Few actors are more synonymous with Westerns thanClint Eastwood, a Hollywood legend whose Wild West films represent some of the best of his filmography. While audiences will be well aware of Eastwood’s work as the Man with No Name inSergio Leone’sDollars Trilogy, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to similar stories of cowboys and outlaws taking the law into their own hands. With roles that included classic Westerns, revisionist stories, and even comedic cowboy films, there are plenty of Westerns not featuring Eastwood that would still appeal to fans of his.
While Eastwood starred in some ofthe best Western movies of all time, there are many more classic releases or underappreciated gems that deserve viewers’ attention. With films fromall-time great directorslike John Ford and Sam Peckinpah to consider, the backlog of Western movies from throughout cinematic history is truly astounding. Although Eastwood fans are spoiled for choices, it’s sometimes difficult to know what to watch next, and all these incredible releases representa great next choice for viewers to broaden their Western horizons beyond the Man with No Name.
While Clint Eastwood became one of the most important Western stars of all time during the 1960s, at the beginning of the decade, an all-star cast of skilled outlaws also left their mark on Hollywood.The Magnificent Sevenwas an iconic Western that told the story of seven skilled gunfighters protecting a Mexican village from bandits. As anOld West-style remake of Akira Kurosawa’sSeven Samurai, this story of bravery, heroism, and protection had all the tenets of a true classic.
By maintaining the appeal of Kurosawa’s original samurai story without losing any of its thematic resonance, the eternal good guys versus bad bandits narratives of this story struck a chord with viewers. With stars like Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, and Charles Bronson among the titular seven,The Magnificent Seven’slegacy has endured for the past six decades. While the 2016 remake featured modern stars like Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, it doesn’t hold a candle to the iconic status of the original.
The cult classic WesternTombstonewas released just one year after Clint Eastwood’s Best Picture-winning masterpieceUnforgivenand similarly deals with the themes of morality, justice, and redemption. Based on the real outlaws Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday and featuring the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,Tombstoneshone a light on some of the most legendary aspects of the Wild West.
With two fantastic lead performances from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer,the characterization inTombstoneechoed the suave charisma of Eastwood antiheroes such as the Man with No Name. Kilmer, in particular, stood out with his hard-drinking and gaunt portrayal of Doc Holliday, which amounted to one of the most compelling and committed performances seen in any modern Western movie.Tombstonewas truly a must-watch Western that will appeal to any Eastwood enthusiasts.
A good Western remake is hard to pull off, and, bar a few examples likeThe Magnificent SevenandTrue Grit, it’s almost impossible for them to live up to the legacy of the original. A rare example of this was James Mangold’s3:10 to Yuma, an action-packed story about an impoverished rancher attempting to bring a notorious outlaw to justice. With great performances from Christian Bale and Russell Crowe,3:10 to Yumawas arguably an improvement over the original 1957 film.
Clint Eastwood was the master of playing complex antiheroes who were primarily guided by self-interest, and this was echoed in Bale’s characterization of the rancher Dan Evans, a one-legged veteran with debts to pay. Evans met his match in the cunning Ben Wade, a ruthless bandit who won’t be taken in without a fight. With endless action and non-stop shootouts,3:10 to Yumahad everything a Western fan could want from a modern remake.
While Clint Eastwood became famous in the Western genre for theDollars Trilogywith director Sergio Leone, this was not the only game in town when it came to spaghetti Westerns. Another must-watch entry in this beloved subgenre was Sergio Corbucci’sDjango, an over-the-top, violent showcase of pure Western excess starring Franco Nero as the titular hero. Following a Union soldier-turned-drifter who becomes involved in a bitter feud against a gang of Confederate Red Shirts and a band of Mexican revolutionaries,Djangowas a stylish alternative to Eastwood’s most famous trilogy.
Djangohad plenty in common with Leone’s work, as each director used Akira Kurosawa’s samurai filmYojimboas a loose source of inspiration, withA Fistful of Dollarsnarrative sharing many similarities to both films. While Eastwood’s the Man with no Name had violent impulses, this was nothing compared to the carnage enacted by Nero’s Django, a Western antihero who went on to appear in dozens of unofficial sequels, as well as one genuine follow-up,Django Strikes Againfrom 1987. As a direct influence on Quentin Tarantino’sDjango Unchained, the impact ofDjangois widespread.
While classic Western movies usually featured uncomplicated themes that told stories of heroes and villains without any real interrogation, as the 1960s progressed, the genre started to question itself more, which led to the more thoughtful revisionist Western genre. A great example of this was Sam Peckinpah’sThe Wild Bunch, a film that addressed the consequences of violence in a way that highlighted its brutality. With trailblazing slow-motion shootout scenes,The Wild Bunchwas a groundbreaking film both thematically and visually.
