these characters put the wild in Wild
West welcome to watchmojo.com and today
we’re counting down our picks for the
top ten western movie heroes before we
begin we publish new videos every day
so be sure to subscribe for more great
content for this list we’re looking at
the most memorable heroes and heroines
from the genre of Western cinema given
that we may be discussing some major
plot points in these films a spoiler
alert just might be in order number 10
Josey Wales The Outlaw Josey Wales
just get off the horse the phrase action
not words is a good way to describe the
first Western hero on our list Josey
Wales
this Missouri farmer turned Confederate
soldier loses his family to a group of
bloodthirsty outlaws a tragedy that
leaves him with emotional and physical
scars loss seems to follow wails however
as the guerrilla band with which he’s
riding also suffers huge casualties as
the result of a Union Army ambush you’re
gonna pull those pistols and Windex and
in the end only two things matter to
Josey Wales revenge and a fresh start
with this character risking it all in
pursuit of both during his long journey
don’t you like girls sure a classic
real-life Wild West icon Annie Oakley is
the Old West sharpshooter who served as
one of the earliest examples of a
capable female character in a
predominantly male Center Jarrah and as
such a fascinating and pioneering
character she’s being reinterpreted in
multiple times from television to stage
to screen this musical Technicolor
comedy from 1950 depicts any as a spunky
gal who can shoot yell and sing with the
best of them of course when an unlikely
love develops between oakley and her
professional rival Frank Butler that’s
when things get interesting anything you
can do I can do better I could do
anything better than you number eight
Shan Shan expect to find any fences
around here many Western heroes might be
burdened by a mysterious past but Allen
last portrayal of Shan from the
eponymously titled 1953 film just may be
one of the best early examples of this
cinematic archetype I’d like it to be my
idea Shan is unlike future Western
outlaws and that he’s hesitant to use
his formidable gun skills preferring
instead to solve problems with words or
if need be fists in Shane’s words gun is
as good or as bad as the man using it
although this hero has finally put to
the test
when he’s put against overwhelming odds
at the film’s climax leading to what is
truly an unforgettable ending for the
number 7 Ethan Edwards The Searchers
watch it it’s loaded dynamic duo of
actor John Wayne and director John Ford
brought out a number of outstanding
westerns over the years but it’s the
story of Ethan Edwards in for its 1956
masterpiece The Searchers
that stands as one of their highest
achievements this is thanks largely in
part to Edwards place as one of fort’s
most intriguing characters a Civil War
veteran who’s led into an obsessive
search for his kidnapped niece Donna
asked me
Edwards journey is one of self-discovery
and redemption as Ford crafts a
character who’s emotionally complex
layered and fractured and one that we
have absolutely no problem following
from the very moment Wayne appears on
screen
hope you die that’ll be the day number
six will Kane high noon
I’m sorry parson I don’t want to disturb
the services you already have just about
anyone can relate to the conflict faced
by town marshal will Kane in 1952 s I
knew feeling fear and helplessness
against possibly insurmountable odds
this is thanks to a released criminal by
the name of Frank Miller who’s
determined to have his revenge against
the officer who put him in prison this
is crazy I haven’t even got any gun go
on Harry Kane tries in vain to assemble
a posse from the townsfolk he’s sworn to
protect
but no one’s brave enough to stand by
his side it’s a remarkable commentary
about humanity’s weakness in the face of
danger and how only one man is as the
film’s poster exclaims too proud to run
go on home dear kids her number five
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid the Wild
West hero was undergoing a change in the
late 60s italy’s spaghetti western
renaissance was in full bloom while
films like The Wild Bunch were boldly
confronting audiences with deliberate
slow motion violence Butch and Sundance
are significantly more lighthearted in
tone but no less striking for the time
representing the rise of protagonists
who are clearly motivated by ends like
greed and fame based on real-life
Cowboys this portrait of the charismatic
outlaw was in tune with the
counterculture
of the time meanwhile Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid final escape attempt
serves to mirror that year as
captivation with tragic guns blazing
last hurrah
number four Chris Adams The Magnificent
Seven how many of you did they hire
enough the Magnificent Seven may be a
reimagining of director Akira Kurosawa’s
feudal epic Seven Samurai but it’s one
of the rare remakes that stands on its
own merit
with an enduring legacy all of its own
much of the film’s success is thanks to
its brilliant casting of the seven
particularly Yul Brynner as leader Chris
Adams the love for my work everything
Brenner is stoic and lawful with a clear
moral compass even if he realizes all
too well how the curtain is destined to
fall upon the Wild West and it’s
gunslingers case in point
Adams courageously driving the seven
