15 Small Details Fans Noticed In Classic Westerns

T.J. Peters
January 12, 2023 31.5K views
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1.0K votes
248 voters
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Vote up the best small details from these classic Westerns.

Since the earliest days of the movie industry, Westerns have been some of the most beloved stories to grace the silver screen. These Old West flicks are often remembered for their tense shootouts, beautiful landscapes, and iconic heroes, but they also have a lot of great details that pass right by without notice like a tumbleweed in the desert. Thankfully, fans of the genre have taken a closer look, discovering easily missed details about these films' costumes, weapons, characters, and everything in between.

  • 1
    222 VOTES

    Doc Twirls His Pistols In Opposite Directions To Show His Sobriety In 'Tombstone'

    Doc Twirls His Pistols In Opposite Directions To Show His Sobriety In 'Tombstone'
    Photo: Buena Vista Pictures

    From Redditor u/AlpahTangoFoxtrt:

    In Tombstone (1993), when Doc Holiday is accused of being too drunk to shoot straight, he spins his pistols in opposite directions, showing he still has good motor control over his firearms.

    222 votes
  • 2
    117 VOTES

    The Man With No Name Repairs The Bullet Hole In His Hat In 'For a Few Dollars More'

    The Man With No Name Repairs The Bullet Hole In His Hat In 'For a Few Dollars More'
    Photo: United Artists

    From Redditor u/Oric_Black:

    In For a Few Dollars More (1965), The Man with No Name has his hat shot off his head when he and Mortimer are "sizing up" each other. In later scenes, you can see the bullet hole is stitched/sewn up.

    117 votes
  • 3
    125 VOTES

    Schultz Moves Broomhilda's Papers For Safe Keeping In 'Django Unchained'

    Schultz Moves Broomhilda's Papers For Safe Keeping In 'Django Unchained'
    Photo: The Weinstein Company

    From Redditor u/Meltingteeth:

    Throughout Django Unchained (2012), Dr. Schultz keeps all of his handbills, receipts, and other documents in his front pockets. Shortly before he decides to kill Candie and is shot in the chest, he tucks Broomhilda's papers into his back pocket.

    125 votes
  • 4
    99 VOTES

    Blondie Doesn't Sweat Like His Foes In 'The Good, The Bad and the Ugly'

    Blondie Doesn't Sweat Like His Foes In 'The Good, The Bad and the Ugly'
    Photo: United Artists

    From a former Redditor:

    In The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966), you can clearly see that Blondie is a lot less sweaty/nervous in the final showdown compared to Angel Eyes and Tuco. This is because he emptied Tuco's gun previously and therefore knows he has a higher chance of winning.

    99 votes
  • 5
    95 VOTES

    McElroy (Peter Fonda) Knows About A Shot To The Stomach In '3:10 to Yuma'

    McElroy (Peter Fonda) Knows About A Shot To The Stomach In '3:10 to Yuma'
    Photo: Lionsgate

    From Redditor u/penultimate_evil:

    In 3:10 to Yuma (2007), Doc Potter (Alan Tudyk) warns McElroy that removing the bullet from his stomach will “hurt like a son of a b*tch.” McElroy (Peter Fonda) responds, "Ain't the first time I've been shot." In real life, Peter Fonda accidentally shot himself in the stomach on his 11th birthday.

    95 votes
  • 6
    89 VOTES

    Virgil Properly Uses An Ejector Rod In 'Appaloosa'

    Virgil Properly Uses An Ejector Rod In 'Appaloosa'
    Photo: New Line Cinema

    From Redditor u/scotsmaninthepalais:

    In Appaloosa (2008), you can see Virgil (Ed Harris) reloading his revolver correctly by using the ejector rod to push spent cases out of the cylinder instead of just shaking them out.

    89 votes
  • 7
    69 VOTES

    Joe Gage Almost Reveals Himself Early On In 'The Hateful Eight'

    Joe Gage Almost Reveals Himself Early On In 'The Hateful Eight'
    Photo: The Weinstein Company

    From Redditor u/AConfederacyOfDunces:

    In The Hateful Eight (2015), when John Root throws his stew in Daisy’s face, you see Joe Gage/Grouch Douglas get up ready to fight in the back, briefly breaking his facade and giving himself away. Nobody notices, though.

