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10 Underrated Film Noir Movies That Can Be Called Masterpieces

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Dana Andrews sitting and looking at Linda Darnell sitting across from him in Fallen Angel (1946)

When it comes to classic cinema, film noir has always been one of the most beloved genres and is celebrated for its gritty stories of crime, corruption, and deadly dames. While a handful of titles, such as The Maltese Falcon, Sunset Boulevard, and Double Indemnity, are endlessly cited as cornerstones of the genre, many of its most daring and emotionally complex works, including Lured, The Big Combo, and New York Confidential, unfortunately remain widely overlooked.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of underrated noir films, such as The Unsuspected starring Claude Rains and Ida Lupino‘s The Hitch-Hiker, are not minor curiosities or second-tier efforts. They are fully realized masterpieces that are marked by sharp dialogue, morally ambiguous characters, and a deep sense of existential unease. From the marginalized 1945 noir, Fallen Angel, starring Dana Andrews and Linda Darnell, to the underappreciated film noir classic, The Locket, these are ten underrated classic film noir movies that can be called masterpieces today.

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10

‘Fallen Angel’ (1945)

Dana Andrews sitting and looking at Linda Darnell sitting across from him in Fallen Angel (1946)
Dana Andrews sitting and looking at Linda Darnell sitting across from him in Fallen Angel (1946)
Image via 20th Century Studios

Dana Andrews stars in Otto Preminger‘s Fallen Angel as Eric Stanton, a drifter and con artist who arrives in a small California town where he meets and falls for a waitress, Stella (Linda Darnell). Since Stella is only interested in a man with money, Stanton comes up with a scam that involves the help of a wealthy, well-to-do woman, June (Alice Faye), ultimately creating a dangerous love triangle that eventually leads to cold-blooded murder.

Fallen Angel is an underrated noir classic that refuses to fit neatly into the expectations of the genre, but that defiance is what makes the film quietly brilliant. At first, Fallen Angel appears to be a familiar murder mystery, but as the film progresses, the crime itself is almost secondary to the story. Preminger is far more interested in obsession, self-delusion, and moral rot than in procedural thrills, which makes the film feel psychologically richer and less immediately exciting than other plot-driven noirs.

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9

‘The Narrow Margin’ (1952)

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Richard Fleischer‘s The Narrow Margin is an intense noir that follows a Los Angeles detective, Walter Brown (Charles McGraw), who is assigned to transport and protect the widow of a murdered mobster, Frankie Neall (Marie Windsor), who is planning to testify before a grand jury in Chicago. When Brown encounters a string of gangsters who have been hired to stop Neall before she can take the stand, the detective finds himself entangled in a heated game of cat and mouse.

The Narrow Margin is one of the most overlooked noir classics and is perfect for those who prefer a noir that feels like a clenched fist rather than a smoky seduction. Unlike flashier noir movies, The Narrow Margin isn’t as sexy or glamorous, but its lack of showmanship is the main reason why the film feels incredibly authentic and even entirely plausible. Another unique element of The Narrow Margin is Fleischer’s choice to film on actual trains and stations, which gives the film a raw, almost semi-procedural feel and makes the danger feel organic and physical rather than stylized.

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8

‘New York Confidential’ (1955)

Richard Conte standing behind Anne Bancroft in New York Confidential (1955)
Richard Conte standing behind Anne Bancroft in New York Confidential (1955)
Image via Warner Bros.

New York Confidential is a unique contribution to the world of noir, starring Broderick Crawford as a New York gangster, Charlie Lupo, who sends his bodyguard and former Chicago hitman, Nick Magellan (Richard Conte), to eliminate three of the mobster’s men who botched a job that has since put their boss in hot water. When one of the gangsters manages to escape, he cuts a deal with the police in exchange for testifying against Lupo, making Magellan’s job far more complicated than he initially expected.

New York Confidential flips the genre’s usual perspective of a hard-boiled private eye on a cryptic case and delivers a cold, procedural look at organized crime that is a must-see for any film noir fan. Compared to similar noir films, New York Confidential takes it a step further with an authentic depiction of the mob, outlining how power is built, maintained, and inevitably destroyed, ultimately refusing to downplay the reality of being a gangster. The film’s bleak, unsentimental tone, sharp ensemble performances, and focus on corruption as a systemic force give New York Confidential a tougher, meaner, and more modern feel than the majority of other classic noir films.

