Rank The Eastwood Westerns You Have Seen

[EwFan62]

What are everyone's favorite Eastwood Westerns ranked in order of preference? I guess my picks would go something like this:

Unforgiven
For A Few Dollars More
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Pale Rider
High Plains Drifter
Fistful Of Dollars
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Hang "Em High
Joe Kidd
Two Mules For Sister Sara

[Matt]

1.   The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
2.   Unforgiven
3.   For a Few Dollars More
4.   The Outlaw Josey Wales
5.   High Plains Drifter
6.   A Fistful of Dollars
7.   Pale Rider
8.   Hang 'em High
9.   Two Mules for Sister Sara
10. Joe Kidd


Note:  #'s 1 and 2 are real close.... sometimes they change places.  For a Few Dollars More was my favorite for a looooong time but GBU kept growing on me with every viewing, whereas FAFDM always remained about the same... (which is still damn good.)  

[EwFan62]

"For A Few Dollars More" was long my favorite Western and even though it remains my favorite SW, once I saw "Unforgiven" and then grabbed Warners terrific 10th Anniversary 2-disc DVD, well the top spot had a new occupant. I pretty much love everything about "Unforgiven", from the story to the characters to the direction, score, cinematography and acting. I find it to be an emotional film on several levels and lets face it, the movie is violent, William Munny is a violent man but you have this type of story unfold before you and then it end's with the gorgeous "Claudia's Theme" over the closing credits. It makes for an almost surreal beauty to the whole affair.

As for "FAFDM", I love the interplay between Eastwood and Van Cleef and how that also plays off against Volante's "maniacal" character. The score is magnificent also. "TGTBATU" pretty much speaks for itself IMHO, though I really think that film is Wallach's show.  Both "Pale Rider" and "High Plains Drifter" appeal to me because I like the "gothic" or "supernatural" element that each has and "FOD" started it all basically.

[Hemlock]

My list keep changing also but it looks like this today:
For A Few dollars More
Unforgiven
GBU
Outlaw Josey Wales
Pale Rider
High Plains Drifter
A Fistful Of Dollars
Two Mules For Sister Sara
Hang`em High
Joe Kidd

[Christopher]

I've got 2 number 1's, since I'm not sure which is my favorite between the two:
1. Unforgiven
1. The Outlaw Josey Wales
3. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
4. High Plains Drifter
5. For a Few Dollars More
6. A Fistful of Dollars
7. Two Mules for Sister Sara
8. Pale Rider
9. Hang 'em High
10. Joe Kidd

[Holden Pike]

1. Unforgiven, A++
2. The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, A
3. A Fistful of Dollars, A-
4. For a Few Dollars More, A-
5. High Plains Drifter, A-
6. Pale Rider, B+
7. The Outlaw Josey Wales, B+
8. Two Mules for Sister Sara, B-
9. Joe Kidd, C+
10. Hang 'em High, C

[Daisy Abigael]

I am astonished, Holden, at your placing of PR and OJW at equal pegging!  I would have thought on any analysis OJW outstrips PR - in originality, scope, performance, themes, believability, having Sondra Locke in it...    To each their own.

Here's mine:

1.  The Outlaw Josey Wales
2.  Unforgiven
3.  The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
4.  For a Few Dollars More
5.  A Fistful of Dollars
6.  High Plains Drifter
7.  Hang 'em High
8.  Two Mules for Sister Sara
9.  Pale Rider




10. Joe Kidd

[AKA23]

Holden, thanks for your list. I find it very interesting too that you would place Pale Rider above The Outlaw Josey Wales , although you did give both films a B+. Rating The Outlaw Josey Wales as the seventh film out of ten is somewhat curious, but I like that everyone has different opinions. Some would place that film at the very top when it comes to ranking Eastwood's westerns, so what was it about the film that led you to rate it comparatively low on your list, and more interestingly, what is it about Pale Rider that you find more valuable, or enjoyable? I like Pale Rider too, and wouldn't place it as low as Daisy, but I wouldn't place it higher than The Outlaw of Josey Wales either. Can you give us a little review of the two, or give us a little thought as to why you would rate Pale Rider higher. Thanks Holden

[Brendan]

Of the ones I've seen they rank:

1. Unforgiven
2. The Outlaw Josey Wales
3. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
4. A Fistful of Dollars
5. High Plains Drifter
6. For A Few Dollars More
7. Pale Rider
8. Hang 'Em High

[AKA23]

Nightwing, you've actually seen most of them, but you still need to see Two Mules for Sister Sara and Joe Kidd . Certainly I think both are worth viewing, and Sara actually has it's fair share of laughs and amusing scenes, so I think you'd probably find it quite enjoyable.

