Glenn Ford is one of the most iconic names in the Golden Age of Hollywood. For many, he might be best-recognized for his role as Clark Kent's adoptive father, Jonathan Kent in the original 1978 Superman.
However, Ford's filmography is better defined by easily being one of the most prominent Western movie stars to ever mount a saddle, lending his name to a multitude of films in the genre. His name may not have quite the same level of staying power as the likes of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, but for his time, Ford was a veritable icon. Able to balance his equal experience in dramas and comedies to enhance every film he appeared in, some of Glenn Ford's films ittedly outdo others.
10 The Americano
1955
Around the middle of Glenn Ford's career, The Americano helped establish him as a valuable freelance talent whose charisma could help enhance any Western story. True to its title, The Americano stars Ford as a cattle rancher watching over livestock near the Amazon jungle in Brazil. When a cadre of cattle thieves take aim at his herd's range, he becomes embroiled in a bitter range war while also falling in love with a local woman.
The Americano benefits a lot from its unique novelty setting, and earns some bonus points for being a Western actually centered on a literal cowboy protecting his cattle. The legendary César Romero of Batman fame is also brilliant as the charismatic El Gato. Yet the name of his character betrays a fundamental problem with the film: The Brazilian locals speak Spanish rather than Portuguese, or at best, a horrid pidgin of the two. If it were a little more faithful in portraying the culture of its setting, The Americano could have easily been much better.
9 The Man From Colorado
1948
Glenn Ford's career spanned early enough in the Golden Age of Hollywood that many of his most prominent Westerns were still in black-and-white. The Man From Colorado sees Ford star opposite William Holden as a pair of Civil War veterans who find themselves back home in Colorado. When Ford's Owen Devereaux finds himself appointed as judge, his new violent temperament soon has him rulling with an iron fist, leaving Holden's leading man to stop him.
It's interesting to see Ford in a rare villainous role, and he does well as the mentally unstable and trigger-happy Judge Devereaux. The gang war that unfolds with two former best friends heading either side makes for some potent drama, although the aged sense of pacing and production values certainly hamper The Man From Colorado more than Ford's other films. Though intriguing, The Man From Colorado does especially suffer from its old age.
8 Lust For Gold
1949
Hot off the back of The Man From Colorado, Glenn Ford quickly found himself starring in another black-and-white Western with Lust for Gold in 1949. Adventurer Floyd Buckley comes within sniffing range of the score of a lifetime when he unearths some clues of the location of the fabled Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine, a fabulous hidden cache of treasure. The only problem is that others before him have tried to locate the booty and been murdered for their trouble, plunging Floyd into a world of danger.
Ford is once again a villain, this time the dastardly Jacob 'Dutch' Walz, who is willing to do everything to hoard the coveted mine for himself. The entire movie is told within a frame story set in the "modern day" 1940s, with the starring actors only ever appearing in the past. Lust for Gold has some impressive special effects setpieces and over-the-top performances that dial up the excitement compared to the likes of The Man From Colorado, but the frame story only detracts from the impact more often than not, and the film still wears its age on its sleeve.
7 The Secret Of Convict Lake
1951
A delightfully contrived drama, The Secret of Convict Lake is a creative Western in Ford's filmography at a time in which he had begun to gain notoriety for his cowboy roles. Ford stars as Jim Canfield, a convicted murderer who escapes from prison along with several other inmates during a vicious snowstorm to seek revenge upon the man who framed him. Things get complicated when he meets the man's fiancée, infiltrating the homestead of the small family of women waiting for the prospecting men to return.
The forbidden romance between Canfield and Marcia is a truly scintillating love story, and the up-for-interpretation ending provides plenty to chew on as viewers decide for themselves whether the two of them get away happily ever after or not. The gunfighting in the film is also surprisingly intense, and the tense unease of the women's first impression of the convicts amid the snowy backdrop slowly builds up to it in a thrilling manner. That being said, keeping track of the bloated cast can be a chore at times, and the hand-to-hand fisticuffs choreography leaves much to be desired.
6 The Man From The Alamo
1953
For as ed of a saying as " the Alamo" is, it's surprising there aren't more Westerns set during the historical event. Enter The Man from the Alamo, which takes place during the siege of the infamous Texas battle. Glenn Ford's John Stroud is sent out to check on the Alamo men's families, only to be branded a coward when he misses the massacre. Even worse, his own family is killed shortly after. Thus, Stroud vows to defend the remaining families from Santa Anna sympathizer, the sinister Jess Wade.
First and foremost, the action of The Man from the Alamo is incredible, with Ford actually suffering from three broken ribs during filming after being thrown from his horse. This kind of rough-and-tumble approach to stunts certainly shines through in the final action setpieces, and the story of redemption stringing them together is more than servicable. However, the film is certainly one of many Westerns not concerned with historical accuracy, a particularly jarring downside considering the importance of the setting to the plot.
