Henry Fondawas an icon of classic Hollywood, famous for his calm demeanor, commanding presence, and everyman appeal. In the first half of his career, he generally played righteous heroes in movies but later took on more diverse roles, including antiheroes and villains. Fonda won the Oscar forOn Golden Pondand worked in a host of genres, from courtroom dramas like12 Angry MentoHitchcockthrillers likeThe Wrong Man, but probably turned in his best performances in Westerns that would later be canonized as classics of the genre.
Western fans looking for gems to watch could do worse than start with Fonda’s filmography (though they may have already seen some of his more famous movies). His work in the genre covers everything from straightforward classics to more comedic and experimental Westerns, as well as character studies.The best Henry Fonda Westerns remain entertaining and accessiblemore than half a century after their release.
10’Jesse James' (1939)
Directed by Henry King
“I ain’t aimin' to do nuthin'. I’m doin' it.” Fonda leadsJesse JamesasFrank James, the older brother of the infamousJesse James(Tyrone Power).The film, set in post-Civil War Missouri, follows the James brothers as they turn to a life of crime after the ruthless railroad companies swindle farmer families out of their land, including theirs. While Jesse becomes a folk hero to some for his rebellious stance against the railroads, Frank grapples with the moral implications of their actions.
The script is smart, and Fonda delivers a committed performance, butthe direction is uneven, and some of the scenes fall flat, particularly the romantic ones. A few of the action sequences are also undercooked, the shootouts most of all. Despite these flaws,Jesse Jameswas a massive hit on release, becoming the third highest-grossing movie of the year, behind onlyMr. Smith Goes to WashingtonandGone with the Wind.
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9’Drums Along the Mohawk' (1939)
Directed by John Ford
“O Almighty God, hear us, we beseech Thee, and bring succor and guidance to those we are about to bring to Your divine notice.” Here, directorJohn Fordblends historical drama with a character study, focusing on the daily struggles of a young couple on the frontier. Gilbert Martin (Fonda) is a newlywed farmer who, along with his wife Lana (Claudette Colbert), seeks to build a life on the New York frontier during the American Revolution.
InDrums Along the Mohawk, Ford shows the viewer endless open plans and towering forests, which practically become like characters in their own right.
Drums Along the Mohawktakes a while to get going, and the action only really kicks into gear around the halfway mark, but it’s still solidly crafted and boasts strong performances from most of the main actors, especially Fonda andthe equally iconic Claudette Colbert.It’s also impressive for beingFord’s first foray into color filmmaking, which he actually nails. His landscape shots are especially memorable and create a lot of immersion. Ford shows the viewer endless open plans and towering forests, which practically become like characters in their own right.
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8’Warlock' (1959)
Directed by Edward Dmytryk
“The men you posted are coming into town.” In this one, Fonda is Clay Blaisedell, a renowned gunfighter hired by the desperate citizens of the town of Warlock to restore order and protect them from a group of outlaws. Blaisedell, with his signature golden-handled pistols, brings a sense of calm authority, yet his methods and those of his enigmatic partner, Tom Morgan (Anthony Quinn), are morally ambiguous, leading to conflict with the town’s deputy sheriff (Richard Widmark).
From here, the story unfolds in some unexpected and intriguing ways, defying the usual narrative formula for this kind of Western. Some of the supporting actors are a little hammy, but Fonda is terrific, really fleshing Blaisdell out and making him compelling. Indeed, later reviewers have paid a lot of attention to the complex relationship between Blaisedell and Morgan, with some arguing that there isa romantic subtext to their dynamic. If that’s true, itmakesWarlockpretty boundary-pushing for a ’50s Western.
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7’How the West Was Won' (1962)
Directed by Henry Hathaway, John Ford, George Marshall
“They left tracks in history that will never be eroded by wind or rain.” Directed by three different filmmakers,How the West Was Wonis a true epic chronicling one family’s sweeping journey across the American frontier. It’s divided into four chapters, each unfolding in a different time and place between 1839 and 1889. In each of them, successive generations of the Prescott clan contend with the struggles of the changing West. As a result,the film boasts an ensemble castincludingJames Stewart,Gregory Peck,John Wayne, andEli Wallach.
Fonda makes a cameo appearance in the fourth chapter, entitled “The Railroad.” He is buffalo hunter Jethro Stuart, who helps one of the protagonists maintain peace with a group of Native Americans.; it’s a small role but Fonda is quite entertaining in it.How the West Was Wonis worth checking out for Western fans, even if it drags at times and is overlong. Despite some dated elements,it remains one of the most impressive epics from its era.
How the West Was Won
6’The Tin Star' (1957)
Directed by Anthony Mann
“A decent man doesn’t want to kill, but if you’re gonna shoot, you shoot to kill.” Directed byAnthony Mann,The Tin Starpresents a grittier, more realistic portrayal of the Old West, where the lines between right and wrong are often blurred. It stars Fonda stars as Morgan Hickman, a former sheriff turned bounty hunter who arrives in a small town with the body of an outlaw. There, he reluctantly becomes a mentor to Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins), the town’s inexperienced young sheriff.
