The MoFo Top 100 Westerns: Countdown

Unforgiven was my 3rd place
And it rounds off my top 10 as well
Not very often a list of mine gets all top 10 into the actual countdown



Amazing movie.
I think when I was younger, I hated Westerns, like most kids. They were "Dad" movies.

Then at about 9-10 years old, Young Guns showed me they could be kinda cool...


... then about the same time Unforgiven showed me they can actually be really decent movies.
Kinda made me a fan of Eastwood as well tbh. Before Unforgiven I think I'd only ever seen Any Which Way But Loose (gimme a break, I was still a kid).
Oh, and abviously if YG and TWBB didn't exist, it would have been my #1. Great movie.


01. Young Guns (1988) --- 61st
02. There Will Be Blood (2007) --- 14th
03. Unforgiven (1992) --- 3rd
04. The Hateful Eight (2015) --- 11th
05. Dances With Wolves (1990) --- 7th
06. The Cowboys (1972) --- 50th
07. Django Unchained (2012) --- 12th
08. True Grit (2010) --- 22nd
09. True Grit (1969) --- 38th
10. The Quick And The Dead (1995) --- 42nd
11. The Sons Of Katie Elder (1965) --- 100th
12.
13. Wyatt Earp (1994) --- 110th (Holden posted a list of 101-110)
14.
15. The Magnificent Seven (1960) --- 24th
16. The Searchers (1956) --- 5th
17.
18. Westworld (1973) --- 69th
19. Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid (1973) --- 67th
20. 3:10 To Yuma (1957) --- 48th
21. Tombstone (1993) --- 28th
22.
23. The Big Country (1958) --- 27th
24.
25.

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And quiz show on TV right now called Tipping Point has Westerns as a category

Well done picking a great top 3 mofo!

Unforgiven was my number 1 by the way! One of my favorite films of all time.

Addition, the question was:


One Eyed Jacks was directed by who?



A. Laurence Olivier

B. Marlon Brando

C. Paul Newman


Contestant pure-guessed it right.

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid

(repeated) "Who ARE those guys?"

This is the second film I had actually remembered seeing in my very early life at the Drive-In at around 3 years old. (The first was Romeo & Juliet). I remember being utterly heartbroken at the now famous ending. Sitting in the very back of the family station wagon, paralyzed with shock and remorse at the two outlaws I had found so lovable as we pulled away with the credits rolling.
That sadness remained on the countless viewings since then. Even today, knowing the movie back and front, I still feel that pang of sadness as Butch pauses before they step out. "You didn't see Le Fors out there, did ya?" "No." "Good. For a second there, I thought we were in trouble."

With a large part of the film actually correct and what remains to be just good entertaining film making, we get a look at one of the final legendary outlaw men of the West; Butch Cassidy aka Robert LeRoy Parker and his partner, The Sundance Kid aka Harry Longabaugh.
An absolutely fun romp brim filled with the charismatic performances of Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The rapport between the two shines in the little nuances, side looks, and the sarcastic quips between the two that continues throughout to the final scene.

Directed by George Roy Hill who adds splashes of grittiness and employs, in the opening as well as a montage in the middle, a sepia-toned imagery creating a bridge to the turn of the century of 1900 when the actual gang etched their names into the West's History.

Along with the very beautiful Katherine Ross as Etta Place, there is also some great cameos in this film that include Kenneth Mars as the unsuccessful Sheriff attempting to raise a posse in Wixom after the first train robbery, a rather spicy Cloris Leachman playing prostitute Agnes who curls up with Butch during their hiding out from Le Fors and his daunting posse. Strother Martin playing the "colorful", tobacco spitting payroll officer in Bolivia, and, yes, the towering, bass voiced Logan who threatens to take over Butch's gang IS Ted Cassidy who many of us old-timers remember as Lurch from the TV Show The Addams Family.

A beloved, very well known movie that is always a delightful watch and, quite obviously, a huge favorite of mine.


Did NOT expect to see The Unforgiven SO HIGH - very cool!! But then, it DID win the Best Picture Hall of Fame 2... Had it at #21



Unforgiven

In 1992, Unforgiven beat out The Crying Game, A Few Good Men, Howard's End, and Scent of a Woman. The only one I haven't seen is Howard's End, which I've always been curious to see. Against these and their excellent runs, I'm sure Unforgiven was a worthy surprise. So, I would definitely say it was a decidedly good win for Eastwood that year.

