Best Golden Era (up to mid 60s) Westerns?

[EmergencyIan]

My all-time favorite western and for my money, the best western of the Golden Era: 1959's Rio Bravo with John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, and Angie Dickinson.

That's I great one! I really enjoy it, as well. I've seen it a handful of times. I admit that I, even, really enjoy when Martin, Nelson and Brennan sing a couple of songs.

- Ian

 

[AmateisGal]

That's I great one! I really enjoy it, as well. I've seen it a handful of times. I admit that I, even, really enjoy when Martin, Nelson and Brennan sing a couple of songs.

- Ian

I love it when they're singing. And I love the interaction between Stumpy and John Wayne. I've actually lost count of how many times I've watched it - it's one of my favorite films ever.

 

[EmergencyIan]

I love it when they're singing. And I love the interaction between Stumpy and John Wayne. I've actually lost count of how many times I've watched it - it's one of my favorite films ever.

It's a keeper, that's for sure!

- Ian

 

[Redshoes51]

"...The Searchers (1956); The Man who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)..."

DNO posted my two most favorite westerns... the one thing that they have in common is that John Wayne's character in each movie seems to have a bit of a dark element about them...

~shoes~

 

[DNO]

"...The Searchers (1956); The Man who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)..."

DNO posted my two most favorite westerns... the one thing that they have in common is that John Wayne's character in each movie seems to have a bit of a dark element about them...

~shoes~

Wayne's character in The Searchers is a dark and angry man...really nothing endearing about the character at all. But it was a very compelling character. John Wayne's finest role.

 

[Redshoes51]

I've read that the inspiration for the story told in "The Searchers" involved Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving... the same two men that were the inspiration for "Lonesome Dove"... digging into information about those two fellows makes for some interesting readings...

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-goodnight-lovingtrail.html

Link for Loving/Goodnight...

~shoes~

 

[Stearmen]

My all-time favorite western and for my money, the best western of the Golden Era: 1959's Rio Bravo with John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, and Angie Dickinson.

Unfortunately, Hawks recycled the same script and and made El Dorado in 1966, and 1970 Rio Lobo.

 

[AmateisGal]

Unfortunately, Hawks recycled the same script and and made El Dorado in 1966, and 1970 Rio Lobo.

Oh, I know...and why would he do that? Bizarre. I've only watched El Dorado once and it doesn't have near the magic that Rio Bravo does.

 

[EmergencyIan]

^ Though, it's still pretty good.

That is also the same movie in which John Wayne's character has the bullet "stuck" in his back, which causes him to have problems with his arm, right?

- Ian

 

[Moviehats]

^ Though, it's still pretty good.

That is also the same movie in which John Wayne's character has the bullet "stuck" in his back, which causes him to have problems with his arm, right?

- Ian

Yes it is. The only thing I like about that movie is James Caan's hat. Actually the photo I use on here was taken in front of one of the buildings used in the movie.

 

[Big J]

I love the scene in TG,TB&TU of the Confederate soldiers singing in the POW camp. I guess that it's not so historically accurate, but it conveys well the great level of the sadness of the Civil War to me.

 

[Blackthorn]

My two personal favorites within that time frame are, hands down:

Hondo

Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

 

[Blackthorn]

I love it when they're singing. And I love the interaction between Stumpy and John Wayne. I've actually lost count of how many times I've watched it - it's one of my favorite films ever.

One of mine, too.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I've read that the inspiration for the story told in "The Searchers" involved Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving... the same two men that were the inspiration for "Lonesome Dove"...

I don't think Loving/Goodnight were part of the Searchers story, at lest not directly. The novel on which the film is based is sort of a composite of various child abductions, which were common on the Texas frontier during that time. A lot of folks think the film most closely resembles the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, who was abducted during the Fort Parker Massacre near present-day Mexia, Texas in 1836. Parker lived for 20-something years with the Comanche. She married and had several children, including the famous Quanah Parker, the last free Comanche chief.

She was "rescued" years later by the Texas Rangers, led by future Texas governor Sul Ross. Ross brought her back to Texas against her will, and she was celebrated as a returning hero. Of course, she never understood that, wanted to go back and tried several times to escape back to the Comanche and her children. She never did re-adapt to the white ways and finally stopped eating and died.

 

[Blackthorn]

I've read also Hawk

 

[MikeKardec]

My two personal favorites within that time frame are, hands down:

Hondo

Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

I always liked the "anti western" aspects of The Oxbow Incident.

Thanks for mentioning Hondo, that one runs in the family. A couple of interesting notes about it: It was an early 3D film and the don't seem to have had water trucks so there was lots and lots of dust. A great effect (though I believe accidental) but it seriously messed with both the dual and single 3D camera set ups. The Director, Australian John Farrow (Mia's father) nearly lost his mind. You had to have a solid steel pair to shoot 3D in those days, you had NO idea what you'd gotten for 3 days and I think they had to fly up to the US to view the footage. 3D requires a lot of fussy adjustments that even today, when you can see it immediately, are a bit of a brain teaser for directors.

 

[Kirk H.]

Hondo

 

[Blackthorn]

I always liked the "anti western" aspects of The Oxbow Incident.

Thanks for mentioning Hondo, that one runs in the family. A couple of interesting notes about it: It was an early 3D film and the don't seem to have had water trucks so there was lots and lots of dust. A great effect (though I believe accidental) but it seriously messed with both the dual and single 3D camera set ups. The Director, Australian John Farrow (Mia's father) nearly lost his mind. You had to have a solid steel pair to shoot 3D in those days, you had NO idea what you'd gotten for 3 days and I think they had to fly up to the US to view the footage. 3D requires a lot of fussy adjustments that even today, when you can see it immediately, are a bit of a brain teaser for directors.

Interesting, I hadn't thought of all that.

 

[Blackthorn]

I've read also Hawk

Meant to say "I've read that also," I hate posting on my iPad. Too many typos.