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.
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