The western is one of the most diverse and interesting genres of all. If you’re new to this subject and would like to catch up on a handful of classics, you’re getting your money’s worth now at Paramount+. Starting today, there are five visually stunning genre representatives available that you simply have to see. We will now show you which films these are.
“Two glorious villains“: Sergio Leone’s conclusion to the “Dollar” trilogy is not only a classic of the Western genre, but also considered an absolute masterpiece in film history. Clint Eastwood can be seen here again in the role of the silent gunslinger and tracks down a gold treasure that is said to be in a grave in a southern cemetery. He sets out with Tuco (Eli Wallach), while the bounty hunter Sentenza (Lee Van Cleef) follows them.
“Twelve in the afternoon“: What applies to “Two Glorious Scoundrels” also applies to “Twelve Noon” (in the original: “High Noon”). Fred Zinnemann’s black-and-white western is not only a classic, but also a masterpiece. Gary Cooper plays Marshal Will Kane, who waits for the bandit Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) to come to town with his henchmen to take revenge for the fact that Kane once put him behind the Swedish curtains.
“Rio Grande“: John Ford is one of the directors who would have a lasting impact on the western. Rio Grande, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, is one of the films that has had a huge impact on the genre. At the center of the action is Lt. Colonel Yorke (Wayne), who has to defend his fort against the Apaches. While Yorke also deals with family problems, the native tribe prepares for a major attack.
“El Dorado“: Howard Hawks was as important to the Western as John Ford. In “El Dorado,” Wayne takes on the role of the mercenary Thornton, while Robert Mitchum plays a drunken sheriff named Harrah. When Thornton learns that his old friend Harrah is the victim of atrocity, the two team up with a native and defend themselves against the unscrupulous Bart Jason (Edward Asner).
“Seven the glory“: John Sturges’ Western is a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s famous The Seven Samurai. Here a small Mexican village is attacked every year by a gang of robbers led by Calvera (Eli Walach) ambushed. But the villagers are unwilling to tolerate this any longer and hire a team of snipers to stand in the way of the overwhelming number of bandits. Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and Horst Buchholz star.