Western movies were one of Hollywood's safest box office bets for much of the twentieth century, and continue to be a home for great films today. The genre gave acting legends like Clint Eastwood and John Wayne some of their most iconic roles and has a reputation for delivering excellent stories on low budgets. As with any type of film, there are some Western movies that hold a significant place in the genre's history, as well as that of Hollywood itself.

From the earliest classics to transformational masterpieces, Westerns often show that more can be done with less. These movies typically allow the majesty of the American landscape, the thrills of gunfighter stand-offs and long, epic journeys to tell complex and compelling stories. The West is often cited as one of the most adventurous and intriguing eras in modern human history, with some fascinating characters spinning out of the hardships of the setting. These people have influenced or been the basis for some truly legendary pieces of cinematic storytelling.

10 Unforgiven Is The Definitive Western Deconstruction

Unforgiven begins with a violent assault on a prostitute in the town of Big Whiskey, where the local sheriff, Little Bill, agrees to an unjust settlement with the cowboy who attacked her. When the women of the brothel feel robbed of justice, they put out a bounty on the woman's attacker, causing a slew of bounty hunters to make their way to the town. However, insistent on maintaining a peaceful sense of law and order, Little Bill uses violence to deter these gunfighters. This leads to a clash between Bill and the retired gunslinger William Munny.

Unforgiven was a key film in the Western genre's history for its turn to a notably darker, deconstruction approach to the Old West. The film explores the moral ambiguity of the era, with no character standing out as a genuine hero, rather complicated men driven by understandable motivations. This fixation on the brutal realism of the 19th century has since become standard practice for modern Westerns, such as Hostiles. While Clint Eastwood had directed several films prior, it also stands out as the movie that showed just how talented he was behind a camera.

9 Stagecoach Helped Build The Classical Western

Stagecoach tells the story of a group of characters who board a horse-drawn coach to travel from Arizona to New Mexico. Before departing, the group is informed that the Apache are near and to be prepared for possible violence from them. Among the group are; A Marshal and his prisoner, the Ringo Kid; Dallas, a prostitute run out of town; an alcoholic doctor; a whiskey salesman; and a Southern woman traveling to join her husband, a cavalry officer. Along the way, the group get to know one another, and are forced to assist each other as various challenges spring up, not least of which is Apache aggression.

Even beyond the Western genre, Stagecoach is one of the most significant and influential films of its time thanks to its focus on its characters. Each of the film's cast members contributes something special to the story, which doubles as both an epic tale of survival and an examination of how the West could bring out the best in some people. Despite its age, the film continues to be recognized for its contributions to cinema, and its basic premise of a cast of characters united by the perils of their journey has grown into a popular idea for cinema.

8 Tombstone Started A New Chapter For Westerns

Tombstone tells the story of the Earp brothers, focusing on Wyatt, as they become the lawmen of Tombstone, Arizona. There, they befriend Doc Holliday and butt heads with the violent Cochise County Cowboys, who act like they have the run of the place. As tensions between them escalate, audiences experience the lead up to the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. When the Cowboys strike back against the Earps, a vengeful Wyatt forms a posse to bring down the gang once and for all.

Tombstone marks the turning point in the Western genre as it transitioned away from period drama and into a more action-heavy type of film, known for shootouts and frontier justice. While the genre had always contained these elements, older films often felt more like character studies or examinations of life in the Old West. By contrast, Tombstone was a box office-friendly action flick, with an endlessly-quotable script that pushed the genre in a new direction. Since the 1990s, most Westerns can be broken down as those influenced by Tombstone versus those influenced by Unforgiven.

7 Once Upon A Time In The West Is A Masterclass In Tension

Once Upon A Time In the West tells the story of two men, Cheyenne and Harmonica, who protect a widowed landowner from an assassin, Frank, who is on his way to kill her. Driven by vengeance and friendship, the men prepare for their stand-off with the killer, who is working for a railroad tycoon who means to steal the widow's land for his enterprise. When Frank makes a play for his own gains, the story becomes a tense stand-off between the villain and the widow's protectors.

In many ways, Once Upon A Time In the West is the definitive Spaghetti Western, and masters the slow tension of the Old West. The movie shows how many of its characters are out for themselves, and the changing allegiances as well as the perils of the West. The film has made a visible impact on subsequent filmmakers, with the likes of Quentin Tarantino drawing direct inspiration from the movie.

6 The Searchers Was One Of The First True Western Epics

The Searchers follows Ethan Edwards, a Confederate veteran of the Civil War, who sets out to find his two nieces when his brother's home is attacked by Native Americans. With a small posse of honest folk at his side, Edwards rides out into the Western frontier, tracking the Comanche. What begins as a months-long hunt turns into a years-long epic as the protagonist and the few people remaining with him find his way to the camp, where his last niece is being held.

The Searchers, despite some scenes that make for uncomfortable viewing, is an exploration of prejudice as much as it's a tale of family devotion and justice. Edwards is written as a good man, though is very much guided by his hatred towards the Comanche, so much so that he almost does the unthinkable. By no means was the film the first Western epic, but its scale was almost unmatched by the films that came before, not to mention John Wayne getting his famous "that'll be the day" line from this film.

5 High Noon Disrupted The Romantic View Of Westerns