Best spaghetti Westerns
There's a renewed interest in spaghetti Westerns in 2024 thanks to an unlikely source: Beyoncé. The music icon's Grammy-nominated album, "Cowboy Carter," came out in March 2024, and in a press release, she described it as a "body of work [that] undulates from singing cowboy and Blaxploitation to spaghetti Westerns and fantasy."
For those uninitiated, the genre refers to Italian-produced Western movies from 1964 to 1978. During the '60s and '70s, this new style of film began to emerge in Europe. While on the surface, these films mirror classic American Westerns like "3:10 to Yuma" and "High Noon," a closer look reveals that they are actually quite different. Aside from the language element, many of these foreign-born films have more action and less dialogue than their U.S. counterparts. An expressive musical score—come to be epitomized by Ennio Morricone's orchestrations—and an abundance of violence also characterize the genre.
However, low budgets—and as a result, low production values—meant that American audiences weren't particularly drawn to the genre, at least at first. The films' popularity grew as more established actors and directors became involved in the project. Today, many of these movies have well-established cult followings and have influenced movies and filmmakers far outside of Westerns.
To provide a closer look at this subgenre of film, Stacker compiled data on the top Westerns of all time, narrowed the scope to spaghetti Westerns, and ranked them by IMDb user ratings, with ties broken by votes. To qualify, the film had to have at least 1,000 votes on IMDb.
Whether or not you believe Westerns are your thing, read on to see our list of the best spaghetti Westerns. Maybe you'll find a new favorite!
#25. Ace High (1968)
- Director: Giuseppe Colizzi
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Runtime: 122 minutes
After a wrongly accused thief escapes the hangman's noose, he forms an unlikely alliance with two bounty hunters and sets out to exact revenge on the people who framed him years ago. "Ace High" is the second film in a trilogy starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, which begins with "God Forgives… I Don't!" and ends with "Boot Hill."
#24. Tepepa (1969)
- Director: Giulio Petroni
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Runtime: 103 minutes
A lesser-known spaghetti Western, "Tepepa" is about a Mexican revolutionary leader saved from impending execution by an English doctor who wishes to dole out his own revenge after the death of his fiancée. Orson Welles stars as the ruthless Colonel Cascorro, and the actor is rumored to have made the atmosphere on set absolutely terrible.
#23. The 5-Man Army (1969)
- Directors: Don Taylor, Italo Zingarelli
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Runtime: 105 minutes
During the Mexican revolution, a cowboy mercenary known simply as "the Dutchman" (Peter Graves) enlists a group of four uniquely trained fighters to help him rob a train carrying $500,000 of gold. Obviously inspired by "The Magnificent Seven," "The 5-Man Army" was director Don Taylor's last acting role—he plays an uncredited poker player—before he moved behind the camera permanently.
#22. The Cruel Ones (1967)
- Director: Sergio Corbucci
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Runtime: 90 minutes
Also known as "The Hellbenders," "The Cruel Ones" follows a fanatical Confederate officer who desperately wants to reignite the Civil War. To fund his scheme, the officer, played by Joseph Cotten, embarks on a long and perilous journey to collect a large sum of money hidden inside the coffin of a fallen compatriot.
#21. The Return of Ringo (1965)
- Director: Duccio Tessari
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Runtime: 95 minutes
The only official follow-up to "A Pistol for Ringo," "The Return of Ringo" sees Giuliano Gemma reprise his role as Union officer Montgomery Wood. After returning from the war, Wood discovers that his town is now ruled by a gang of Mexican bandits, and he undertakes a revenge plot after suspecting that his wife has been unfaithful. Darker in tone and content than its predecessor, the film manages to paint a more complex picture of the hero than many other spaghetti Westerns.
#20. Sabata (1969)
- Director: Gianfranco Parolini
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Runtime: 111 minutes
The first film in a trilogy, "Sabata" follows a gunman, a banjo player, and a tramp who team up to foil the corrupt leaders of their town, all of whom are plotting to rob the local bank. The film is chock full of gunfights and action sequences, with one eagle-eyed viewer counting 75 bodies dropped through the 111-minute run time.
