Classic Westerns Top Recent Genre Rankings
Classic Westerns are drawing renewed attention through recent rankings: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly remains IMDb’s highest-ranked Western, High Noon topped a suspense-focused list as a remake moves forward, and The Shootist placed among John Wayne’s best films. Their histories also include notable refusals—Charles Bronson passed on roles in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and The Shootist, while Wayne rejected Little Big Man—and modern films continue to reinvent the genre with darker themes and morally complex characters.
Entertainment · 9 sources · Sep 27, 2026Read itThe journal
Open the journal →The conversation starts in the journal — be the first to post.
About The Shootist
The Shootist is a 1976 American Western film directed by Don Siegel. It stars John Wayne in his last film appearance before his death in 1979, along with Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart, Richard Boone, John Carradine, Scatman Crothers, Rick Lenz, Harry Morgan, Sheree North, and Hugh O'Brian. The film is based on Glendon Swarthout's 1975 novel, written for the screen by Miles Hood Swarthout and Scott Hale.
Everything about The Shootist →