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The Golden Age of Westerns, which was from 1940 through 1960, was a time when the popularity of this genre was at an all-time high. A time when they had such a high popularity that the amount of Western films produced far exceeded every other genre combined. This Golden Age included some of the most memorable movies: “The Searchers,” “High Noon,” “The Magnificent Seven,” and “Shane” to name just a few. (These are the 30 best western films ever made.)
24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of Sept. 13, 2023, weighing all ratings equally to determine the top Western everyone should see. Only Westerns with fewer than 40,000 user reviews on both IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes were included. Documentaries were not considered.
These films saw every big star of the era starring in them, from Gregory Peck, Rock Hudson, and Joan Crawford to Jeff Bridges, Dustin Hoffman, and Elizabeth Taylor. Although, Westerns often appeared to be synonymous with certain actors, and many starred in multiple films, like John Wayne and James Stewart, who each starred in seven movies on this list.
Wayne worked with director John Ford on 14 films, nine of them Westerns, and three of those here, two movies having a perfect Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score of 100%. Wayne also starred in two movies helmed by Howard Hawks that scored 100%. (As a change of pace, here are the best and worst John Wayne movies that aren’t Westerns.)
Stewart appeared in five films on the list directed by Anthony Mann. All five posted a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score of 100%.
In all, 17 Westerns on our list have Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer scores of 100%. Even though critics appreciated the genre, that did not necessarily translate into Oscar recognition. Just six movies here received Academy Awards.
40. The Professionals (1966)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (15,262)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (3,973 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (17 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Brooks
- Starring: Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan
In “The Professionals,” four experts are hired by a rancher to rescue his ‘kidnapped’ wife from a former revolutionary leader. The twist comes when the team discovers the wife is not a captive but the leader’s willing lover, leading to a moral standoff at the U.S.-Mexico border.
39. Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (18,848)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (7,669 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (21 reviews)
- Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
- Starring: James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Richard Jaeckel
“Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid” is a revisionist Western exploring the tumultuous friendship between aging lawman Pat Garrett and his former friend, Billy the Kid. Directed by Sam Peckinpah, the film is known for Bob Dylan’s Grammy-nominated score and became notorious for behind-the-scenes battles leading to a re-edited version disowned by the cast and crew.
38. The Cowboys (1972)
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (13,780)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (9,668 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (15 reviews)
- Directed by: Mark Rydell
- Starring: John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, Bruce Dern
When his ranch hands abandon him for a gold rush, rancher Wil Andersen (Wayne) is forced to hire local schoolboys for a 400-mile cattle drive. The boys prove themselves, even as they face threats from a gang of cattle rustlers led by Asa “Long Hair” Watts.
37. Last Train from Gun Hill (1959)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (7,222)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (1,646 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (11 reviews)
- Directed by: John Sturges
- Starring: Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Carolyn Jones
In this gripping tale of law, loss, and retribution, Douglas and Quinn star as old friends turned enemies due to a horrific crime. Douglas plays a U.S. marshal seeking justice for his murdered Cherokee wife, who learns that the son of the wealthy cattle baron played by Quinn is the perpetrator.
36. The Man From Snowy River (1982)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (9,651)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (26,356 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (13 reviews)
- Directed by: George Miller
- Starring: Kirk Douglas, Tom Burlinson, Terence Donovan
This Australian Western features Douglas in dual roles, playing brothers Harrison and Spur. The film, based on a Banjo Paterson poem, follows Jim Craig, a young man who must prove his worth after his father’s death. He deals with familial secrets, forbidden love, and wild horse mobs, ultimately capturing an elusive prize colt, demonstrating his mettle.
35. The Misfits (1961)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (19,552)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (9,424 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (30 reviews)
- Directed by: John Huston
- Starring: Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift
In this contemporary Western, a newly divorced woman, Roslyn Tabor (Marilyn Monroe), navigates relationships with a cowboy, his best friend, and a rodeo rider. Despite its initial commercial failure, the film, which was the last completed work for both Gable and Monroe, is now regarded as a 1960s masterpiece.
34. The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (9,203)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (3,771 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (15 reviews)
- Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
- Starring: Jason Robards, Stella Stevens, David Warner
Set in the closing days of the frontier era, “The Ballad of Cable Hogue” is an unconventional Western comedy characterized by its comedic narrative rather than the violence more typical of Westerns. Cable Hogue is a prospector who survives in the Arizona desert by finding water and starting a business – hardly the usual hero of the genre.
