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10 Western Movies That Will Make You A Fan Of The Genre

I think it's fair to say that over the past three decades, the Western genre has gone through something of a torrid time, suffering the same fate as the musical in that it was for a long time considered outdated and not in keeping with modern cinema audience's tastes. Seen so often as the preserve of old men, with heroes to match (Open Range, anyone?), it is often forgotten that this most American of cinematic oeuvres has the potential to be powerful, dangerous and subversive.

9) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

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In John Ford’s classic film, Senator Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) returns to the town where he made his name to bury an old friend. While there he is pursued by journalists and is forced to recount the story of how he came to be seen as the man who brought law to the untameable west, and how he came to shoot Liberty Valance.

As much as anything else this is a film about memory, about how we lie to ourselves and the consequences of doing so. This is a film about friendship and sacrifice, it is as quintessential a John Ford western as it is possible to make. It also contains Lee Marvin at his sneering, snarling worst. Surely that must be enough reason to watch any film, right?

It is also a film about myth and legend, and the understanding that these things are as vital to our perception of the west as the Stetson and a pair of spurs.

Which brings us to…

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