MovieChat Forums > Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958) Discussion > Best Western of All Tiime?

Best Western of All Tiime?

posted 10 years ago by w22nuschler
21 replies | jump to latest

I was wondering what other think about Wanted: Dead or Alive being the best western of all time. I have seem a lot of them and I think I would say it's number one. There are at least 15 great westerns. I grew up on Bonanza & Big Valley. With the westerns channel and dvd's coming out, I have seen most of the other westerns.

The Virginian, Rifleman, Little House on the Prairie, Cheyenne, Sugarfoot, Bronco & Have Gun, Will Travel, Daniel Boone, Roy Rogers Show, Zorro, Maverick, Tombstone Territory, Wagon Train, Law of the Plainsman, Riverboat, The Westerner, Wild Wild West, Branded, Hec Ramsey, Barbary Coast & Cimarron Strip are the greats I have seen.

[–] qormi 8 years ago

Wanted Dead or Alive and The Rifleman are tied for the best tv western ever IMHO. Steve McQueen and Chuck Connors were very gifted actors. They were very intense and immersed in their roles.

[–] grizzledgeezer 8 years ago

Unfortunately, there is a broad consensus that Gunsmoke is the best-ever. (Some people prefer Lawman, which was a similarly serious program. I haven't seen it.) It creates the illusion of reality, and is generally devoid of the sappiness that mar anything from David Dortort or Michael Landon. It also has two of the great TV sidekicks, Chester Goode and Festus Haggen.

[–] grizzledgeezer 8 years ago

I've been watching Wanted Dead or Alive recently, and am surprised at the quality and variety of the stories.

"Reckless" (2.10) is a good example. The situation is morally ambiguous. The story ends with a father and son dead, and everyone (including Josh) unhappy.

Here's a trivia question. In the title sequence, what is the first thing Josh does?

[–] gppressingon 8 years ago

grizzledgeezer, I'm going with my gut without cheating and watching the opening--is it put the Mare's Leg in its holster? I've seen it so many times, I should know it, but my memory keeps taking me to him walking to the wanted poster board.

While I have you, re your comment about David Dortort (and Michael Landon). I thought Dortort's High Chaparral was pretty gritty compared to Bonanza.

[–] LarrupinLou 8 years ago

Wanted: Dead or Alive is certainly one of my favorites (I'm not sure I dislike any TV western, FWIW), but I wouldn't say it was the best. If I had to pick one, it would probably be Bonanza - except for The Wild, Wild West, it's the only classic western that I actually saw prime time (I never saw Gunsmoke until the mid-'80s) and have seen more episodes of that show than any other over the years. Have Gun - Will Travel and The Rifleman are close, however - Cheyenne is closing in, too.

No blah, blah, blah!

[–] Jones70 (6875) 5 years ago

nice, I wish this would be available at the library.

[–] Kowalski (79174) 5 years ago

I DONT KNOW IF ITS THE BEST.....ITS DEFINATELY MY FAVORITE THOUGH.