10 Western Masterpieces That Just Keep Getting Better

Who doesn't love a good shoot-'em-up cowboy tale or a meditative exploration of the lonely Old West outlaw? The Western is a purely American genre that has reached far beyond its initial setting, offering powerful dramas about the human condition and the clash between justice and vengeance.

With hundreds of titles to choose from, this list spotlights ten horse operas that have only improved with time — a mix of underrated classics and films already regarded as masterpieces. Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider (1985) finds him as a mysterious drifter known as "The Preacher," stepping into a fight between homesteaders and a greedy mining baron and reminding viewers of his unmistakable screen style.

John Wayne's The Cowboys (1972) leans into a passing-the-torch theme as Wil Andersen mentors young riders on a brutal cattle drive, one of Wayne's finest later performances.

United States, Old West

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