Highest-Rated Movies about 'Wild West'

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), Unforgiven (1992), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), A Fistful of Dollars - Per un pugno di dollari (1964), High Noon (1952), The Shootist (1976), Winchester '73 (1950), Westward the Women (1951) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best Wild West movies.

#16. The Man From Snowy River (1982)

Storyline: Jim Craig has lived his first 18 years in the mountains of Australia on his father's farm. The death of his father forces him to go to the low lands to earn enough money to get the farm back on its feet. Kirk Douglas plays two roles as twin brothers who haven't spoken for years, one of whom was Jim's father's best friend and the other of whom is the father of the girl he wants to marry. A 20 year old feud re-erupts, catching Jim and Jessica in the middle of it as Jim is accused of letting a prize stallion loose.—John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

Plot Keywords: surprise ending, rescue, fistfight, brawl, western hero, two brothers, prospector ...

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#18. Ride Lonesome (1959)

Storyline: A wanted murderer, Billy John, is captured by Ben Brigade, a bounty hunter, who intends to take him to Santa Cruz to be hanged. Brigade stops at a staging post, where he saves the manager's wife from an Indian attack, and enlists the help of two outlaws to continue his journey more safely. However, the Indian attacks persist, the outlaws plan to take Billy for themselves, tempted by the offer of amnesty for his captor, and Billy's brother Frank is in hot pursuit to rescue him. But Brigade has plans of his own ...—David Levene <D.S.Levene@durham.ac.uk>

Plot Keywords: captive, shootout, gunfight, day for night, loyalty, burial, death of wife ...

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#19. Monte Walsh (1970)

Storyline: Monte Walsh is an aging cowboy facing the ending days of the Wild West era. As barbed wire and railways steadily eliminate the need for the cowboy, Monte and his friends are left with fewer and fewer options. New work opportunities are available to them, but the freedom of the open prairie is what they long for. Eventually, they all must say goodbye to the lives they knew, and try to make a new start.—Jean-Marc Rocher <rocher@fiberbit.net>

Plot Keywords: marriage, manhunt, fugitive, gun duel, betrayal, rocking chair, character name as title ...

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#20. Ulzana's Raid (1972)

Storyline: Report reaches the US cavalry that the Apache leader Ulzana has left his reservation with a band of followers. A compassionate young officer, Lieutenant DeBuin, is given a small company to find him and bring him back; accompanying the troop is McIntosh, an experienced scout, and Ke-Ni-Tay, an Apache guide. Ulzana massacres, rapes and loots across the countryside; and as DeBuin encounters the remains of his victims, he is compelled to learn from McIntosh and to confront his own naiveté and hidden prejudice.—David Levene <D.S.Levene@durham.ac.uk>

Plot Keywords: mercy killing, violence, last stand, main character shot, main character dies, opening action scene, shooting a woman ...

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#21. Man of the West (1958)

Storyline: On his way to hire a schoolteacher, a homesteader is left a hundred miles from anywhere when the train he is on is robbed. With him are an attractive dancehall girl and an untrustworthy gambler and he decides to get shelter nearby from outlaw relatives he used to run with. They don't trust him and he loathes them but they decide he can help them with one last bank job.—Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

Plot Keywords: uncle nephew relationship, blood, shootout, implied rape, wild west, western town, assault ...

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#22. Will Penny (1968)

Storyline: Will Penny, an aging cowpoke, takes a "line-rider" job on a vast cattle ranch requiring him to keep trespassers and squatters moving until they're off the property. Ironically, he discovers that the mountain cabin reserved for the line rider has been appropriated by Catherine Allen and her young son, Horace, whose guide has deserted them en route to Oregon to join Catherine's husband. Too soft-hearted and ashamed to kick mother and child out just as the bitter Rocky Mountains winter sets in, he agrees to share the cabin until the spring thaw. But it isn't just the snow that slowly thaws; lonely man and woman soon forget their considerable dissimilarities and start developing a deep, if awkward and unstated, love for each another. Beyond this, Horace finds in Will the father he's never known, and Will finds in Horace the son he's never known he's wanted. The trio's little refuge is then invaded by Bible-quoting preacher Quint and his murderous family of "rawhiders", who'd earlier nearly killed Will over an imagined insult, forcing Will to defend his own "family".—Alfred Jingle

Plot Keywords: widow, help, rope, lasso, hat, long underwear, leather ...