33. Hombre (1967)
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (11,958)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (3,970 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (15 reviews)
- Directed by: Martin Ritt
- Starring: Paul Newman, Fredric March, Richard Boone
Newman portrays John Russell, an Apache-raised white man confronting prejudice in late 19th-century Arizona. The film explores Russell’s moral struggle as he finds his way through a hostile world, leading to a tragic, yet heroic finale. The film presents a unique perspective on Native American issues.
32. The Yearling (1946)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (5,689)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (3,773 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (15 reviews)
- Directed by: Clarence Brown
- Starring: Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman, Claude Jarman Jr.
This family-themed Western centers around a boy named Jodie who adopts a troublesome young deer. The narrative explores Jodie’s relationship with his parents, his struggle to keep the deer, and the hardship that comes when he’s forced to kill his beloved pet.
31. The Far Country (1954)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (7,215)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (2,814 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (10 reviews)
- Directed by: Anthony Mann
- Starring: John McIntire, James Stewart, Ruth Roman
In “The Far Country” has a unique setting for a Western: Alaska. In a film with a plot rich in gold rush intrigue and cattle drives, a self-minded adventurer, Jeff Webster, confronts a corrupt judge while driving cattle down to Dawson City in the Yukon. This marks the fourth collaboration between director Mann and actor Stewart.
30. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (16,757)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (8,882 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (22 reviews)
- Directed by: John Ford
- Starring: John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar
In the iconic “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,” one of nine Westerns in which Ford directed Wayne, a retiring cavalry veteran is assigned a final mission to thwart a potential frontier war. Amidst the tumult, romantic tensions rise among the troops. The film, part of Ford’s “Cavalry Trilogy,” was well-received and notably earned an Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
29. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (23,819)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (8,708 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (56 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Altman
- Starring: Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Rene Auberjonois
“McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” is an anti-Western, subverting genre convention. John McCabe is a gambler in 1902 in Washington state who builds a successful brothel with a madam, Constance Miller. Their prosperity attracts dangerous attention, leading to a tragic end.
28. Jubal (1956)
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (3,696)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (1,315 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (10 reviews)
- Directed by: Delmer Daves
- Starring: Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Rod Steiger
Once informally dubbed “Othello on the Range,” “Jubal” is about a cowboy, Jubal Troop, who is given shelter on a large ranch, where he finds himself entangled in a web of deceit, jealousy, and violence involving the ranch owner, his wife, and a resentful cattleman.
27. The Naked Spur (1953)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (10,690)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (2,350 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (15 reviews)
- Directed by: Anthony Mann
- Starring: James Stewart, Janet Leigh, Robert Ryan
Stewart plays a bounty hunter seeking justice for a murdered marshal. Forced to rely on two untrustworthy strangers, he embarks on a tumultuous journey through the Rocky Mountains. The film, noted for its original screenplay, marks the third Western collaboration between director Mann and Stewart.
26. Hud (1963)
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (20,859)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (8,455 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (30 reviews)
- Directed by: Martin Ritt
- Starring: Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal
“Hud” depicts the tension between a moral patriarch, Homer Bannon, and his self-centered son, Hud, amidst a threatening cattle disease outbreak. The film was celebrated for its revisionist take on the Western genre and won three Academy Awards.
25. Go West (1925)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (4,133)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (1,890 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (11 reviews)
- Directed by: Buster Keaton
- Starring: Buster Keaton, Howard Truesdale, Kathleen Myers
Keaton plays a drifter named Friendless in this silent Western comedy. He tries cattle wrangling, bronco-busting, and even dairy farming, and eventually finds himself driving a herd of cattle through the streets of Los Angeles.
24. 3:10 to Yuma (1957)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (19,052)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (9,258 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (28 reviews)
- Directed by: Delmer Daves
- Starring: Glenn Ford, Van Heflin, Felicia Farr
Based on an Elmore Leonard short story, “3:10 to Yuma” tells the tale of a struggling rancher tasked with delivering a notorious outlaw to justice in the Arizona Territory. The film was remade in 2007 with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.
23. The Shootist (1976)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (23,342)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (9,640 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (23 reviews)
- Directed by: Don Siegel
- Starring: John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard
This Western marked John Wayne’s last film performance. The plot centers around a former sheriff and gunfighter, diagnosed with terminal cancer, who settles down in a quiet boarding house. His peaceful life is disrupted as his past catches up, leading to confrontations with those looking to capitalize on his infamy.
