Winchester ’73 is the Perfect Western Movie (Rock Hudson Plays a Native American War Chief)

In one of his most famous tunes, David Allan Coe listed the five essential themes for a perfect country and western song: trucks, trains, mama, prison, and getting drunk.

What themes are necessary for a perfect Western movie? A heroic cowboy, a thick-headed sidekick,  bloodthirsty Native Americans, a virtuous damsel in distress, and a villain wearing a black cowboy hat.

By this definition, ‘Winchester ’73’ is the perfect Western movie.  Jimmy Stewart embodies the heroic cowboy with his usual “ah shucks” charm. Millard Mitchell, known as High Spade, is Stewart’s trusty but slow-witted sidekick. Shelley Winters is perfectly cast as the virtuous damsel in distress, and black-hatted Stephen McNally appears as the hardhearted villain. Combined with the unique plot (built around a clinical obsession with a Winchester rifle), these elements make ‘Winchester ’73’ a must-watch for any Western movie fan. 

Who plays the part of the vengeful Native American?  To my delighted surprise, Rock Hudson, adorned in warpaint, shows up as Young Bull, the laconic war chief of a Plains Indian tribe.

What’s not to like? Indeed, ‘Winchester ’73’ is not just a personal favorite but also ranks seventh on a list of top 20 Western movies of all time. Rotten Tomatoes, a trusted review aggregator, gives the movie a 100 percent rating based on 28 reviews, further solidifying its status as a classic Western movie.

If you don’t like Western movies, don’t watch “Winchester ’73.” If you like them, this Jimmy Stewart classic is the movie for you.

I will close with this short reflection. Seeing Rock Hudson in warpaint illustrates Woody Allen’s famous line: “Eighty percent of success is showing up.”

I doubt Rock was thrilled about dressing out as a Native American, but he showed up anyway. In his wildest fantasy, I’m sure he never envisioned himself being cast as Elizabeth Taylor’s husband in “Giant,” another classic Western movie.

Rock Hudson as Young Bull: Just showing up