5 The Violent Men
1955
Glenn Ford is certainly a Western actor with a wide range, and his softer side gets to be brought to bear, ironically, in the 1955 film labeled The Violent Men. Ford plays John Parrish, a Civil War veteran with a lingering wound on one of his lungs who has settled down for a peaceful, quiet life, hoping to sell his land and move back east. But when a violent, greedy rancher threatens him to accept a low-ball offer with his dangerous gang, Parrish is forced to take up arms once again.
Ford does an amazing job piloting a hero who is largely a pacifist, but becomes one of the most shrewd and callous killers imaginable when pushed to his breaking point. The surprise twist villain is also a nice catch, resulting in a rare woman-on-woman gunfight practically unheard of in 1955. The film may be a bit hokey, especially the happy ending, even by 50s standards, but still offers plenty to enjoy as far as Ford's skills are concerned.
4 The Fastest Gun Alive
1956
In general, Glenn Ford's Westerns seem to only get better with time, with The Fastest Gun Alive outdoing anything in his career up to that point. Once again, Ford is a mild-mannered hero, simple storekeeper George Kelby Jr., operating under an assumed identity along with his wife. Kelby's criminal past catches up with him when a feared gunfighter begins to cast his shadow on the quiet town, leading to George polishing off his old sharpshooter skills and dazzling the town with his marksmanship.
The Fastest Gun Alive makes great use of Ford's very real quickdraw, with the actor being easily one of the fastest gunslingers in Western cinema history. The film features some incredibly classic stand-offs and high-noon showdowns, ahead of its time compared to the more rote action of 50s Westerns, making the camera almost feel like a participant in every tense firefight. Subverting expectations at all angles and providing Ford his most likeable hero yet, The Fastest Gun Alive gatekeeps the truly phenomenal films of his career.
3 Jubal
1956
By all means, 1956 was an incredible year for Glenn Ford's Western career, with Jubal bringing his critical profile to previously unheard-of heights. Ford is the titular hero Jubal Troop, a down-on-his-luck man hired as a cattlehand on a ranch hoping to put his animal companionship skills to good use. Trouble arises when the ranch owner's young, attractive wife, Mae Horgan, makes some sexual advances, putting his new livelihood in grave jeopardy.
Often described as Othello on the range, Jubal is a poignant drama through and through, with the gunslinging and setting almost ancillary to the tragic tale of ions left untamed. Ford is infinitely likable as the simple ranch hand who just wants to do his job, and it's interesting to see him navigate the conniving elements hoping to bring him down within the ranch's staff. Jubal comes close to rivaling Ford's best classics, but can't quite breach the upper echelon of quality, still feeling just a hair slow at times.
2 The Sheepman
1958
As his time in the Western genre went on, Glenn Ford slowly began to lose out on his chances to show off his comedic chops as well as his affinity for cold and collected gunslingers. However, The Sheepman was a great change of pace later in his career, positing him as the rowdy gambler, Jason Sweet. After winning a herd of sheep in a poker game, Sweet makes more than a few enemies when he boldly drives them right through the center of a busy cattle country, ruffling as many feathers as possible along the way.
Unconcerned with elaborate drama or sympathy, The Sheepman's titular hero throws himself into danger for the love of the game, making the most of Ford's charisma and sense of humor. An early appearance from Leslie Nielsen as one of Sweet's old nefarious poker buddies gone legit as a cattle baron adds a pleasant surprise for modern viewers, as well. Hilarious, intense, and more well-acted than most other films in Ford's career, The Sheepman is a simple, but brilliant gem.
1 3:10 To Yuma
1957
By far Glenn Ford's most famous leading role, 3:10 to Yuma has since been immortalized by the modern Western remake starring Russell Crowe with Christian Bale. Van Heflin stars as Dan Evans, a destitute rancher who finally gets a break when he's fired for a dangerous mission -- escorting the captured big-time outlaw ringleader, Ben Wade, to the 3:10 train going to Yuma, Arizona. Dan is in for the fight of his life as Wade's gang attempt to spring him from custody during the journey.
There's a good reason 3:10 to Yuma has long been considered so culturally significant. The sense of suspense the film is able to orchestrate, when paired with the dusty, frontier setting, is a perfect thesis statement on the strengths of the Western genre as a whole. Ford provides Van Heflin with a great foil as the scummy Ben Wade, once again allowing him to aim his charisma at a villainous character for exceptional results. It's easy to see how so many people only know of Ford for his role in 3:10 to Yuma, making it a legendary Western.