MovieChat Forums > Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970) Discussion > Best American Western?

Best American Western?

posted 18 years ago by josie_wales2005
17 replies | jump to latest

I think that this film could be Clint's best American Western (During the Western era). I know what some of you will say "What about Josie Wales and Unforgiven" but I don't count those two. Don't get me wrong. Both of those films are on my top 10 but I just don't think that Josie Wales is enough of a western and Unforgiven is out of the western era. I would almost call unforgiven the anti-western. So what I'm saying is that as far as American Westerns go this is the best (or at least my favorite).

[–] Emiabambinacara 18 years ago

I agree. Everything was played very frankly. There was no real sterotyping of Native Americans and Mexicans in this one, which was rare for the time. Plus I the chemistry between Eastwood and McClaine was magic, as well as the tight storyline.

[–] tightspotkilo 18 years ago

Yeah, it's a good movie and I liked it. But why go to such contorted definitions of westerns? Being that this story mostly took place south of the border then, by your hypertechnical definition, it probably doesn't qualify as a "western" either, when you get right down to it.

In my book all of Clint's westerns are westerns. I'd rank them like this:

1. Unforgiven
2. Outlaw Josey Wales
3. Pale Rider
4. Two Mules for Sister Sara
5. His Rowdy Yates character on Rawhide
6. All the rest in no particular order

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Get the facts first - you can distort them later!

[–] gvsamoore-1 18 years ago

As it takes place South of the Border isnt Two Mules technically the "best of clints "Southern Westerns"???? lol

[–] joekiddlouischama 18 years ago

I just don't think that Josie Wales is enough of a western and Unforgiven is out of the western era.

The Outlaw Josey Wales is a classic Western and Unforgiven is set in 1881, which is around the heart of the "Western era." Two Mules for Sister Sara (Don Siegel, 1970) is a crisp, entertaining, stylish Western, but I don't think that it compares to any of Eastwood's four directorial oaters: High Plains Drifter (Eastwood, 1973), The Outlaw Josey Wales (Eastwood, 1976), Pale Rider (Eastwood, 1985), and Unforgiven (Eastwood, 1992). And although Two Mules for Sister Sara is aesthetically better than Hang 'em High (Ted Post, 1968) and Joe Kidd (John Sturges, 1972), those Westerns are thematically richer and more socially relevant.

But to each his (or her) own ..

[–] liscarkat (16476) 3 years ago

"Socially relevant"? Seriously, who gives a shit?

[–] lost-in-limbo 18 years ago

Two Mules is an above average American western, but my favourite of Eastwood's would be the spell bindingly, cruel High Plains Drifter.

"Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies."

[–] bigmoe52 18 years ago

I am shocked NONE of you mentioned "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." One of the best westerns ever made. Not to mention it also has one of the best movie scores of any western, done by Ennio Morricone. Two Mules is good but in no way does it come close to a classic like Good, Bad, Ugly.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] hafabee 18 years ago

I'd take The Unforgiven over this, but Two Mules is one of my favourite westerns and blows most of them out of the water. I love the scene where Shirley has to knock the arrow shaft out of a drunken Clint Eastwood. Great entertainment!

[–] kirk_bones 17 years ago

for me the best american western ever has to be High plains drifter

Aslan is on the move

[–] joekiddlouischama 10 years ago

I am shocked NONE of you mentioned "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." One of the best westerns ever made. Not to mention it also has one of the best movie scores of any western, done by Ennio Morricone. Two Mules is good but in no way does it come close to a classic like Good, Bad, Ugly.

No one mentioned The Good, the Bad and the Ugly because it constituted a European Western, and this thread was about Eastwood's American Westerns.

[–] zelig-11 10 years ago

They were talking about AMERICAN westerns. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" is an Italian one. I agree that this is arguably Eastwood's best western, and maybe the best western ever made.
However, I don't think that any of Eastwood's AMERICAN westerns can be counted as 'the best American western ever'. Maybe UNFORGIVEN. But the competition is tough: WILD BUNCH, THE SEARCHERS, RIO BRAVO, RED RIVER, ONE EYED JACKS - just to name a few.

[–] ttfart 10 years ago

But i think eastwoods best none italian western is high plains drifter or unforgiven

[–] joekiddlouischama 10 years ago

However, I don't think that any of Eastwood's AMERICAN westerns can be counted as 'the best American western ever'. Maybe UNFORGIVEN. But the competition is tough: WILD BUNCH, THE SEARCHERS, RIO BRAVO, RED RIVER, ONE EYED JACKS - just to name a few.

Eastwood has directed three of the best American Westerns: High Plains Drifter (1973), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), and Unforgiven (1992).

[–] m-slovak79 8 years ago

Open Range (2003) - 10/10 (only 21 movies managed to get a 10/10 score from out of the 1,900+ total movies i have seen) ; easily my #1 American Western.

it's actually a four way tie for my #1 spot of ANY Western goes with Good Bad Ugly/Once Upon a Time in the West/For a Few Dollars More but those are not American Westerns so i did not list them.

as far as Eastwood's American Westerns go...

1.Unforgiven (1992) - 8.5-9/10
2.High Plains Drifter (1973) - 7.5-8/10
3.Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)

those are the only American Eastwood Westerns that stand out for me nowadays.

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My Top 100-ish Movies of All-Time! = http://goo.gl/EYFYdz
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[–] tightspotkilo 8 years ago

What about The Beguiled? Is that a non-Western too? I might've included it on my list, depending.

Get the facts first - you can distort them later!

[–] Wuchakk 8 years ago

What about The Beguiled?

I could see where some might place it in the Western category, but it's more of a historical drama taking place during the Civil War.

Of course, Civil War movies are often categorized as Westerns, like John Wayne's "The Horse Soldiers" and "Ride with the Devil."

My 150 (or so) favorite movies:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070122364/