Lee Van Cleefwas truly one of the greatest stars of his era, with a filmography that included some of thebest Western movies of all time. With over 170 film and television roles, Van Cleef was particularly known for his leading and supporting roles in acclaimed spaghetti Westerns and his performances opposite stars like Gary Cooper, John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood. With a talent for playing no-nonsense tough guy bandits, Van Cleef had a sinister screen presence that made him a truly compelling villain.
FromWestern team-ups with iconic starsto trulyspectacular Western sequels,Van Cleef’s time in the cinematic Wild West was well spent. While some of Van Cleef’s best Westerns featured him as the lead, he often also took a backseat to play highly memorable supporting characters who helped elevate these movies to now legendary status. A true icon of the Western genre, Van Cleef should be remembered alongsidethe greatest Hollywood starsof the 20th century.
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
Cast
The Magnificent Seven Ride!, released in 1972, is the final installment of the original series. It follows Marshal Chris Adams who, after a personal tragedy, recruits a writer and five prisoners to combat a gang of Mexican bandits, continuing the legacy of the legendary seven.
WhileThe Magnificent Sevenwas an undisputed classic of the Western genre, things weren’t quite as acclaimed by the time it got to the fourth and final movie,The Magnificent Seven Ride!While Yul Brynner’s iconic performance as the gunman Chris Adams was an important aspect of the first movie’s success, the character’s subsequent performances from George Kennedy and, finally, Lee Van Cleef didn’t have the same impact.Van Cleef took up the mantle as Chris Adamsfor a series finale that went out with a whimper and not a bang.
While it’s easy to criticizeThe Magnificent Sevensequels, it boasts a Western legend with Van Cleef in the leading role. It was interesting to see his interpretation of this character. As Chris Adams wrangled up a writer and five prisoners to help him eliminate a gang of Mexican bandits, the most disappointing thing aboutThe Magnificent Seven Ride!was that it essentially just retread the same territory as its predecessors. While it’s not a bad Western by any stretch, it just signaled a franchise that had run out of steam and had one too many recasts.
Outside of Sergio Leone’sDollars Trilogy, Lee Van Cleef was best known for his role as the Western gunslinger Sabata. With a trilogy of films focused on the character, due to scheduling conflicts, Van Cleef did not return for the sequelAdiós, Sabata,where he was recast with Yul Brynner, yet he did reprise his role for the final movie,Return of Sabata. Following the skilled gunman helping the citizens of a small town rid themselves of the McIntock clan,Return of Sabataoffered audiences the same intense Western stylings they had come to expect from Van Cleef, but not much more.
Return of Sabatawas a fun, final outing for the character, packed with Western shootouts and some tongue-in-cheek humor. As a self-aware spaghetti Western,Van Cleef leaned into his reputation as an icon of the genreto ruthlessly take out the bad guys with a suave sense of cool. While Clint Eastwood’s characterization of The Man with No Name has gone down as the definitive Western anti-hero, Van Cleef’s Sabata was a close second when it came to pure cinematic charisma.
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is a 1957 Western film directed by John Sturges. The film stars Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday, depicting their legendary battle against the Clanton gang in Tombstone, Arizona. Featuring supporting performances by Rhonda Fleming and Jo Van Fleet, the film chronicles the tensions leading to the historic 1881 showdown.
There have been countless Westernportrayals of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, as these real-life Wild West figures have become true icons of Americana.Gunfight at the O.K. Corraldramatized the famous gunfight between the lawmen and the outlaw Clanton gang in Tombstone, Arizona, and starred Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. Among the supporting cast was alsoLee Van Cleef as Ed Bailey, a vengeance-seeking man hoping to bring Holliday to justice for the murder of his brother.
Gunfight at the O.K. Corralwas one of the best Westerns of the 1950s that was tense and suspenseful as it drew every closer toward its gun-blazing climatic shootout. While Lancaster and Douglas’ performance carried the movie, supporting characters like Van Cleef’s Bailey helped turn it into a Western classic. Although Wyatt and Holliday’s story would be more effective in the 1990s cult classicTombstonewith Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, it was portrayals such as this that helped lay the foundations for that acclaimed depiction.
