Westerns have been a reference in the world of cinema since the beginning of cinema. For many decades, audiences have loved watching the timeless stories of the pioneers of the American West. These films can cover a wide range of topics within the genre, but generally feature heroic cowboys, daring outlaws, and lots of beautiful scenery. However, although loved by many, the Western genre is not without its flaws.
Among the most prominent flaws is the lack of female representation. The vast majority of Westerns are dominated by hypermasculine main characters, with women often having to take a backseat, if they are included at all. Of course, this is not always the case. There are some Westerns (including classic films and modern hits) led by female characters. Her courageous and powerful performances prove that women deserve their rightful place in the Western genre.. These films highlight the essential role that female performers have played in Western cinema over the years.
10
Johnny Guitar (1954)
Starring Joan Crawford as Vienna
Directed by Nicholas Ray, Johnny Guitar and Easily among the highest-rated female-led Westerns of all time. The film stars Joan Crawford as Vienna, the no-nonsense owner of a bar frequented by many of the city’s most violent individuals.
After a deadly robbery at the local bank, Vienna’s rival Emma Small (played by Mercedes McCambridge) makes sure the townspeople think Vienna is to blame, forcing Vienna to defend herself and her salon from your anger. Johnny Guitar stands out as one of the only films of its era to feature not only a heroine but also a female antagonist.
Both Crawford and McCambridge deliver powerful performancesshowing without a doubt that his characters are not to be confused. The climactic confrontation between Vienna and Emma is definitely unforgettable, proudly demonstrating to the audience that men are not the only characters in Westerns who can take deadly aim when necessary.
9
Ballou Cat (1965)
Starring Jane Fonda as Catherine “Cat” Ballou
The 1965 Oscar-winning film, Ballou Catoffers a captivating female-led Western story that also doubles as a laugh-out-loud comedy. The classic film stars Jane Fonda as the titular character, an infamous outlaw who is about to be hanged for her crimes in a small Wyoming town.
The majority of the film is presented as a series of flashbacks, with two bystanders to the dark event regaling the audience with the story of how Cat began her life of crime. Although only his co-star Lee Marvin won an Oscar for his performance in the film, Fonda’s portrayal of the main character in Ballou Cat is undeniably impressive.
Although the film is a comedy, it retains some of the real moments of drama and tension presented in the novel that inspired it. Fonda plays both the comedic and dramatic aspects of the story quite effectively, proving her range as a movie star. His performance helped boost Ballou Cat for a place on the American Film Institute’s list of the ten greatest Westerns ever made.
8
Jane Took a Gun (2015)
Starring Natalie Portman as Jane Hammond
The 2015 film by Gavin O’Connor, Jane has a gunpresents a modern example of a traditional Western story with a woman in the lead role. In the film, the titular role of Jane Hammond is played by Natalie Portman, who won an Oscar for her performance in Black Swan just five years earlier.
The recent western follows Jane as she prepares to defend her home and her seriously injured husband“Ham”, from a group of violent gunmen who she knows are on their way to finish the job of killing Ham. The foundation of Jane has a gun is based on the idea of turning the damsel in distress trope on its head.
Unlike many westerns, especially early ones, it is not the female character in Jane has a gun who is in immediate danger, leaving her to ask for help from a heroic man. Instead, the plot is kicked off by Ham (played by Noah Emmerich) in grave danger, with his only hope for survival in his wife. This much-needed inversion reflects the film’s desire to attack typical gender roles in Western cinema.
7
Forty Guns (1957)
Starring Barbara Stanwyck as Jessica Drummond
Written, produced and directed by Samuel Fuller, Forty guns is a black and white western with a female protagonist who is certainly not to be messed with. The film stars four-time Oscar nominee Barbara Stanwyck as Jessica Drummond, the most prominent landowner in Tombstone, Arizona.
Forty guns stands out among other westerns because it goes further in portraying the power of its female protagonist.
With an army of forty gunmen in tow, Jessica is essentially free to do as she pleases in the city; that is, until a group of strangers arrive and begin to change the entire situation. Forty guns stands out among other westerns because it goes further in portraying the power of its female protagonist.
Not only is Jessica strong and independent enough to make her own decisions as she sees fit, she also actively controls the lives of others; both in terms of the forty men she hires to help defend her power, and in terms of the entire city of Tombstone. Stanwyck’s performance as Jessica contributes heavily to the film’s relentlessly captivating nature, allowing it to still be a prominent Western nearly 70 years after its release.
6
Duel in the Sun (1946)
Starring Jennifer Jones as Pearl Chavez
Among the earliest examples of a feature-length Western starring a female protagonist is Duel in the Suna 1946 film written by David O. Selznick, the acclaimed producer of Gone with the Wind. The film has a star-studded cast, with Oscar winner Jennifer Jones starring as Pearl Chavez, opposite winners Gregory Peck and Lionel Barrymore.
The film follows Pearl as she experiences prejudice and the deep complexities of love after moving to Texas after the violent deaths of his parents. Duel in the Sun It was truly a landmark in terms of offering female representation in Western cinema during the 1940s.
High praise was given to the film’s actresses, with Jones and Lillian Gish (in a supporting role) being nominated for Oscars for their work in the film. The film explores in an interesting way the complexity of being a woman at this timehaving to deal with crushing social expectations while just trying to live life and find love.
