Top 10 Cowboy Movies of All Time

The following is a list of my favorite “cowboy” movies of all time. Now, before we get into the list, let’s establish that this is “cowboy” movies, not “Western” movies. There are many Westerns that have nothing to do with cows or horses or ranching. For example, perhaps the best Western ever made, The Searchers, is not about cowboys. Sure, the characters ride horses and wear cowboy hats, but they never do more with a cow than find one dead that the Comanche shot. There are no gunfighter movies or cavalry movies. I’ve also purposely left of rodeo movies. Doesn’t seem quite right to feature ProRodeo for a WRCA blog. So, with that in mind, here’s my list for the best cowboy films ever made:

10. Tom Horn—This one barely makes the list. He was hired in a range war, but it teeters on being a gunfighter movie. I guess I just like it enough for other reasons for it to make the list.

9. The Sacketts

8. Will Penny

7. The Man From Snowy River—Sure, it’s in Australia, but all Jim Craig ever wanted to do was ranch. Plus, there’s some serious horsemanship on display even if their saddles don’t have horns.

6. Conagher—Filmed in the ranch country near my family’s place. Probably why it’s so high on the list.

5. All the Pretty Horses—Matt Damon is convincing as a West Texas cowboy.

4. Red River—This was the movie in which John Ford discovered John Wayne could really act. The first true cattle drive epic.

3. The Good Old Boys—Hewey Calloway embodies the turn-of-the-century cowboy like no other. He’s who every cowboy wishes he could be.

2. The Cowboys—John Wayne and a band of kids? Hard to top.

1. Lonesome Dove—An epic. Truly the best Western ever made. It captures the essence and allure of the West. Just can’t beat it.