Legends of Western Cinema Week 2024 | My (Current) Top Ten Western Heroes

Before we begin, a few notes:

#1.  I purposefully decided to go with "heroes" instead of "cowboys" for the title of this post, because not all of these characters fit the "cowboy" job description.  

#2.  I also decided to limit myself to one character per given show, hence why Print and Heck from Broken Trail or Vin from The Magnificent Seven don't make appearances.

#3.  As usual, I'm none too confident in all of my picks for this list, nor in all of their rankings.  I knew of about six or seven characters who deserved the title "favorite," no question, but the well started to run a bit dry after that.  In other words, to be ruthlessly frank, I was rather scraping the bottom of the barrel when it came to rounding out this list.  It's a stretch to call the first few characters in this post "favorites," but one does what one must for the sake of continuity. 😜

Now to it . . . 

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#10.  Billy Hyatt

The War Wagon (1967)

"Won't he let you talk to no one?"

"To no one."

"Well, reckon you can talk to me, then.  I'm no one."

I LOVE.  #10 and #9 on this list prove that I'm really rather easy to please when it comes to cowboy behavior.  Just give me a chap who'll notice those who are overlooked or mistreated and go out of his way to include or defend them (particularly if those people are women 😉), and I'm a happy camper.  Billy fits that description.  From his first interaction with Kate, rushing to offer her a cup of coffee and a smile (probably the first kindly interaction she'd had in years, God bless), I was on his side.  Since he remained a peerless gentleman to Kate throughout the rest of the movie (and coincidentally one of the only halfway decent people in the story), I stayed that way.  Excellent work, buddy.

#9.  Ringo Kid

Stagecoach (1939)

Once again, we find ourselves in the position of shouting out A Really Honorable Lad™.  All he had to do was ask, "What about the other lady?" and he had me sold.  Sure, he may be a fugitive from the law — and I can't remember whether I thought his parole violation or whatever it was was justified — but someone raised him right, and don't you forget it.   

#8.  Little Creek

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)

Ah, a throwback.  An animal lover with a daredevil streak?  Listen, he may be an animated character in a Dreamworks movie aimed at elementary-aged children, but he is also solid husband material, if we're being real.  (P.S.  I love how the filmmakers gaslit us into thinking that one man could drag a sinking and unconscious horse up out of the water.  Delulu is the solulu.)

#7.  Frank Hopkins

Hidalgo (2004)

Another nostalgia rep, but one who deserves a spot on this list by his own merit, too.  Frank is humble, easygoing, hardworking, and friendly, but he will knock your lights out if you look at his horse the wrong way, and honestly, we have no choice but to respect that.

#6.  Jason McCullough

Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)

Iconic.  I'm obsessed with him, actually.

No, because the way that this character subverts the traditional heroic cowboy archetype genuinely makes me so happy!  Oh, you're still resolving disputes by pulling your gun at the first hint of trouble?  EMBARRASSING.  Call us when you can trick a murderer into staying in a prison cell with no bars or run a would-be assassin out of town by throwing pebbles at him.  Get on Jason's level.

Instead of reaching for his holster every five seconds to pROvE HiS mANhOoD, McCullough talks and tricks his way out of fights, diffusing potentially (and senselessly) violent situations with a bemused good nature.  He even asks a woman, "Haven't you ever heard of shooting to wound?!" - a question I would love to scream at most other cowboy characters (and real life police officers *ahem*).  In short, he's wonderful and I love him.

#5.  Eli Whipp

The English (2022)

Yes, I am still emotional over this character and this series.  Thank you for asking.  Eli's steadfastness and resilience and gentleness kill me.  I just want to give him a hug.  He needs one.

#4.  Chris Adams

The Magnificent Seven (1960)

I am in sore need of a re-watch of this film, but in my memory, Chris is a gem.  Laidback but perceptive, quick to help others, a competent and diplomatic leader . . . an all-around solid guy.  A prince amongst men, you might say.

#3.  Matthew Quigley

Quigley Down Under (1990)

More of my thoughts on Matthew can be found in the review linked above, but in a nutshell:  I love how quick Matthew is to discern right from wrong and to act accordingly.  I love how quick he is to step in for the defense of the disadvantaged.  I love how quick he is to catapult racist scumbags through the glass doors of their own homes.  But I also love how quick he is to crack a smile.  I love how level-headed, easygoing, and playful he is.  He's just great, in general.

#2.  Tom Harte

Broken Trail (2006)

If you've been around for any length of time, you already know how I feel about Tom Harte.  Man of few words, lover of fiddle music, shooter of rapists . . . he's an icon, he's a legend, and he is the moment.  The blueprint, if you will, for a true Western hero.

#1.  Jim McKay

The Big Country (1958)

I've already written at some length about Jim and all the reasons I love him (for example, here and here), so I shan't bore you again.  But 10/10, would marry without hesitation.

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Who are your favorite Western lads?