Best Epic Westerns
1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Sergio Leone‘s sprawling epic follows three gunslingers competing to find a fortune in buried Confederate gold.
Why it’s great:
- Iconic performances from Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach
- Ennio Morricone’s legendary score
- Leone’s masterful direction and cinematography
2. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Leone’s follow-up to his “Dollars Trilogy” is a sweeping tale of revenge and railroad expansion.
Why it’s great:
- Henry Fonda cast against type as the villainous Frank
- Claudia Cardinale’s strong performance as Jill McBain
- Epic scope blending personal stories with the broader history of the West
3. The Magnificent Seven (1960)
This remake of Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” follows seven gunfighters hired to protect a Mexican village from bandits.
Why it’s great:
- Stellar ensemble cast including Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen
- Elmer Bernstein’s iconic score
- Influential on subsequent Western and action films
4. How the West Was Won (1962)
This epic follows four generations of a family as they move westward from the 1830s to the 1880s.
Why it’s great:
- Massive all-star cast including James Stewart, John Wayne, and Gregory Peck
- Innovative use of the Cinerama widescreen process
- Comprehensive depiction of 19th-century Western expansion
5. Dances with Wolves (1990)
Kevin Costner‘s directorial debut follows a Union Army lieutenant who befriends a Native American tribe.
Why it’s great:
- Sweeping cinematography of the American frontier
- Thoughtful portrayal of Lakota culture
- Epic scope covering the decline of the Old West.