There are few names as synonymous with Westerns as Clint Eastwood. The cowboy icon has been a staple of the genre since his television breakout in the 1959 Western Rawhide. By the time the series ended in 1965, Eastwood was headed for international stardom.
He was tapped for a slew of spaghetti westerns during the 1960s and ‘70s and came to embody the stoic antihero. By the ‘80s, Eastwood began experimenting with his own directorial style and branched out from his bread and garlic-butter origins to tackle comedic takes on his preferred genre.
All of Clint Eastwood’s Westerns, in chronological order
Eastwood has decades of westerns under his belt. After all this time, the actor has tried his hand at several variations of the genre. If you’re just looking to see all of his Westerns in order, read no further than the list below. If you’re looking for a specific kind of movie, keep reading for a comprehensive breakdown of everything from Neo-Westerns to musical comedies set in the Old West.
- The First Traveling Saleslady (1956)
- Star in the Dust (1956)
- Ambush at Cimarron Pass (1958)
- A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
- For a Few Dollars More (1965)
- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
- Hang ‘Em High (1968)
- Paint Your Wagon (1969)
- Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)
- The Beguiled (1971)
- Joe Kidd (1972)
- High Plains Drifter (1973)
- The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
- Bronco Billy (1980)
- Honkytonk Man (1982)
- Pale Rider (1985)
- Unforgiven (1992)
- Cry Macho (2021)
Clint Eastwood spaghetti Westerns
Eastwoods early projects were mostly American-made, but his most iconic role was in spaghetti westerns. A subgenre of Western films mostly financed by Italians and filmed across Europe, Texas, or Arizona to reduce costs. Their foreign production meant that the films weren’t subjected to the Hays Code, which allowed them to be grittier, more violent, and less patriotic.
The Dollars Trilogy, or The Man with no Name Trilogy starring Eastwood and directed by Sergio Leone is considered one of the most influential Western series ever made – even if Leone never intended for the films to be connected.
- A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
- For a Few Dollars More (1965)
- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
Clint Eastwood’s classic Westerns
The following films might not be as famous as Eastwood’s spaghetti Western classics, but they have all that Western appeal.
- Star in the Dust (1956)
- Ambush at Cimarron Pass (1958)
- Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)
- The Beguiled (1971)
- Joe Kidd (1972)
- High Plains Drifter (1973)
- Pale Rider (1985)
- Unforgiven (1992)
Clint Eastwood’s Revisionist Westerns
Revisionist Westerns don’t necessarily play with historical facts. Instead, they tend to take that romanticized notion of the Old West and subvert it. This mostly comes out through nuanced characters with morally grey motives, similar to the spaghetti Westerns that made him famous.
- Hang ‘Em High (1968)
- The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
Clint Eastwood’s Neo-Western
If you’re looking for a modern twist on an old classic, Eastwood is here to deliver. Cry-Macho is a neo-western meaning it’s got those old west sensibilities in a modern setting, and of course, more grit than sandpaper.
- Cry Macho (2021)
Clint Eastwood’s Comedic and Musical Westerns
The following movies don’t quite fit Eastwood’s gritty, antihero Western flair, but they have plenty to offer. Its obvious that Eastwood knows his way around a revolver, but did you know he’s not bad with a microphone either? The following Westerns offer everything the genre is known for like jailbreaks, cowboys with tuberculosis, and shootouts with the bonus of classic country songs.
- The First Traveling Saleslady (1956)
- Paint Your Wagon (1969)
- Bronco Billy (1980)
- Honkytonk Man (1982)
