thug, friend, amusing ...

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#7. Sioux City Sue (1946)

Storyline: Utilizing a script from 1939's "She Married a Cop" with a 1946 Hit Parade song for the title, Gene Autry's screen return following his WW II Army Air Corps service, "Sioux City Sue" has Hollywood talent scout Sue Warner (Lynne Roberts) in search of a singing cowboy and finding and offering cattle rancher Gene Autry (Gene Autry) a contract. He agrees to go to Hollywood if there is a part for his horse Champion. Gene isn't aware they only want to use his voice in an animated cartoon. After the preview, he and Champ depart in a huff (Well, actually, Champ was in a trailer). The annoyed Sue also follows and gets work on Gene's ranch as a cook. Later, the studio heads, while looking at Gene's screen test, decide he is a natural and want to sign him to a contract. After a few misunderstandings, Gene realizes that Sue is sincere, and he signs a contract to star in a musical western, but first he has to stop a cattle stampede and rout a gang of rustlers trying to blow up his ranch dam.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>

Plot Keywords: gene autry, ranch hand, casting director, executive, hollywood producer, horse, hilarious ...

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#8. The Dude Ranger (1934)

Storyline: When Selby arrives as the new ranch owner, he is assumed to be just another cowboy attracted to Ann Hepburn so he takes a job as a dude cowhand. He learns cattle are being rustled and he suspects the boss Sam Hepburn. But Hepburn suspects the foreman Hyslip and when he catches him with the goods, Hyslip shoots him. Hyslip then blames the new dude, and sends his men out to kill him.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>

Plot Keywords: cowboy, love interest, ranch hand, heir, rancher, wealthy man, thrilling ...

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#9. Young Guns II (1990)

Storyline: Billy "The Kid" and his gang are wanted by the law, and when "Doc" Scurlock and Chavez are captured, Billy has to save them. They escape and set south for Mexico. "Let's hire a thief to catch one", John S. Chisum said, so he paid Pat Garrett, one of Billy's former partners, $1000 for the killing of William H. Bonney aka Billy "The Kid".

Plot Keywords: ranch hand, vigilante, gunslinger, federal agent, partner, friend, frenetic ...

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#10. Arizona Bound (1941)

Storyline: The Rough Riders are called in to help save Master's stage line. Taggart has his gang robbing the stages and shooting the drivers. When Buck drives the next stage, Taggart's men rob it and then make it look like Roberts is part of the gang.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>

Plot Keywords: cowboy, gunslinger, lawman, ranch hand, reverend, outlaw, melodramatic ...

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#11. The Virginian (1946)

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 ...

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#12. Down in the Valley (2005)

Storyline: Tobe is about 16, living with her dad and younger brother in LA's San Fernando Valley. She invites a gas station attendant named Harlan to come to the beach with her and her friends. He's from South Dakota, wears a cowboy hat, talks country, and has been a ranch hand. They have a great time, his simple expressions seem like wisdom, he's attentive and polite, and even though he's more than twice her age, she wants to spend time with him. When her father objects, she rebels. Harlan, meanwhile, thinks she's his soul mate, and he starts making plans to get her away from her father. Worlds are set to collide, but which ones?

Plot Keywords: teen girl, stranger, ranch hand, father, lawman, gripping, emotional ...

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#13. Certain Women (2016)

Storyline: Certain Women drops us into a handful of intersecting lives across Montana. A lawyer (Laura Dern) tries to defuse a hostage situation and calm her disgruntled client (Jared Harris), who feels slighted by a workers' compensation settlement. A married couple (Michelle Williams and James Le Gros) breaks ground on a new home but exposes marital fissures when they try to persuade an elderly man to sell his stockpile of sandstone. A ranch hand (Lily Gladstone) forms an attachment to a young lawyer (Kristen Stewart), who inadvertently finds herself teaching a twice-weekly adult education class, four hours from her home.

Plot Keywords: lawyer, client, wife, husband, law student, ranch hand, brooding ...

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#14. Comes a Horseman (1978)

Storyline: Ella Connors is a single woman who gets pressured to sell her failing cattle farm to her corrupt ex-suitor, Jacob Ewing. She asks for help from her neighbor, Frank Athearn. As Ella and Frank fight back through stampedes, jealousy, betrayal, and sabotage, they eventually find love.—cactusjump

Plot Keywords: rancher, veteran, nemesis, henchman, ranch hand, love interest, brash ...

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#15. The Red Pony (1949)

Storyline: In the coast range mountains on the western edge of the Salinas Valley is a ranch where Tom, a lad of about ten, longs for a pony. He lives with his mom, who was born there, her dad, a talkative pioneer who misses the old West, Tom's dad Fred Tiflin, who comes from the city and after years on the ranch doesn't feel at home there, and Billy, their trusted hand, a real cowboy. While Fred has to sort out whether he wants to stay a rancher and come to terms with his son being closer to Billy than to himself, Tom gets a pony and learns directly about responsibility and loss. What lessons can each learn, and are tragedy and hard choices all that life offers? Are laughter and joy anywhere?—<jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Keywords: young boy, father, mother, ranch hand, grandfather, friend, heartwarming ...

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