[Or why I hate lists of best anything. Preferences range according to tastes and familiarity with the subject. As you can see by this list the preferences were all the usual suspects. No Sartana films no “Forgotten Pistolero” and “Django” didn’t even make the top 10. It is what it is. – Tom Betts]
MSN
By Madison Troyer
December 25, 2025
#25. Ace High (1968)
- Director: Giuseppe Colizzi
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Runtime: 122 minutes
After a wrongly accused thief escapes the hangman's
noose, he forms an unlikely alliance with two bounty hunters and sets out to
exact revenge on the people who framed him years ago. "Ace High" is
the second film in a trilogy starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, which
begins with "God Forgives… I Don't!" and ends with "Boot
Hill."
#24. Tepepa (1969)
- Director: Giulio Petroni
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Runtime: 103 minutes
A lesser-known spaghetti Western, "Tepepa" (aka
Guns for Dollars) is about a Mexican revolutionary leader saved from impending
execution by an English doctor who wishes to dole out his own revenge after the
death of his fiancée. Orson Welles stars as the ruthless Colonel Cascorro, and
the actor is rumored to have made the atmosphere on set absolutely terrible.
#23. The 5-Man Army (1969)
- Directors: Don Taylor, Italo Zingarelli
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Runtime: 105 minutes
During the Mexican revolution, a cowboy mercenary known
simply as "the Dutchman" (Peter Graves) enlists a group of four
uniquely trained fighters to help him rob a train carrying $500,000 of gold.
Obviously inspired by "The Magnificent Seven," "The 5-Man
Army" was director Don Taylor's last acting role—he plays an uncredited
poker player—before he moved behind the camera permanently.
#22. The Cruel Ones (1967)
- Director: Sergio Corbucci
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Runtime: 90 minutes
Also known as "The Hellbenders," "The
Cruel Ones" follows a fanatical Confederate officer who desperately wants
to reignite the Civil War. To fund his scheme, the officer, played by Joseph
Cotten, embarks on a long and perilous journey to collect a large sum of money
hidden inside the coffin of a fallen compatriot.
#21. The Return of Ringo (1965)
- Director: Duccio Tessari
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Runtime: 95 minutes
The only official follow-up to "A Pistol for
Ringo," "The Return of Ringo" sees Giuliano Gemma reprise his
role as Union officer Montgomery Wood. After returning from the war, Wood
discovers that his town is now ruled by a gang of Mexican bandits, and he
undertakes a revenge plot after suspecting that his wife has been unfaithful.
Darker in tone and content than its predecessor, the film manages to paint a
more complex picture of the hero than many other spaghetti Westerns.
#20. Sabata (1969)
- Director: Gianfranco Parolini
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Runtime: 111 minutes
The first film in a trilogy, "Sabata" follows a
gunman, a banjo player, and a tramp who team up to foil the corrupt leaders of
their town, all of whom are plotting to rob the local bank. The film is chock
full of gunfights and action sequences, with one eagle-eyed viewer counting 75
bodies dropped through the 111-minute run time.
#19. Run, Man, Run (1968)
- Director: Sergio Sollima
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Runtime: 120 minutes
While not a direct sequel to "The Big Gundown,"
"Run, Man, Run" continues the story of Cuchillo, a character
introduced in the first film. In this chapter, Cuchillo competes against groups
of bandits and other lone mavericks to find a stash of hidden gold worth $3
million. Deceptions, double-crosses, and a whole bunch of action are sure to
keep even the most skeptical viewer glued to the screen.
#18. A Bullet for the General (1967)
- Director: Damiano Damiani
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 115 minutes
El Chuncho and his team of ruthless bandits rob a train,
intending to sell the stolen arms to a rebel general. During the heist, they
encounter a helpful American, Bill Tate, who may be more than he appears.
Critic Sean Axmaker notes that "A Bullet for the General" is
"directed like a '20s gangster picture… where life is cheap, loyalty is
rare, and rival gangs constantly battle for guns and contraband."
- Director: Tonino Valerii
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 111 minutes
Legendary spaghetti Western actor Lee Van Cleef, star of
other big hits like "For a Few Dollars More" and "The Good, the
Bad and the Ugly," plays a gunslinger who goes off the rails in "Day
of Anger." As the new guy in town, Frank Talby (Van Cleef) acts as a
mentor to an unassuming janitor, Scott Mary (Giuliano Gemma). However, as his
young prodigy grows in skills and confidence, their fragile power balance is
upended, and things sour quickly.
#16. Keoma (1976)
- Director: Enzo G. Castellari
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 105 minutes
One of the last true spaghetti Westerns, "Keoma"
follows a half-Native American, half-white Union soldier, Keoma Shannon. Keoma
seeks to save his hometown from the iron grip of the evil Caldwell and his band
of thugs—which just happens to include Keoma's three half-brothers. Director
Enzo G. Castellari has said that this film, which was largely improvised and
shot in eight weeks, is his personal favorite.
#15. Death Rides a Horse (1967)
- Director: Giulio Petroni
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 114 minutes
Lee Van Cleef does it again in "Death Rides a
Horse," playing an aging gunfighter who forms an alliance with a young man
who seeks to hunt down the bandits that killed his family. A truly terrible
film in regards to production quality and acting abilities, critic Roger Ebert
placed the movie in the so-bad-it's-good category.
#14. Face to Face (1967)
- Director: Sergio Sollima
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Runtime: 111 minutes
Not to be confused with the Ingmar Bergman film of the same name, this "Face to Face" follows a history teacher (played by Gian Maria Volonte) who falls in with—and eventually takes over—an outlaw gang. A personal favorite of director Sergio Sollima, the film has long been perceived as a commentary on the rise of fascism in Europe.
#13. The Mercenary (1968)
- Director: Sergio Corbucci
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Runtime: 110 minutes
A revolutionary disguised as a rodeo clown, a Polish mercenary with a penchant for stealing, and a peasant woman are the main characters in "The Mercenary." Told largely through flashbacks, the story focuses on the trio's adventures during the Mexican revolution. Several well-known actors of the genre, including Franco Nero and Tony Musante, make appearances.
[to be continued]
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