Summary

• The best villains in Clint Eastwood's Western movies are as memorable and essential as his iconic heroes.
• Eastwood's characters often operated in morally gray territory, reflecting the lawless nature of the Western genre.
• Great Western villains must be nuanced in their motivations and actions, with some being downright evil in their pursuit of power.

Clint Eastwood is widely regarded as one of the most prolific actors within the Western genre, but the best villains in his movies should not go unacknowledged. A hero has no reason to exist without an antagonist who provides a foil to their sense of morality. Eastwood appeared in many Westerns, but the best stand out because of the great performances and characterization of the evils that he fought against. After making so many iconic Western movies, it’s only fitting that his villains be regarded with the same notoriety.

A great villain should have nuance in their motivations and actions, but some of the best are plain evil.

Though Eastwood often played the hero, that doesn't mean his characters didn't operate in morally gray territory. Hallmarks of the Western genre include the lawless nature of the West and a sense of individualism that encourages personal justification of what's right and wrong. However, it's this same sense of individualism that leads the antagonists to believe they don't have to answer to anyone. A great villain should have nuance in their motivations and actions, but some of the best are plain evil.

10 The Women - The Beguiled (1971)

Played by Geraldine Page, Elizabeth Hartman, and Jo Ann Harris

The recent remake of The Beguiled by Sofia Coppola is one of her best movies. However, the original version starring Eastwood is often overlooked for its contributions to the Southern Gothic genre. When a young soldier is taken in by a group of women at a school, they become so jealous of Eastwood's John that they end up killing him. Though they're not precisely villains, the women are some of the most complex and layered characters in an Eastwood movie. John himself could be described as a villain in his own right for how he treats them.

The Beguiled is available to rent on Prime Video.

9 Coy LaHood - Pale Rider (1985)

Played by Richard Dysart

Eastwood plays a supernatural character in Pale Rider and stands against the villains as a haunting figure of death. Antagonist Coy LaHood (Dysart) is a man who doesn't take kindly to people getting in his way but doesn't understand how Preacher (Eastwood) can't seem to be killed. LaHood is a bully who believes he can bribe or coerce Preacher into bending to his will, but men like that never seem to come out on top in a Western. He's an important Western villain because he represents the audience and the futile way that every person fights against death.

Pale Rider is available to rent on Prime Video.

8 Frank Harlan - Joe Kidd

Played by Robert Duvall

For most of Joe Kidd, it seems as if Joe (Eastwood) is on the side of Harlan (Duvall) in his battle to illegally seize land from a group of Mexicans who are being pushed out by white settlers. Harlan is easy to hate in the movie, as he cares little for those he hurts and only desires power and control over the land. This is a common theme in Western movies, since a driving force behind the movement West was obtaining resources. In this way, Harlan is an insidious villain for how quick he is to displace a community for people.

Watch Joe Kidd on Netflix.

7 Captain Wilson - Hang ‘Em High (1968)

Played by Ed Begley

The line between right and wrong is frequently blurred in Hang 'Em High as Cooper (Eastwood) is encouraged to bring the men who hanged him to legal justice instead of taking the law into his own hands. A frequent issue in Westerns is how the law will be upheld. Settlements are sparse, and there are few to enforce it. Men like Captain Wilson take advantage of this fact, dispatching revenge whenever and wherever they want. In his introduction, Wilson is the leader of the men who hang Cooper, and his disregard for his life is shocking but intriguing.

Watch Hang 'Em High on HBO Max.

6 Captain Terrill - The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

Played by Bill McKinney

The Outlaw Josey Wales takes a dated look at the fallout of the American Civil War, with Eastwood's Josey Wales becoming a Confederate sympathizer because a group of Union soldiers killed his family. The leader, Captain Terrill, is not evil because he is in the Union but because that's what the brutality of war can do to a person. In the narrative, the setting of the Civil War is less important than the metaphor for the effects that war has in general. Terrill is significant for what he represents and the larger message behind his actions.

5 Ramón Rojo - A Fistful Of Dollars (1964)

Played by Gian Maria Volonté

In the first of the Dollars Trilogy by Sergio Leone, A Fistful of Dollars had to establish itself as offering something unique among the landscape of Westerns. The genre was at the height of popularity at the time of its release, but between Eastwood and Volonté, it was a hit. It's obvious from the opening scene A Fistful Of Dollars is incredible, but it's thanks to Ramón Rojo that the momentum remains. As a villain, he's smart, tactical, and more than a match for Eastwood. The movie is also notable for the fact that it was Eastwood's first leading role.

4 El Indio - For A Few Dollars More (1965)

Played by Gian Maria Volonté

El Indio is similar to many typical Western villains, but he holds the audience's interest thanks to Volonté's return and the terrible secret he's hiding. The pocket watch he carries throughout the film holds an unknown significance that imbues his character with an air of mystery that gives him more depth than expected. Though he remains ruthless, Indio is haunted by his past and appears to feel injury as a result of his violence, if not true remorse. The film is an underrated part of the Dollars Trilogy but should be better ed for its fantastic villain.

Watch For A Few Dollars More on HBO Max.

3 The Stranger - High Plains Drifter (1973)

Played by Clint Eastwood

In an interesting turn of events, Eastwood's character, the Stranger, is the antagonist in High Plains Drifter. He is a classic example of an anti-hero, and his actions throughout the film toe the line between morally ambiguous and completely unforgivable. However, the film is effective in making the audience question how they feel about the Stranger. He's violent and abusive, but there's an interpretation of the movie that his actions are for the greater good. The Stranger earns a place at the top because of the complexities of Eastwood's performance and the sense of dread he leaves in his wake.

2 Little Bill Daggett - Unforgiven (1992)

Played by Gene Hackman

Unforgiven not only stars Eastwood but is also one of the best films he directed, calling into question whether or not he's a better actor or director. The film is an exploration of Eastwood's legacy as well as the fading legacy of the Western. Little Bill Daggett (Hackman) is a corrupt sheriff who embodies the relevant dangers of the abuse of authority. Part of what makes Bill close to the greatest villain is how he dispatches his violence and cruelty to others and feels no remorse, making his disciples just as terrible as he is.

1 Angel Eyes - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (1966)

Played by Lee Van Cleef

Eastwood's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the definitive Western movie, thanks to Angel Eyes (Van Cleef), the best and most notorious villain of any Western movie. Van Cleef is an amazing actor, and it's easy to get so drawn into his portrayal that the fear he inspires jumps off the screen. Angel Eyes establishes himself as a villain unlike any other because of how easily he'll ruthlessly gut anyone who crosses him. It's especially astounding because Van Cleef had previously played a hero in a Leone film, but his turn as Angel Eyes is his greatest performance.