I'll start with Brad Pitt in the movie, The Assination of Jesse James by the Coward Bob Ford.
Greatest Westerns where the leading actor never got his due, nor, did the movie.
- Thread starter Hotshoe
- Start date
John Phillip Law in Death Rides a Horse. 2.5 hours of greatness.
Not the lead, but Eli Wallach should have gotten an award as Tuco.
Rod Steiger in A Fistful of Dynamite.
Rod Steiger in A Fistful of Dynamite.
I’ll put “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid” on the list. James Coburn and Kris Kristofferson.
John Phillip Law in Death Rides a Horse. 2.5 hours of greatness.
1st son named Wyatt, after Wyatt Earp. 2nd son named Garrett, after Pat Garrett. I'm not joking.
I know it's a John Ford movie but I don't think this one ever gets the recognition it deserves, not only that but the backup actor (Woody Strode) steals the movie.
One of my favorites...
about 2 miles up the road on the Bataan Memorial Hwy is a marker for where Pat Garrett was killed.
Thats a good choice. Let me also add that IMO Brad Pitt is seriously underrated as an actor.
John Wayne made basically the same movie twice (El Dorado and Rio Bravo) that should get credit for something- just not sure what.
“Cheyenne Autumn” is similarly overlooked. Richard Widmark.
Starting with (I guess) “Fort Apache” Ford tried hard to incorporate the Native perspective. “The Searchers” has it all, the greatest Western.
The Big Country is fantastic. Stars Gregory Peck, Charleston Heston and Chuck Connors. And yet it’s Burl Ives that steals the movie from everyone.
The Gunfighter with Gregory Peck is also highly underrated.
Both Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain. Serious. Especially Ledger.
For Jewish guy from Brooklyn, Wallach played basically the same Mexican bandit four times in "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," "The Magnificent Seven," "Ace High," and "Don't Turn the Other Cheek."
As for a movie, I'll go with "Silverado." It seldom drags and has a great ensemble cast: Kevin Kline, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, Jeff Goldblum, John Cleese, James Gannon, Linda Hunt, Jeff Fahey, and even a brief appearance by Sheb Wooley.
I'll thrown in any of the Sackett TV movies with two of the greatest mustaches in western history: Sam Elliot and Tom Selleck.
Last edited:
Val Kilmer in Tombstone - not even nominated for Oscar.
I watched a goodly bit of “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” on TCM yesterday and it’s a stupid movie. I mean, when Eastwood and Wallach go after LVC’s gang in the deserted town and a sniper up on the roof misses Wallach when he’s just slowly walking up the street, GMAFB. It’s entertaining, no doubt, but it’s a fake western, plenty of those out there. “Once Upon a Time in the West” is a real western, as good as it gets.
Clint did so with High Plains Drifter and Pale Rider too.....love both movies
Interesting trivia tidbit: both “A Fistful of Dollars” and “The Magnificent Seven” are rip offs of movies by Akira Kurosawa, “Yojimbo” and “Seven Samurai” respectively. Kurosawa made $$$$$ from this.
I'd also add, Dennis Quaid did an awesome version in Wyatt Earp. Kirk Douglas was great, but not nearly real enough in Gunfight at the OK Corral. I especially loved Kirk in Lonely are the Brave. One of my all time favorites.
A movie I love to hate. Bruce has some awesome comments regarding that role and having to kill John Wayne.
Last edited:
It was a little corny but I liked Kirk and James Coburn in draw.
Didn’t he say that after that role everyone said you killed John Wayne.
Here's a little trivia. Bobby Duval is the only actor from Lonesome Dove to actually win an award. He won a Golden Globe for best actor. Multiple nominations, but only Bobby won. He's also, one hell of a horseman. He owns a ranch in Tennessee, and has been a breeder of Tennessee Walkers for decades. He can actually ride a horse. I met Bobby decades ago when I first started shoeing horses.
Over the years, I've met dozens of actors from shoeing their horses for movies. My horses have been in The Patriot to Gettysburg movies. I will just say this. The actors in Westerns or horse movies are better folks. There's simply no Hollywood elitism about them. Bobby is a special kind of human being. We're also born on January 5th. Been celebrating our birthday with messages for 25 years. He's a hell of a man.
Over the years, I've met dozens of actors from shoeing their horses for movies. My horses have been in The Patriot to Gettysburg movies. I will just say this. The actors in Westerns or horse movies are better folks. There's simply no Hollywood elitism about them. Bobby is a special kind of human being. We're also born on January 5th. Been celebrating our birthday with messages for 25 years. He's a hell of a man.
Here's another. One of my all time favorites. A River Runs Through It. Not a single award won by actors. Just phenomenal acting. Only an Oscar for best cinematography. "Oh, brother, I'll never leave Montana." "I am haunted by waters."
Great Quotes from "A River Runs Through It" - 2 Guys and A River https://share.google/AD42N1En3WGwLj479
Great Quotes from "A River Runs Through It" - 2 Guys and A River https://share.google/AD42N1En3WGwLj479