In the last 20 years there have been very few Westerns that were worth paying the insane price of movie tickets. There have been a few gems like Tombstone and 3:10 to Yuma but most of the great Westerns are decades old. Fortunately there are many great westerns that can be seen on Netflix Instant.
The Searchers
There’s no better way to start a list of great Western films than with John Wayne. In The Searchers Wayne plays the part of a Civil War soldier returning home to his family but when he arrives home he finds that his family has been raided by Comanche Indians. Wayne then sets out to find his kidnapped niece.
Stagecoach
Stagecoach also has John Wayne, this time playing the part of the famous Ring Kid. Ringo Kid and several other people are passengers on the same stagecoach. The trip becomes more complicated when it is discovered that Geronimo is terrorizing people in the area.
Broken Arrow
In Broken Arrow an ex-soldier gains the trust of the Apache tribe after he saves the life of one of their members. The soldier takes this opportunity to try and make peace between the Apaches and the settlers that live in town.
The Professionals
Richard Brooks received Oscar nominations in both writing and directing categories for this western about a rich Texan that hires four men to save his kidnapped wife.
3:10 to Yuma
The recent Christian Bale and Russell Crowe hit was actually a remake of a Glenn Ford movie that was released in 1957. The plot of the original is similar to the remake. The leader of a group of outlaws is captured in a small town and a nearby rancher decides to escort the outlaw to the train that will take him to court despite being pursued by the outlaw’s men.
Hombre
Hombre stars Paul Newman as a man that was raised by Apaches. One day John “Hombre” Russel is on a stagecoach with seven other passengers when they are robbed by bandits. Hombre then leads the passengers to an escape.
The Train Robbers
Mrs. Lowe is a widowed woman but before the death of her husband he had stolen gold. Mrs. Lowe hires a gunhand named Lane (John Wayne) to retrieve the gold so that she can start a fresh life.
The Hallelujah Trail
A wagon full of whiskey is headed to Denver for a group of miners. Along the way the Temperance League, the US cavalry and the miners all try and take control of the wagon train.
The Bounty Hunter
A violent train robbery occurs in a town called Pinkerton. A year passes without the detective finding the three killers. The detective agency then decides to hire a bounty hunter to track down the killers.
Mackenna’s Gold
It is believed that Marshal McKenna has seen a map that leads to a lot of gold. A gangster by the name of Colorado kidnaps McKenna and insists on being lead to the gold. Along the way Colorado and McKenna find that a group of citizens, the cavalry and the Indians all become roadblocks on their journey to find gold.
