WhenClint Eastwoodfirst debuted on the Western television seriesRawhidein 1959, that was only the beginning of his prolific career.Rawhidewas where he first charmed domestic audiences. When Sergio Leone cast Eastwood as The Man with No Name, the lead character of theDollars Trilogy (also known asThe Man with No NameTrilogy), he became an international icon and a symbol of the cinematic American frontier.
TheDollarsTrilogyalso marked the global emergenceof Spaghetti Westerns, which was a European-based movement. These were films often dubbed in Italian but set in the American West. When Sergio Leone released theDollarsTrilogy, Eastwood’s performance helped create new mythologies around what it meant to be an American during this period, setting new standards for depictions of masculinity.The Man With No Namewas Eastwood’s first leading role in a feature film, but it certainly wasn’t his last.
Despite starring in many different genres, Eastwood has often returned to the Western and is the actor most commonly associated with the genre other than John Wayne. The Western genre defined his career, made gave him his most iconic character, and won him an Oscar. Without further ado, here are the best Clint Eastwood Westerns, ranked.
Updated June 13, 2025: For both Clint Eastwood and Western fans, this article has been updated with even more content to showcase the legendary actor’s impressive career.
17Star in the Dust (1956)
Star in the Dustis a Western from 1956 in which Clint Eastwood played a very small role, and it’s one of his first appearances in a Hollywood film. The movie tells the story of a Sheriff in the western town of Gunlock who has to battle with farmers and ranchers over the intended hanging of a hired killer.
A Glimmer of Greatness
Clint Eastwood plays a tiny part, with very little screen time, as Tom, a ranch head. Despite playing a very short part, he showcases his typical charismatic on-screen persona and trademark grin, and it’s one of thefirst few roles he would playin his fledgling years before becoming a widely revered star.Currently unavailable for streaming
16The First Traveling Saleslady (1956)
Much akin toStar In The Dust,The First Traveling Salesladyis a Western comedy in which Clint Eastwood featured again in a small on-screen role. The story follows a businesswoman named Rose Gillray (Ginger Rogers), whose corset company goes bust, and she ends up having to repay several debts. She subsequently heads west along with her companion Molly (Carol Channing) to try and capitalize on Texas’ need for barbed wire, and the story follows their journey.
Related:These Are the Best Non-Western Clint Eastwood Movies of the Last 30 Years
Eastwood’s Humble Beginnings
Clint Eastwood plays the role of Lt. Jack Rice, a rancher (again). It’s another bit of a part role where he’s mainly tasked with smiling for the audience and the lead female characters with very minimal dialogues to deliver. However, it was a rare on-screen casting of Eastwood and Ginger Rogers starring in a film together, and it marked one of the Hollywood legend’s earliest cinematic performances.Currently unavailable for streaming
15Paint Your Wagon (1969)
What is perhaps Eastwood’s strangest film,Paint Your Wagon,is an oddball musical Western that turns the genre’s tight-lipped stoicism on its head. If a person ever wanted to see Eastwood in a lighthearted take on the lawlessness of the American Old West, this is the movie for them. He stars opposite Lee Marvin and Jean Seberg as Sylvester “Pardner” Newel (and does his own singing, to boot).
A Surprising Musical Appearance
Paint Your Wagonwas notably terrible experience for Eastwood and was part of what motivated him to become a director himself so he would not be at the mercy of other filmmakers. The film is particularly interesting for using the California “gold rush” as a historical backdrop, and Eastwood does an admirable job with musical numbers like “I Still See Elisa” and “I Talk to the Trees”, demonstrating his overall range as a performer and ability to do it all on the big screen truly. While it might have been one of the final nail in the coffins for the big Hollywood musical of the 1960’s, it is worth watching if the other Westerns on this list are a bit too violent for one’s liking.Rent/Buy onPrime Video
14Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)
Two Mules for Sister Saraisn’t the most well-known Clint Eastwood movie, but it still managed to captivate many fans of the genre. Set directly after the American Civil War, Eastwood stars opposite Shirley MacClaine as a soldier whose unlikely sidekick, a nun, isn’t what she seems to be. Together, the mismatched duo takes on the French invading army in an effort to defend the Mexican revolutionaries.
Eastwood & MacClaine Shine
Reminiscent of the storylines seen in old Hollywood movies, Eastwood breaks free of the constraints imposed in his previous roles and is no longer a lone cowboy who serves as an antihero. He was able to let loose and show off his more light-hearted side in the entertaining flick, brilliantly bantering with MacClaine and dazzling audiences every step of the way.Rent/Buy onApple TV+
13Ambush at Cimarron Pass (1958)
Clint Eastwood plays Keith Williams, a swashbuckling ex-Confederate inAmbush At Cimarron Pass, a film directed by Jodie Copelan. Although the film was underwhelming at the box office, it’s widely regarded as his big break in Hollywood in a somewhat major role. The plot centers around an Army patrol unit who have to team up with a band of former Confederates to safely carry their shipment of rifles through Apache territory to a fort while the Indians attack and attempt to steal the rifles from the group.
