Back in the day, Clint Eastwood was not the only gun-for-hire in the dusty frontier; here are 10 of the best Spaghetti Westerns not starring Eastwood.
Dusty towns, vengeance in the sun, brooding gunslingers – this is the iconic picture that comes to mind when we think of Spaghetti Westerns. For decades now, few actors have been more synonymous with these genre conventions than the man with no name himself: Clint Eastwood.
With his squinted eyes and prolonged dialogue, Eastwood dominated the genre in the 1960s and gave us memorable classics like A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He practically defined the Spaghetti Western genre for a generation. However, Eastwood was not the only gun-for-hire navigating the treacherous frontier back in the day. There were a host of other talented actors who were just as popular and brilliant in their respective turns.
In this list, we aim to highlight 10 of the best Spaghetti Westerns that did not feature Clint Eastwood in the lead role. Instead, we look at compelling narratives led by Henry Fonda, Lee Van Cleef, and Franco Nero, who not only upheld the grittiness of their gunslinging stories but also the spirit of the Wild West. From complex anti-heroes to morally conflicted lawmen, these actors brought their own unique presence to the genre.
10Keoma (1976)
Keoma tells the story of an ex-Union soldier named Keoma Shannon, who returns home after years of fighting in the Civil War, seeking to reunite with his roots. But upon his arrival, he finds out that his hometown is overrun by plague, his family farm destroyed and his people either facing oppression or slavery. Keoma teams up with his father and an old Black friend to seek revenge on his half-brothers, who have formed an alliance with a ruthless tyrant named Caldwell.
Directed by acclaimed Spaghetti Western filmmaker Enzo G. Castellari, Keoma has all the elements of a gritty 70s action film fused into the more conventional Western tropes like a conflicted hero and the moral challenges faced by a man torn between his thirst for retribution and basic humanity. It stars Franco Nero in the lead role, and his portrayal is quite mesmerizing. Keoma has a lot of gunplay and its visual style is quite memorable. Stream on The Roku Channel.
9My Name Is Nobody (1973)
Set in a dangerous frontier town in Europe, My Name Is Nobody follows an aging and celebrated quick-draw gunslinger named Jack Beauregard, who arrives in town to retire peacefully and leave his life of violence behind. But he is approached by a young bum who introduces himself as Nobody and convinces Beauregard to take on a notorious outlaw. As tensions rise and an unlikely duo is formed, the movie advances toward one last epic showdown.
A Spectacular and Entertaining Spaghetti Western
Lauded by critics as “the kind of Western that only an immensely appreciative and witty Italian filmmaker could make,” My Name Is Nobody is a movie that not only embraces the traditions of Sergio Leone-style Westerns but also, at the same time, surpasses them with its complex deconstruction of the legend named Nobody. Under Tonino Valerii’s immaculate direction, the witty and nuanced performances from Henry Fonda and Terence Hill emerge spectacularly. The movie is equal parts humorous, dramatic, and entertaining. Stream on Prime Video.
8They Call Me Trinity (1970)
Genuinely amusing in tone, They Call Me Trinity is a Western comedy starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer as half-brothers Trinity and Bambino, who have a reputation for being inept cowards. The seemingly bumbling brothers, in reality, hide their sharp wits and faster drawls to act as a team and rescue a Mormon settlement from a vicious and unlawful henchman of the land-grabbing Major Harriman.
A Slapstick and Absurd Parody Of The Genre
The movie is a wild and absurd parody of the genre filled with spectacular stunts and laugh-out-loud humor. It comes alive under the direction of Enzo Barboni and is paired with a brilliant score composed by Franco Micalizzi. The goofy protagonists played by Hill and Spencer are the heart of the movie; their charming banter, visual gags, and slapstick actions bring endless laughs. The movie became so beloved that it birthed an iconic series of Western movies that blend satire, stunts, and style. Stream on Tubi.
7The Mercenary (1969)
It wouldn’t be fair to exclude Sergio Corbucci from a list of iconic Spaghetti Westerns. His 1969 movie is set against the backdrop of the volatile climate of the post-Mexican revolution. It centers around a mercenary, Sergei Kowalski, who teams up with two Mexican peasants to bring a new order. But they uncover a complex web of corruption, are outnumbered by the Mexican army, and are forced to navigate the treacherous deserts while being pursued by a killer.
Nero’s Gunman Battles Against the System
Starring iconic Spaghetti Western actor Jack Palance as the main antagonist, Corbucci’s movie offers an ambiguous look into the frontier. It also stars Franco Nero, Tony Musante, and Giovanna Ralli, who bring an equal amount of intensity and personal code of honor to their respective roles. The Mercenary is an uncompromising saga that examines themes of revolution and integrity and what it takes to stand up against a corrupt system. Its thought-provoking allegories are why the movie has endured as one of the director’s finest works. Stream on Tubi.
6The Five-Man Army (1969)
Another Zapata Western from the 1960s, The Five-Man Army centers around Mexican rebels hiring a man to rob a train carrying gold worth 500,000 US Dollars. He enlists the help of four other men and promises to pay each of them a thousand dollars when the job is done. After showcasing their wits and bravery against impossible odds, they manage to succeed with the robbery. But Dutchman’s greed gets the better of him and tensions grow.