22. Bend of the River (1952)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (8,272)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (3,160 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (8 reviews)
- Directed by: Anthony Mann
- Starring: James Stewart, Rock Hudson, Arthur Kennedy
“Bend of the River” is about a cowboy who risks his life to deliver supplies to settlers after gold is discovered. The film, set in Oregon, grapples with themes of redemption and trust. It marked the second Western collaboration between director Mann and actor Stewart.
21. The Man from Laramie (1955)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (10,313)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (3,427 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (10 reviews)
- Directed by: Anthony Mann
- Starring: James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Donald Crisp
Another Mann-Stewart collaboration, this film follows a stranger who challenges a local cattle baron and his cruel son by working for a long-standing rival, with tensions escalating into a deadly feud. Shot in CinemaScope, the movie captures the grandeur of the Western landscape.
20. Shenandoah (1965)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (8,351)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (6,128 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (6 reviews)
- Directed by: Andrew V. McLaglen
- Starring: James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett
“Shenandoah” resonates with strong antiwar and humanitarian themes. The plot unfolds during the Civil War, focusing on the Anderson family’s struggles to avoid the conflict until it hits home, forcing them into a desperate search for their youngest son, mistakenly taken as a prisoner of war.
19. Ride the High Country (1962)
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (12,803)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (4,078 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (15 reviews)
- Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
- Starring: Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott, Mariette Hartley
Featuring Randolph Scott’s final screen performance, this film revolves around ex-lawman Steve Judd who is hired to transport gold, and his companions’ plot to steal it. The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1992.
18. The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (16,707)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (10,170 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (13 reviews)
- Directed by: Henry Hathaway
- Starring: John Wayne, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer
Set in Texas, this film revolves around the four adult sons of ranch owner Katie Elder who reunite for their mother’s funeral. They battle hostility from the townsfolk and a villainous gunsmith, Hastings, who falsely claims the Elders’ ranch. Amidst violence and betrayal, they strive to restore their mother’s honor and reclaim their family’s possessions.
17. The Rider (2017)
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (17,308)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (2,068 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (185 reviews)
- Directed by: Chloé Zhao
- Starring: Brady Jandreau, Mooney, Tim Jandreau
This contemporary Western portrays the life of an injured former rodeo star struggling with poverty and health issues in South Dakota. The film, critically acclaimed for its raw storytelling and performances, features non-professional Lakota actors playing fictional versions of themselves.
16. Shane (1953)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (38,919)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (15,575 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (36 reviews)
- Directed by: George Stevens
- Starring: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin
One of the great classic Westerns, “Shane” is about a skilled gunfighter who aids settlers against a ruthless cattle baron’s intimidation tactics. Notable for its award-winning cinematography and performances, the film is a significant contribution to the Western genre and is preserved in the National Film Registry.
15. Johnny Guitar (1954)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (16,647)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (3,605 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (46 reviews)
- Directed by: Nicholas Ray
- Starring: Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge
“Johnny Guitar,” a seminal Western, revolves around Vienna, a resilient saloonkeeper, and her tumultuous relationships with the local townsfolk and her ex-lover, Johnny Guitar. The movie poignantly explores themes of love, rivalry, betrayal, and survival in a harsh Arizona frontier town.
14. Lonely Are the Brave (1962)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (8,684)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (1,135 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (14 reviews)
- Directed by: David Miller
- Starring: Kirk Douglas, Gena Rowlands, Walter Matthau
In this captivating adaptation of Edward Abbey’s novel “The Brave Cowboy,” set in modern times, Douglas stars as Jack Burns, a man out of sync with modern society, who gets himself arrested to help his friend Bondi escape jail. Despite facing an extensive manhunt, Burns remains resilient, embodying the spirit of the Old West.
13. Destry Rides Again (1939)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (10,958)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (4,902 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (25 reviews)
- Directed by: George Marshall
- Starring: Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart, Mischa Auer
The plot of this Western comedy revolves around the formidable Tom Destry Jr., who helps restore law and order in a corrupt Western town, despite initially refusing to use his gun. The film is culturally significant, earning a place in the National Film Registry.
