Topics such as revenge, the definition of a hero, the morality of violence that are best expressed through the western genre. Below are three westerns I strongly recommend and I hope you'll search them out the next time you're trying to think of something to watch.



Following the path of an essentially cursed gun (a coveted Winchester 73) from owner to owner, this film spins a half a dozen short tales about greed and revenge. At the heart of the piece are archenemies Lin McAdam (Jimmy Stewart) and Dutch Henry Brown (Stephen McNally) who compete head to head in a shooting contest in Dodge City for the prized weapon.

Using the Winchester as a thread to weave the various scenes into a complete piece, director Anthony Mann pulls off a very complicated work. This is one of the best Westerns ever put to film.




Sergio Leone, who is known by most people as the man behind classic Spaghetti Westerns like Fistful of Dollars and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, tries to redefine self indulgence in this sprawling and under edited film. Leone pulls on scenes for as long as humanly possible. The opening sequence alone is fifteen minutes long and is little more than dirty faced men squinting and meandering around an abandoned train station. This is not a film for someone who needs tons of action. Despite the wandering plot and ludicrously long run time (three hours!), the movie serves some wonderful filmmaking and inspired casting. If you have a ton of free time and plenty of caffeine, give it a shot.




John Ford's silent film tells the story of Davy Brandon, Jr., avenges his father's death while fulfilling the man's dream of building a transcontinental railroad. Those who have an interest in either silent films and/or John Ford's works, this is a must-see. A bit slow in spots, the film carries Ford's brilliant eye and storytelling talent.

Labels: movie recommendations