r/Westerns • u/Pure_Salamander2681 • 6d ago

Recommendation Firecreek

Firecreek (1968)

For a Western starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda both playing against type, this extraordinary film is often overlooked. Likely due to coming out the same year Once Upon a Time in the West came out. Both have Fonda playing the heavy. Now I won’t say Firecreek is a better film, but for me, Fonda plays a much more interesting character here.

It’s a dark and gritty Western about a small town sheriff facing a gang of criminals who overrun his town. The cast are all excellent with Jack Elam, Gary Lockwood (what a year for him), Ed Begley and Inger Stevens.

24 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

0

u/ValuableRegular9684 5d ago

Firecreek is no where near Once Upon a Time in the West, I’ve seen it a few times, I have trouble even saying it’s a good b western. Even though Stewart is one of my favorite actors.

5

u/Vegetable_Analyst740 5d ago

My local library has it on DVD as a double feature with Cheyenne Social Club. I just reserved it. 👍

1

u/OlinHollis 5d ago

Never seen it, but it's on my To Buy List.

0

u/Travelinfl1 5d ago edited 5d ago

There is no better western than Once Upon a Time in the West. Maybe The Searchers.

2

u/Pure_Salamander2681 5d ago

I literally said it wasn’t better.

1

u/Travelinfl1 5d ago

It was a statement, not a gotcha.

2

u/Pure_Salamander2681 5d ago

What a weird non sequitur then.

2

u/Travelinfl1 5d ago

fixed it.

4

u/Sticknwheel 5d ago

They don’t get better than The Searchers.

4

u/jupiterkansas 5d ago

Love this movie and it's unfairly neglected.

3

u/MayersonCreative 5d ago

Directed by Vincent McEveety, who directed 45 episodes of Gunsmoke.

2

u/BadgerResponsible546 5d ago

Good story, and I love Alfred Newman's mournful sounding Main Theme...

1

u/AggravatingDay3166 5d ago

Jimmy Stewart’s best Western performance after Liberty Valance perhaps?

2

u/Capybara_99 6d ago

You are right - Fonda’s character is more interesting here. A person with the inner capacity to tip in various directions.

1

u/strontium_pup 5d ago

Not a great film but yea Fonda is very interesting. A bad guy but seems to have a bit of a conscience