12. Giant (1956)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (37,057)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (24,274 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (45 reviews)
- Directed by: George Stevens
- Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean
“Giant” centers around wealthy Texas rancher Bick Benedict and his wife, Leslie. The story explores their marital struggles, the tension with ranch hand Jett Rink, and the family’s complex dynamics amid societal changes. The film provided the last leading role for Dean before his tragic early death.
11. The Tall T (1957)
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (4,829)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (611 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (5 reviews)
- Directed by: Budd Boetticher
- Starring: Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Maureen O’Sullivan
In “The Tall T,” a former ranch foreman and an heiress are kidnapped for ransom by three outlaws. This gripping tale of survival and defiance was one of five Boetticher movies starring Scott.
10. Fort Apache (1948)
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (17,222)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (7,930 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (21 reviews)
- Directed by: John Ford
- Starring: John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple
“Fort Apache” is the acclaimed first installment of John Ford’s “Cavalry Trilogy”. The film offers a sympathetic view of Native Americans, earning it the title of one of the first ‘pro-Indian’ Westerns. Tensions rise at an isolated U.S. cavalry post when an inexperienced and arrogant officer takes command, leading to a disastrous battle with local tribes.
9. Little Big Man (1970)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (34,080)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (17,453 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (26 reviews)
- Directed by: Arthur Penn
- Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Faye Dunaway, Chief Dan George
This genre-bending Western stars Dustin Hoffman as a white man raised by the Cheyenne nation in the 19th century, and follows him as he attempts to reintegrate into white American society. The film cleverly parodies the Western genre, contrasting life for white settlers and Native Americans, while indirectly criticizing America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
8. Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (30,195)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (12,927 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (20 reviews)
- Directed by: Sydney Pollack
- Starring: Robert Redford, Will Geer, Delle Bolton
“Jeremiah Johnson” depicts the life of a Mexican War veteran who becomes a mountain man. After learning survival skills from a fellow mountain man, adopting a son, and marrying an Indian chief’s daughter, his peaceful existence is shattered by the killing of his family by the Crow tribe, setting him on a path of revenge.
7. Winchester ’73 (1950)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (18,953)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (5,471 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (27 reviews)
- Directed by: Anthony Mann
- Starring: James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea
This classic Western is about the main character’s pursuit of a murderer and a prized rifle across iconic Western landscapes. It traces the rifle’s journey between owners while integrating themes of betrayal and redemption.
6. El Dorado (1966)
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (25,687)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (12,709 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (23 reviews)
- Directed by: Howard Hawks
- Starring: John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan
Mitchum plays an alcoholic sheriff and Wayne is his old friend, a gun-for-hire. The plot involves the efforts of the two to defend a rancher who is being forced off his land.
5. The Ox-Bow Incident (1942)
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (22,306)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (5,137 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (22 reviews)
- Directed by: William A. Wellman
- Starring: Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Mary Beth Hughes
“The Ox-Bow Incident” follows two cowboys who join a hastily formed posse to avenge a local rancher’s murder. The posse wrongfully lynches three men found with the stolen cattle, only to discover later their tragic mistake. The film, nominated for Best Picture, remains a stark depiction of mob justice.
4. My Darling Clementine (1946)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (24,191)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (7,524 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: John Ford
- Starring: Henry Fonda, Linda Darnell, Victor Mature
Fonda plays Wyatt Earp in this Ford classic. The plot unfolds during the period leading to the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
3. Red River (1948)
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (29,715)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (8,571 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (30 reviews)
- Directed by: Howard Hawks
- Starring: John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Joanne Dru
“Red River” tells a fictional story of the first cattle drive from Texas to Kansas. The narrative centers on a feud between the rancher who started the drive and his adopted adult son.
2. The Gunfighter (1950)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (10,510)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (1,321 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (14 reviews)
- Directed by: Henry King
- Starring: Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott, Millard Mitchell
Peck plays the notorious title character in “The Gunfighter,” as he struggles to escape his violent past, his yearning for reconciliation with his estranged wife, and facing relentless pursuit by those seeking revenge and fame.
1. The Big Country (1958)
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (16,962)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (5,532 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (11 reviews)
- Directed by: William Wyler
- Starring: Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker
In this epic Western, a former sea captain, James McKay, travels to the American West to marry his fiancée Patricia. In a world of ranch rivalries and cowboy antics, McKay navigates conflicts, tames wild horses, and makes strategic alliances.