A Pivotal Career Moment
It’s a film that showcasedClint Eastwood’s acting prowessand contrived to be a stepping stone in his career for his next major role as Rowdy Yates in the TV showRawhide, which followed a year later. Both projects paved the way for his ultimate Hollywood takeover, and though Eastwood himself was not a fan of the Western, it did prove to be a worthwhile endeavor for the then up-and-coming actor.Currently unavailable for streaming
12Joe Kidd (1972)
Directed by John Sturges,Joe Kiddis about a former bounty hunter named Joe Kidd(Clint Eastwood) who owns a ranch in New Mexico and then proceeds to help a notorious wealthy landowner, Frank Harlan(Robert Duvall), track down a Mexican revolutionary after he learns that the group roughed up one of the workers on his ranch.
An Understated Performance
The film itself is a Revisionist Western with slight political underpinnings that reflect on the outlaw played by Eastwood, as it keeps audiences guessing as to where his loyalties lie. It’s a film in whichEastwood puts in a memorable performance, although it’s rated only 6.4/10 on IMdB and with an audience score of 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting that it wasn’t one of the best films in his longstanding career. However, it did gross $5.8 million in 1972, making it one of the most popular Westerns at the time.Stream onNetflix
11Cry Macho (2021)
Clint Eastwood saddles up for his first Western since 1992’sUnforgiven. Based on Richard Nash’s 1975 novel of the same name,Cry Machomay not be the typical Clint Eastwood film, but it is a modern-day Western with much in common with similar films released in the late 2010s likeHell or HighwaterandLogan. When a former rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder is tasked with saving his ex-bosses son from his alcoholic mother, the pair form an unlikely bond on their journey back home.
A Double-Threat on Screen
Cry Machois ostensibly a tale of redemption for Mike Milo (Eastwood), as he helps forge a second chance for Rafa (Eduardo Minett) by teaching him how to be a good man. Vulture commended Eastwood’s direction and performance in the engrossing film, noting, “Somehow, when we look at Mike, we don’t see Eastwood, the 91-year-old actor, but Clint the icon — not so much ageless as preserved in weathered glory, cinema’s forever haunted, cowboy.“Stream onMax
10Hang ‘Em High (1968)
Fresh off his time in theDollars Trilogy, Eastwood picked up this role to play an innocent man who is almost lynched at the film’s beginning. A glimpse into a period in American history where it was dangerous to be a marshal,Hang ‘Em Highisa classic revenge story. This revisionist Western is in the vein of the Italian Westerns Eastwood previously starred in, one that would be familiar to those who have seen his previous work.
A Gritty Tale of Vengeance
Hang ‘Em Highwas also the first film produced by Eastwood’s production company, The Malpaso Company, and was both a critical and commercial hit. Eastwood dazzled moviegoers with his portrayal of the retired lawman who sets out to exact revenge against the men who wronged him, and he shined alongside fellow stars like Ed Begley and Inger Stevens in the undisputed hit.Stream onMax
9For a Few Dollars More (1965)
For a Few Dollars More
For a Few Dollars, Moreis the second part of theDollars Trilogy,the popular trilogy that launched Eastwood’s career globally. Reliant on the tropes that have appeared in Western moviessince the genre was created, it does run into clichés at times. However, the villain of the film is absolutely wicked, a force that The Man With No Name must confront again and again as the movie coils towards its violent climax.
The Thrilling Trilogy Continues
Historically, the film also presented a shift in how bounty hunters were perceived; once abhorred, they were now depicted as heroic on the big screen.For a Few Dollars Morebecame even more financially successful than its predecessor and went on to earn $25.5 million at the box office, and in recent years has attracted more acclaim and appreciation for Eastwood’s powerhouse performance, Sergio Lione’s stellar direction, and its overall engrossing screenplay.Stream onMax
8Honkytonk Man (1982)
Clint Eastwood is the complete package. While best known for his traditional films, Eastwood has been in quite a few musicals, too. InHonkytonk Man, he plays a singer dying of tuberculosis, traveling to Nashville with his nephew. His dream is to become a famous singer, but with the Great Depression ravaging the nation, it seems almost impossible.
Dynamic Father & Son Duo
It’s a laid-back movie, quite sweet in tone, andEastwood and his son Kyleplay the main roles. The touching and understated picture was once again directed by the illustrious leading man, who embraced his vulnerable side and included many heartfelt moments with his son on screen, much to the delight of audiences.Currently unavailable for streaming
