Western films, as described by AFI, are set in the American west and embody the spirit, the struggle and demise of the new frontier. This definition is something that lies at the heart of western films, and the great ones are those that capture the atmosphere and spirit of the west.
The first great western film was that of Stage Coach in 1939. It deserves to be regarded as one of the best western films simply because it elevated the genre to a higher level. It's rich western archetypes and themes provided something of a re-birth for the genre after it was declining.
Stage Coach had great screenplay, and was based on the magazine short story The Stage to Lordsburg. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards which included best picture, best film editing, and best black and white cinematography. It also won two for best supporting actor and best score.
Red River, of 1948, was a western that would build on Stage Coach. It had a sweeping, epic story and a well-written screenplay. It was the first film that John Wayne would also appear in.
The film also boasted a big budget for the time of 3 million dollars. This budget helped the film to become one of the box office hits of the year. It picked up two Academy Award nominations for its story and film editing.
Both films, however notable, may well have been eclipsed by the 1952 classic: High Noon. High Noon is regarded by some to be the best western film of them all, a great box-office production by Stanley Kramer and director Fred Zinnemann.
The film, although a little controversial as it was not regarded as a typical western film, won Academy Awards for best leading actor, best film editing, best music, and best screen writing. It was also nominated for the best picture award. The film was selected for the National Film Registry in 1989.
The '50s were a great era for westerns, and better would still come. It came, in the form of the 1956 western, The Searchers. Generally regarded as a western masterpiece and the best film directed by John Ford. The film features great on-location VistaVision cinematography, perfectly capturing the western frontier. It also had John Wayne in the starring role, one that he described as his favorite.
Underrated at the time, The Searchers was not nominated for any Oscars. However, it has since been preserved in the National Film Registry and the AFI has named it the Greatest Western Film.
As such, 1956 may well have seen the pinnacle of the western. Of course, later western films also worthy of note came in the 1960s with The Wild Bunch, and Butch and Cassidy. The 1992 film Unforgiven, by Clint Eastwood, was also a top western film. AFI has recognized all these films as being amongst the best western films. Overall, they truly capture the spirit of the American west.