Common Knowledge Spoiler: Eastwood made his bones on several iconic spaghetti westerns back in the sixties, before taking the helm as director, into the seventies.
Bringing all of that and continuing onward with this film that has a secondary plateau of viewing pleasure: Witnessing the later years of the persona he portrayed some thirty-plus years previously. Done in pure iconic Eastwood gritty western style we've come to appreciate and, for me, f@ckin love.
The grit is represented, as in the past, with stellar talent. Two of which, Gene Hackman and Richard Harris have starred in some favorite Westerns of mine. For Hackman, Wyatt Earp and The Quick and the Dead and for Harris, A Man Called Horse which I NEED to watch just for placement in my Westerns List. Can't remember anything about the second one, Return of-- or whether I saw it or not.
Nevermind that they're some of my favorite actors, period.
And, well, Morgan Freeman is. . . f@ckin MORGAN F@CKIN FREEMAN!! Ya know?
Backing them up, as also in the past, bringing their "A-game" with them. Starting with Jaimz Woolvett (The 'Schofield Kid'); the blustering youth needing to prove something. Those moments when the fear and uncertainty slip out make for an endearing character. Not extraordinary, but an excellent season to this pot of western stew. Steeming with the "grays" of multiple layers of Western Rights & Wrongs.
Anna Winger also delivers, as she had when I first saw her in The Crow, as Delilah, the cut-up prostitute, prompting the other "girls" to put a price on the one responsible, and his buddy, since The Law not doing nuthin bout them but a fine and a "Ya all take care now,".
As does the buddy, (Rob Campbell) bringing one, of so many, Western morality quagmires that permeates this excellent Revenge/Was Done With The Life Only To Be Dragged Back In, style film. He's a decent guy doing his sincere best to abide by The Fine, bringing one of his best horses to Deliah. Adding to the multi-layered afore-mentioned quagmires when his fate in the canyon occurs.

This is part of the echelon of Eastwood Westerns without a doubt and with (for me) serious rewatchability -- which I have.



Movies Watched 69 out of 96 (71.88%)

John Wayne Films: Five
Clint Eastwood Films: Two

MY LIST
1. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (#4)
2. Open Range (#36)
3. The Wild Bunch (#9)
4. Dances With Wolves (#7)
5. Will Make it
6. Ride The High Country (#63)
7. The Proposition (#46)
8. High Noon (#6)
9. 3 Bad Men (Tumbleweed Fodder)
10. The Cowboys (#50)
11. The Grey Fox (#66)
12. The Great Silence (#34)
13. The Gunfighter (#40)
14. 3:10 To Yuma '07 (#29)
15. Oxbow Incident (#19)
16. Rio Bravo (#10)
17. True Grit '10 (#22)
18. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (#8)
19. The Quick & The Dead (#42)
20. High Plains Drifter (#31)
21. The Unforgiven (#3
22. The Big Country (#27)
23. Stagecoach (#23)
24. Red River (#56)
25. Dirty Little Billy (#108)

Rectification List (for my own old decrepit noodle)
1. Warlock (#94)
2. Naked Spur (#86)
3. The Great Train Robbery (#60)
4. Winchester '73 (#53)
5. 3:10 To Yuma ['57] (#48)
6. Jeremiah Johnson (#37)

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From my write up in: The Best Picture Hall of Fame II


Unforgiven (1992)

Solid western from one of the legends of western movies...Clint Eastwood. Eastwood's laconic performance fits the character Bill Munny to a tee. Munny is, as we would image him to be...a coiled viper, who's been reformed by the love of a good woman...and without her guiding hand he's a man who could once again do great violence.

The real star here is Eastwood the director. As a director, Eastwood employs the same no-frills, well honed and laconic style of film making that made him famous as an actor. The actor is the director and the film is highly focused with nary a misstep.

The film takes the myth of the old west, a myth that Eastwood himself helped to make, and deconstructs that myth and shows it to be mostly the stuff of idle talk, that turned into legend. And the misfire of a gun is used to demonstrate that in a gunfight it's not about a quick draw but about a cool head and plenty of luck. And nothing is more unlucky than a misfire in a gunfight!