Those with a love of Clint Eastwood movies will recognize the wayThe Wild Bunchlaid the groundwork for his later, more introspective and thoughtful Western releases, such asHigh Plains DrifterandUnforgiven. As a cynical look at justice and morality, the over-the-top extremities ofThe Wild Bunchalso brought to mind the excesses ofThe Outlaw Josey Wales. With plenty in common with the work of Eastwood, fans who are looking for something to add to their watch list can’t go wrong withThe Wild Bunch.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valancewas an earlier revisionist Western that explored themes of mythmaking and how the legends of the Old West came to be. This was an idea similarly explored by Clint Eastwood in his Western masterpieceUnforgiven. As two films that unpack how the truth can sometimes be morphed to fit the needs and requirements of a person or society, those looking to understand the context out of which Eastwood producedUnforgivenwould gain a lot from this late-career John Ford classic.
Featuring two stars who were among the few actors in 1960s Hollywood capable of living up to Eastwood’s legacy, in many ways,John Wayne and James Stewart’s characters juxtaposed one another. Tom Doniphon (Wayne) valued justice through action, and Ranse Stoddard (Stewart) wanted to follow the letter of the law. As a film that was as politically charged as it was endlessly entertaining,The Man Who Shot Liberty Valancewas a masterclass in storytelling that explored the reasons stories are told in the first place.
While Clint Eastwood made a name for himself playing tough and mysterious antiheroes in Sergio Leone spaghetti Westerns, an earlier example of this archetype was in the 1950s classicShane.Starring Alan Ladd as the quintessential man with a dark past trying to leave his violent ways behind,Shanealigned well with Eastwood movies about reluctant heroes unwittingly embroiled in a conflict against their better judgment.
The gunfighter Shane showcased his moral fortitude as he stepped in to help a family of homesteaders from a ruthless baron and his hired hands, which echoed Eastwood’s many Western characters who have stepped in to save the day of innocents in need of aid. By reflecting the changing times of the Wild West,Shaneshowcased how settlers and outlaws’ philosophies came head-to-head as civilization began to encroach on the American frontier. As a movie that bridges the gap between traditional Westerns and the later revisionist movies Eastwood became known for,Shaneis essential viewing.
The Searchersnot only stands as a defining release in the Western genre but is one of the most acclaimed movies in Hollywood history. As perhaps director John Ford and star John Wayne’s greatest achievement together, this Western duo represented an important precursor to Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood’s esteemed creative collaboration. With themes of revenge and retribution, the influence ofThe Searchersextends to every Wild West movie made after it.
Telling the story of a Civil War veteran who spends years looking for his abducted niece,The Searcherswas one of the first Hollywood productions to present the Native Americans in a more nuanced fashionand as more than simple savages. However, Ford himself later said there was “merit to the charge that the Indian hasn’t been portrayed accurately or fairly” (viaStudlar & Bernstein) inThe Searchersas later films went even further in exploring the plight and unfair demonization of indigenous Americans. As a trailblazing film, without the impact ofThe Searchers, Eastwood’s Western movie career would have looked a lot different.
Few Westerns challenge contemporary society’s mode of thinking better thanHigh Noon, a 1950s Western classic so divisive thatJohn Wayne actively hated it. As the story of a town marshal (Gary Cooper) whose sense of duty is tested when a gang of killers rolls into town and threatens his life, the moral dilemma at the heart of this story was whether to stay and fight or if it was better to flee town. While Will Kane did stay and face his foes, his moral quandary and lack of immediate action made him the antithesis of a classic hero.
As a politically charged film that held extra relevance in the age of McCarthyism,High Noonlaid the groundwork for complex heroes who weighed the pros and cons of violence before acting. With this in mind, Eastwood’s characterization ofWilliam Munny inUnforgivenechoed the same ideas of personal duty versus self-preservation as Will Kane. With a narrative that unfolded in real time,High Noonwas a trailblazing Western that had a lot in common with the kind of stories Eastwood would later embrace within the genre.
There’s an alternate world in whichOnce Upon a Time in the Westwas a Clint Eastwood movie, as director Sergio Leone originally offered him a leading role, which eventually went to Charles Bronson. As a sprawling, near-three-hour Western epic,Leone made this film as his follow-up toThe Good, the Bad and the Uglyand was the first in a new trilogy that also includedDuck, You Sucker!andOnce Upon a Time in America. With the same visual and stylistic sensibilities that made theDollars Trilogyso iconic, any Eastwood fan worth their salt should have this one on their watch list.
Why Clint Eastwood Didn’t Make A Fourth Sergio Leone Western Movie
After starring in Sergio Leone’s The Dollars Trilogy, Clint Eastwood had an opportunity to make a fourth Western movie with the acclaimed director.
Once Upon a Time in the Westwas Leone’s definitive statement on the spaghetti Western genre, and it took everything he had learned working on his previous trilogy with Eastwood and packed it into one film. With a classic Ennio Morricone score,Once Upon a Time in the Westis the closest audiences can get to watching aClint EastwoodWestern without him actually being in it.
