10 Best Musical Westerns, Ranked

On paper, it may seem that a musical and a Western don’t have much in common, but many of the dramatic elements of both combine to make some of the greatest musical Western films of all time. Musicals have singing, dancing, and touching emotional turns that all add weight to the themes and conflicts of the Western film. In turn, Westerns provide stunning backdrops and interesting plots to musicals, providing insight into the mythic story of the Old West.

Since the Old West was such a compelling place full of interesting characters, many real-life people inspired films about their lives and exploits. However, even if a movie is loosely based on real events, it still takes many liberties with the story to make it align with the style and plotting of a dramatic arc. It’s important to remember that the characters within a musical Western are portraying a fantastical version of the historical past and using the tools of song and dance to bring lightness and fun to these films.

10 The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)

Directed by Charles Walters

Many people were first introduced to Molly Brown because of the film Titanic (1997) and the fact that she was a historical figure who survived the terrible shipwreck. However, there is much more to Molly Brown’s story than The Titanic. The Unsinkable Molly Brown chronicles her early life and how she and her husband raised themselves from poverty and living off the land, to entering elegant Denver society.

Debby Reynolds plays Molly Brown beautifully and lends lots of vulnerability and grit to the fierce figure of Molly. Not to mention that her voice is fantastic, and she handles Molly’s growth from a young girl to a grown woman with great success. Some of the numbers are a little dated and outlandish, but the film succeeds in painting an honest portrait of a woman and making a comment about classism in the United States.

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9 The Harvey Girls (1946)

Directed by George Sidney

Starring Judy Garland as Susan, The Harvey Girls is based on the novel of the same name and follows Susan as she goes West to find a husband. Of course, things don’t go as planned, but Susan does fall in with a group of women who help her grow and lead her to true love. Judy Garland is easily the best part of the film and the emotional depth she brings to the role elevates the low stakes of the movie. The numbers include many throwbacks to the Old West and ballads dedicated to those open plains, and for a moment it’s almost believable that Garland has been there.

8 The One And Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968)

Directed by Michael O’Herlihy

The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band brings a political twist to the Western landscape and capitalizes on the successful trope of a family full of fabulous musicians. The Bower family moves out West to the Dakota territory as homesteaders and ends up in the middle of the presidential campaigns of Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison. Many of the overtones of the film involve the creation of the United States and fairness when it comes to representative politics.

These are hard-hitting topics for a musical to cover, and sometimes the seriousness of the story sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. However, the performances are fantastic, and it’s commendable that the movie attempted to show both sides of the political spectrum at the time. The film grapples with the ideological differences between old and new generations, as well as the divide that was felt by the different types of people who capitalized on finding a home in the West.

7 Annie Get Your Gun (1950)

Directed by George Sidney and Busby Berkeley

Like several on this list, Annie Oakley was a real-life Wild West Cowboy who appeared in a film during her lifetime. Although this film was not Annie Get Your Gun, the movie still captures her essence and the excitement of her life, despite the fictionalization of some events. The musical centers on the romance between Annie (Betty Hutton) and Frank Butler (Howard Keel), and the one thing it doesn’t skimp on is their sharp-shooting skills. Throughout the movie, fantastic stunts and well-choreographed dance scenes take center stage, making the film burst with energy. Additionally, the musical features the famous song, “Anything You Can Do”, which is popular to this day.

6 Calamity Jane (1953)

Directed by David Butler

Doris Day makes for an unexpected but well-received Calamity Jane in the film Calamity Jane. Best known for her crooning in the sex comedies of the ’60s, Day embodies the tough but lovelorn Jane in a movie with great numbers, but sometimes questionable messaging. The thrust of the story is that the men in the Dakota territory want a more “feminine” and “traditional” woman in the sense of the old-fashioned values of the time.

To fulfill their request, Jane brings back a woman from Chicago, but this only leads to further complications. Although the film can and should be read through a critical lens, it can also be interpreted as a comment on how, even then, the concept of “real” womanhood was just that, a made-up concept. No woman would meet those ideals, and the sooner society stopped expecting that, the better. As with many of Day’s films, there is an undercurrent of feminism in certain readings of the movie, and plenty of musical talent throughout.

5 Go West (1940)

Directed by Edward Buzzell

The Marx Brothers, Groucho, Chico, and Harpo, were a legendary comedic family who brought new meaning to satire and slapstick through their work over many years. In Go West, the brothers reunite to put a sardonic twist on the Western and poke fun at the genre conventions of the time. While doing this, they incorporate the considerable musical talents of the family, including the iconic harp playing of Harpo Marx that is featured in every film. What puts Go West a cut above other satirical Westerns is the fact that they were one of the first to do it, and set the bar high for all the films that followed.

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4 Paint Your Wagon (1969)

Directed by Joshua Logan

Though musicality isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when discussing Clint Eastwood, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t deliver in his turn as Pardner in Paint Your Wagon. The film is a more serious and morally dubious take on the Western musical. It raises a lot of questions about the importance of social rules when living off the land so far from “civilization”.

Using music to lighten the tone and push the story along in times of struggle was a wise move for the film, as the music adds variety to a film that could have been played quite darkly. However, it is also the performances that make the film so watchable. Also featuring Jean Seberg and Lee Marvin among the all-star cast, the acting brings the film to the next level.

3 The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs (2018)

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

The Coen brothers tried their hand at a musical in The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, which treads familiar territory in terms of the themes the directors often grapple with. Some of the things the West is so famous for, like violence and rugged individualism, are interacted with through a series of vignettes about the formation of what would come to be known as the Old West. Throughout the tale, Buster Scruggs (Tim Blake Nelson) stewards the story and frames the narrative with songs that lend themselves to the legend-like nature of the tales. Though not a musical in the traditional sense, Buster Scruggs still uses the device with great success.

2 Oklahoma! (1955)

Directed by Fred Zinnemann

Adapted from the stage musical of the same name, Oklahoma! features the music of Rogers and Hammerstein, and stars Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae as Laurey and Curly. The chemistry of the two leads is a vital part of what makes Oklahoma! so successful, as are the color-saturated set pieces and numbers that make a beautiful backdrop for the film. The songs in the musical are close to perfect, as are the heartfelt performances that make the audience ache while hoping that Laurey and Curly will finally confess their feelings. Though there have been many interpretations of the musical, the 1955 edition will always remain a classic.

1 Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954)

Directed by Stanley Donen

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers features one of the best dance numbers in a movie of all time in the Barn Dance sequence. There’s no question that even many of the plot lines that drive the story would not fly today, but the music and dance numbers are so beautiful and well-choreographed that it would be a shame for the movie to ever fade into obscurity. Milly (Jane Powell) is the heart of the film, taking on the care of a large family of men living in the wilderness and teaching them how to be gentlemen.

Although she faces many challenges, she never loses her independence or sense of morality, giving a sympathetic angle to the events of the film. The ensemble of men who play the brothers she comes to know in the mountains are some of the best dancers of their time and explode with talent and vigor every time they’re on-screen. Capturing both the spirit of the Old West and serving as a reminder of why it’s only a legend, the film delivers on all fronts.