#19. Run, Man, Run (1968)
- Director: Sergio Sollima
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Runtime: 120 minutes
While not a direct sequel to "The Big Gundown," "Run, Man, Run" continues the story of Cuchillo, a character introduced in the first film. In this chapter, Cuchillo competes against groups of bandits and other lone mavericks to find a stash of hidden gold worth $3 million. Deceptions, double-crosses, and a whole bunch of action are sure to keep even the most skeptical viewer glued to the screen.
#18. A Bullet for the General (1967)
- Director: Damiano Damiani
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 115 minutes
El Chuncho and his team of ruthless bandits rob a train, intending to sell the stolen arms to a rebel general. During the heist, they encounter a helpful American, Bill Tate, who may be more than he appears. Critic Sean Axmaker notes that "A Bullet for the General" is "directed like a '20s gangster picture… where life is cheap, loyalty is rare, and rival gangs constantly battle for guns and contraband."
#17. Day of Anger (1967)
- Director: Tonino Valerii
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 111 minutes
Legendary spaghetti Western actor Lee Van Cleef, star of other big hits like "For a Few Dollars More" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," plays a gunslinger who goes off the rails in "Day of Anger." As the new guy in town, Frank Talby (Van Cleef) acts as a mentor to an unassuming janitor, Scott Mary (Giuliano Gemma). However, as his young prodigy grows in skills and confidence, their fragile power balance is upended, and things sour quickly.
#16. Keoma (1976)
- Director: Enzo G. Castellari
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 105 minutes
One of the last true spaghetti Westerns, "Keoma" follows a half-Native American, half-white Union soldier, Keoma Shannon. Keoma seeks to save his hometown from the iron grip of the evil Caldwell and his band of thugs—which just happens to include Keoma's three half-brothers. Director Enzo G. Castellari has said that this film, which was largely improvised and shot in eight weeks, is his personal favorite.
#15. Death Rides a Horse (1967)
- Director: Giulio Petroni
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 114 minutes
Lee Van Cleef does it again in "Death Rides a Horse," playing an aging gunfighter who forms an alliance with a young man who seeks to hunt down the bandits that killed his family. A truly terrible film in regards to production quality and acting abilities, critic Roger Ebert placed the movie in the so-bad-it's-good category.
#14. Face to Face (1967)
- Director: Sergio Sollima
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Runtime: 111 minutes
Not to be confused with the Ingmar Bergman film of the same name, this "Face to Face" follows a history teacher (played by Gian Maria Volonte) who falls in with—and eventually takes over—an outlaw gang. A personal favorite of director Sergio Sollima, the film has long been perceived as a commentary on the rise of fascism in Europe.
#13. The Mercenary (1968)
- Director: Sergio Corbucci
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Runtime: 110 minutes
A revolutionary disguised as a rodeo clown, a Polish mercenary with a penchant for stealing, and a peasant woman are the main characters in "The Mercenary." Told largely through flashbacks, the story focuses on the trio's adventures during the Mexican revolution. Several well-known actors of the genre, including Franco Nero and Tony Musante, make appearances.
#12. Django (1966)
- Director: Sergio Corbucci
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Runtime: 91 minutes
The inspiration behind Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained," the original "Django" is decidedly lower budget but tells an equally fun story. In this film, a coffin-dragging gunslinger named Django saves a local prostitute named Maria from being burned at the stake. The duo finds themselves hunted by both a rogue group of white supremacists and a gang of Mexican revolutionaries, and they must fight their way out if they wish to survive. Upon its release, "Django" was considered the most violent movie ever made, and the film was either banned or given very cautionary ratings in several countries.
#11. Companeros (1970)
- Director: Sergio Corbucci
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Runtime: 115 minutes
In "Companeros," a Swedish arms dealer and an incompetent Mexican revolutionary team up to save a professor imprisoned in an American jail who has something they both want. A follow-up to "The Mercenary" (though not necessarily a sequel, as it has its own stand-alone storyline), the film is full of comic misadventures but still manages to make its political message heard.