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7

‘Human Desire’ (1954)

Fritz Lang‘s 1954 film noir drama, Human Desire, follows a Korean War veteran, Jeff Warren (Glenn Ford), who returns home and resumes his job as a railroad engineer as well as his affair with Vicki Buckley (Gloria Grahame), who is married to Warren’s co-worker, Carl Buckley (Broderick Crawford). When Carl murders a man whom he believes was having an affair with his wife, Vicki becomes an unwilling accomplice in her husband’s crime. Now trapped by her abusive husband, Vicki starts to fear for her life and eventually asks Warren to kill him before he has the chance to kill her.

Human Desire was initially dismissed as a mediocre noir, but in hindsight, it is an unsung masterpiece that strips the genre down to its emotional core with its cold realism and psychological depth. Lang directs with icy precision and chooses to let the tension seep out through silences, glances, and doomed choices rather than melodrama. Human Desire also moves away from the genre’s traditional character archetypes, especially Ford and Grahame. Ford conveys a passive, morally drifting man who is undone by his own inertia, while Grahame lacks the power of a traditional femme fatale, all of which gives the film a distinct quality of uncertainty and curiosity.

6

‘The Big Clock’ (1948)

Rita Johnson sitting next to Ray Milland looking at him in The Big Clock (1948)
Rita Johnson sitting next to Ray Milland looking at him in The Big Clock (1948)
Image via Paramount Pictures
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Ray Milland stars in John Farrow‘s film noir thriller The Big Clock as an editor-in-chief, George Stroud, who is fired by his abusive boss, Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton), after he refuses to skip his already postponed honeymoon to travel for an assignment. When Stroud goes to a local bar to drown his sorrows, he runs into Janoth’s mistress (Rita Johnson), who proposes that they blackmail Janoth, but things take an unexpectedly dark turn when one of them winds up murdered.

Initially, The Big Clock was dismissed as too clever and too polished for a noir, but, in retrospect, its structural brilliance, biting cynicism, and relentless tension make it one of the smartest and most finely engineered film noirs ever made. What makes The Big Clock a masterpiece is its audacious narrative design: a man is ordered to investigate a murder, without realizing he himself is the prime suspect. As the net tightens, every clue points closer to him, turning the familiar noir theme of fate into something almost playful yet terrifying, solidifying The Big Clock as a quiet masterpiece hiding in plain sight.

5

‘The Big Combo’ (1955)

Richard Conte standing next to Cornel Wilde in The Big Combo (1955) Image via Allied Artists International
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Cornel Wilde stars in The Big Combo as a police lieutenant, Leonard Diamond, who is on a personal crusade to put a ruthless gangster, Mr. Brown (Richard Conte), behind bars for good. Despite the numerous verbal and violent threats from Brown, Diamond continues to try to build a case against the tough guy and eventually realizes that the key to his potential demise lies in figuring out the identity of a mysterious woman known as Alicia (Helen Walker), who is somehow connected to Brown.

The Big Combo is an underrated noir masterpiece largely because it arrived at the tail end of classic noir, but the unfortunate timing is exactly why the film feels so extreme and uncompromising today. The film pushes noir aesthetics to their limits with brutal violence, undertones of sadomasochism, and some of the most iconic high-contrast lighting in the genre, and is one of the few classic noir films that visualize moral corruption so powerfully. The Big Combo reduces the noir genre to its rawest elements, making it not just a classic but one of the purest and most visually daring film noir masterpieces ever made.

4

‘Lured’ (1947)

lured 1947 Image via United Artists
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Lucille Ball stars in Douglas Sirk‘s Lured as an American dancer, Sandra Carpenter, who, after the sudden disappearance of her friend, is approached by an Inspector, Harley Temple (Charles Coburn), who believes that her friend has been murdered by a serial killer who chooses his victims from the personal ads. Using Carpenter as bait, Temple hatches a plan to catch the killer before he has a chance to strike again, but things become complicated when Carpenter meets a nightclub revue producer, Robert Fleming (George Sanders).

