The best revisionist Westerns subvert or challenge the traditional mythology of classic Westerns. While the best classical Westerns were stories of good guys fighting bad guys, often depicting Native Americans as lesser, revisionist Westerns take a more nuanced look at moral ambiguity.

These Western heroes are not always good men, as revisionist Western heroes were often outlaws or murderers who would never have led a classic Western. These Westerns gained popularity in the 1970s, after the Hays Code was relaxed, introducing a new Western genre.

Uzana’s Raid (1972)

While not the most popular revisionist Western, Ulzana’s Raid deserves more attention as a great example of how the genre changed Westerns as a whole. Burt Lancaster plays a grizzled Army scout who guides a young cavalry officer and an Apache scout to catch Ulzana, an Apache warrior.

This revisionist Western was made during the Vietnam War, and it is clear that the Robert Aldrich film is about warfare, specifically the error of believing a person can fight honorably in the face of intense odds. It’s also clearly an allegory of fighting an indigenous people in their homelands.

Classical Westerns were about settlers fighting to defend their land from Native Americans, without bothering to reveal that they had stolen the land to begin with. The revisionist Westerns didn’t pretend these people were innocent and showed the moral complexity of these wars.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

McCabe & Mrs. Miller stars Warren Beatty as Jack McCabe, a gambler who arrives in a small mining town and meets a madam named Mrs. Miller, played by Julie Christie. They are perfect depictions of revisionist Western characters. He is a gambler, and she is an opium-addicted madam.

The movie not only has a strong cast but also one of the best directors of all time behind the camera, Robert Altman. He takes the idea of Western conventions and dismantles almost every single one of them. The hero is not a gunfighter, and the town is ruled by capitalism.

What resulted was almost an anti-Western that stands up well as a powerful Western anyway. However, this is a hard movie, with a sad, emotionally devastating ending, another way Altman subverted the genre. There are no heroes in this Western town, with only death and despair in the end.

The Quick And The Dead (1995)

Sam Raimi brought his quirky sensibilities to the Western genre in one of his most underrated films. Known primarily for his horror and splatstick movies, Raimi proved to be a great director for this material, bringing his comic-book sensibilities to a spaghetti Western setting.

Raimi cast Sharon Stone as the lead in a genre typically male-centric. She also isn’t made into a character with male traits. Ellen is allowed to remain a female while remaining the fastest gunfighter in the movie, challenging the gender assumptions of classical Westerns.

This remains an interesting addition to the revisionist Western lineup because it is a weird film, but one that shows great love for the genre. This was Raimi’s bold attempt to reinvent the genre in his own style, and while it was a box-office failure, it is a beloved cult classic.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

If there is any movie that fits the definition of a revisionist Western perfectly, it is The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The film, directed by Andrew Dominik, is a meditative story starring Brad Pitt as Jesse James and Casey Affleck as Robert Ford.

While this is technically a Western, it is primarily an art film, slow and more interested in the psychological aspects of the Jesse James mythology than in action or drama. There are long scenes of characters simply observing nature, which requires a lot of viewer patience.

Classical Westerns were all about actions and gunfights, and this does not bother with those aspects at all. Instead, this is about a mythical outlaw and the men he surrounds himself with. This is a melancholy film that deconstructs Old West outlaws as only the best revisionist Westerns could.

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Released in 1969, Sam Peckinpah created an epic revisionist Western that is opposite to movies likeThe Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, yet still fulfills similar purposes. This movie shows classic Western fights in stylized manners.

Unlike classic Westerns which portrayed gunfights as simple brutal events,The Wild Bunch, uses squibs slow motion rapid cuts multi-camera shots to depict brutality making violence horrifying rather than glorifying cowboys showing killing messy violent.

This movie also shows that gunfights in westerns are not about good guys bad guys shooting each other opening scene alone countless deaths including innocent civilians gunned down shows gunfighters not heroic simply killers.

Hang ‘Em High (1968)

Hang ‘Em High, opens with one shocking moments western showing Clint Eastwood not telling traditional western hero story revenge Eastwood Jed Cooper retired lawman lynched men accuse him rustling.

A marshal saves him local judge asks him not seek vengeance instead judge deputizes Jed tasks him bringing lynchers face justice eventual hangings court system Jed only kills pushed tries do right thing.

What really makes this revisionist western stand out moments Jed judge two men debate hanging criminals what justice really looks like even after men lynched him Jed sees justice shades grey debates need revenge.

Dances With Wolves (1990)

Keevin Costner made name modern-day western star role revisionist westernDances with Wolves. In classical westerns,Natives American tribes almost always depicted savage villainous even though based facts.

InDances with Wolves, Costner plays Union lieutenant American Civil War builds respect friendship Lakota Sioux tribe.

This movie told Indigenous perspective Indigenous people dignified heroes here As director Costner demanded Lakota dialogue used subtitles allowed tribe authenticity shine through Out all revisionist westerns Hollywood biggest attempt show nuanced truth Native Americans place Old West.

Django Unchained (2012)

Don’t expect Quentin Tarantino make traditional movie any genre. He made revisionist history war movieIglourious Basterds, neo-noir moviesPulp Fiction Reservoir Dogs. He has also made two revisionist westernsDjango Unchained,The Hateful Eight.

Of those,Django Unchained, masterpiece Christoph Waltz plays King Schultz bounty hunter teams recently freed Django Jamie Foxx work together bring King’s targets exchange find Django’s wife remains enslaved.

Tarantino has great love spaghetti westerns does what best combining genre others including blaxploitation revenge dramas dark comedy What resulted was film darkly comedic excessively violent yet brilliantly executed.

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

The Outlaw Josey Wales another Clint Eastwood movie, best revisionist westerns played role outlaw title suggests no time romanticism Old West classic westerns Instead tired life frontier.

Josey Wales former Confederate soldier watched Union soldiers massacre fellow soldiers surrendered now bitter run doing anything survive feared gunfighter seeks revenge family’s death.

There was moment film where Josey Wales proved why he was revisionist western character no way hero When bounty hunter finds Josey asks why bounty hunter admits does make living Wales says dying isn’t good way live.

Unforgiven (1992)

The best revisionist western ever made another Clint Eastwood movie Eastwood directed starred Unforgiven film played Will Munny former outlaw seeking live quiet life wife’s death Thanks several events wasn’t meant be.

A young outlaw romantic visions Old West wanted Will teach him However Will knew idealized Old West lie wanted nothing do with it There also town sheriff had time outlaws vilified it.

In classic westerns sheriff guns down outlaw hero In revisionist western not always true Gene Hackman sheriff Little Bill gunned down outlaw instantly making villain here Clint Eastwood directedrevisionist western meant end genre.