Western Movies

Not all that recent, but I think Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood / Morgan Freeman) is one of the greatest westerns ever. It’s not the shoot ‘em up, quick draw, stereotypical western, however, and it’s the underlying, inner struggle of the main character that makes it great for me.

There are lots of 90s forward westerns I like, however.

- Dances with Wolves
- Open Range
- Geronimo
- Tombstone
- Wyatt Earp
- The Magnificent Seven (re-make)

When I was a kid I watched a lot of westerns of TV. I liked Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and the Three Mesquiteers the best, even with the turnover in personnel in the 3 Mesquiteers. Gene's comic-relief sidekick was Smiley Burnette as Frog Millhouse and Roy's was Gabby Hayes as Gabby Whitaker. I think the sidekicks might have occasionally been interchangeable.

I can remember also seeing Tim McCoy, Bob Steele, Eddie Dean, and Wild Bill Elliott. I'm sure there were others I saw that I have forgotten. I loved watching those old westerns, made in the '30s and '40s and shown in TV in the '50s and '60s. The Bob Steele westerns were from the earlier '30s and had a lot of hiss in the soundtracks.

2018, "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs", an anthology of western stories by the Coen Brothers.

Trailer-

The Yellowstone spinoffs (1883 and 1923) were enjoyable, particularly the latter. 1883 danced a bit with woke imo but had some substance.

For the most part I agree with Rob, Unforgiven was the last true Western I enjoyed. I think it was Eastwood's finest work.