against a local Raider who continually
lutes a small Mexican town he may wear a
black hat but Chris Adams remains a
classic Western hero number three
the motivation of vengeance is one
that’s driven a number of Western heroes
over the years but perhaps none has
represented this idea more poetically
than the tragic figure known as
harmonica he’ll bring a hose moving this
quiet and brooding character was
portrayed with heavy intensity by noted
tough-guy actor Charles Bronson and
director Sergio Leone’s epic Once Upon a
Time in the West as a deadly gunfighter
with a clear plan in mind to avenge his
brother’s death nice to see you yeah I
knew you’d come
her Monica’s mission is given further
weight by Ennio Morricone’s mournful
captivating theme for the character a
dark piece of music that perfectly
mirrors Bronson’s ice-cold glare and
number two rooster cogburn True Grit the
Wild West is often known for its
square-jawed classically handsome
characters true grits Reuben J Cogburn
aka rooster is a drastic almost humorous
contrast to that idea
loud inebriated and irascible Cogburn is
a Civil War veteran and US Marshal who
claimed 60 confirmed kills all in
self-defense of course I’m Burt Rob no
citizen taken a man’s watch rooster is
called to a more noble cause when he’s
enlisted to help a determined little
girl by the name of Mattie Ross to track
down the outlaw that murdered her father
the curmudgeon Cogburn gradually begins
to care about his mission and his
companion even going so far as to risk
everything to save Ross from a
potentially deadly snake bite do
something about this snake bite in a
hurry before we reveal our top Western
hero here are a few honorable mentions
you Tom I’m coming and hell’s coming
with me you comin with me if they move
kill them killing people is wrong
some people deserve to know number one
the man with no name the dollars trilogy
never stop whether you know miss blondie
mango or Joe there’s no arguing that
Clint Eastwood redefine the Western hero
with his groundbreaking work in Sergio
Leone’s dollars trilogy Eastwood
squinty-eyed morally ambiguous antihero
pushed the limits of cinematic violence
with Leone’s films a fistful of dollars
for a few dollars more and the good the
bad and the ugly reflected the complex
themes and tones that encompassed
Italy’s spaghetti western cinema alive
or dead secured this was in stark
contrast to the white hat and black hat
ideals of early American westerns and
thanks largely to their unnamed
protagonist they managed to shock excite
and enthrall audiences around the world
if three coffins ready do you agree with
our picks check out these other great
clips from WatchMojo and subscribe for new videos every day
West welcome to watchmojo.com and today
we’re counting down our picks for the
top ten western movie heroes before we
begin we publish new videos every day
so be sure to subscribe for more great
content for this list we’re looking at
the most memorable heroes and heroines
from the genre of Western cinema given
that we may be discussing some major
plot points in these films a spoiler
alert just might be in order number 10
Josey Wales The Outlaw Josey Wales
just get off the horse the phrase action
not words is a good way to describe the
first Western hero on our list Josey
Wales
this Missouri farmer turned Confederate
soldier loses his family to a group of
bloodthirsty outlaws a tragedy that
leaves him with emotional and physical
scars loss seems to follow wails however
as the guerrilla band with which he’s
riding also suffers huge casualties as
the result of a Union Army ambush you’re
gonna pull those pistols and Windex and
in the end only two things matter to
Josey Wales revenge and a fresh start
with this character risking it all in
pursuit of both during his long journey
don’t you like girls sure a classic
real-life Wild West icon Annie Oakley is
the Old West sharpshooter who served as
one of the earliest examples of a
capable female character in a
predominantly male Center Jarrah and as
such a fascinating and pioneering
character she’s being reinterpreted in
multiple times from television to stage
to screen this musical Technicolor
comedy from 1950 depicts any as a spunky
gal who can shoot yell and sing with the
best of them of course when an unlikely
love develops between oakley and her
professional rival Frank Butler that’s
when things get interesting anything you
can do I can do better I could do
anything better than you number eight
Shan Shan expect to find any fences
around here many Western heroes might be
burdened by a mysterious past but Allen
last portrayal of Shan from the
eponymously titled 1953 film just may be
one of the best early examples of this
cinematic archetype I’d like it to be my
idea Shan is unlike future Western
outlaws and that he’s hesitant to use
his formidable gun skills preferring
instead to solve problems with words or
if need be fists in Shane’s words gun is
as good or as bad as the man using it
although this hero has finally put to
the test
when he’s put against overwhelming odds
at the film’s climax leading to what is
truly an unforgettable ending for the
number 7 Ethan Edwards The Searchers
watch it it’s loaded dynamic duo of
actor John Wayne and director John Ford
brought out a number of outstanding
westerns over the years but it’s the
story of Ethan Edwards in for its 1956
masterpiece The Searchers
that stands as one of their highest
