"I never killed a man who didn't need killin"

[Mayerling]

Of course. Bad blood between old Yankees and Rebs led to much of the drama of the old west-Another reason why I find it interesting that Hardin didn't want to mess with wild bill since he was considered a Yankee. They showed a lot of mutual respect and I think they just didn't want to tangle with each other.

There's a lot of great westerns, but my essential list:

Shane
The Searchers
Rio Bravo
Tombstone
The Magnificent Seven
Butch Cassidy and the Sun Dance Kid
High Noon
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Unforgiven
High Plains Drifter
The Outlaw Josey Wales

From what I read Hardin and fellow gunslinger Ben Thompson were both in Abilene when Hickok was marshal there, and he apparently (politely) faced both down. They spent a quiet evening together (Hardin and Thompson) each suggesting if the other wished to fight Hickok. Both didn't and thus lived far longer lives as a result.

I did like "Butch Cassidy" and "Josey Wales". How about Clint's homage to "Hangin' Judge Parker" (Pat Hingle, in a nice performance by the way), "Hang "Em High!". Good one there. For that matter "The Westerner" with Cooper and Brennan (the latter as "Judge" Roy Bean - Brennan's last "Oscar" role). Or (as "The Shootist" was mentioned) how about Gregory Peck's "The Gunfighter".

Actually more westerns that I liked then I thought. Since I mentioned Cooper, his comic western "Along Came Jones" is worth a look, as is "Destry Rides Again with Jimmy Stewart and Marlene Dietrich.

Two weird ones from the 1950s that are women centered: "Rancho Notorious" (again with Marlene) and "Johnny Guitar" with Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge (and Sterling Hayden as Johnny Guitar).

Jeff

[Cogidubnus]

Josey Wales was great...but... I'll be your Huckleberry!

[DVV]

Great list, Abby.
You're the first to mention Josey Wales.
Faint air of seventies...

[Abby Normal]

Hi Abby,

Yes, total badass as you say.

But the civil war must have something to do here.

Of course. Bad blood between old Yankees and Rebs led to much of the drama of the old west-Another reason why I find it interesting that Hardin didn't want to mess with wild bill since he was considered a Yankee. They showed a lot of mutual respect and I think they just didn't want to tangle with each other.

There's a lot of great westerns, but my essential list:

Shane
The Searchers
Rio Bravo
Tombstone
The Magnificent Seven
Butch Cassidy and the Sun Dance Kid
High Noon
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Unforgiven
High Plains Drifter
The Outlaw Josey Wales

[DVV]

Yes-fascinating individual. total badass.

Hi Abby,

Yes, total badass as you say.

But the civil war must have something to do here.

[DVV]

Since it's become a western thread, let's add Tombstone. The classic one with Kirk, and the excellent remake.

Most people like Doc Holiday, but I'm definitely with Johnny Ringo.

[DVV]

I'm ashamed to say I never saw "The Unforgiven".

Jeff

That's great, Jeff.
You'll enjoy it.

[GUT]

The film was "Ride the Wide Country". I also forgot to include John Ford's "Stagecoach", "Fort Apache", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon", "The Searchers", "Two Rode Together", and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Also "Winchester 73".

And pretty much anything made by Ford, or anything staring the Duke. {the Shootist, The Cowboys and True Grit standing out}

[Mayerling]

The film was "Ride the Wide Country". I also forgot to include John Ford's "Stagecoach", "Fort Apache", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon", "The Searchers", "Two Rode Together", and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Also "Winchester 73".

[Mayerling]

I'm ashamed to say I never saw "The Unforgiven".

Favorite westerns (which are not my favorite genre in movies - comedies and film noir are): "High Noon", "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", "Once Upon a Time in the West", "There Was a Crooked Man", "A Big Hand for the Little Lady", "Shane", "Way Out West", "My Little Chickadee", the original "3:10 to Yuma", "Duel in the Sun", "Jessie James", "The Oxbow Incident" and a few others (one is that Sam Peckinpah film with Joel McCrae and Randolph Scott - I can't recall the name of it).

Jeff

[Abby Normal]

Unforgiven is a movie I can watch twenty times a month, and having read somewhere that the character of William Munny (Clint Eastwood) had been more or less inspired by one John Wesley Hardin, I'm currently reading his autobiography, as well as a biography (Leon Metz, "John Wesley Hardin, Dark angel of Texas", 1996).

And what a fascinating case.

Does anyone share my interest ?

Yes-fascinating individual. total badass. didn't want to **** with wild bill Hickock though.

[DVV]

All this chatter about great Westerns and still no mention of Blazing Saddles?

The French title of this one is: "Le Sheriff est en prison".

[DVV]

But I guess like most gunslingers he was a man of few words.

Yeah, and Munny just says : Yeaaaahh.

[Qlder]

All this chatter about great Westerns and still no mention of Blazing Saddles?

[kensei]

If I could change one thing about Unforgiven I would add one line. Just before Munny kills Little Bill, Bill says he doesn't deserve this and Munny says "Deserve's got nothing to do with it." Then Bill says "I'll see you in hell, William Munny" as his last words before having his head blown off. I've always thought Munny should have said "If you don't think you deserve this, what makes you think you're going to hell?" But I guess like most gunslingers he was a man of few words.