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#23. Boom Town (1940)

Storyline: Buddies Big John McMasters and Square John Sand are fast-talking, wisecracking wildcatters who manage to con enough equipment and capital to develop their own oil fields, but their friendship is put to the test when Big John inadvertently falls in love with Elizabeth, Square John's longtime girlfriend. Eventually their friendship and partnership comes to an end on the flip of a coin. Years later, when Big John's interest in the beautiful Karen Vanmeer threatens his marriage too, Square John intervenes in an effort to save the marriage of his former friend - even if it means ruining him financially.—G. Taverney (duke1029@aol.com)

Plot Keywords: oil, kiss, toy gun, double barreled shotgun, fistfight, six shooter, revolver ...

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#24. The Bravados (1958)

Storyline: Jim Douglass (Gregory Peck) has been relentlessly pursuing the four outlaws who murdered his wife, but finds them in jail about to be hanged. While he waits to witness their execution, they escape; and the townspeople enlist Douglas' aid to recapture them.—David Levene <D.S.Levene@durham.ac.uk>

Plot Keywords: revenge, rape, outlaw gang, chase, based on novel, half breed, mexico ...

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#25. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

Storyline: In the small town of San Dimas, a few miles away from Los Angeles, there are two nearly brain dead teenage boys going by the names of Bill S, Preston ESQ. and Ted Theodore Logan, they have a dream together of starting their own rock and roll band called the "Wyld Stallyns". Unfortunately, they are still in high school and on the verge of failing out of their school as well, and if they do not pass their upcoming history report, they will be separated as a result of Ted's father sending him to military school. But, what Bill and Ted do not know is that they must stay together to save the future. So, a man from the future named Rufus came to help them pass their report. So, both Bill and Ted decided to gather up historical figures which they need for their report. They are hoping that this will help them pass their report so they can stay together.

Plot Keywords: time travel, reference to star wars, high school, teenager, vacuum cleaning, taking off shoes, escalator ...

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#27. Terror in a Texas Town (1958)

Storyline: Sven Hanson is one of a number of farmers whom Ed McNeil wants to run off their land (because he knows there's oil on it). When Hanson is murdered by McNeil's gunman, Johnny Crale, Hanson's friend Pepe Mirada hides his knowledge of the murderer's identity in order to protect his family. When Hanson's son George arrives and takes up his father's cause, not only Mirada but also Johnny Crale begin to reevaluate their attitudes.—Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>

Plot Keywords: greed, hotel owner, target practice, murder witness, mexican american, shot to death, arson ...

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#28. Firecreek (1968)

Storyline: Farmer and family man Johnny Cobb moonlights as a two dollar a month Sheriff with a homemade badge in the quiet little town of Firecreek. When a gang of freebooters passes through, their leader Larkin, who is suffering from a minor wound, agrees to spend the night. The gang members prove to be vicious, sadistic sociopaths who take advantage of the frightened townspeople, humiliating them for their own perverse amusement. Although Larkin disapproves of their behavior, his leadership role is tenuous, and he is reluctant to test it by exercising control over his men. The mild-mannered Cobb faces a series of challenges from the gang's antisocial behavior. Things come to a head when Meli, an Indian woman with a mixed race child, incurs an attempted sexual attack by one of gang. Arthur, a simpleton stable boy, comes to her aid and accidentally kills the attacker. Cobb locks up Arthur to keep him safe, but when the Sheriff leaves town to visit his wife, who is struggling in labor, there is no one to control the gang. Cobb decides the time has come to act.—duke1029

Plot Keywords: prison, preacher, pitchfork, native american, midwife, mental retardation, lynching ...

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#29. Valdez Is Coming (1971)

Storyline: The town constable, Bob Valdez, is forced to kill someone accused by Frank Tanner of being a murderer. Valdez asks Tanner for monetary help for the man's wife, but he is ridiculed and almost killed by Tanner's henchmen. Valdez recovers and summons up his days in the U.S. Cavalry in order to fight them. Valdez wounds one of the henchmen and sends him back to Tanner with the message, "Valdez is coming."—Robbie Burns <burnodo@usit.net>

Plot Keywords: arizona desert, arizona, arizona territory, fog, ambush, honor, chase ...

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