Only 10 Western Movies Are Better Than Tombstone

In the entire history of the genre, these are only 10 westerns better than Tombstone. Released in 1993, the Kurt Russell vehicle fared well at the box office and received praise from critics. However, it quickly gained cult classic status and is now one of the most beloved westerns of all time.

Mixing Old West grit with a modern filmmaking style, Tombstone combines the best of what the genre has to offer. Besides Russell, the film also features a stellar cast of supporting players like Val Kilmer, Bill Paxton, and Sam Elliott. Though the movie was released long after the heyday of the western genre, Tombstone was one of a few films that kicked off a mini-revival in the 1990s.

Tombstone has ascended to stand beside other greats of the western genre, and it’s usually the film that helps introduce newcomers. It’s an easy watch all these years later, and only gets better with subsequent viewings. Though its lush production design and expensive execution help to elevate the experience, it’s still the characters and performances that truly shine.

Though it may ruffle a few feathers, Tombstone is not the greatest western of all time. It certainly deserves a spot in the conversation, but is surpassed by a few other classics that are just a bit better. Whether these films had a larger impact on the genre, or are simply just better movies, there are 10 western flicks that rank above Tombstone.

10

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)

Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

The western genre was having an identity crisis in the 1960s, and the fall of Old Hollywood gave way to a new era. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is the perfect illustration of that massive shift. It tells the true story of the real-life outlaws as they escape to South America to evade the law. The film pairs Paul Newman and Robert Redford in one of cinema’s greatest buddy duos.

With the playful and morose song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” underscoring the story, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid embraces the human side of its characters. It has a playful sense of humor and a unique approach to visual storytelling. While Tombstone is a throwback, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid pushes boundaries.

9

No Country For Old Men (2007)

The wounded Anton Chigurh looking through a broken windon in No Country for Old Men.

Though No Country for Old Men is technically a neo-western, it’s still better than Tombstone. A man discovers money left behind in a drug deal gone wrong, and must evade a cartel assassin who is sent to collect the cash. Based on Cormac McCarthy’s philosophical book, No Country for Old Men asks tough questions about the nature of evil.

It’s set in the modern day, but it has all the trappings of a classic western. The grizzled lawman and the stone-faced killer are just some of the film’s archetypes, and the Coen Brothers masterpiece has all the grit of classic psychological westerns. There are a ton of great neo-westerns out there, but few nail all the details quite like No Country for Old Men. Not to mention, it’s one of the few westerns to win Best Picture.

8

Shane (1953)

Alan Ladd leans against a post while listening in Shane

To the modern viewer, Shane may look like it’s riddled with tropes and clichés. That’s because the classic ’50s western established a lot of the tropes that would be repeated for decades. A lone rider ambles into a small town, and gets involved in a dispute between a big rancher and local farmers. Alan Ladd stars as the title character, one of the greatest in the genre’s history.

Though it doesn’t fully abandon the idealist view of Old West violence, Shane certainly takes a distinctly thoughtful approach. The peaceful characters are driven to abandon their principles because of unfettered evil, showing violence as a last resort option. By comparison, Tombstone‘s philosophy is somewhat surface-level, relying on the very same idealism that drove most Old Hollywood westerns.

7

Red River (1948)

Tess looks at Thomas in anger in Red River

John Wayne appears a few times on this list, and his 1948 collaboration with Howard Hawks is one of the few westerns that surpasses Tombstone. Red River sees Wayne play a bull-headed rancher who puts a tremendous strain on his relationships during a particularly tough cattle drive. In a lot of ways, Red River is the purest cowboy movie in cinema.

Wayne is electric as the villainous Thomas Dunson, and he gives a startling performance that’s nothing like his usual heroes. The film’s script crackles with life, and the interpersonal drama adds stakes to the danger of the drive. Despite pre-dating Tombstone by over 40 years, Red River has a richness and depth of story that the later film largely lacks.

