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The western genre is what made Clint Eastwooda household name, but which of his first 10 westerns is best? Making his feature film debut all the way back in 1955, Eastwood is the definition of a living legend. Though his early years were marked by struggle, he found his footing thanks to the western genre, and never looked back.
Starring in over 200 episodes of Rawhide, Eastwood honed his chops before eventually landing leading roles in Italy. He returned to Hollywood with starpower and experience, and soon became the leading name in westerns as the genre entered a new era. Though he moved on to other things, the name Eastwood is synonymous with cowboys and gunslingers.
Eastwood's first 10 westerns represent some of the highs and lows of his career, and hearken back to a time when he wasn't necessarily a leading man. In fact, some of his earliest work went uncredited. What constitutes a good western is subjective, but Eastwood's best work shines brightly. There's a reason he's still beloved as the genre's icon.
Star In The Dust (1956)
The only really notable thing about Star in the Dust is that it was Clint Eastwood's first western role. The by-the-numbers B-movie concerns a small town sheriff who must keep a prisoner alive long enough so that he can hang him. Checking off every cliche in the book, Star in the Dust is a serviceable color western from the '50s.
It's pretty gritty for a movie from the time period, especially in its depiction of violent women. However, it falls at the bottom of the list because Clint Eastwood only appears in a brief uncredited cameo as a ranch hand. Other early Eastwood westerns are worse movies, but are better off because they feature the actor in a bigger role.
Ambush At Cimarron Pass (1958)
Ambush at Cimarron Pass was Eastwood's last American film before his successful jaunt to Italy, and it's a pretty bog-standard affair. Ex-Confederate soldiers link up with the army as they conduct a dangerous mission through hostile territory. Eastwood scored third-billing, and he features heavily in the film as Keith Williams.
The film was an abysmal failure, and Eastwood himself hated it. It isn't hard to see why, and Ambush at Cimarron Pass is dull and wholly uninteresting. It might be Eastwood's worst movie, but it does feature a pretty strong performance from the young star. Furthermore, it is tangentially responsible for setting his career on a better path.
The First Traveling Saleslady (1956)
Existing mainly as a curiosity piece, the western musical comedy The First Traveling Saleslady features a slew of future stars. A daring businesswoman heads out west in the 1890s to prove she can clear her debt and become successful. Ginger Rogers does her best, but all the pieces are lackluster to say the least.
Eastwood plays Lt. Jack Rice, but he's a bit out of his depth. The film also stars western TV legend James Arness, and upcoming musical icon Carol Channing. The big-budget bomb tanked RKO, and is now relegated to the forgotten part of film history. Nevertheless, its ambition elevates it above the more mundane pictures in Eastwood's early filmography.
Joe Kidd (1972)
Clint Eastwood's return from Italy wasn't all champagne and roses, and movies like Joe Kidd are largely forgotten today. The politically-charged revisionist story concerns an ex-bounty hunter who is spurred back into action when a Mexican revolutionary tampers with his peace. It was penned by Elmore Leonard, so it has a distinctly modern tone.
Most of the movie's symbolism fails to land, though it is accessible as a straightforward shoot-em-up. It hasn't aged gracefully as a '70s western, which is why it is usually overlooked in favor of other Eastwood classics. Joe Kidd is yet another stoic anti-hero, but with less intrigue. It's worth a watch for Eastwood diehards, but not for anyone else.
Two Mules For Sister Sara (1970)
Two Mules for Sister Sara is an intriguing 1970s relic that almost achieves classic status. Eastwood plays a gunslinger named Hogan who rescues a nun from bandits, only to discover that the sister isn't exactly who she appears to be. Eastwood shares the screen with Shirley MacLaine, and she instantly lights up every scene.
The humor lands about 70% of the time, which is actually better than many half-hearted western comedies from that period. The chemistry between the leads elevates a somewhat uninspired script, and the music by Ennio Morricone is worth noting as well. Two Mules for Sister Sara is an underrated gem that's overshadowed by much better films.
Paint Your Wagon (1969)
Clint Eastwood's first foray into western musicals didn't go so well, but 1969's Paint Your Wagon was a marked improvement. The Broadway adaptation tells the story of a new gold-mining town and the various people who wander into its limits. With better music at its disposal, Paint Your Wagon is a charming romp with a lot of Hollywood gloss.
Playing the role of Sylvester Newel, Clint Eastwood is only a little miscast. Thankfully, a rousing performance from Lee Marvin helps anchor the musical. The film was released at an odd time for westerns and musicals, so Paint Your Wagon does feel a bit like a relic of Old Hollywood. Nevertheless, it's endlessly entertaining.
Hang 'Em High (1968)
Back from Italy, Clint Eastwood was ready to strut his stuff in Hang 'Em High. After nearly hanging for a crime he didn't commit, a man is deputized. However, he must not use his newfound position to retaliate against his former tormentors. Gritty and complex, Hang 'Em High showed that Hollywood was entering a new era for the western.
Eastwood puts on a terrific performance as Jed Cooper, and he's a much richer character than his usual squinting, gun-toting anti-heroes. Hang 'Em High eschews the simplistic morality of older westerns, but doesn't lose the slickness of a Hollywood production. It's without a doubt the best American western from the early years of Clint Eastwood's career.
A Fistful Of Dollars (1964)
After Hollywood let him down, Clint Eastwood went to Italy, where he found great success. In A Fistful of Dollars, he plays an unnamed drifter who stirs up tensions between the warring factions in a Mexican border town. It was Eastwood's first leading role, and the movie that put him on the map as a bona fide movie star.
A Fistful of Dollars was like nothing being produced in the United States. With its brash violence and active camera work, director Sergio Leone brought energy into the staid genre. It launched the Dollars Trilogy, which is the best three-film combo in western history. It is the worst of the series, but only because the other two are even better.
For A Few Dollars More (1965)
A Fistful of Dollars was legendary, but its sequel somehow topped the first movie. Two bounty hunters form a grudging partnership as they try to track down a murderer with a significant price on his head. For a Few Dollars More introduces Lee Van Cleef into the mix, and he brings the sequel to a whole new level.
Without losing any of its fast-paced violence, For a Few Dollars More is charming and funny too. Ennio Morricone's work on the score adds another layer to the storytelling, and the middle film in the Dollars Trilogy cements the form and structure of the spaghetti western. It's an all-time classic, but one more Clint Eastwood film beats it out.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly isn't just the best of Clint Eastwood's first 10 westerns, it's one of the greatest westerns ever made. Two friends-turned-enemies must reunite in order to find a fortune of Union gold that is buried in the desert during the American Civil War. Wrapping up the Dollars Trilogy in style, every detail is immaculate.
The third film has everything that its predecessors did, but more so. The action is crisper, the jokes funnier, and the music a soaring array of aural masterpieces. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly revolutionized the western, and breathed life into its sagging cliches. In many ways, Clint Eastwood owes much of his success to the 1966 classic.
