Favorite Westerns, No. 33


 

Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. 

Marian Starrett: Guns aren't going to be my boy's life!
Joey: Why do you always have to spoil everything?
Shane: A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.
Marian Starrett: We'd all be much better off if there wasn't a single gun left in this valley - including yours.

Shane (1953)
Starring: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon De Wilde, and Jack Palance
Director: George Stevens
About: Not all Westerns get a happy ending. That's certainly the case for Shane, which tells the story of an old gunslinger trying to find a life of peace. He settles with a family on a farm and tries to leave violence behind. But when an antagonist makes that impossible, he does what he must to save the family he has come to love. The ending here is iconic, and Ladd's performance in the lead is great. The final showdown with Palance works well, too. We are left to wonder, somewhat, about Shane. That gives you different perspectives depending on your outlook, but either way it's an iconic film that is one of the memorable entries to the genre.

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