#10. Trinity Is Still My Name (1971)
- Director: Enzo Barboni
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Runtime: 117 minutes
A sequel to "They Call Me Trinity," "Trinity Is Still My Name" follows two brothers who are trying to live as outlaws, but whose plans are continually thwarted by their hearts of gold. A massive success in Italy, the film sold 14,554,172 tickets, making it one of the country's most popular and highest-grossing films of all time.
#9. The Big Gundown (1966)
- Director: Sergio Sollima
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Runtime: 110 minutes
Another Lee Van Cleef picture, "The Big Gundown" sees the actor playing an experienced bounty hunter sent out on one last mission: to capture a man accused of the sexual assault and murder of a 12-year-old girl. As is the case with most spaghetti Westerns, it turns out that the story the bounty hunter has been fed may not be as simple as it seems, and gunfights abound.
#8. My Name Is Nobody (1973)
- Director: Tonino Valerii
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Runtime: 116 minutes
Henry Fonda stars as a retirement-aged gunfighter named Jack Beauregard, who wants nothing more than to leave his life of violence behind and move to Europe in peace. Unfortunately for him, a younger gunslinger named Nobody (Terence Hill), who idolizes Beauregard and wants to see him earn his place in history, arranges for a shootout between his idol and the 150-man Wild Bunch. "My Name Is Nobody" is noteworthy as the last Western movie Fonda ever made.
#7. They Call Me Trinity (1970)
- Director: Enzo Barboni
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Runtime: 115 minutes
A spoof of the traditional spaghetti Western, "They Call Me Trinity" introduces fans to the brothers from "Trinity Is My Name": Trinita (Terence Hill) and Bambino (Bud Spencer). The bumbling, are-they-good-or-are-they-evil duo protect a settlement of Mormons from a gang of bandits who want to lay claim to the land themselves. Rather than ending with a gunfight, like many films of the genre, "They Call Me Trinity" concludes with a highly choreographed fistfight.
#6. Duck You Sucker (1971)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Runtime: 138 minutes
An Irish rebel and explosives expert makes an uneasy pairing with a Mexican gunman and his crew of outlaws after they all become accidentally involved in the Mexican Revolution. Also known as both "A Fistful of Dynamite" and "Once Upon a Time ... the Revolution," this oft-overlooked gem is praised for its sense of humor and its incredible score, earning a 92% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
#5. The Great Silence (1968)
- Director: Sergio Corbucci
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Runtime: 105 minutes
Sergio Corbucci's masterpiece "The Great Silence" pits a mute gunslinger, leader of a band of outlaws and a widow, against a gang of ruthless bounty hunters led by a corrupt banker. The film earned lukewarm reviews upon its release, thanks to its bleak outlook and darker tone. However, in the intervening years it's developed something of a cult following, as evidenced by the high place it holds on our list.
#4. A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Runtime: 99 minutes
"A Fistful of Dollars" is one of the more widely known spaghetti Westerns, perhaps because it marks Clint Eastwood's debut. The legendary actor's first leading role is a drifting gunman who pits rival gangsters against each other, playing them each for his own purpose. Critics agree that Eastwood's involvement, more than anything else, makes this movie a must-watch.
#3. For a Few Dollars More (1965)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Runtime: 132 minutes
Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef co-star as two bounty hunters who team up to track down the same villain in "For a Few Dollars More." A sequel to Eastwood's first picture, "A Fistful of Dollars," production on this film started before the first was even released.
#2. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Runtime: 165 minutes
In a role that was extremely unusual for him, Henry Fonda plays a villain in "Once Upon a Time in the West." The film really has two plots—a land battle over a valuable piece of property, and a revenge mission against a cold-blooded killer—that are only loosely related. A later offering from Sergio Leone, some critics argue that the film suffers from its long run time.
#1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
- Director: Sergio Leone
- IMDb user rating: 8.8
- Runtime: 178 minutes
The best spaghetti Western of them all has to be "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." Sergio Leone, Lee Van Cleef, and Clint Eastwood team up yet again to tell the story of a trio of gunslingers racing to find a trove of hidden gold buried in a cemetery amidst the chaos of the Civil War. The final installment in the "Dollars Trilogy," this movie is generally considered to be the project that launched Eastwood into mainstream stardom.
