[Traditional Anglican]

Originally Posted by Vendetta Ride

Both versions of "3:10 to Yuma" were very good, but in my opinion, the newer version is superior. It's a good story, because it's character-driven instead of action-driven. The charming sociopath vs. the dull, plodding "good man." Christian Bale and Russell Crowe were excellent.

I loved "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," but I don't think it was the greatest western ever, because all of Eastwwod's "spaghetti westerns" were atypical of the genre. "Unforgiven" was marvelous, and may be the greatest; it's hard to say.

Although I like it very much, I can't consider "The Magnificent Seven" the greatest, because it's not an original story; it's a westernized remake of "The Seven Samurai." Nothing wrong with that, but it's still a remake.

Critics say "The Searchers" is the greatest, and I'd be inclined to agree: John Wayne was nearly perfect in that movie. But there were elements of "comic relief" that were so broad, and so trite, that they nearly ruin the movie for me.

I could talk about westerns all night, so I'll just cut it short. I don't know what the greatest western was, but I have no doubt about my personal favorite: "Tombstone," which I've watched so often that I've almost got it memorized!

I should have been more clear, I was including both the older and new Yuma, but I think the newer is better for pretty much the reason you stated, Crowe's "Bad Guy" was so filled with complex moral ambiguity that he was like a live wire. (Love his frequent use of Proverbs.)

[Forrest]

I like them all. I really enjoyed "Open Range" with Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, and Annette Bening.

Brother VR, if you haven't seen this one, I think you would enjoy it.

Originally Posted by Forrest

I like them all. I really enjoyed "Open Range" with Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, and Annette Bening.

Brother VR, if you haven't seen this one, I think you would enjoy it.

I haven't seen it, but I plan to. Costner, alas, is always Costner, no matter what part he's playing; but he did a pretty good job in "Wyatt Earp," "A Perfect World," and "Dances with Wolves." I think Robert Duvall is one of the two best American actors now working; the other is Morgan Freeman.

Casting always fascinates me. I think Costner and Duvall would be a good match. Morgan Freeman also did a movie with Robert Redford, "An Unfinished Life," which might be considered a contemporary western; the interplay of their characters was wonderful. But calling it a "western" is really stretching the genre.

There was a very funny (but violent and kinda dirty) movie entitled "3,000 Miles to Graceland," in which Costner and Kurt Russell played Elvis impersonators who rob a casino. I only mention it because of its very inspired finale: a gun battle between the two men, both of whom had played Wyatt Earp in 1995! It was like "Duelling Earps!"