6

High Noon (1952)

Gary Cooper looks forward with a determined expression in a scene from High Noon — Gary Cooper in High Noon

It might be hard to believe today, but High Noon caused quite the stir when it premiered in 1952. Gary Cooper plays a Marshall who spends one particularly distressing day trying to gather support after an outlaw has vowed to come and kill him. Playing out in mostly real time, the film has a ticking clock element that increases the tension with each passing moment.

High Noon‘s controversy comes down to the fact that some saw it as un-American. The film examines cowardice, and dissects the notion of a pure hero. While films like Tombstone feature unrealistically glorious heroes and unrepentant baddies, High Noon shows that there are grey areas. Ironically, High Noon‘s controversial elements are exactly why it’s such a classic western.

5

Unforgiven (1992)

Clint Eastwood holding a rifle in Unforgiven

Released only a year before Tombstone, Unforgiven is arguably the film that really kicked off the short-lived ’90s western boom. An aging gunslinger tries to collect one last bounty, and he must contend with his competitors and a sheriff trying to root out vigilantism in the West. Clint Eastwood’s masterful acting/directing job earned a well-deserved Best Picture Oscar.

Unforgiven is a swan song for Eastwood’s career as a western star, and for the genre itself. The film symbolizes the death of the Old West, and Eastwood’s Munny is a relic riding off into the sunset. It has plenty of grit and violence, but also features amazing cinematography and acting. While Tombstone is a fun popcorn flick, Unforgiven is pure western cinema at its finest.

4

Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)

Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West

The word epic is thrown around loosely this day and age, but Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West more than earns that lofty descriptor. Various characters converge around a particularly valuable plot of land, and a power struggle ensues. One of the masterpieces of the spaghetti western subgenre, Once Upon a Time in the West is an exaggerated interpretation of classic western tropes.

While its three-hour running time can be daunting, it’s one of the few films that actually deserves such an indulgent length. The characters are engaging and diverse, and Leone’s direction gives even the smallest detail a sense of grandeur and scale. Once Upon a Time in the West isn’t just a better western than Tombstone, it clearly serves as an inspiration for the later film.

3

Stagecoach (1939)

John Wayne as the Ringo Kid with a rifle in Stagecoach

John Ford and John Wayne made some of the best westerns of Hollywood’s Golden Age together, and Stagecoach launched that lifelong partnership. Everyone in the titular conveyance has their own reason for crossing dangerous territory in a hurry, and their harrowing ordeal reveals the best and worst of their characters. For a film released in 1939, Stagecoach is surprisingly thoughtful and complex.

The movie is really about status, and how our judgmental culture forces people to the margins of society. For all its rich drama, Stagecoach is also quite funny. As far as westerns go, no film is as well-rounded as the beloved classic. It’s unfair to compare Stagecoach to Tombstone, because the former represents a monumental moment in the history of westerns, something the latter could never match.

2

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)

Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name in The Good The Bad and the Ugly

Leone’s Dollars Trilogy is a masterpiece when taken as a whole, but The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the standalone film that exceeds Tombstone. A trio of outlaws must form a shaky partnership through various misadventures, including a quest to find a fortune in gold buried in the desert. Clint Eastwood is at his very best as the nameless gunslinging anti-hero.

While most American westerns at the time were floundering, Leone’s Italian gem is sure-footed and abundantly stylish. The camera is alive, and the editing enhances every moment. Just the score alone is enough to make the movie legendary, but it’s just one small part of what makes The Good, the Bad and the Ugly one of the greatest westerns ever made. Unfortunately, Tombstone feels inadequate by comparison.

1

The Searchers (1956)

Without a doubt, The Searchers is the pinnacle of the American western and every movie that followed ranks below the John Wayne film. After his family is slaughtered, a jaded Civil War veteran sets out on a years-long journey to find his niece who was kidnapped by the killers. In a rare change, John Wayne plays a dark anti-hero who is ostensibly the villain of the story.

With its lavish color photography, sweeping vistas, and equally engrossing story, The Searchers sees all the cinematic stars align. Tombstone is a classic, but The Searchers is not only a great western, but one of the best films made in any genre from any era. 100 years from now, audiences will still be amazed by the 1956 masterwork.