10 Non-Violent Westerns That Are Still Awesome

It’s no secret that Western films are defined by their action scenes and explosive violence. It is one of the pillars of the genre, as shootouts and saloon fights are part of almost every project that can be considered westerns. However, just as there are many great Westerns in which the hero is not a gunslinger, there are films that include little or no violence. Finding a western without violence is difficult, and many face at least the threat of implied violence. However, these films successfully prove that risks and conflicts can be just as compelling without physical force.

Many of these films fall into the category of best musical westerns, since there are a surprisingly high number of musical films set in the Old West. Additionally, comedies and light-hearted projects are typically non-violent, with action moments being fun and characterized as low stakes. However, there are even darker, more dramatic Westerns that understand how violence can sometimes be overkill and that intense themes can be communicated equally effectively with silence and stillness.

10

McLintock! (1963)

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen

Although McLintock! it’s not a career-defining John Wayne film; It’s always fun to see the strapping hero take on the lead role in a comedy. Wayne is joined by his frequent collaborator Maureen O’Hara as a pair of bickering spouses. who don’t seem to agree on anything, especially their daughter’s future. In essence, McLintock! is a family drama with diverse plots of love and misunderstandings that will connect with modern audiences.

There are problems with the film, as the gender dynamics and sexism evident throughout the story are uncomfortable and outdated. Additionally, McLintock! addresses the discrimination imposed on Native Americans during this period, but does little to combat the stereotypes and problems they faced. However, for their many flaws, the characters of McClintock! They rarely resort to violence to solve their problems, opting instead to diffuse situations with their words.

9

The Gray Fox (1982)

Directed by Phillip Borsos

One of the best things Western films do is interrogate the themes that the earliest additions to the genre perpetuate, as the archetypal lone wolf hero. In the same way that classics like Unforgivable, The Gray Fox looks at the fate of one of the last vestiges of this ideology, trying to adapt to old age and the changing world. Based on the true story of Bill Miner, The Gray Fox stars Richard Farnsworth as Miner after being released from prison and wanting to pull off one last heist.

Of course, there can never be just one more job to do, and The Gray Fox sees Miner succumb to his fate and his nature, even as he tries to adapt to it. However, even however The Gray Fox follows the planning and execution of a maneuver, Miner has no interest in violence or cruelty; he’s after the thrill of the chase. A Canadian Western, The Gray Fox is often overlooked, even though it questions the West and poses interesting questions about its heroes before many other films.

8

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Directed byJane Campion

Jane Campion paints a tragic and interrogative portrait of the West and its impact on American masculinity and violence in The power of the dog. While there are moments of cruelty and brutality, overt violence is not how damage is done throughout the film. It only takes an instant for the characters to inflict pain on each other, and this occurs through words as well as planned sabotage. However, internal conflicts are exposed through violence against animals throughout the film.

Benedict Cumberbatch is at his best as Phil, starring Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee all delivering incredible performances. Campion proves once again that he understands how sadness and devastation can come in small, quiet moments and that westerns are about so much more than public fights. Each of the characters becomes trapped and stifled by the rules and expectations of their society, leading to horrific actions in the name of wanting to be accepted.

7

The Harvey Girls (1946)

Directed by George Sidney

The Harvey Girls is one of Judy Garland’s best films, as the young actress shines with the emotionally impactful mix of joy and vulnerability she brings to each role. A musical, The Harvey Girlsfollows Garland’s Susan, a young woman who travels to the heart of the West to marry the man she writes to. Although the love story in the heart of The Harvey Girls It’s one of the biggest thrusts of the plot, the film is surprisingly focused on the lives of the young women she meets along the way.

The Harvey Girls treats the young women in the film with respect and gives them agency to choose their own destinies and fight for the lives they want. This contrasts sharply with how women are typically treated in the Western genre and makes The Harvey Girls a refreshing take. All of these positive thematic choices are accompanied by gorgeous sets and costumes and the clear nostalgia and love for the idea of ​​the Old West that so many old films share.

6

Paris, Texas (1984)

Directed by Wim Wenders

One of the greatest neo-Western films of all time, Wim Wender’s Paris, Texasdiscusses the modern interpretation of the West, with Harry Dean Stanton’s seminal performance as Travis, the project’s anchorman. Vividly filmed and imagined, Paris, TexasIt feels like the viewer has entered directly into the lonely, underprivileged corners of the West, where the legend of the cowboy has been forgotten and all that remains is the struggle to keep living. Travis’ silence during the first half of the film and his transformation at the end reflect Wender’s messages about how the idea of ​​the West has changed.

