MovieChat Forums > Western > Good old-fashioned fistfights in Western...

Good old-fashioned fistfights in Westerns (links included)

posted 15 years ago by SeanJoyce
9 replies | jump to latest

As many here probably know, I'm a huge fight aficionado; I love nothing more than an exciting bout between two well-matched adversaries in the movies. I've already indulged this "passion" in several places at this forum, so I decided to create a stand-alone thread.

In undertaking the exhaustive task of compiling all of the great, noteworthy mano-a-mano fight scenes, it became obvious to me that the Western has given us more than its share in this department. Here's what I have, so far. Many of the following were uploaded by yours truly. Check out my channel to see other great, non-western related scraps.

Let's get ready to rrrrrrumbllllllllllle!

EDIT--ALL OF THE SCENES WILL BE COLLECTED HERE AS THEY ARE UPDATED, FOR VIEWERS' CONVENIENCE.

Mano-a-Mano (chronologically):

John Wayne vs. Randolph Scott in The Spoilers (often confused as a western when it technically isn't, the gold medal winner for greatest fight scene in any genre):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB3nJegtM0A

John Wayne vs. Randolph Scott in Pittsburgh (not a western either, but how could I not include the rematch?):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om-GB7inALw

John Wayne vs. Albert Dekker in In Old Oklahoma:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYYb6yxRRgE

Montgomery Clift vs. John Wayne in Red River:

(deleted...far too short, IMO.)

Dick Powell vs. Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams in Station West:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZee6XQy0Ws

Robert Mitchum vs. Robert Preston in Blood on the Moon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=467PwKFygbE

Randolph Scott vs. Robert Ryan in Return of the Bad Men:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seeBRkvS1Bo

Randolph Scott vs. Forrest Tucker in Coroner Creek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNRHdOL-QWw

Randolph Scott vs. Forrest Tucker in The Nevadan:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x10xloo_the-nevadan-1950-fight-scene_ shortfilms#.UbzueZxu_Xs

Randolph Scott vs. Jock Mahoney in Santa Fe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDAXatq6Q1c

Randolph Scott vs. John Russell in Man in the Saddle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEKDl5cYCvo

Randolph Scott vs. Lee Marvin in Hangman's Knot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVMq20iaCmI

Gary Cooper vs. Lloyd Bridges in High Noon:

(deleted)

Alan Ladd vs. Ben Johnson in Shane:

(deleted)

Alan Ladd vs. Van Heflin in Shane:

(deleted)

Robert Wagner vs. Richard Widmark in Broken Lance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFHA8th4bSo

Randolph Scott vs. Don Megowan in A Lawless Street:

(deleted)

Clatyon Moore vs. Michael Ansara in The Lone Ranger:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1255be_the-lone-ranger-1956-fight-sc ene_shortfilms#.UewliG1LjXs

Gary Cooper vs. Jack Lord in Man of the West:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRR1cFytGS4

Gregory Peck vs. Charlton Heston in The Big Country:

(deleted)

Robert Ryan vs. Jack Lambert in Day of the Outlaw:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaFJofR8dS8

Don Murray vs. Richard Egan in These Thousand Hills:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NzTH1kdxKI

Rock Hudson vs. Kirk Douglas in The Last Sunset:

(deleted)

Kirk Douglas vs. Bill Raisch in Lonely Are the Brave:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUGTzfrpMJ4

Chuck Connors vs. Claude Atkins in Ride Beyond Vengeance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeKJiMiNdNk

Richard Harrison vs. Goffredo Unger in Vengeance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS0Yo459KFM

Clint Walker vs. Leo Gordon in The Night of the Grizzly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8MOzFiiuyg

Rod Taylor vs. Ernest Borgnine in Chuka:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI3ZOcCOhPE

Burt Lancaster vs. Ossie Davis in The Scalphunters (I plan on re-doing this at a later date):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1wr_yTtnb8

Glenn Ford vs. Arthur Kennedy in Day of the Evil Gun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwvJyqg0G9g

John Wayne vs. Bruce Dern in The Cowboys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So_3INx8Tvk

Charles Bronson vs. Archie Moore in Breakheart Pass:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnrxv3_breakheart-pass-1975-fight-sce ne_shortfilms

