Bama Red Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Didn't want to hijack Paladin's Monte Walsh thread, but some of the answers from folks gave rise to this question: If you had someone who had never seen a Western movie, wasn't a reader and generally didn't know squat about the cowboy life, what movie would you have them watch? For me, it would be the Tom Selleck version of Monte Walsh, because, after all, it is "a love poem, written to a way of life." Also, Selleck is known for his adherence to period authenticity in his Westerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Lonesome Dove Monte Walsh Broken Trail Open Range Dances with Wolves The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence All show the type of strong character and sound moral convictions it took to survive, help others, and overcome all manner of challenges and make positive, worthwhile contributions to life in a difficult and generally very turbulent time period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 For stark realism... The Ox-Bow Incident and Mcabe and Mrs Miller come to mind.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 A single film? Related to cowboying and not Indian Wars? The first to come to mind is "Monty Walsh." Then: "The Cowboys" "Will Penny" "Lonesome Dove" "Red River" (to some extent, related to poverty and hardship) There are others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawnee McGrutt Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 That is a hard choice, but I would say it is a toss up between "The Cowboys" or "Monty Walsh". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 I would have to say it depends on why I was showing them the western. To show them a classic of the western genre, from a film appreciation perspective, either "High Noon" or "Shane." To show something of cowboy life, "The Cowboys." The universality of the western as a story medium, "The Magnificent Seven." For the archetypal western hero, "The Outlaw Josey Wales." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Howdy, Yep, Outlaw Jose Wales. if they didn't like that, the heck with em. Best CR REMEMBER he said one movie. AND its the first western they ever saw. SO if they don't like the FIRST movie THEN they might not be around for others. So listing 17 favorites is MOOT........ if I read it right, pards....... THEREFORE I change my vote to Cheyenne Social Club. Who wouldn't enjoy THAT movie???? CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Pepper Kid, SASS #60463 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Open Range Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 The Sacketts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anvil Al #59168 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Lonesome Dove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 The Ballad Of Cable Hogue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Plasters, SASS#60943 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 The Culpepper Cattle Company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Hombre Sin Nombre Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Tombstone. Even people who hate westerns love that movie. All star cast, dozens of great lines, lots of different guns and gun play. You can't go wrong recommending that movie. My personal favorite, though, would be the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. That movie is the Gofather of westerns. A true epic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Louis L'Amour's 'How The West Was Won'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Howdy Outlaw Joesy wales, the good the bad and the ugly and Open Range marathon. With plenty beer snacks and cap guns for ever one. Best CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Open Range Red River Lonesome Dove and Monte Walsh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 For an epic "Western" I would choose CENTENNIAL . For the european influence, it covers the issue from start to finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Crowe Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Louis L'Amour's 'How The West Was Won'. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Culpepper Cattle Company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 +1 on How the West was Won. It covers trapper years of around 1840 through the 1890s. #2 choice would be The Big Trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Bama, I think all the above are worthy of consideration, but no one has mentioned "Cowboy" with Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon. The line I remember from that movie is, "You're not tough, you're just miserable." And I think that pretty well sums up the real cowboy's life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado big Al Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Crossfire Trail... integrity, honor, friendship and love... And finally, fighting for the right reason!!! Respectfully, Colorado Big Al (CBA 3195) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Sounds like your hypothetical friend is in for a long night at the cinema...... Remembering that Westerns reflect different attitudes depending upon the time frame within which they were created, I'm with Doc Ward. For me, Westerns are the ultimate frontier morality plays. Western heroes are primarily single men who stood stubbornly and bravely against the odds, for a good reason. Give 'em a dose of Shane and High Noon...if they don't have the idea by then, you might as well watch Blazing Saddles. LL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 +1 on How the West was Won. It covers trapper years of around 1840 through the 1890s. #2 choice would be The Big Trail. The Big Trail would be my #2 as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I've actually done this exercise to some degree with my oldest daughter, who is in her late 40s, in the last couple of years. She knew nothing of Westerns (I myself only got into Westerns heavily after joining SASS in 2004). She didn't like The Searchers or Liberty Valance (I don't particularly like them either, for several reasons). She strongly liked Hombre (which meets the 'morality play' aspect of Westerns very well). She became a big fan of Randolph Scott, particularly Seven Men From Now and The Tall T, and Ride the High Country. She and I need to pick it up again with some of the suggestions here. Lonesome Dove I know she'd like! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Hard to pick just one! Crossfire Trail Open Range Monte Walsh (Tom Selleck version...I have both!) Dances With Wolves The Cowboys Tombstone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Redd Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Culpepper Cattle Company The Wild Bunch Ride the High Country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 The original topic called for a favorite western movie, that well-depicts for someone who, "......wasn't a reader and generally didn't know squat about the cowboy life, what movie would you have them watch?" So, the mundane, boring life of a typical cowboy wouldn't sell many ticket. Outlaw movies, Indian fighting, cavalry charges, exploration, Socialist reinvention of history, civil war, treasure hunting, survival movies, etc., have all done well set in a western "cowboy" venue. Very few have portrayed "the cowboy life." "Tombstone," "Broken Trail," "The Searchers," etc. just don't provide the target information. Maybe we are on to something here. Another good vehicle for someone who cares about authenticity. Tom Selleck as an aging rancher who runs into some trouble? Another screenplay to write, I guess What I am enjoying is listening y'all's favorite westerns. I never get tired of reading that. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Hondo.......you do what you think is best. Love that line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Yeah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Crossfire Trail... integrity, honor, friendship and love... And finally, fighting for the right reason!!! Respectfully, Colorado Big Al (CBA 3195) That's a good one for sure! Sellecks Monte Walsh is also a good choice. As Doc Ward pointed out, it would depend on several variables, what I wanted them to see, who they are and what they'd enjoy, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Bird 61147 Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Unforgiven. Nuff said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Presidio Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 For an epic "Western" I would choose CENTENNIAL . For the european influence, it covers the issue from start to finish. Yep, That'd be my 1st choice. 2nd would be "How the West was won". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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