What do you consider the "Golden Age" of Westerns?

[CountryGent]

The latest edition of the periodical Guns of the Old West has an interesting article about westerns of the 1990s, dubbing said period as "the Second Golden Age of Hollywood Westerns". It covers such pictures as Tombstone, Unforgiven, Dances with Wolves, El Mariachi, etc. It also took a massive, and well deserved, dump on Wild, Wild West starring Will Smith.



So what is your favorite era of western films and why? Thanks for sharing.

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[DB is Here]

I do like the newer 1990's Westerns but 1965-1985 Clint Eastwood Westerns will always be my favorite:
High Plains Drifter
Outlaw Josey Wales
Pale Rider

 

[CountryGent]

I do like the newer 1990's Westerns but 1965-1985 Clint Eastwood Westerns will always be my favorite:
High Plains Drifter
Outlaw Josey Wales
Pale Rider

Same. I'd be hard pressed to pick only one actor or series as I really do like the western films, but I'd go with Eastwood as my favorite actor in the genre. The Spaghetti Westerns will always have a special place.

 

[HA556]

but 1965-1985 Clint Eastwood Westerns will always be my favorite:

Oh Heck Yeah! This, this and all this!!!

 

[Certaindeaf]

Books are still awesome too, Zane Grey, yada

 

[Mephistopheles]

Whatever age "Shane" came out in.

 

[DB is Here]

Whatever age "Shane" came out in.

1953

 

[clearconscience]

I was a 90s kid and grew up really into Silverado, Tombstone, unforgiven are some of my favorite, but as far as true westerns I think the old school John Wayne movies are the best over all

 

[ma96782]

IMHO.....
The various eras of Westerns (Made in the USA or in Italy)......have their ups and downs.

Then.....
There are the "Westerns" (Made in the East). Huh? Yup....LOL. Like these......






This last one could be a Western (w/some imagination, I guess).

But then.....
Everyone knows that Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai was remade into The Magnificent Seven. So.....it's all good.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Certaindeaf]

IMHO.....
The various eras of Westerns (Made in the USA or in Italy)......have their ups and downs.

Then.....
There are the "Westerns" (Made in the East). Huh? Yup....LOL. Like these......

View attachment 743223

View attachment 743224

View attachment 743225
This last one could be a Western (w/some imagination, I guess).

But then.....
Everyone knows that Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai was remade into The Magnificent Seven. So.....it's all good.

Aloha, Mark

Bone Tomahawk was a weird bender but I always liked Kurt Russell.

 

[CountryGent]

IMHO.....
The various eras of Westerns (Made in the USA or in Italy)......have their ups and downs.

Then.....
There are the "Westerns" (Made in the East). Huh? Yup....LOL. Like these......

View attachment 743223

View attachment 743224

Having just watched the official trailer for The Good, the Bad, and the Weird, I'm certain I need to add this to the watch list.

 

[TTSX]

Hey now, I actually liked wild wild West

 

[No_Regerts]

I didn't become interested in the genre until Young Guns. So, 1988 to now.

 

[Irving142]

The 50's and 60's were the best westerns with legends like John Wayne, James Stewart, Audy Murphy, Gary cooper, Henry Fonda, Lee Marvin, Lee Van Cleef, Clint Eastwood, Randolf Scott, Steve McQueen, Chuck Connors, Jack Elam, Walter Brennan, Glenn Ford, Robert Mitchem, Sam Elliott and a number of actors and actresses that made great contributions to the genre of westerns but never became as well known over time as the above. The 90's gave exciting modern versions with special effects and better photography. However, don't be a Huckleberry and appreciate a good western regardless of when produced.

 

[Mikej]

The 50's and 60's were the best westerns with legends like John Wayne, James Stewart, Audy Murphy, Gary cooper, Henry Fonda, Lee Marvin, Lee Van Cleef, Clint Eastwood, Randolf Scott, Steve McQueen, Chuck Connors, Jack Elam, Walter Brennan, Glenn Ford, Robert Mitchem, Sam Elliott and a number of actors and actresses that made great contributions to the genre of westerns but never became as well known over time as the above. The 90's gave exciting modern versions with special effects and better photography. However, don't be a Huckleberry and appreciate a good western regardless of when produced.

This ^^ is true. I have a hard time watching the really old westerns though. But all the guys you mentioned are the epitome of cowboys for sure. The "Good, Bad and Ugly", ha! Any body ever see Lee Van Cleef smile? "Jack Elam"! James Garner was a pretty good cowboy. John Wayne was the best of them all! And the best on a slightly different plain, Clint Eastwood.

To much special effects messes up the newer westerns for me. But then artificial backdrops are terrible in some of the older westerns.

 

[CountryGent]

To answer my own question, the 1960s — mid-1970s*, with two honorable mentions from other decades: Pale Rider (1985) and Tombstone (1993).

Such classics as:

• The Magnificent Seven (1960)
• Fist Full of Dollars (1964)
• For a Few Dollars More (1965)
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
• Hang'em High (1968)
• El Topo (1970)
• Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
• High Plains Drifter (1973)
• Blazing Saddles (1974)
• The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

And a bunch more I'm likely forgetting.

 

[SonicBlue03]

Resurrecting an old thread just so I can say how great Richard Boone was as Paladin.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I really like ;
John Ford's Westerns..
Howard Hawk's as well...
Clint Eastwood...both as actor and director...John Wayne..Lee Marvin...

So for me its the 1950's - 1970's

Westerns are best if they tell a classic tale of good vs. bad...or the clash of values / cultures...
And I am not speaking only of Cowboy vs. Indians here....
Shane is a excellent example of both good vs. bad...as well as a clash of values / cultures.

Rio Bravo...has some comedy in it...with a great mix of action , and excellent scripting and performances of the actors.
The Professionals really moves along with action and wit....
Valdez is Coming , along with Hombre tackle many social constructs and show that it may be best to judge a man by his whole being...and not by his appearance....

Jeremiah Johnson , with all of its historic and geographic faults , helped put muzzle loaders back into use form the 1970's onwards , and gave a new generation a better appreciation for Mountain Men.

A good western be it a movie or book....it time well spent as the old saying goes.
Andy

 

[MTpockets]

One that I would consider the best, started as a radio show before my time.
What a great team. Two characters from different cultures, often portrayed as enemies in Westerns, working together to right the wrong doings in the Wild West.

 

[Babalugats]

The Searchers, one of the greatest of all westerns. That opening scene, just flat out great.