10 Western Films That Fall Short of Classic Status

For a long time, Westerns were arguably the most popular and widely appreciated genre of film being made. Throughout the 40s and 50s, the genre gained immense prominence and gave rise to some classic Hollywood stars who managed to make their entire careers through this style of cinema – from Clint Eastwood to John Wayne, countless actors followed this same path. However, not every Western was an instant classic during this time. There were still many films that didn’t live up to expectations, or perhaps just didn’t age perfectly, that can’t be labeled as perfect.

Many of the best Westerns ever made are those that manage to combine the inherent scope and scale of the genre with more grounded and interesting stories that explore the American West in new ways. But given the genre’s prevalence in mid-century Hollywood, it took a very original story for a western to really stand out from the crowd. For those who felt too familiar or weren’t taking big risks, it was much easier to carve out a place in the unofficial canon of Western films.

10

Red Sun (1971)

Directed by Terence Young

Red Sun tells the story of a group of Wild West gangsters whose cross-country train journey is interrupted by the presence of the Japanese ambassador. Their crimes draw the attention of a trained samurai, who pursues them to recover the artifact they stole from him. It’s a high-intensity story that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish, but the linear narrative and outdated cultural representations haven’t aged very well.

9

The Big Country (1958)

Directed by William Wyler

Gregory Peck The great country is a sprawling Western that follows a retired captain whose Wild West wedding brings him face to face with a dangerous civil war that threatens to destroy his small town. The film succeeds thanks to the sharp character work and gorgeous visualsbut it lacks the fast pace and intense narrative that were present in most of the great Westerns and Gregory Peck’s most successful films.

8

Monte Walsh (1970)

Directed by William A. Fraker

Monte Walsh is another extremely popular Western that doesn’t quite live up to its “classic” Status thanks to some outdated aspects of the narrative. The narrative follows the titular character, an older cowboy who is forced to accept the dissolution of the Old West as he knew it. The film offers some fascinating commentary on the passage of time in Americadissecting its history and exploring the legacy of the Old West.

7

Outland (1981)

Directed by Peter Hyams

Certainly an unconventional entry into the Western genre, Sean Connery’s Outland tells the story of a police officer who is stationed on the moon of Jupiter when he learns about a drug cartel operating in the mining colony. It’s a futuristic take on the classic film style that brings all the tropes of the Western genre to a sci-fi setting. Outland has become a cult classic thanks to its innovative storytelling, but its distance from its western roots makes it difficult to fully label it a classic.

6

Dead Man (1995)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch

One of the most recent entries in the Western canon Dead Man follows an accountant named William Blake who leaves his life behind after murdering someone and instead seeks a path of spirituality to cleanse his soul. Dead Man is another unconventional twist on the Western, abandoning the sprawling deserts of the American West for a more modern, tactile setting that helps elevate the story’s many themes of guilt and sacrifice.

5

Appaloosa (2008)

Directed by Ed Harris

Ed Harris’s modern take on the Western is a prime example of modernizing the genre formula without inherently changing anything. The story is based on the detective novel of the same name by Robert B. Parker.following the adventures of two local crime fighters who attempt to free the small town of Appaloosa from the clutches of local criminals. The only thing that holds Appaloosa back from true greatness are its undeniable similarities to older, better Western films such as Tombstone or The Magnificent Seven that came before that.

4

The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)

Directed by Sam Peckinpah

The Ballad of Cable Hogue is a brilliant western comedy that takes everything great about the western genre and gives it a much-needed humorous twist. The jokes are clever and have mostly aged wellbut the story suffers from being too light and cheerful, where a more structured narrative could have been useful. Other than that, this is easily among the most watchable and entertaining Westerns ever made.

3

3:10 To Yuma (2007)

Directed by James Mangold

James Mangold’s modern neo-Western is undeniably one of the most popular Western films of the 21st century, but it falters only because of the legacy it’s trying to live up to. Based on the 1957 film of the same name, Mangold’s film tells the story of a Civil War veteran who sets out to collect the reward for a wanted outlaw and restore his own name. It’s a great story with excellent direction and captivating performances.but it shouldn’t be called a classic without acknowledging what came before it.

2

Old Henry (2021)

Directed by Potsy Ponciroli

One of the more recent examples of a great Western that managed to find some level of success and longevity, Old Henry follows a mysterious old man who has dedicated his life to fighting bad guys – and his past doesn’t want to leave him behind. Old Henry features one of Tim Blake Nelson’s best modern western performances, although the story hasn’t been explored before.

1

Red River (1948)

Directed by Howard Hanks

Red River is fondly remembered as one of the first Hollywood Westerns to achieve immense success around the world, and the film has aged surprisingly well. Its dynamic story about a tyrannical worker and his dysfunctional family is still engaging today, the visuals remain captivating, and John Wayne’s lead performance is as charismatic as he ever was. The only thing that holds Red River back are the countless others Westerns that followed, improving on that same concept with bigger budgets and a richer narrative.