    69 votes
  • 8
    72 VOTES

    'Rio Lobo' Gives A Nod To 'Hondo'

    'Rio Lobo' Gives A Nod To 'Hondo'
    Photo: National General Pictures

    From Redditor u/AspireAgain:

    In Rio Lobo (1970), John Wayne’s character stands next to a wanted poster for “Hondo Lane,” Wayne’s character in the movie Hondo (1953).

    72 votes
  • 9
    87 VOTES

    Biblical Symbolism Is Used In 'High Plains Drifter'

    Biblical Symbolism Is Used In 'High Plains Drifter'
    Photo: Universal Pictures

    From Redditor u/AMG-28-06-42-12:

    In High Plains Drifter (1973), The Stranger arrives on a pale-looking horse. According to the Bible passage of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the rider of the pale horse is Death, and Hell follows with him. In the movie, soon after arriving, The Stranger renames the town Hell.

    87 votes
  • 10
    73 VOTES

    Paden And Cobb Have A Mirrored Greeting And Farewell In 'Silverado'

    Paden And Cobb Have A Mirrored Greeting And Farewell In 'Silverado'
    Photo: Reddit / Columbia Pictures

    From Redditor u/CrispyShizzles:

    In Silverado (1985), Paden and Cobb’s first lines to each other are, “Hello, Cobb" and “Hello, Paden.” When they reunite after a few years, their last lines to each other are, “Goodbye, Cobb” and “Goodbye, Paden.”

    73 votes
  • 11
    90 VOTES

    Butch Jumps Out Of Way Because He Knows What's Coming In 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'

    Butch Jumps Out Of Way Because He Knows What's Coming In 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'
    Photo: 20th Century Fox

    From Redditor u/Romulus3799:

    In the opening scene of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), the poker player asks Sundance how good he is. As soon as he says this, Butch jumps out of the way, knowing Sundance will show off and start shooting.

    90 votes
  • 12
    99 VOTES

    The Attendant's Cash Register Foreshadows His Fate In 'No Country for Old Men'

    The Attendant's Cash Register Foreshadows His Fate In 'No Country for Old Men'
    Photo: Miramax

    From Redditor u/just_tryin_2_make_it:

    In No Country For Old Men (2008), the cash register has the number 21 on it. As Anton says, the coin he holds traveled 22 years for this moment. The station attendant's number (21) isn't quite up yet, and his life is spared.

    99 votes
  • 13
    55 VOTES

    Ethan's Wife's Gravestone Gives Background On Her Death In 'The Searchers'

    Ethan's Wife's Gravestone Gives Background On Her Death In 'The Searchers'
    Photo: Warner Bros.

    From Redditor u/BizarroCullen:

    A small but very important detail in The Searchers (1956): During the raid on the Edwards homestead, a tombstone appears reading “Mary Jane Edwards, Killed By The Comanches.” This would explain Ethan Edwards' deep hatred for the Comanches.

    55 votes
  • 14
    73 VOTES

    Robicheaux Wears Pins That Represent His Heritage In 'The Magnificent Seven'

    Robicheaux Wears Pins That Represent His Heritage In 'The Magnificent Seven'
    Photo: Columbia Pictures

    From Redditor u/ThatOtherFrenchGuy:

    In The Magnificent Seven (2016), Goodnight Robicheaux wears fleur-de-lis pins on his vest (a French symbol) because he is Cajun.

    73 votes
  • 15
    69 VOTES

    The Director Cameos On A Wanted Poster In 'Cowboys & Aliens'

    The Director Cameos On A Wanted Poster In 'Cowboys & Aliens'
    Photo: Universal Pictures

    From Redditor u/mycrayonbroke:

    In Cowboys & Aliens (2011), when they pull the wanted poster off of the wall for Daniel Craig's character, the director of the film (Jon Favreau) is seen in a poster underneath it for a quick moment.

    69 votes