How the West Was Won
A sprawling epic that chronicles the westward expansion of the United States through the lives of four generations of a pioneer family. From the dangerous rivers to the sweeping plains, the film captures the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of settlers as they confront the harsh realities of the American frontier.
Despite only appearing in an uncredited role as a River Pirate, Lee Van Cleef’s appearance inHow the West Was Wonshowcased just how integral he was to the landscape of Western cinema in the 1960s. This acclaimed Western from Henry Hathaway, John Ford, and George Marshall told an epic family saga across five chapters, taking place from 1839 to 1889, which included the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the Western expansion of railroads.
How the West Was Wonwas one of Hollywood’s greatest epicsand an astounding showcase of cinema’s awe-inspiring capabilities. As a magnificent spectacle that drew viewers in with vast landscapes and thematic resonance, the cast included not just a brief appearance from Van Cleef but also other Western legends like James Stewart, John Wayne, and Henry Fonda. As a star-studded Western that utilized Cinerama’s three-strip panel panorama process, viewers looking to check out this Western classic should do so on the biggest screen they can find.
High Noon
High Noon is a classic western directed by Fred Zinnemann and stars Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane, who must face a gang of outlaws alone after townsfolk abandon him. The film is notable for its real-time narrative as Kane prepares for a duel with the outlaws set to arrive by noon. Grace Kelly co-stars as Kane’s pacifist bride, adding emotional depth to the story.
Lee Van Cleef began his film career as he meant to go with his acting debut in the Western classicHigh Noon. This story ofMarshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper) deciding whether to flee town or take on a gang of banditswas a timeless tale of honor and duty told in real-time. WhileHigh Noonwas controversial upon release for its perceived communist sympathies, its moral complexity and deep themes have led to its reputation as a true classic of the Western genre.
Van Cleef played the supporting role of Jack Colby, a member of Frank Miller’s gang waiting to face against Kane atHigh Noon. With an infectious level of charisma, even though Van Cleef did not have a lot of dialogue inHigh Noon, his bright future as a cinematic Western gunslinger was clear right from the beginning. As Van Cleef coolly smoked cigarettes and played harmonica while he waited for his time to fight, he laid the groundwork for the aloof and detached nature of many of his subsequent Western characters.
Sabata
Sabata (1969) is a Spaghetti Western directed by Gianfranco Parolini, featuring Lee Van Cleef as the titular character, a skilled gunman who discovers a corrupt scheme involving stolen government funds. As he uncovers the conspiracy, Sabata must confront an array of adversaries and navigate dangerous situations while seeking justice. The film is noted for its action sequences and complex storytelling, characteristic of the genre.
Continuing on from the astounding success of Sergio Leone’sDollars Trilogy, Lee Van Cleef continued to star in spaghetti Westerns likeSabata. As a skilled gunman who took out thieves and bandits with ease,Sabatawas a classic Western anti-hero who played by his own rules and lived by a personal moral code.Sabatawas one of Van Cleef’s most iconic film roles, and the character continued to appear throughout theSabata Trilogy, with Yul Brynner recast for the first sequel and Van Cleef returning for the final movie.
As a wild and often cartoonish spaghetti Western,Sabatawas the perfect vehicle for Van Cleef’s unique talents, as he brought a confident coolness to the character.Van Cleef’s portrayal of a bounty hunterwith more than a few tricks up his sleeve made Sabata a cunning and engaging anti-hero who stood up against the best Western stars of this era. With an excellent score that echoed its Wild West aesthetic,Sabatademonstrated Van Cleef doing what he does best.
Death Rides A Horse
Death Rides a Horse is a Western film directed by Giulio Petroni, starring Lee Van Cleef and John Phillip Law. The plot centers around a young man seeking revenge for the murder of his family and his partnership with an ex-outlaw who also has a score to settle. Set against the stark backdrop of the wild west, their journey is one of vengeance and justice intertwined.