Unforgiven

Will Munny: It’s a hell of a thing, killing a man. You take away everything he’s got...and everything he’s ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: yeah, well I guess they had it comin’.
Munny: we all have it coming’, kid.**

Never has a sentence managed to catch the essence of a film so deeply.**
Unforgiven is a tale of a former gunman, William Munny, played amazingly by Eastwood, who has retired and cleaned up in his old age. He’s convinced to take one last job by the son of one of his old partners, before picking up another former partner,also played magnificently by Morgan Freeman.*
Munny’s struggle with his past, both internally and externally, makes him wonder if he has indeed reformed, and wonders if his last sins will catch up to him.*
Waiting for him is the town sheriff, Little Bill Dagget, played with icy contempt in yet another brilliant performance by Gene Hackman, in a role that netted him his second Oscar. In many ways, Munny and Little Bill are much alike, except Munny is aware of his actions. Little Bill believes the ends justify the means.**
In the end, they meet in a climax that amazes me with its simplicity.**
Munny is all too aware of his shortcomings, and eventually comes to accept who he is, and his nature. There is a great exchange between the two of them that highlights their differences in how they see each themselves.
Dagget: I don’t deserve this. I was building a house.**
Munny: Deserves got nothing to do with it.*
Dagget: I’ll see you in hell.
Munny: Yeah......

Munny has accepted who he is, who he was, and who he will always be. Little Bill continues to deny any wrong doing. Even at the end of the film.**

A true classic. *Seeing it for the likely 20th time, it never ages for me. Even after having first watched this back during a typical day after HS over 20 years ago on a VHS tape. My, how time flies. And much like the film was for Eastwood, nostalgia sets in.

If I used your criteria for Westerns, my #1 would be Michele Carey in El Dorado.

And here would be my #1 Western hottie

Attachments

 

25, surely, if it was honeykid's #2?

Bad Girls was legitimately my sixth favourite movie for a while when I was 12. I'm not sure I can remember what the top 5 were at the time. Probably Jurassic Park, Beauty and the Beast, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, The Nightmare Before Christmas and... Star Trek IV??. I hadn't even watched Star Wars at that point.

I haven't rewatched it since because I know it wouldn't hold up, but I still have a soft spot for it for how I felt about it at the time.

I was half tempted to name Bad Girls in my list, but I thought I would be laughed at. Watched it as a kid, and found all girls pretty, but Drew was another level of gorgeousness in it. The movie was poor though.


Speaking of average Westerns that won't show up on the list, I think I named MacKenna's Gold in my list. I enjoyed it as a child. Didn't see in the list, unsurprisingly.

Hottest Western Star:



The rest of you are just wrong.

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Ew.

hell, I'll play along

I was going to agree with @Loner with Michelle Carey, but then I was reminded by you, ed, of my childhood love, she who still haunts me, the beautiful Katharine Ross! double *sigh*!

I love Unforgiven but I didn't put in my list! What! Eastwood fan like me? I knew it would be near the top so I just put in my other Eastwood movies that I felt deserved (I know, deserve's got nothing to do with it.) love. As great as Unforgiven is, The Outlaw Josey Wales will always be my favorite Clint Eastwood of any genre. Still, proud to see Clint make such a great showing on the list.

My list so far:
Hombre Me: 13 The list proper: 88
The Naked Spur Me: 25 The list proper: 86
Ride the High Country Me: 10 The list proper: 63
Winchester '73 Me: 20 The list proper: 53
El Dorado Me: 2 The list proper: 47
The Professionals Me: 23 The list proper: 45
Shane Me: 12 The list proper: 43
True Grit Me: 4 The list proper: 38
Open Range Me: 19 The list proper: 36
Tombstone Me: 15 The list proper: 28
The Big Country Me: 9 The list proper: 27
The Magnificent Seven Me: 5 The list proper: 24
For a Few Dollars More Me: 6 The list proper: 18
A Fistful of Dollars Me: 7 The list proper: 16
The Outlaw Josey Wales Me: 1 The list proper: 13
Rio Bravo Me: 17 The list proper: 10
The Wild Bunch Me: 3 The list proper: 9
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Me: 16 The list proper: 8
The Searchers Me: 18 The List proper: 5
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Me: 11 The list proper: 4

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"Miss Jean Louise, Mr. Arthur Radley."

Your list should include whatever movies you want on it, regardless of what other people might think.

I included Zorro: The Gay Blade on my list, and I'm sure most people who've seen it would laugh at it being there, but I don't care. It's not a great movie, but it makes me laugh every time I watch it, and that meant that it deserves its place on my list.

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If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.

I think Unforgiven was the only Clint Eastwood movie that I considered for my list, but in the end, it just didn't make it.

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