The 10 Best Westerns That Don't Involve Cowboys According to Collider

Most people who hear the word "Western" are likely to think of the stereotypical cowboy almost straight away, and vice versa. A cowboy protagonist tends to be a staple of the genre, at least when it comes to what we think of as traditional Westerns. You might think of a lone gunman astride a horse, possibly taking the law into his own hands but ultimately doing so for good reasons. He stands up for what he believes in, acts heroically, knows his way around a gun, and often gets to ride off into the sunset at the film's end. However, Western movies don't always conform to featuring cowboys as their heroes or even in supporting roles. It's possible to make a Western that's entirely free of cowboys (or cowgirls), often—but not always—by setting it during contemporary times or by having grittier, more down-to-earth stories that don't have room for old-school cowboys.