6 Western Movies That Are Worth Watching Just For The Villain

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Sometimes, in Western films, the villain is the main reason to watch. Classic Western themes like revenge, the battle between good and evil, and striving for success have created some truly memorable and iconic movie villains.

Many classic Westerns draw audiences because of their famous heroes – actors like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Gary Cooper, and Randolph Scott. However, some of the most memorable Westerns are actually carried by their villains, with the hero playing a less important role or being overshadowed.

6. The Cowboys

John Wayne usually commanded the screen, but in The Cowboys, the story focused more on the young cast. Wayne played an older rancher who reluctantly takes on a group of difficult boys while facing off against a dangerous outlaw gang led by Bruce Dern’s character.

The film The Cowboys doesn’t try to make the villain, Long Hair, sympathetic. Instead, it emphasizes his terrible and cowardly actions. Both the movie and Bruce Dern’s performance seem determined to make the audience despise Long Hair, even letting him kill John Wayne’s character.

Bruce Dern brilliantly portrayed the villain in Long Hair, making him so unlikeable that the actor received a flood of angry mail. The role even negatively impacted his career, demonstrating just how convincingly he played the part.

5. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Lee Marvin had a particularly tough task in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, acting alongside two Western icons, John Wayne and James Stewart, while also facing a challenge arguably greater than Bruce Dern’s in The Cowboys. In the 1962 film, Marvin plays the villainous leader of an outlaw group, opposed only by the characters played by Wayne and Stewart.

In The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Lee Marvin plays a character with a strong, self-assured presence – exactly what you’d expect from a confident, even arrogant gunslinger who believes he can do anything he wants. Liberty Valance perfectly embodies the classic Western film bully.

4. Shane

Jack Palance became famous for playing memorable Western villains, and his role in the classic 1953 film Shane is a prime example. He plays Jack Wilson, a ruthless and immoral gunslinger who works as the right-hand man for the story’s main villain, Ryker.

Jack Wilson, played by Palance, doesn’t need much dialogue. The film powerfully establishes him as a menacing presence, largely due to Palance’s skill at playing cold and ruthless characters. His portrayal of Frank is truly evil and has become the standard for Western villainous gunslingers.

3. For A Few Dollars More

I always get lost in Gian Maria Volonté’s performance whenever I watch For a Few Dollars More. It’s easy to forget it’s a Clint Eastwood movie when Volonté is on screen! He plays Indio, a ruthless Mexican gang leader, and the whole plot revolves around Colonel Mortimer hunting him down. We quickly learn that Indio did something terrible – he killed Mortimer’s sister, and that’s why Mortimer is after him.

Despite showing Indio as a cruel character in For a Few Dollars More, the film avoids making him a simple, predictable villain. Instead, it offers a surprisingly nuanced look, with Gian Maria Volonte’s performance hinting at the pain and even remorse behind his actions, particularly concerning what he did to Mortimer’s sister.

Indio is a deeply troubled character, haunted by his role in a tragic suicide – someone he appeared to care for. The source of his internal struggle – whether it’s guilt or simply hurt pride – is intentionally left ambiguous, which makes him a fascinating and complex villain.

2. The Westerner

While The Westerner is a classic Gary Cooper Western, the film is surprisingly powered by Walter Brennan’s performance. Brennan was a well-known character actor famous for his charming, slightly odd roles and distinctive Southern accent. He often played supporting characters alongside big stars like Humphrey Bogart, James Stewart, and Gary Cooper himself.

Walter Brennan brings the same captivating energy to ‘The Westerner’ that he did to his other roles, but this time as a villain based on a real person. He plays Judge Roy Bean as a dishonest and holier-than-thou character, heavily influenced by the historical figure’s obsession with actress Lily Langtry. This infatuation ultimately becomes Judge Bean’s downfall, and Gary Cooper’s character uses it to his advantage.

This aspect of the character, combined with the personality actor Warren Oates brings to Roy Bean, makes him a refreshing contrast to typical Western movie villains.

1. Once Upon A Time In The West

Although Henry Fonda is the main star listed in the 1968 Spaghetti Western Once Upon a Time in the West, he doesn’t play the hero. Directed by Sergio Leone, the film features Fonda as a ruthless villain, opposing Charles Bronson’s character, Harmonica, and willing to commit terrible acts – even harming children – to get what he wants.

Sergio Leone’s film after The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly can be surprising when you first watch it, largely because of how it portrays Henry Fonda. Fonda was famous for playing heroes and generally sympathetic characters, but this movie completely flips that image on its head.

Although Henry Fonda was known for playing heroic characters in Westerns, director Sergio Leone cleverly uses that image to make his villainous turn in Once Upon a Time in the West even more shocking. Fonda portrays Frank with a complete lack of mercy or conscience, and his past roles make the performance surprisingly believable.

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2025-10-23 18:23