John Ford, 1956
As recommended by: SueS, Frederic Wright, WritersFrock, Rourke954, PaddyBI and others
John Wayne stars as a civil war veteran on a mission to rescue his niece from a Native American tribe. Frequently named one of the best films ever made and voted greatest American western of all time in 2008 by the American Film Institute, its omission from Philip French's list provoked particular protest. Rourke954 sees “the diversity and complexity of its characters” as a reflection on the history of the American psyche Photograph: AP
Clint Eastwood, 1976
As recommended by: jno50, ID1359582, chephren and others
Preserved since 1996 in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry, this revisionist western stars Clint Eastwood as Josey Wales, a Missouri farmer who joins a Confederate guerrilla unit and ends up on the run from the pro-Unionist who killed his wife and son. For jno50, its theme of “healing a people divided” deserves to earn it a place in the top 10 Photograph: Cinetext/Allstar
Sergio Leone, 1966
As recommended by: captaingorgeous, Eloy Maybank, Yowser, andybbn and others
This spaghetti western stars Eli Wallach, Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef as three men racing to find buried gold in a cemetery. Eloy Maybank and Yowser both argued its position as one of the top 10 films of any genre, never mind western, with Ennio Morricone's musical score earning well-deserved praise Photograph: Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar
George Stevens, 1953
As recommended by: josephganthony, panamabob2, Rourke953, bonzo15 and others
Based on Jack Schaefer's 1949 novel of the same name, Shane stars Alan Ladd, Van Heflin and Jean Arthur, in her final role. Loyal Griggs's cinematography scooped an Oscar, while readers also praised the characterisation, actors' performances and, in josephganthony's words, “one of the most subtle love connections” between Ladd and Arthur Photograph: Cinetext/Allstar
Don Siegel, 1976
As recommended by tuxedocat, blodeuwedd7, oldramon and others
John Wayne took his final bow in this tale of a dying gunfighter, looking to retain human dignity and avoid pain in his last days. tuxedocat considers it the highlight of Wayne's career, and Lauren Bacall's performance was praised by blodeuwedd Photograph: Ronald Grant Archive
Nicholas Ray, 1954
As recommended by davidcosta, homard, Tom Weber, evanstim and others
Joan Crawford takes centre stage as a saloon owner wrongly accused of murder and bank robbery after helping a wounded gang member. Tom Weber described it as an “underappreciated classic”, but commenters righted that particular wrong. As davidcosta said: “Perfect in every sense” Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Features
John Sturges, 1960
As recommended by Alchemist, Jan86 and others
In this western remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, Steven McQueen, Yul Brynner and Eli Wallach star as three of seven gunmen charged with protecting a Mexican village from local bandits. Alchemist complimented its visualisation of the battle of right versus might as well as Elmer Bernstein's score: “challenged, but never surpassed” Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Features
Sam Peckinpah, 1973
Recommended by fallentower, lightness2000 and others
James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan star in this western tale of Pat Garrett, hired as a lawman by New Mexico cattle barons to bring down his old friend, Billy the Kid. Both fallentower and lightness2000 thought Coburn's performance as the ageing Garrett earned it a place in the top 10 Photograph: Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar
John Ford, 1962
As recommended by MalachiConstant, Dowdy, WritersFrock and others
James Stewart and John Wayne star in this black-and-white western adapted from Dorothy M Johnson's short story of a senator who returns to tell the truth about the murder that made him famous. MalachiConstant saluted Lee Marvin's performance as the ultimate baddy, and Dowdy commented on its poignant depiction of the blurred line separating history and legend Photograph: Rex Features
Sam Peckinpah, 1969
Recommended by ID024361, jonniestewpot, GeoffreyIngram and others
Peckinpah strikes again in this epic about an ageing group of outlaws, trying to reconcile themselves with the disappearing traditions of the American west on the Texas-Mexico border. For ID024361, it's a film of groundbreaking and never-equalled quality; for jonniestewpot, the “hardest, craziest and greatest of all westerns” Photograph: Sportsphoto//Allstar
