The Western is one of America's unique contributions to culture. It reflects American history and has helped shape the nation's view of itself and how it others see it. However, the history of the Western is so pervasive, that some of the most remarkable films of the genre were actually made in Europe – specifically in Italy and Spain with the Spaghettis Westerns which began in the 1960s.
This list attempts a run-down of the greatest films in the genre; ones which are particularly important because they set certain standards, or those which are some of the most artistically impressive examples of the genre. Certainly, if you are a novice to Westerns, the list will provide an excellent starting point from which to begin your journey through this complicated, violent, morally ambiguous, but always fascinating genre.