Violence is not necessary in Paris, Texasas it is the absence of action throughout the film that makes the emotional beats so strong. Discussions about the cruelty of the past arise throughout Paris, Texas, as Travis is not the perfect hero of the past, but a morally gray figure with many flaws. However, Paris, TexasIt leaves the viewer with hope for the future and the feeling that the worst moments in life can be recovered.

5

Paint Your Wagon (1969)

Directed by Joshua Logan

It’s surprising to see Clint Eastwood in a musical, but the Western actor remains in the project alongside Lee Marvin and Jean Seberg in Paint your wagon. While it’s not the best musical film of all time, the songs are catchy and interesting, and Paint your wagon takes on different themes and topics in its story. Seberg’s Elizabeth doesn’t allow herself to be treated like property by the men in the film, and she and the two male leads, Ben (Marvin) and Pardner (Eastwood), even form a polyamorous relationship for a time.

The questions of the idea of ​​civilized society and what the rules of this collective should be are at the forefront of Paint your wagon. The film shows the positives and negatives of a growing community but it doesn’t use action-packed fight scenes where characters air their grievances. Even in the most difficult times, most characters easily bear losses and are more than willing to share resources to survive in the West.

4

Meek’s Cut (2010)

Directed by Kelly Reichardt

Meek’s Cut is an underrated western from the 2010s, starring Michelle Williams in one of her most compelling roles. There are a few moments of minor violence as the film’s characters begin to grow desperate after becoming lost in the desert during their journey west. This trip across the U.S. was made by many homesteaders, and many fell victim to its dangers. Meek’s Cut explores what might have happened to a group of travelers who begin to turn against each other and the people they encounter.

Sometimes, Meek’s Cut It has a slow pace, but it’s purposeful, as it communicates the desperation and frustrations of the characters in their situation. Due to their isolation and scarcity of resources, violence becomes practically useless as none of the characters have anything of value. A major turning point is the women in the group realizing that they cannot trust their husbands or be coerced by the men into delving further into the already dire situation.

3

The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)

Directed byNorman Tokar

While not all Western comedies abhor violence, The Apple Dumpling Gang does and is a great film for the whole family to watch. Although many of the characters are initially driven by greed, this slowly changes throughout the film as the protagonists grow up to care for the group of orphans who come under their care. Like many great Westerns, The’s the apple dumpling gang it involves a gold mine and the race to claim ownership of it.

However, The Apple Dumpling Gang proves that there are things in life that are much more valuable than gold. Using slapstick humor and many complicated plots The Apple Dumpling Gang It’s not one of the best-remembered live-action Disney films from this period, but it’s fun to remember today. The Western is a great setting for a buddy comedy, and The Apple Dumpling Gang has plenty of traps and jokes without using overt violence.

2

Honkytonk Man (1982)

Directed by Clint Eastwood

One of the many films that Clint Eastwood directed and starred in, Honkytonk Man also introduces his son, Kyle Eastwood. Eastwood plays an ailing country singer trying to make his mark on the world. This concept is not unlike Eastwood’s later explorations of aging and legacy. For a musical, Honkytonk Man is bittersweet, bordering on melancholy, as Eastwood’s character Red never gets to see his dream come true as long as he lives.

Scenes of violence would be unexpected and out of place in Honkytonk Man, which is a slow and deliberate exploration of the American Southwest and its music. There is a clear love and respect for the places and cultural identities that Eastwood addresses in Honkytonk Manand that’s what made the film a critical success, even if it wasn’t a box office success. However, it is Eastwood’s desire to step out of his comfort zone with projects like Honkytonk Man which consolidated his legacy.

1

The Misfits (1961)

Directed by John Huston

The historical legacy of The misfits made it an unforgettable addition to the Western genre. Starring Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift, The misfits may not have initially connected with audiences in the early ’60s, but it is now considered one of the best Westerns of the period. This is largely due to the incredible work of the cast, who deliver deeply moving and vulnerable performances through their flawed and struggling characters.

There are some terrifying stunts, and much of the film revolves around chasing mustangs, but violence between people is not part of the story. The misfits. Long before the Western gender was being reevaluated and becoming more complex, The misfits created unforgettable characters that are richly intertwined with the legacy of this type of film. The misfits tells a complex story that has many happy moments, but is plagued by the melancholy and uncertainty of the period and genre.