5 Best Western Movies Streaming On Prime Video

Those hoping to kick back and enjoy a good Western this weekend are in luck. Prime Video offers a handful of horse operas for the picking, from the works of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood to lesser-known independent features with recognizable names. The genre has long been a staple of Hollywood filmmaking and continues to entertain audiences today looking to return to the "good old days" of the American West. How "good" those days were probably depends on who you are, but the movies nevertheless make us nostalgic for a mythic vision of the west we can't quite let go of.

If Prime Video is your main streaming platform, you have several Westerns to choose from. Of the films available on the streamer, we've put together a list of the five best that you simply cannot miss. These are some of the best offerings sans any extra add-ons. Of course, if you already have any extensions in addition to the Prime Video subscription itself — such as MGM+, AppleTV, Peacock, Paramount+, Starz, Howdy, or others — then your options aren't quite so limited.

Additionally, we're not including projects such as the Larry McMurtry adaptation "Lonesome Dove" which, although branded as an "epic film as big as the west" on the poster, is in fact a miniseries. Here, we're sticking strictly to Western feature films. Not all may have scored a perfect rating from Roger Ebert, but they're all worth the westward adventure.

As John Wayne was becoming a household name, he continued appearing in big-screen Westerns. Helmed by director Howard Hawks of "The Big Sleep" and "Scarface" fame, "Red River" was one such production. Together, the Duke and Hawks told the story of cattleman Thomas Dunson (Wayne) as he blazed the Chisholm Trail from Texas to Kansas on an impossible cattle drive. Along the way, he and his adoptive ward Matt Garth (Montgomery Clift) have a falling out, resulting in a blood feud of almost biblical proportions as the former chases the latter across the West.

"Red River" is an excellent picture. Wayne is in his prime here, and his chemistry with co-star Clift is astounding. Hawks certainly knows how to structure a Western, and though perhaps not as magnificent as his later Wayne collaboration, "Rio Bravo," the director's vision for the Duke is already clear. As always, Walter Brennan is an absolute gem, playing another plucky Wayne sidekick who challenges our leading hero when all others cower in his presence.

With a runtime of 133 minutes, "Red River" is a stunning and sprawling black-and-white motion picture that is considered one of the best Westerns of all time. Fans of more traditional depictions of the Old West won't be able to say "no" to one of America's best directors and finest 20th century stars. If you haven't seen "Red River" yet, now is your time.

The 1980s weren't exactly the most lucrative era for the Western. "Heaven's Gate" had soured many to the Old West, and between the death of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood stepping back from the horse opera, the signs were there that this once mighty box office movie trend could come to an end. Yet, "Young Guns" helped spark new interest, reinventing the Western genre for younger audiences by uniting the "Brat Pack" and thrusting them into the middle of the Lincoln County War.

Emilio Estevez starred as the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid, who partnered up with his band of Lincoln County Regulators to take revenge on Lawrence Murphy (Jack Palance) for killing their mentor John Tunstall (Terence Stamp). The result is an explosive, action-packed Western that utilized contemporary filmmaking techniques and youthful stars to attract '80s audiences. The effort worked, and a sequel, "Young Guns II," was produced — all these years later, a third film is even in the works.

For those seeking something more fast-paced and action-packed, "Young Guns" is the Western for you. The charisma of its leading cast, including Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Philips, and Charlie Sheen, is enough to change any misperceptions you have of the genre — it may not be as mythic as some of the mid-century takes, but it's just as entertaining. At 107 minutes, it's a quick watch perfect for an evening in.

Based on a short story by Louis L'Amour (who later wrote the popular novelization), "Hondo" is a stunning Hollywood Western that's about as traditional a horse opera as you can imagine. Wayne's Hondo Lane bridges the gap between the warring U.S. Army Cavalry and Apache people, all while courting the heart of the married Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page). It's a complicated ordeal, but one that fits into the genre's mythic nature.

Directed by Robert Fellows, "Hondo" is a tight picture that may not be considered the Duke's absolute best (that's reserved for "The Searchers"), but it is certainly among his most beloved on-screen works. In many respects, it's a quintessential John Wayne adventure that embodies his '50s filmography and general Western persona. Hondo himself is a complicated protagonist, equally as vulnerable as he is tough and masculine, almost like Wayne's take on Alan Ladd's "Shane."

With action sequences directed by John Ford himself, the 84-minute "Hondo" gives you everything you could hope for in such a familiar tale. With enough battle sequences and Apache-centric suspense to keep the viewer glued to the screen, "Hondo" may leave you wanting more. If that's the case, the L'Amour-penned novel is arguably even better.

For a lesser-known Western epic that still embodies the Golden Age of Hollywood, "The Big Country" is one you ought to give a go. Directed by William Wyler, who would helm "Ben-Hur" the following year (reuniting with Charlton Heston), the picture centers on Captain James McKay (Gregory Peck) as he travels westward from New England to Texas to join his fiancée, Patricia Terrill (Carroll Baker). Things erupt when he finds himself in the middle of a family rivalry centered over the land in question.

"The Big Country" lives up to its name, with masterful landscapes and cinematic splendor meant to be viewed on the big screen. The bigger your TV, the better. Gregory Peck (who also co-produced the film alongside Wyler) plays a strikingly different part than that in his best Western, "The Gunfighter," though his memorable screen presence carries McKay through his new Lone Star surroundings. His chemistry with both Baker and Jean Simmons is off the charts.

With an enrapturing runtime of 166 minutes, "The Big Country" runs nearly as long as "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," though it couldn't be further from that type of Western. An truly underrated American drama about land, love, and legacy, "The Big Country" offers more than meets the eye and deserves recognition all these years later.

When it comes to Westerns that changed the genre forever, few are as important as "Stagecoach." Prior to 1939, the genre was largely dominated by low-budget B-movie material, but all of that changed with John Ford and John Wayne's very first collaboration — the first of over a dozen partnerships between them. One of the best Westerns you have to watch at least once, "Stagecoach" proved that there was more to the horse opera than what was previously offered.

When a group of strangers, including Marshal Curley Wilcox (George Bancroft), Doc Boone (Thomas Mitchell), prostitute Dallas (Claire Trevor), and outlaw the Ringo Kid (Wayne), find themselves on the same stage headed to Lordsburg, New Mexico, they must struggle for survival against a band of Apaches. Personalities clash as the intense circumstances prove more than some can bear, leading to unlikely alliances and romances along the way. No one structures a Western like John Ford, and that genre prowess is on full display here.

With a 96-minute runtime, "Stagecoach" makes for an excellent weekend Western adventure. The black-and-white classic is the grandfather of all Westerns made since, full of pulse-pounding suspense and tension that still holds up nearly a century later. Whether you've seen it once or watched it a dozen times, "Stagecoach" never gets old.