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Five Great Westerns Playing on Satellite TV

If you love westerns, you probably have your opinion on which one is the best.  Before your list is complete, check out these five films on satellite TV.

1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.  Brad Pitt gets to play the aging gunslinger in his later years and the role seems to suit him well – in many ways, James was a movie star in his own right.  The truly great performance, however, comes from Casey Affleck, who plays the titular coward with subtlety and a quiet assurance.  Playing dumb – never a simple thing for actors – is done with aplomb by Affleck, who received his fair share of awards and nominations.  A high quality modern western, this film can be seen on HBO in high definition.

2. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.  In many ways one of the all-time finest westerns, the master John Ford does his typical terrific work in this movie.  Not only is there a wild villain (the incredible Lee Marvin) and John Wayne at his best as an ethical tough guy; Ford introduces an extra element – an idealistic lawyer (Jimmy Stewart) hoping to turn the frontier into a place governed by law and not by guns.  Unfortunately, he learns the hard way that such a thing is impossible.  Or does he?  It takes a master to make such a brilliant film.  See it in HD on Turner Classic Movies.

3. Unforgiven.  There have been so many high quality Clint Eastwood films over the years (as both actor and director), it’s hard to focus on which film you should see on any given movie night.  In the case of Unforgiven, the choice is an easy one.  Retired gunslinger Clint rounds up the posse (Morgan Freeman et al) to roll into town and pull off a final big job.  Many things stand in his way, but Clint does not want to go quietly, terrorizing everyone from sheriff Gene Hackman to “Duke of Death” Richard Harris.  See this film in high definition, uncut, on Showtime.

4. Thunderheart.  While you could argue the point about the definition of “western,” this film has to qualify because of its setting and action.  In fact, it employs an ingenious use of location and destiny to integrate the themes it aims to explore.  Val Kilmer is excellent as a part-Native American FBI agent who has to simultaneously acknowledge and refute his identity in order to solve a murder on the reservation.  Watch the plot thicken in this modern classic on satellite TV.

5. The Searchers.  Is it the best western ever made?  Many people think so, but you can decide for yourself after seeing this film, another Ford-Wayne classic in heavy rotation on Turner Classic Movies.  When a girl is kidnapped by a local tribe, Wayne fronts the team out to find her.  Like all of Ford’s films, the intellectual undercurrent is what separates this picture from the pack.  Instead of dictating the answers to questions he provokes, he lets the story tell itself.

About the Author

Whenever you want to see a fine western, turn on DirectTV and enjoy. You’ll never be far from a western with your DirectTV subscription.

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