Eastwood is surely the most iconic Spaghetti Western star—but not the only one.
Spaghetti Westerns had their heyday in the 1960s and 70s with a style all their own. The term originated because most of the Westerns from that era were filmed in Italian studios and featured several of the same directors and actors. So how did these films differ from their American counterparts? The stories were darker, the action was bloodier, and everyone was out for revenge.
A conversation unfolded over at r/movies about the best Spaghetti Westerns that don’t star Clint Eastwood. Many users chimed in with their own personal favorites. From a lone avenger to a gang of mercenaries, from deserts scapes to wartime heroes, these were the top selections of Redditors.
10, ‘They Call Me Trinity’ (1970)
They Call Me Trinity is a Western comedy directed by Enzo Barboni. It tells the story of two goofy gunslingers (played hilariously by Terence Hill and Bud Spencer) who come to the rescue for a Mormon settlement when a land-grabber causes trouble. This film hits the perfect balance of action and laughs.
The folks over at Reddit added They Call Me Trinity to their list of top spaghetti Westerns that don’t star Eastwood. User powerage76 said about the film, “The old Spencer/Terence Hill Westerns were just pure fun.” Another user, mephistophles2u chimed in to agree, writing, “Yup – awesome stuff.”
9, ‘My Name Is Nobody’ (19713)
My Name Is Nobody is a combo of a classic and a spaghetti Western. It’s about a gunfighter (played by Hill) named Nobody who idolizes a famed gunfighter (Henry Fonda) whose set to retire, but he convinces him to take on one last battle with notorious outlaws. This one has plenty of gun-slinging action for fans.
User DrDejuvu joked, saying despite the movie being mostly terrible, “It has my favorite scene in anything ever. The big one with The Wild Bunch, the train, and the dynamite. That whole sequence is incredible. Best 15 minutes of any movie, in my opinion, but the rest of it ranges from bad to ok to just plain weird.” In other words, expect a fun romp.
8, ‘Keoma’ (1976)
Keoma is a directed by Enzo G. Castelerri (the man behind Warriors of the Wasteland and Escape From The Bronx). It follows a Union gunfighter who tries to protect his hometown from a Confederate leader. It’s borderline artsy but has all the violence fans expect from a 70s spaghetti Western.
User 2xtimes suggested the film on Reddit, writing, “A f**king trippy, weird movie but awesome nonetheless. Franco Nero and underrated Woody Strode team up to take back a corrupted town.” Keoma is a one-of-kind viewing experience and should be added to everyone’s watch list.
7, ‘Death Rides A Horse’ (1967)
Looking for a Western that’s great, even without Eastwood? Look no further than Death Rides A Horse. Directed by Giulio Petroni, the film stars classic actors, Lee Van Cleef and John Phillip Law. It follows the story of a young gunman and ex-outlaw who team up to kill bandits, each in the name of revenge.
If the plot sounds familiar that’s because it’s similar to a Quentin Tarantino movie (he was heavily inspired by the film). IAmRobertShaw wrote, “I liked Death Rides a Horse, and if you’re familiar with Kill Bill then it should be an interesting watch.”Part buddy movie and part vengeance story, this one is a wild ride. It’s been deemed one of the best Spaghetti Westerns of all time.
6, ‘The Mercenary’ (1969)
The Mercenary is a Mexic an Revolution Western film directed by Sergio Corbucci
The film features many tropes specific to the genre (a shanty desert town with a despicable villain). Reddit user 2xtimes said about The Mercenary, “Franco Nero is the #3 greatest Spaghetti Western star behind Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef, and just barely ahead of Terence Hill. Great movie withJack Palance as an awesome villain.”
5, ‘The Great Silence’ (1968)
Corbucci was at again with The Great Silence, a movie about a mute gunfighter who protects a widow from a gang of outlaws and bounty hunters. It features an impressive cast including Jean-Louis Trintigant, Klaus Kinski, and Frank Wolff. This one is about as bloody and graphic as a Spaghetti Western can get.
User wiNNa_monstER took to Reddit to add this one to the list. Redditor blucthulhu agreed, “This and For A Few More Dollars are my favorite spaghetti westerns. Beats Heaven’s Gate to the punch by over a decade and that ending is just brutal. Never seen anything like it,” they wrote.
4, ‘Navajo Joe’ (1966)
Burt Reynolds made a name for himself in the genre when he played Quint Asper in the television series Gunsmoke. This naturally led him to the big screen where he starred in the Spaghetti Western, Navajo Joe. He played a Native American(Reynolds claimed Cherokee descent) who avenges the outlaws who massacred his tribe.
Directed by Corbucii, this film captured the attention of Redditor 2xtimes who said “Burt Reynolds is a Native American seeking revenge. Great Ennio Morricone score.” Navajo Joe has generally been roasted by critics over the years for a variety of reasons, but some Reddit users obviously enjoy it.
3, ‘The 5-Man Army’ (1969)
The 5-Man Army is another Spaghetti Western without Eastwood that Redditors loved. Directed by Don Taylor and Dario Argento, it features a fantastic ensemble cast including Bud Spencer, Peter Graves, and James Daly. It’s a fast-paced train robbery movie with enough twists and turns to keep your attention.
User 2xtimes said about the movie, “Peter Graves (think the pilot from Airplane!) teams up with a brute, a gamble, a samurai, and explosives expert to rob a heavily armed train. Underrated and relatively unknown, it’s still very entertaining. There’s a great scene of the samurai running after a train.”
2, ‘Django’ (1966)
When it comes to Spaghetti Westerns, Django is a film that stands out from the rest. Corbucci did it before Tarantino (who wrote and directed the modern Django Unchained). The film centers around a gunslinger and a prostitute who exact vengeance on a band of Confederate Red Shirts and Mexican Revolutionaries.
User drnotorious said on Reddit, “The original Django (1966) is popular and worth checking out.” Here’s a fun fact: Nero (who played the original Django) makes an appearance in Django Unchained. The original version was way ahead of its time and would be perfect to view first in a Django double feature.
1, ‘Once Upon A Time In The West’ (1968)
Leone’s Once Upon A Time in the West is in a class of its own, one of the essential Spaghetti Westerns. It stars Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, and Claudia Cardinale and is about a stranger with a harmonica and a desperado who team up to protect a widow. It also features another amazing score by Ennio Morricone.
Reddit user OkDokeComputer wrote about the film, “Definitely and without question Once Upon A Time In The West. It’s also Sergio Leone but no Eastwood. Very epic movie.” User Bennett1984 agreed, saying, “Without a doubt. The best. Period. In my opinion.” This is required viewing for fans of the genre.