10 Best Western Movies of All Time, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

Tumbleweeds blowing across the screen. Two men stand to face off against each other. They take twenty paces apart, turn, draw, and shoot. The best gunslinger remains. Such is the scene set for many great Western films. No matter who it is, or how many times audiences have seen it, it’s always good.

Some of the greatest movies of all time are Westerns, perhaps not surprisingly. They're transporting, and carry plot and character development so well. Whether played by John Wayne or Humphrey Bogart, classic Western characters are truly iconic. According to critics on Rotten Tomatoes, these Western movies are the very best of the genre.

10 ‘The Searchers’ (1956)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

With the likes of John Wayne, Natalie Wood, and Vera Miles, there was no way to talk about the best Westerns of all time without including The Searchers from 1956. Like many John Wayne films, this one has stood the test of time and continues to prove itself as one of the greatest and most influential Westerns of all time.

RELATED: 10 Best Spaghetti Westerns of All Time, Ranked

Following a retired Civil War Vet (Wayne) looking for his abducted niece (Wood), this film is filled to the brim with excitement, drama, and intrigue. It has made numerous top one hundred lists, whether it is the best Western films or best classic films, 'The Searchers' is truly a wonderful film and highly deserving of the praise it has received through the years.

9 ‘My Darling Clementine’ (1946)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

Having been released in 1946, My Darling Clementine is the oldest film on this list. The age of the film, however, does not discount the greatness that it exudes. Another film that chronicles the lives of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and the rest of that crew, this film holds its own against all the rest.

RELATED: 10 Iconic Westerns That Feature Female Protagonists

Another film with a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes with just a slightly lower audience score than El Dorado, Clementine boasted the unparalleled talents of Henry Fonda, Victor Mature, and Linda Darnell, among others. It may be the oldest film on the list, but it is, without a doubt, one of the best!

8 ‘Unforgiven’ (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

In another dynamite Western, Unforgiven follows Will Munny (Clint Eastwood) as he enlists the help of his friend Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) to act as bounty hunters to track down an outlaw who unjustly assaulted a prostitute (Anna Thomson) for mocking his manhood.

On top of the already amazing cast of Eastwood and Freeman, the film also includes the incredible Gene Hackman, Richard Harris, and Saul Rubinek. The film was a phenomenal box office success and received over forty-five awards. When it comes to Westerns, it is truly one of the greatest of all time.

7 'True Grit' (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

While this is a bit of a departure from the 1969 version with John Wayne and Glen Campbell, this rendition is perhaps even better. With Jeff Bridges taking the lead, and support from Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Barry Pepper it is no wonder the film was widely acclaimed and nominated for numerous awards.

RELATED: 10 Most Iconic Western Movie Protagonists, from 'True Grit' to the 'Dollars Trilogy'

The film boasts incredible performances by all involved, but it was Hailee Steinfeld who truly stole the screen. She received numerous Best Supporting Actress nominations on the awards circuit, including from the Academy Awards. True Grit is genuinely one of the Coen brothers' best films to date.

6 'Hell or High Water' (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

This film has a marvelous way of making you root for and empathize with the bad guys. Hell or High Water follows brothers Toby and Tanner (Chris Pine and Bed Foster, respectively) as they commit a series of bank robberies in an attempt to save their family ranch. Their crimes garner the attention of renown Texas Ranger, Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges).

This film is one of Foster's greatest performances. He has truly become one of the most talented leading men, who thrives with a great script. He films, and it seems that as more time goes by, he becomes an ever greater actor, worthy of high praise and acclaim.

5 'Rio Bravo' (1959)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

As the local lawman (John Wayne) arrests the brother of powerful local for murder, he is forced to deal with the onslaught from his gang as he waits for the US Marshall to arrive to receive the murderer. Along with the help of Dude (Dean Martin) and Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson), many adventures take place, and many wild moments are shared.

RELATED: 10 Actors Best Known For Their Western Roles

'Rio Bravo' is one of the three films directed by Howard Hawks as part of this series. Hawks went on to direct El Dorado and Rio Lobo, partnering with Wayne on both projects. British film critic Robin Wood rated this as his top film of all time, and Pauline Kael called it "silly, but with zest". It truly encapsulates all that is great about a Western film.

4 'Stagecoach' (1939)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

Another great John Ford film, Stagecoach takes its rightful place here on the list. And again, another great performance by John Wayne. It is truly difficult to discuss the Western film genre without discussing both Ford and Wayne, as they both played pivotal roles in shaping and defining what a Western really should be.

Along with such great films as The Searchers and My Darling Clementine, it is clear to see how Ford was successful in this genre. He truly understood the importance of being raw and realistic in his film. What he brought to the genre of Western film is something that can never be lost, and something that will be forever cherished by all who watch his films.

3 'High Noon' (1952)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

This truly phenomenal film soared to the tops of hearts and minds in 1952, earning it seven Academy Award nominations and four wins. This classic Western drama was even selected, in 1989, to be included in the Library of Congress National Film Registry for being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.

RELATED: 10 Westerns With Scene-Stealing Side Characters

With magnificent performances from Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly, this film has ultimately paved the way for film and inspired dozens, if not more, with the unique method of story telling utilized throughout. The world of film has absolutely been enriched by the quality of every single aspect of this film.

2 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' (1948)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

The incredible Humphrey Bogart stars as a broke American drifter hired to construct oil rigs, then make their way into trying to strike it rich in the Sierra Madre mountains, prospecting for the riches of gold. Along with Bruce Bennett and Tim Holt, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is an absolute classic with a dynamite cast.

Roger Ebert once said that this film, despite being plotted around gold, is not about gold at all. Instead, he decidedly indicated that the film is about character. The film shows just how far down greed can take you, and it speaks to the influence and corruption it plays in the narrative of human nature.

1 ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly’ (1966)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

This iconic Italian epic spaghetti Western is revered for good reason. As the third and final installment of the Dollars Trilogy, the film follows three gunslingers, The Good (Clint Eastwood), The Bad (Lee Van Cleef), and The Ugly (Eli Wallach) as they search for a buried treasure.

While the film was not a critical success upon release, it was a box office success and ended up gaining momentum as a critical success later. It is also credited with having shot Eastwood’s career into full-blown stardom, as well as helping to re-popularize the spaghetti Western genre.

NEXT: 'Unforgiven' 30 Years On: 13 Things That Make It the Best Clint Eastwood Movie