By now I’m sure you are well aware of our stance on Westerns as far as costume content goes, but if not, here it is for the thousandth time — there’s usually just not a lot of costuming worth talking about in Westerns! That said, occasionally we have to look past the dirt and dust and admit that there are a handful of good Westerns that not only deliver on the entertainment, but also have noteworthy costuming! So here’s my list of five-ish (ok, technically six) Westerns that are worth watching every time!
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
True Grit (2010)
Deadwood (2004-06)
Maverick (1994)
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Tombstone (1993)
Do you have a favorite Western that also has great costuming? Drop it in the comments!
Why Kate, you ahn’t wearin’ your bustle. How lewwd. – one of my favorite Tombstone lines, attempted phonetic spelling hahaha
Blazing Saddles is my favorite! Honorable mention goes to Cowboys & Aliens, which was pretty wacky but enjoyable. :)
A great list, with a couple I have not seen, including the more recent True Grit. But no Dances With Wolves? I am in the 1% who liked that film.
Funny, I suspect Jeff and Matt will always be 3 times the age of Hailee!
One percent? It won just about every award possible, and is brilliantly done. A lot of firsts, too; especially important was the use of Lakota with subtitles. I love it, the full-length version, and still watch it. It was also, remarkably, made with very little money.
I liked it, but the 80s hairstyle of the FMC was too immersion breaking for me!
Maverick was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design!
And I love that gleam in Jodie’s eyes!
I highly, highly, highly recommend watching the limited series The English on Amazon, even if you have to pay for it. Emily Blunt is amazing, of course, and Chaske Spencer is more than her match. The story is beautiful and heartbreaking, and never goes where you think it’s going to go. The West looks absolutely delicious, and the costumes are gorgeous. It appeared in 2022, but was criminally under-promoted. Go watch it right now.
I’m not at all partial to Westerns, but I completely agree with this list! You have impeccable taste.
I’d throw in one or two more anti-Westerns, like Little Big Man (1970) and McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971).
Yes, yes! McCabe and Mrs Miller–such a brilliant film. There’s so much great stuff to see now.
I’ll throw in a vote for Support Your Local Sheriff, although I’m not sure how well it would fare as a costume movie. It got eclipsed fairly quickly by Blazing Saddles as a comedy-western, but it’s still a terrific movie and has James Garner doing what James Garner does best.
My favorite westerns are “Dead Man” and “The Harvey Girls,” which are at complete opposite ends of the genre, but they’re also a bit different then the usual fare, which is probably why they stick out to me.
I, on the other hand, am a fan of Westerns in general and see no reason to pretend otherwise (Especially when Ms Jodie Foster is serving up such a delectable wild card).
Also, Mr Graham Greene will be much-missed.
Agree on True Grit – great movie.
“My name is Nobody”. Excellent costumes especially for Henry Fonda. I love all the details and even correct uniforms for the period (1899). My wife loved the ladies in the background in the scenes in New Orleans for example. Funny movie with Terence Hill in his peak as an actor with Henry Fonda in one of his finest roles.
What about Back to the Future 3?
https://frockflicks.com/tbt-back-future-iii/
Apparently we have the same taste in Westerns. I will always wonder how Alma Garrett Ellsworth managed to have a different mourning gown for almost every scene and occasion during her various mourning periods. And I am convinced that her off-white lace blouse (worn repeatedly, hooray!) was a real Victorian item.
Also, Jodie Foster’s blue gown in Maverick was one of the first period looks I coveted as a child.