Lured blends serial-killer noir, police procedural, and psychological thriller with unusual elegance and is often overlooked because it doesn’t check just a single noir box. Ball delivers a gripping performance that showcases her underappreciated range and talent as a dramatic actress. Sanders’ performance adds cynical polish and forward sophistication to Lured, which, today, is considered to be one of the Oscar-winner’s best films of all time. While it lacks the hard-boiled swagger or iconic fatalism seen in better-known noirs, Lured is still an elegant, unsettling noir that rewards close attention and deserves recognition as an understated noir masterpiece.

3

‘The Hitch-Hiker’ (1953)

Three men hiding behind a rock in The Hitch-Hiker
Three men hiding behind a rock in The Hitch-Hiker
Image via RKO Pictures
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Ida Lupino’s The Hitch-Hiker is one of the best classic movies that no one has ever seen, starring Edmond O’Brien and Frank Lovejoy as friends, Roy and Gilbert, who, while driving from California to Mexico for a fishing trip, stop and pick up a hitchhiker, Emmett Myers (William Talman) who turns out to be a murderous sociopath on the run from the law. When Myers informs them that he’ll dispose of them when they’re no longer useful to him, the friends try to come up with an escape plan, but their captor’s physical ailment, an eye that never closes, makes it incredibly difficult to make any sudden moves.

The Hitch-Hiker is one of the grittiest and stark classic noir films that trades in the genre’s usual city backdrop, seductive femme fatale, and witty dialogue for an endless stretch of desert, an unpredictable madman, and drawn-out moments of unbearable silence that make it one of the most intense noirs ever made. The story’s terror comes from how easily ordinary men can fall into a nightmare with no logic or escape, while the tight frame enhances the audience’s overall sense of feeling confined in the nightmarish road trip. Over the years, The Hitch-Hiker has gained more recognition, and its psychological realism, female perspective on male vulnerability, and merciless sense of dread deem it to be an innovative noir classic.

2

‘The Unsuspected’ (1947)

Claude Rains looking at Joan Caulfield with his hand on her chin in The Unsuspected (1947)
Claude Rains looking at Joan Caulfield with his hand on her chin in The Unsuspected (1947)
Image via Warner Bros.
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Claude Rains stars in Michael Curtiz‘s The Unsuspected as Victor Grandison, a radio host who is known for his murder mystery series and has been living off the estate of his niece, who tragically died in a shipwreck. When Grandison’s secretary is found murdered in his home, he’s quickly ruled out as a suspect, but when a man (Michael North) arrives claiming to be his niece’s husband, Grandison soon becomes the main character in his own case of whodunit.

The Unsuspected reverses the expectations of a noir by disguising one of the darkest, most cold-blooded noir visions inside what first appears to be a polished, upper-crust mystery. Rains gives one of his most unsettling performances as the cultured and soft-spoken Grandison, whose intellect and charm mask a profoundly vicious worldview. While the plot is quite intricate and requires attention to detail, the film’s chilling tone, daring point of view, and horrifying portrait of respectable evil make The Unsuspected one of the most sophisticated and psychologically radical noirs from the era of classic film noir.

1

‘The Locket’ (1946)

A man and woman sit face to face but don't look at each other in The Locket.
A man and woman sit face to face but don’t look at each other in The Locket.
Image via RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
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The Locket is one of the greatest classic film noir movies that few have ever seen, and is known for its unique nesting-doll story structure and intense psychological depth. The story follows a psychiatrist, Dr. Harry Blair (Brian Aherne), who pays an unexpected visit to a soon-to-be husband, John Willis (Gene Raymond), to warn him about his future bride, Nancy (Laraine Day), whom Blair was once engaged to as well. Through a series of flashbacks, Blair reveals that Nancy is a compulsive liar, a kleptomaniac, and a murderer who has never been punished for her series of crimes.

The greatest achievement in The Locket is its fractured narrative, which peels away lie after lie through flashbacks within flashbacks and is one of the few noirs that are this formally bold or this interested in subjective psychology rather than crime mechanics. Visually, The Locket is elegant and claustrophobic, using mirrors, shadows, and confined spaces to suggest broken identity and moral entrapment. Because of its lack of sensational violence or toughness, it’s easy to understand why The Locket was initially overlooked, but today, its narrative sophistication, emotional cruelty, and psychological insight place The Locket among the riskiest and underrated film noir masterpieces of the 1940s.