The action-packed revenge WesternDeath Rides a Horsestarred Lee Van Cleef and John Phillip Law. With Law as Bill Meceita, a cowboy whose father was killed and whose mother and sister were sexually assaulted while he was a child, and Van Cleef as a bandit framed for armed robbery by the same four men responsible for that crime, this Western team-up was a powerful tale of vengeance and retribution. With hopes for extorting revenge upon the same men,Van Cleef and Law work together to deliver their own particular brand of justice.
Death Rides a Horsewas a dark spaghetti Western that was not afraid to tackle complex themes of moral depravity. With complex emotional pain underpinning the character’s actions,Death Rides a Horsedug deeper than the average movie of this type. Far more than a simple violent shoot-em-up,Death Rides a Horsecaptured the depraved underbelly of life in the Wild West.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a 1962 Western film directed by John Ford. Starring James Stewart as an idealistic senator and John Wayne as a rugged rancher, the story explores themes of justice and legend as they confront the outlaw Liberty Valance, played by Lee Marvin. The film examines the conflicts between law, order, and personal morality in the American West.
Lee Van Cleef continued his trend of appearing in supporting roles in some of the most impactful Westerns of all time withThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. This Western team-up featured two major stars, James Stewart and John Wayne, who joined forces to take out the titular outlaw Liberty Valance, played by Lee Marvin. Van Cleef appeared as Reese, a member of Valance’s gang, in yet another extraordinary showcase of his skills playing Wild West villains.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valancewas notable for the way it played with the notion of the Western genre itself, as it explored ideas around mythmaking and how stories become the stuff of legend. Asan insightful commentary on the legacy of the Wild West and America’s origin story, much of the film’s message can be summed up in its famous quote, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” With Van Cleef in a reduced, albeit significant role,The Man Who Shot Liberty Valancewas yet another demonstration of his importance to the Western genre as a whole.
For A Few Dollars More
For A Few Dollars More is a classic Western featuring Clint Eastwood as a bounty hunter forming an uneasy alliance with a rival to capture a ruthless outlaw.
The Western genre gained an all-time classic when Sergio Leone releasedA Fistful of Dollarsin 1964, which was quickly followed by the sequelFor a Few Dollars Morethe following year. With Clint Eastwood back as the iconic Man with No Name, the spaghetti Western sequel was made even better through the infusion ofLee Van Cleef as Colonel Douglas Mortimer. Cleef was the missing ingredient of this franchise, as he portrayed a former Army officer turned bounty hunter who teamed up with Eastwood’s character.
As one of the few performers who could compete with Eastwood in terms of onscreen charisma, this dynamic duo helped makeFor a Few Dollars Moreone of the best Western sequels ever made. With fast-paced shootouts made even more effective through Ennio Morricone’s timeless score, Van Cleef was truly in top form. As a film often overshadowed by the beginning and end films of this trilogy, For a Few Dollars More was pure Western movie fun.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
In the United States, a mysterious gunfighter tries to work together with a bandit and a bounty hunter to find a hidden treasure. The men are forced to forge a difficult alliance as each knows only part of the location. The big problem is that none of them has any intention of sharing the wealth once they’ve found it.
Lee Van Cleef’s most iconic and best role came as ‘the Bad’ in the defining spaghetti WesternThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Van Cleef played the ruthless and borderline sadistic mercenary known as Angel Eyes in this legendary Sergio Leone movie starring Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name. With plenty of Leone’s signature long shots and close-up cinematography, paired with Ennio Morricone’s unmatched score,The Good, the Bad and the Uglyis the benchmark by which all other spaghetti Westerns are judged.
Van Cleef played the polar opposite of his character inFor a Few Dollars Morein this final entry in the trilogy, as Angel Eyes' menacing nature meant he was not only willing to kill but actually took pleasure in it. As an epic story complete with the most iconic three-way Mexican standoff cinema has ever seen, Van Cleef helped turn this into a true classic of Wild West cinema. While mainstream audiences may mostly remember Eastwood’s iconic attire, those in the know recognizeLee Van Cleefas essential to this film’s status as an all-time Western classic.