achievements this is thanks largely in
part to Edwards place as one of fort’s
most intriguing characters a Civil War
veteran who’s led into an obsessive
search for his kidnapped niece Donna
asked me
Edwards journey is one of self-discovery
and redemption as Ford crafts a
character who’s emotionally complex
layered and fractured and one that we
have absolutely no problem following
from the very moment Wayne appears on
screen
hope you die that’ll be the day number
six will Kane high noon
I’m sorry parson I don’t want to disturb
the services you already have just about
anyone can relate to the conflict faced
by town marshal will Kane in 1952 s I
knew feeling fear and helplessness
against possibly insurmountable odds
this is thanks to a released criminal by
the name of Frank Miller who’s
determined to have his revenge against
the officer who put him in prison this
is crazy I haven’t even got any gun go
on Harry Kane tries in vain to assemble
a posse from the townsfolk he’s sworn to
protect
but no one’s brave enough to stand by
his side it’s a remarkable commentary
about humanity’s weakness in the face of
danger and how only one man is as the
film’s poster exclaims too proud to run
go on home dear kids her number five
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid the Wild
West hero was undergoing a change in the
late 60s italy’s spaghetti western
renaissance was in full bloom while
films like The Wild Bunch were boldly
confronting audiences with deliberate
slow motion violence Butch and Sundance
are significantly more lighthearted in
tone but no less striking for the time
representing the rise of protagonists
who are clearly motivated by ends like
greed and fame based on real-life
Cowboys this portrait of the charismatic
outlaw was in tune with the
counterculture
of the time meanwhile Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid final escape attempt
serves to mirror that year as
captivation with tragic guns blazing
last hurrah
number four Chris Adams The Magnificent
Seven how many of you did they hire
enough the Magnificent Seven may be a
reimagining of director Akira Kurosawa’s
feudal epic Seven Samurai but it’s one
of the rare remakes that stands on its
own merit
with an enduring legacy all of its own
much of the film’s success is thanks to
its brilliant casting of the seven
particularly Yul Brynner as leader Chris
Adams the love for my work everything
Brenner is stoic and lawful with a clear
moral compass even if he realizes all
too well how the curtain is destined to
fall upon the Wild West and it’s
gunslingers case in point
Adams courageously driving the seven
against a local Raider who continually
lutes a small Mexican town he may wear a
black hat but Chris Adams remains a
classic Western hero number three
the motivation of vengeance is one
that’s driven a number of Western heroes
over the years but perhaps none has
represented this idea more poetically
than the tragic figure known as
harmonica he’ll bring a hose moving this
quiet and brooding character was
portrayed with heavy intensity by noted
tough-guy actor Charles Bronson and
director Sergio Leone’s epic Once Upon a
Time in the West as a deadly gunfighter
with a clear plan in mind to avenge his
brother’s death nice to see you yeah I
knew you’d come
her Monica’s mission is given further
weight by Ennio Morricone’s mournful
captivating theme for the character a
dark piece of music that perfectly
mirrors Bronson’s ice-cold glare and
number two rooster cogburn True Grit the
Wild West is often known for its
square-jawed classically handsome
characters true grits Reuben J Cogburn
aka rooster is a drastic almost humorous
contrast to that idea
loud inebriated and irascible Cogburn is
a Civil War veteran and US Marshal who
claimed 60 confirmed kills all in
self-defense of course I’m Burt Rob no
citizen taken a man’s watch rooster is
called to a more noble cause when he’s
enlisted to help a determined little
girl by the name of Mattie Ross to track
down the outlaw that murdered her father
the curmudgeon Cogburn gradually begins
to care about his mission and his
companion even going so far as to risk
everything to save Ross from a
potentially deadly snake bite do
something about this snake bite in a
hurry before we reveal our top Western
hero here are a few honorable mentions
you Tom I’m coming and hell’s coming
with me you comin with me if they move
kill them killing people is wrong
some people deserve to know number one
the man with no name the dollars trilogy
never stop whether you know miss blondie
mango or Joe there’s no arguing that
Clint Eastwood redefine the Western hero
with his groundbreaking work in Sergio
Leone’s dollars trilogy Eastwood
squinty-eyed morally ambiguous antihero
pushed the limits of cinematic violence
with Leone’s films a fistful of dollars
for a few dollars more and the good the
bad and the ugly reflected the complex
themes and tones that encompassed
Italy’s spaghetti western cinema alive
or dead secured this was in stark
contrast to the white hat and black hat
ideals of early American westerns and
thanks largely to their unnamed
protagonist they managed to shock excite
and enthrall audiences around the world
if three coffins ready do you agree with
our picks check out these other great
clips from WatchMojo and subscribe for new videos every day
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