From dusty frontier towns to morally complex gunfights, the Western helped define cinema in the 20th century. While the genre evolved dramatically over the decades, from classic Hollywood heroism to gritty revisionism, a select group of films stand above the rest.

Based on critical acclaim, cultural impact and lasting influence, here are the 13 best Western films of the 20th century, ranked from 13 to 1, including four John Wayne masterpieces that helped shape the genre.