The Tin Starhas an old-school charm and boasts some captivating visuals despite having been made on a paltry budget.
Fonda and Perkins make for a terrific team, the former world-weary and disillusioned with the law, the latter green and idealistic. The two actors complement each other well, and the relationship feels authentic and believable. Additionally,The Tin Starhas an old-school charm and boasts some captivating visuals despite having been made on a paltry budget. It certainly punches above its weight, but it got away with it, even earningan Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
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5’My Name is Nobody' (1973)
Directed by Tonino Valerii
“Folks that throw dirt on you aren’t always trying to hurt you, and folks that pull you out of a jam aren’t always trying to help you.“My Name is Nobodyisa more comedic Westernthat playfully deconstructs the genre while paying homage to its tropes. Fonda plays Jack Beauregard, an aging gunslinger who wishes to retire quietly in Europe but is continuously drawn back into the fray by a young, brash admirer named Nobody (Terence Hill).
My Name is Nobodyis a respectable experiment attempting to innovate within Western genre conventions. It doesn’t always succeed (the slapstick comedy is particularly underwhelming and, at times, grating), but many of its elements are definitely praiseworthy, like Hill’s energetic performance and, perhaps most of all, the self-parodying score by Western iconEnnio Morricone. Much of this is probably due to the input from producerSergio Leone,who reportedly stepped in to directmany scenes when production became chaotic.
4’Fort Apache' (1948)
“Not by chance, sir, by blood.“Fort Apacheis the first film in John Ford’s Cavalry Trilogy, featuring Fonda as Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday, a rigid and by-the-book officer who takes command of a remote outpost in the American Southwest. The crux of the drama is the tension between Thursday and his second-in-command, Captain Kirby York (John Wayne), over the treatment of the Apache tribe. Their conflict leads to a tragic confrontation.
Here, Fonda is meaner and far more venomous than usual, and his arrogance proves disastrous. Thematically,Fort Apacheis notable for being one ofthe earliest Westerns to present a more sympathetic portrayal of Native Americans. Story-wise, it’s a little meandering, with a few odd tangents that should have perhaps been cut. However, this complexity and non-straightforwardness is precisely what the film’s admirers appreciate the most. At the very least, it’s worth checking out just to see legends Fonda and Wayne opposite each other.
Fort Apache
3’My Darling Clementine' (1946)
“You didn’t get much of a chance, did you, James?” InMy Darling Clementine, Fonda takes on the role ofWyatt Earp, the legendary lawman tasked with bringing order to the turbulent town of Tombstone. The film reimagines the events leading up to the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, with a cattle theft and the killing of one of the Earp brothers. Eventually, Wyatt crosses paths withDoc Holliday(Victor Mature) and Clementine Carter (Cathy Downs), Holliday’s former love interest.
Fundamentally,My Darling Clementineis heartfelt and idealistic rather than factual, presenting a very romanticized vision of the Old West. But this is also what’s appealing about the movie, while compelling characters and confident direction make up for the occasional cheesy moments.My Darling Clementineis widely viewed asone of Ford’s masterpieces and a touchstone of the genre, not to mention one of the definingmovies about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.
My Darling Clementine
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2’The Ox-Bow Incident' (1942)
Directed by William A. Wellman
“Law is a lot more than words you put in a book, or judges or lawyers or sheriffs you hire to carry it out.” Fonda heads up the cast ofThe Ox-Bow Incidentas Gil Carter, a drifter who, along with his friend Art (Harry Morgan), gets swept up in a posse seeking to capture and punish a group of men accused of cattle rustling and murder. From here, the film becomes a stark and tense exploration of the dangers of vigilante justice.
The Ox-Bow’s plot is timeless, and the moral questions it raises are universal. The basics of the story could be applied to almost any setting rather than being confined to just the Wild West. Consequently, it’s one of the most sophisticated Westerns of the 1940s. Not for nothing,Clint Eastwoodhas namedThe Ox-Bow Incidentashis all-time favorite movie. Fonda also reportedly considered it to be one of his finest accomplishments.
The Ox-Bow Incident
1’Once Upon a Time in the West' (1968)
Directed by Sergio Leone
“The future don’t matter to us.” This epic is a tale of revenge, land disputes, and the coming of the railroad, set against the backdrop of the dying Old West. In it, Fonda takes on one of his most iconic and unexpected roles as Frank, a ruthless, cold-blooded killer hired by a railroad baron to force a widow, Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale), off her land, which is crucial for the railway’s expansion. However, Frank’s plans are thwarted by the mysterious Harmonica (Charles Bronson), who has another score to settle.
Once Upon a Time in the Westis essentially Sergio Leone’s more experimental riff on a John Ford story, with a decidedly anti-romantic portrayal of the West, winning the film countless admirers and earning a cult following. It’s especially famous for itsslow-paced, extended opening scenethat builds up to an incendiary shootout. Fonda’s filmography is jam-packed with Western classics, butOnce Upon a Time in the Westis perhaps the movie of his that has aged the most gracefully.
