Though legendary Oscar winner Gregory Peck might be better known for other roles, he left a tremendous mark on the western genre throughout his illustrious career. Getting his start at the pinnacle of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Peck quickly established himself as a powerhouse of the dramatic arts. With a commanding presence and bass voice, Peck exuded stardom.

What set Peck apart from many of his contemporaries was the richness of his performances, and he could always be counted on to deliver something much deeper. Films like Spellbound and Roman Holiday showed off his range, but gems like To Kill a Mockingbird forever cemented Peck as one of Hollywood’s greatest.

Like most stars from his era, Peck made frequent appearances in westerns, and the genre was quite kind to him. He often starred in subversive and psychological westerns, films that pushed the genre forward during its most fertile and popular period. Peck’s best westerns weren’t just excellent films, but shining examples of the genre at its most triumphant.

10

The Stalking Moon (1968)

Released at the tail-end of the genre’s most relevant period, The Stalking Moon illustrated how far westerns had come. Peck stars as an army scout who saves a white woman from Apache tribe, only to be hunted by her vengeful husband. More of a thriller than a conventional western, the film nevertheless has all the trappings of the genre.

Peck is his usual self, and co-star Eva Marie Saint turns in a stellar performance that sells the terror. However, The Stalking Moon stumbles a bit, especially in its pacing. It straddles the line between an opulent Hollywood production and an understated genre picture, but never finds a balance. It’s a great movie, but far inferior to Peck’s other westerns.

9

Billy Two Hats (1974)

Billy Two Hats is one of Gregory Peck’s final westerns, and it’s also one of his most underrated. An aging outlaw goes on the run with his young sidekick, and they form an unlikely bond while evading a determined sheriff. Peck steps into the role of a grizzled vet, and shows his versatility as a dramatic powerhouse and action star.

The film was not well-received at the time, though the bad reviews reflect a general distaste toward the genre in the mid-’70s. The western chase film is a pleasant mix of over-the-top violence and more subdued tropes, but it generally lacks a second gear. Peck’s starpower saves the movie, and he’s the best part of the oft-forgotten outing.

8

Only The Valiant (1951)

Peck’s best westerns were almost always of the psychological variety, and Only the Valiant was an early example of his success in the genre. He stars as a disgraced army officer who must lead an impossible mission in order to clear his name. Shockingly gritty for the early 1950s, Only the Valiant is equal parts western and war.

Playing the role of Captain Richard Lance, Peck puts on a clinic as a tortured man, and it enriches the experience. He shares the screen with stalwarts like Ward Bond and Lon Chaney Jr., and Only the Valiant is a who’s who of classic westerns. Ultimately, its small scale is its greatest weakness, and other Peck westerns are simply better.

7

Duel In The Sun (1946)

Just a few years into his movie career, Gregory Peck starred in one of the films that would forever define his cinematic legacy. Duel in the Sun concerns a young biracial woman who finds herself in the middle of a love triangle with two brothers. The controversial blockbuster created a big stir, and continued the genre’s push toward towering epics.

Less cowboy and more romance, Duel in the Sun is still squarely set within the themes of the western. Peck brings a bit of realism to the overwrought script, and he helps make the melodrama real. Duel in the Sun is a classic for a reason, but with its controversy faded, it has less to offer than more conventional westerns.

6

How The West Was Won (1962)

How the West Was Won was a watershed moment in the history of the western, and something of a swan song for its golden era. Assembling an all-star cast, the three-hour epic chronicles one family over the course of generations as they tame the American West. Peck appears as Cleve van Valen in the segment entitled “The Plains.”

Though Peck is great as always, he is somewhat lost in the movie’s huge cast. The film itself is a triumph, but hasn’t aged as well as other classic westerns. Its cinematography was crafted specifically for Cinerama, and has never looked as good on conventional screens. It’s a classic western, but it is only a middling Gregory Peck western.

5

The Bravados (1958)

Whenever a director needed an actor to play a conflicted western anti-hero, they often turned to Gregory Peck. In The Bravados, Peck plays a man out for vengeance against the outlaws who killed his wife, but his dogged pursuit leads him down a dark path. Unflinching and dour, The Bravados is a far cry from typical western machismo.

Through Peck’s performance, the movie dissects the notion of justice and revenge with a truly shocking twist. At only 90 minutes in length, The Bravados makes its point quickly, and every moment is jam-packed with rich meaning. It’s one of the best psychological westerns of the late-’50s, and Peck had already mastered the subgenre years earlier.

4

The Yearling (1946)

Generally considered one of the cornerstone children’s films of Hollywood’s Golden Age, The Yearling is also considered a western by many. In post-Civil War era Florida, a young boy adopts an orphaned fawn and learns important lessons about growing up. Heartbreaking and joyous, The Yearling was a rite of passage for younger moviegoers for generations.

Peck plays the father, and early in his film career, succeeds in the patron role. The Yearling‘s status as a western is controversial, but the film hits many of the same beats as other films, though it does so in a way that’s open to younger viewers. However, it’s status as a pseudo-western knocks it down a few pegs.

3

Yellow Sky (1948)

Taking a page from William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Yellow Sky was an appropriately theatrical Golden Age western. The film concerns a band of outlaws who descend upon a ghost town inhabited only by a prospector and his granddaughter. Peck plays “Stretch” Dawson, the gang’s charismatic leader, and he has terrific chemistry with Anne Baxter as Mike.

Tense with suspicion and intrigue, Yellow Sky is more about the internal evils of the characters than a sweeping plot. The film trounces other classic westerns in terms of pacing and performance, and it feels stunningly modern despite being over 70 years old. If it wasn’t for a few other gems, it would likely be one of Peck’s best.

2

The Big Country (1958)

The best epic films tell a grand story but keep the drama on a personal scale, and The Big Country is one western that does that excellently. Gregory Peck plays a retired sea captain who finds himself in the middle of a bitter feud over water on the plains of the American West.

Peck’s McKay is the ultimate western hero who is pushed too far. The Big Country features beautiful color photography that accentuates the interpersonal drama that drives the plot. Romantic and opulent, it’s one of the crown jewels of Hollywood’s Golden Age. The only blemish on its record is that it lacks the same complexity as Peck’s best western.

1

The Gunfighter (1950)

Effortlessly blending the western and noir genres, The Gunfighter is without a doubt Gregory Peck’s best western film. He stars as noted gunslinger Jimmy Ringo who can’t leave his violent past behind as it keeps catching up with him. In true Gregory Peck fashion, his performance as Ringo is the anchor that holds the film in place.

Ringo is tortured by the violence in his life, and Peck is stellar in the harrowing role. In 1950, westerns were at their most idealistic, but The Gunfighter is an examination of the complicated morality of the Old West. In a lot of ways, Gregory Peck‘s best western has parallels with modern culture, and it still imparts important lessons today.