The Criterion Collection features hundreds of movies from around the globe, and it also includes a robust roster of amazing westerns. Started in the mid 1980s as a way to make foreign and obscure films more accessible, the Criterion Collection has blossomed into a bona fide brand over the years.
The Collection has never had a narrow focus, and has always included films from every genre, including horror, action, and even westerns. Though there are fewer westerns in the collection than other popular genres, the Criterion Collection has assembled a group of important movies that really define the various eras of cinema history.
Some of the Criterion westerns are obscure gems, while others are established classics that every movie fan should see at least once. As such, the westerns in the Collection aren’t created equal, and there is a clear difference between the great films and the curiosity pieces. There aren’t any clunkers in the Criterion Collection, but some are better than others.
10
Dead Man (1995)
At the height of the 1990s western revival, director Jim Jarmusch decided to put his stamp on the genre. Dead Man is a quintessential acid western that follows an accountant who prepares to face death after murdering someone. Shot in black and white, Jarmusch’s gem eschews the usual strictures of the American western.
With its trippy imagery and strong performances, Dead Man is undoubtedly the most unique western in the Criterion Collection. However, that is also a hindrance as the film is not as accessible as many of its genre contemporaries. Nevertheless, Dead Man is perfect for the western fan who has already seen all the classics and is looking for something new.
9
Buck And The Preacher (1972)
There is a long and storied history of Black westerns, but few are as legendary as Buck and the Preacher. Sidney Poitier plays a Civil War veteran who helps ex-enslaved people find a new life in the Old West while fighting off bounty hunters. Poitier works alongside Harry Belafonte, and the duo have some of the best chemistry in westerns.
As well as star, Sidney Poitier also directed Buck and the Preacher.
Though Buck and the Preacher is an American movie, it’s made with an elevated sense of style that’s reminiscent of spaghetti westerns. The movie does wonders for Black representation in the genre, and the acting is where it shines the brightest. However, compared to other films in the Criterion Collection, Buck and the Preacher just misses the mark of being an all-time great.
8
The Gunfighter (1950)
Dark and gritty, The Gunfighter was a western that crossed over with the film noir genre. The titular character is a man who just wants to leave his past behind, but is constantly pulled back into the world of violence by his bad reputation. Gregory Peck turns in a stellar performance, and the movie really deconstructs the themes of westerns.
The hard-nosed edge of The Gunfighter helps it stand out from other movies in the Criterion Collection, and it avoids the glitz of Hollywood’s Golden Age. That is both the best and worst part of the movie, and it is a compelling character portrait that is sometimes too dour to be widely popular.
7
Forty Guns (1957)
Director Sam Fuller worked mainly in genre pictures, and his westerns best showcased his talents as a storyteller. A wealthy baroness rules a small town, but finds her authority challenged by the arrival of a U.S. marshal. Hitting all the Fuller trademarks, Forty Guns is equal parts noir and western.
Barbara Stanwyck commands the screen every time, and the tension between Jessica and Griff is better than 1,000 action scenes. The psychology of Forty Guns is what makes it such a compelling watch, and it feels so modern despite being a period piece. It’s a true gem, but other films in the Criterion Collection better embody the western spirit.
6
One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
Marlon Brando only directed one movie in his career, and it was the criminally underrated western, One-Eyed Jacks. The film stars Brando as a bandit who seeks revenge against his partner who betrayed him years before. Though the plot is stock-standard, the hidden gem has a unique eye that elevates it to pure cinema.
Brando’s Rio is more than the usual swaggering anti-hero, and the movie adopts common western tropes while giving them a richer depth. It was something of a flop, and the Criterion Collection has helped drudge it out of obscurity. One-Eyed Jacks would be the crown jewel of any other collection, but it falls short of some of its Criterion contemporaries.
5
3:10 To Yuma (1957)
3:10 to Yuma isn’t just one of the best psychological westerns, it’s one of the best psychological movies in any genre. A farmer escorts a criminal to a distant train station, but is tempted by the path of evil. Glenn Ford and Dan Heflin put on an acting clinic, and the ’50s western is a lesson in effective tension.
Instead of the black-and-white morality of its contemporaries, 3:10 to Yuma dives deep into the dark heart of man. Using little action, the movie still manages to be more engaging than most other westerns, because it invests so much time in the characters. Though other westerns in the Criterion Collection are better in general, none match the film’s complex storytelling.
4
Destry Rides Again (1939)
Though the Golden Age of westerns had just begun by 1939, Destry Rides Again was able to effectively spoof the genre’s tropes. James Stewart plays the title character, a roguish young gunslinger who arrives in town to take down the criminals who are in charge. The movie’s silliness is matched by its genuine appreciation for the westerns that came before.
Destry Rides Again deserves its place in the Criterion Collection, largely because of how important it is in the development of westerns. Stewart and Marlene Dietrich are worth the price of admission alone, and it’s a perfect movie for savvy western fans who know the cliches. Unfortunately, there are better straight-up westerns in the Criterion Collection.
3
My Darling Clementine (1946)
There are tons of movies about Wyatt Earp in the western genre, but few can rival the underrated classic, My Darling Clementine. Henry Fonda plays Earp as he becomes the sheriff of Tombstone to exact his revenge against the Clanton family. For a movie made in the mid 1940s, My Darling Clementine is shockingly modern and imaginative.
What it lacks in exaggerated action, the film compensates with brilliantly-written characters and subtle grit that nods toward the inky black shadows of film noir. John Ford’s westerns are anything but obscure, but Criterion certainly helped rescue the 1946 gem from oblivion. It’s a nearly spotless movie, but some westerns in the Criterion Collection are actually perfect.
2
Red River (1948)
John Wayne was a seasoned veteran when he starred in Red River, but it was the first movie to stretch his range. A headstrong cattle rancher drives his herd to Missouri, but his ruthless temper puts him at odds with his closest allies. The Howard Hawks movie is the essential cowboy flick, because it is so ingrained in ranching.
Wayne plays a villainous character, something he almost never did. Red River embraces the sweeping spirit of the American West, while still keeping the meat of its story on a small scale. It’s a beautiful film to look at, and the Criterion Collection is all the better for including such a masterpiece.
1
Stagecoach (1939)
Stagecoach was the big turning point in the history of the western, and it ushered in the first modern era for the genre. John Ford’s beloved tale concerns a stagecoach full of disparate strangers who traverse the dangerous countryside of the Old West. Every character crackles with life, and Stagecoach has something for every type of movie fan.
What’s amazing about the landmark western is that it hasn’t aged a day, and it has a timelessness that isn’t found in many other films from that period. John Wayne’s Ringo Kid made him a household name, and established his iconic persona. Stagecoach is easily the best western in the Criterion Collection because it’s arguably the best western ever.