[Daisy Abigael]

Sara actually has it's fair share of laughs and amusing scenes, so I think you'd probably find it quite enjoyable.

And some good action sequences - especially the terrific battle at the end, sheer mayhem!  Any movie starring Clint and directed by Don Seigel has got to be worth catching.

It is just not as satisfying as it should be - can't quite pin it down.  It is certainly better than the dull Joe Kidd and the by-the-numbers derivative Pale Rider.

[Ravenwind]

Its hard to rank them as most of them are equally great.
1.Pale rider
2.Outlaw Josey Wales
3.Good,bad and ugly
4.Unforgiven
5.High plains drifter
6.Hang 'em high
7.For a few dollars more
8.Fistful of dollars
9.Two mules for sister Sara

I think Clint's westerns are the best.They all have a real story and an issue,not just the usual shoot-fight-drink-chase scenario.

[Ravenwind]

I guess we disagree heavily on this Daisy.I see beauty in "Pale rider".To me its no worse than Unforgiven.After all,westerns arent really such a masterpiece to make.Lets face it.All that keeps them separated is different story and characters.

[misty71]

God I hope this ain't gonna be too controversial now...

1-The good the bad and the ugly
2-For a few dollars more
3-Outlay Josey wales
4-High plains drifter
5-Fistful of dollars
6-two mules for sister sara
7-Unforgiven
8-Hang em high
9-Joe kidd
10-Pale rider

Now some of em I havent watched in a while so maybe I should re-watch all of them to get an accurate opinion.
I watched unforgiven a week ago and again,I tried, I really did try to like it as much as everyone else seems too but I just can't. I mean I like it but it's not in my top ten eastwood movies , I just can't see the masterpiece that everyone else seems to see. Sorry  

[Daisy Abigael]

westerns arent really such a masterpiece to make.Lets face it.All that keeps them separated is different story and characters.

  Aaaaargh!

Sacrilege!  

I think some of the finest and purest moments of cinematic art come in westerns:  Red River, Rio Bravo, My Darling Clementine, The Searchers...

They are like Grand Opera - the generic conventions are standard but artists of genius can ring the changes to classic effect.

I put OJW and Unforgiven in this catagory.

I'm afraid that, as a mystic rehash of Shane, Pale Rider just doesn't do it for me...

[philo]

A mixture of Shane and his own High plains drifter was the way Warner bros stated it in 1985 .

Misty71 You may not know it but you are not alone a few of us including myself feel exactly the way you do about Unforgiven . I watched the new DVD recently and came away with how beautiful it was to look at , this and my favourite moments were all I was left with , I had not seen the film for nearly 10years . So don't feel too bad , we have all come to respect each others likes and dislikes .
As for my list ....

The outlaw Josey Wales
High plains drifter
Fistful of dollars
For a few dollars more
The Good , the bad and the ugly
Pale rider
Hang em' high
Two mules for Sister Sara
Unforgiven
Joe Kidd


Philo .

[AKA23]

Yes, Misty, you're not alone, and it's perfectly okay not to like some of Clint's films, even if the ones that you happen to not be too fond of are some of the ones that many consider his best. That's cool. Not everybody loves Unforgiven . I don't happen to be with you on this point, but that's okay. For me, Unforgiven isn't the most enjoyable of Clint's films, but artistically, it's one of his best, but that's just my opinion.

Philo, that's pretty low on your list of favorites...below Two Mules man? Geez. That's cool though man. I think Josey is really good too!

[philo]

Hi AKA ,

Honestly , I wasn't trying to get anybody going , I was judging them as I always do . That is on how often I visit them . I find that an honest way to find my favourites .


Philo .

[AKA23]

That's probably the best way to do it. It's refreshing to see that you have such an honest list

[Ger Mc]

Would have to go with my 10 in this order;
1) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
2) Unforgiven
3) Fistful of Dollars
4) High plains drifter
5) Hang em High
6) For a few dollars more
7) 2 mules for sister sara
Pale Rider
9) The outlaw Josey Wales
10) Joe Kidd