Five Men and the Greed For Gold
Helmed by director Don Taylor, written by Dario Argento (who influenced the 1970s and 1980s with his penmanship in the horror and thriller genre), and starring an outstanding cast of actors including Bud Spencer, Peter Graves, and James Daly, The 5-Man Army brought some dynamic scenes and humor to its depiction of a robbery. The movie is among the few Spaghetti Westerns to have been released to DVD by Warner Home Video, which is why it is relatively lesser-known. But it is a tribute to the genre. Rent on Amazon Prime.
5The Great Silence (1968)
Another Corbucci classic, The Great Silence takes you to the desolate mountains outside of the town of Snow Hill in 1898, where a mute bounty hunter named Silence works alongside local bandits to get revenge for his parents’ murders, bringing even minor criminals and outlaws into captivity. When a young widow pleads to help her avenge her husband’s death from a band of bounty-evading outlaws led by the ruthless Loco, Silence protects her with all he’s got.
A Standout Revisionist Western
The Great Silence is an unconventional Spaghetti Western; its tone is haunting and its atmosphere artful and brave. It stars Jean-Louis Trintigant as the introspective bounty hunter alongside Klaus Kinski and Frank Wolff. The movie features breathtaking shots of snowy vistas, bringing to screen Utah prior to the Great Blizzard of 1899 in all its rampant glory. Its themes of corruption, social injustices, and dehumanization come with a biting sensibility and linger long after, making it a standout in the genre. Stream on Hoopla.
4Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
After washing his hands of The Dollars Trilogy, Sergio Leone intended to steer away from the Western genre and explore new waters. But he changed his mind and went on to direct and produce Once Upon A Time In The West anyway. The movie centers around a cold-blooded tycoon taking control over land through intimidation and murder. One of the main targets is a newly widowed homesteader named Jill McBail. Jill enlists help from a mysterious harmonica player and a desperado.
Sergio Leone’s Crowning Achievement
The movie’s clever premise set the stage for an epic battle of wits between four complex characters. Henry Fonda, who is cast against type as the villain, is unforgettable in his role. Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, and Claudia Cardinale represent dazzling characters as well. The intricate plotlines, brilliant camerawork, Ennio Morricone’s rousing score, and the phenomenal portrayal of the American frontier as a lawless inferno, to this day, remain the crowning achievement of Leone and of Spaghetti Westerns. Stream on Fubo TV.
3Death Rides A Horse (1967)
Just as bloody and gritty as Clint Eastwood’s westerns but not starring him, Death Rides A Horse begins with a young boy witnessing his family being murdered at the hands of four bandits. Fifteen years later, the boy has grown into a formidable gunslinger named Bill. He’d vowed revenge a long time ago and now Bill tries to track down the men who killed his family using his memory of each of their distinct characteristics. He gets help from a former gunfighter named Ryan.
Biting Commentary on Injustice and Violence
Directed by Giulio Petroni, Death Rides A Horse has a taut pacing and an intriguing game of cat and mouse to hook viewers in. It works phenomenally as an operatic tale of a man’s personal war for retaliation, but within the narrative are entwined themes of memory, truth, injustice, and mob violence. While Ennio Morricone’s memorable score is a mainstay, the movie features haunting performances from Lee Van Cleef and John Phillip Law. Stream on Peacock.
2Navajo Joe (1966)
You know what they say, it’s not a Western unless there’s a revenge plot tethered to it. Navajo Joe transports you to the American Southwest and tells the story of the titular young warrior, a Native American who somehow managed to survive the massacre of his tribe but lost his wife to the horrifying deed. All set to seek vengeance on the outlaws that turned him cruel, he infiltrates a gang and breaks it from within.
Native Gunslinger Going Against Outlaws
Burt Reynolds stars in one of his early dramatic roles as Joe, offering a unique antihero to the genre. He was accompanied by the likes of Aldo Sanbrell, Nicoletta Machiavelli, and Tanya Lopert. Directed by Sergio Curbucci with his signature style, the movie does not hold back in displaying the Old West’s ugliest injustices. It features magnificent vistas of the valleys and is told from an indigenous perspective, which is rare in the genre. Overall, Navajo Joe is a groundbreaking film that continues to garner recognition. Stream on Fubo TV.
1Django (1966)
The first movie in Sergio Curbucci’s Mud and Blood trilogy, which also includes The Great Silence and The Specialists, Django centers around a mysterious stranger who sets foot in a town terrorized by a vicious gang led by a ruthless bounty hunter. While the townsfolk live in a constant state of fear, Django teams up with a mixed-race sex worker and benefits out of the feud between two rival factions – the Confederate Red Shirts and a band of Mexican revolutionaries.
The Most Violent and Influential Western of all Time
Django is considered to be one of the best films of the genre to have not been directed by Sergio Leone and not star Clint Eastwood. It not only introduced audiences to a rare brand of fast-shooting stranger but also inspired a whole subgenre and became a classic that continues to be referenced in movies. Take Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 film Django Unchained, for instance, which pays direct homage to the original. Django stars Franco Nero as the lone coffin-dragging antihero and features bloodcurdling violence and unmatched originality. Stream on Peacock.