5
The Missing (2003)
Starring Cate Blanchett as Maggie Gilkeson
In 2003, acclaimed director Ron Howard ventured into the western genre with his film The Disappeared. The film tells the story of Maggie Gilkeson, who embarks on a dangerous journey with her estranged father and her youngest daughter to free a group of women, including her other daughter, who was recently kidnapped from her town.
The film stars Cate Blanchett in the lead role, with Tommy Lee Jones and Evan Rachel Wood appearing as father and daughter. The Disappeared offers a refreshing, female-dominated story for viewers who enjoy 21st century westerns. Although the film centers on a group of women and girls who need to be rescued, it creates an interesting dynamic by having a female colleague leading the effort to save them.
The Disappeared it also received widespread praise for its depiction of the indigenous people of the New Mexico region. While the film may not be very groundbreaking in terms of story, its dedication to fair representation for both women and indigenous people makes it worth watching.
4
Calamity Jane (1953)
Starring Doris Day as Calamity Jane
Calamity Jane, released in 1953, stars Doris Day as the titular character, a brash, rooted frontierswoman. Set in the American Old West, the musical follows Calamity as she navigates her difficult lifestyle, her turbulent personality at odds with social expectations, and her unexpected romances. Howard Keel co-stars as Wild Bill Hickok, adding to the film’s lively, dynamic, and memorable musical numbers. Directed by David Butler, the film remains a vibrant portrait of American Western folklore.
- Director
-
David Butler
- Release date
-
November 4, 1953
- Writers
-
James O’Hanlon
- Cast
-
Doris Day, Howard Keel, Allyn Ann McLerie, Philip Carey, Dick Wesson, Paul Harvey, Chubby Johnson, Gale Robbins
In 1953, director David Butler made Calamity Jane fusing two popular genres of the time: western and musical. Doris Day portrays the true icon of the Wild West, Calamity Jane (although much of the film is probably fictional). With the support of her friend Wild Bill Hickok (played by Howard Keel), Jane travels to Chicago to recruit a famous singer to perform at her local saloon.
Love, laughter and lots of mischief ensue when Jane mistakenly brings the singer’s maid back to the salon instead of the singer herself. Calamity Jane was very well received by critics and the publiclargely thanks to the catchy music and Day’s dazzling performance.
Day’s natural charisma, charming performance, and spectacular voice make the film a blast for viewers from beginning to end. Calamity Jane It may not be the gritty drama that fans of the genre are used to, but it nonetheless presents a memorable story filled with numerous traditional Western elements.
3
Hannie Caulder (1971)
Starring Raquel Welch as Hannie Caulder
While many classic Westerns follow violent stories about individuals on a path to revenge, few of these tales feature women. One film that does, however, is the 1971 British western, Hannie Caulderdirected by Burt Kennedy. The titular role is played by Hollywood icon Raquel Welch.
The film follows Hannie as she enlists the help of a bounty hunter to train her. for when the time comes to finally enact bloody revenge on the men who ruined her life. While not the only Western revenge story to feature a female protagonist, Hannie Caulder stands out thanks to Welch’s powerful performance.
While the character is clearly driven by revengeWelch gives Hannie much more depth than that, showing her initial hesitation to cause harm to other human beings and demonstrating her knowledge that exacting her revenge will irreversibly change her life, regardless of whether it brings satisfaction. Hannie’s story is so compelling that it even helped inspire Quentin Tarantino when writing the Kill Bill films.
2
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
Starring Sharon Stone as “The Lady”
The Fast and the Dead may have one of the most eccentric concepts of any Western in recent decades, but it is still a thrilling ride for audiences. Directed by Sam Raimi, the film features a star-studded cast led by Sharon Stonewith Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio also playing major roles.
Stone plays the protagonist, known only as “The Lady” for much of the film. The film follows a deadly last-standing shooting contest that takes place over the course of several days and involves several interesting characters. The Lady is a fascinating protagonist and significantly raises the quality of The Fast and the Dead as a whole.
She is much more than the typical superficial, one-dimensional female characters seen too often in Western films. Instead of, she has a detailed, tragic backstory, complex motivations, and an intriguing moral compass. Even among a wide cast of unique characters, The Lady stands out thanks to Stone’s thoughtful writing and inspired acting.
1
The Dead Don’t Hurt (2023)
Starring Vicky Krieps as Vivienne Le Coudy
For a very recent example of an entertaining female-led Western, audiences should direct their attention to The dead don’t hurtthe 2023 film from actor/director Viggo Mortensen. The film stars Vicky Krieps as Vivienne Le Coudy, a French-Canadian woman who moves to Nevada.
Coming as only the second film directed by Mortensen The dead don’t hurt sets itself apart from other westerns through its unconventional storytelling methods.
Vivienne has to deal alone with the bitter reality of the cruel world around her when the man she loves goes off to fight in the Civil War. When he returns, neither of them feel like the same person as before. Coming as only the second film directed by Mortensen The dead don’t hurt sets itself apart from other westerns through its unconventional storytelling methods.
Unlike most films of this genre which tend to follow straight stories from beginning to end, The dead don’t hurt uses a non-linear styleoscillating between non-consecutive events in their narratives. The film is further driven by Krieps’ strong portrayal of the fiercely independent Vivienne, consistently stealing every scene in which she appears.