T.V.:

Clint Walker vs. Leo Gordon in "Cheyenne - The Outlander":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7CvYlsFkZI

Clint Walker vs. Leo Gordon in "Cheyenne - Vengeance is Mine" (epic, the pair's best fight scene):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVsUw9eFIW0

W. Earl Brown vs. Allan Graf in "Deadwood - A Two-Headed Beast":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blki-DISUis

Brawls:

Dodge City:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2GIirKPy6g

Shane:

(deleted)

Yellowstone Kelly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-1cEzqt31Q

Ride the High Country:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsTz14nQdnQ

Jeffrey Hunter and Ken Curtis had a silly little spat in The Searchers, but I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble of getting. If you have anything that I'm forgetting, I'd love to hear it!

Do you have a favorite? Any dream confrontations (kindly ignore the innuendo there, please)? Let's get some discussion going on this topic of topics!!!

"...if that was off, I'd be whoopin' your ass up and down this street." ~ an irate Tarantino

[–] TexasJohnBapster 15 years ago

Verily I say unto thee...Chuck Connors vs. Claude Akins in RIDE BEYOND VENGEANCE might be the western fistfight to end 'em all.Check it out.

[–] SeanJoyce 15 years ago

I knew I could count on you for this one, Bap.

I'll take your recommendation. If it's indeed worthy, it'll go up here.

Cheers.

"...if that was off, I'd be whoopin' your ass up and down this street." ~ an irate Tarantino

[–] titusmoody 15 years ago

Robert Ryan and Randolph Scott in RETURN OF THE BAD MEN
Victor Jory and Glenn Ford in MAN FROM THE ALAMO
Richard Egan and Don Murray in THESE THOUSAND HILLS
Robert Mitchum and Robert Preston in BLOOD ON THE MOON
Spencer Tracy and Ernest Borgnine in BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (Ernie never laid a glove on him)
Richard Widmark and Robert Wagner in BROKEN LANCE
Arthur Kennedy and James Stewart in THE MAN FROM LARAMIE
James Cagney and Stephen McNally in TRIBUTE TO A BAD MAN
Roy Rogers and Dave Sharpe in BELLS OF SAN ANGELO
Guy Madison and Rory Calhoun in MASSACRE RIVER

"Howdy, Bub"

[–] Doc-McCoy 15 years ago

The beat down the Robert Ryan administered to Raymond Burr in "Horizons West" was memorable, although very one-sided. Ryan had been an undefeated boxer at Dartmouth, so fight scenes with him have an unusual amount of authenticity (his film "The Set-Up" is one of the best boxing films ever made).

"I don't drink, I don't smoke - two out of three ain't bad" - Bob Crane

[–] SeanJoyce 15 years ago

I appreciate the replies so far, but I suppose I should clarify, before the thread progresses any further, that I don't consider "beat-downs" to be good fights. For me, a worthwhile fight contains at least a laudable defense from the eventual loser. The best are ones where the momentum alternates.

@ titusmoody: Do any of those fit my preference, or are they all more or less like the ass-kicking Spencer Tracy dealt Ernest Borgnine in Bad Day at Black Rock?

Cheers.

"...if that was off, I'd be whoopin' your ass up and down this street." ~ an irate Tarantino

[–] titusmoody 15 years ago

All the rest fit your preference, Sean.

"Howdy, Bub"

[–] Doc-McCoy 15 years ago

"I appreciate the replies so far, but I suppose I should clarify, before the thread progresses any further, that I don't consider "beat-downs" to be good fights. For me, a worthwhile fight contains at least a laudable defense from the eventual loser. The best are ones where the momentum alternates."

Sorry for the confusion; I mentioned the Ryan fight because I recall it was well shot and very realistic.

Using your criteria, most of the best fights have been listed by either you or titusmoody, but I know there's a few more that should be included if I can think of them.

"I don't drink, I don't smoke - two out of three ain't bad" - Bob Crane

[–] PeterD-5 15 years ago

Hey, how about Marlene Dietrich vs. Una Merkel in DESTRY RIDES AGAIN:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHk86NsGIv8