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Angelina Keeley calls 'lack of female representation' on “Survivor 50” an 'abysmal shame'

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Matthew McConaughey-Backed Tequila Brand Drops Boozy Beauty Product

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Blood Orange Glowrita Body Polish

If you thought margaritas were just for happy hour, think again. Pantalones Organic Tequila, the brand founded by Matthew and Camila McConaughey, is stepping into the beauty world with a new collaboration that’s turning cocktails into skincare. The unexpected crossover is already grabbing attention for bringing indulgence and self-care to life in a way that feels both luxurious and playful.

Meet The Margarita-Inspired Scrub Everyone’s Talking About

Blood Orange Glowrita Body Polish
PANTALONES X FARMHOUSE FRESH

At the heart of the launch is the Blood Orange Glowrita Body Polish, a margarita-inspired exfoliator designed to deliver a spa-like experience. The formula combines organic tequila with U.S.-harvested sea salt and antioxidant-rich ingredients, creating a scrub that not only exfoliates but also helps refresh and refine the skin.

Derived from the agave plant, tequila acts as a natural astringent, helping to tighten the look of pores, balance the skin, and remove excess oil while supporting gentle exfoliation. The result is a product that feels as indulgent as it sounds, while still leaning into the growing trend of ingredient-driven skincare.

FarmHouse Fresh Teams Up With Tequila Brand For Glowrita Launch

Blood Orange Glowrita Body Polish
PANTALONES X FARMHOUSE FRESH

The Glowrita marks a major moment for FarmHouse Fresh, as it becomes the brand’s first-ever organic tequila-infused product.

“When we developed this product, partnering with an organic tequila brand was a priority,” Gina Giambalvo-Glockler, Product Development Specialist at FarmHouse Fresh, said in a press release shared with The Blast. “Pantalones shares a commitment to quality sourcing, including certified-organic Blue Weber agave grown by multi-generational farmers, which made the collaboration a natural fit.”

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The launch builds on the brand’s existing lineup of cocktail-inspired products, solidifying its place in the growing “boozy beauty” category.

Pantalones Tequila Stays Rooted In Quality Ingredients

Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves celebrate their Pantalones Organic Tequila joining Princess Cruises Love Line Premium Liquors” collection
Princess Cruises/MEGA

For Pantalones Organic Tequila, the move into skincare still ties back to what the brand does best — use high-quality ingredients.

“At Pantalones, we’ve always believed great ingredients make all the difference,” Andrew T. Chrisomalis, Co-Founder and Chairman of Pantalones Organic Tequila, said. “Working with FarmHouse Fresh felt like a natural fit, as they’re a like-minded brand that shares our commitment to quality sourcing and giving back to communities.”

The tequila used in the product is made from certified-organic Blue Weber agave, highlighting the brand’s commitment to quality sourcing and sustainability.

McConaugheys Take Hands-On Approach To Tequila Creation

Matthew McConaughey Sighting in NYC
RCF / MEGA

That commitment to quality doesn’t stop at sourcing. It extends all the way to how the tequila itself is crafted. For Matthew and Camila McConaughey, creating Pantalones Organic Tequila wasn’t just about putting their names on a bottle, but it was about getting every detail exactly right.

“We wanted ‘the juice’, as Matthew likes to call it, to be great on its own,” Camila said. “Independently from having our names on the bottle.” To make that happen, the couple spent extensive time on a 7,000-acre farm in Jalisco, Mexico, where their organic agave is grown by fourth-generation farmers, as well as inside the distillery working closely with experts.

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The process wasn’t quick either. After dozens of tastings, somewhere around the 45th iteration, the team thought they had finally nailed it. “The team were like ‘Salud, we did it, goodbye’,” Matthew said.

Camila McConaughey’s Instinct Helped Perfect The Tequila

Matthew and Camila McConaughey at 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
CraSH/imageSPACE / MEGA

But the couple wasn’t ready to sign off just yet. “Everyone’s looking at us like it’s time to sign off,” Camila added. “And we’re looking at each other like, not just yet, it’s missing a little something, but we can’t really verbalize it.”

That’s when Camila trusted her instincts. “I was like, hold on a second,” she recalled, explaining how she ran across the distillery to grab a piece of roasted piña, the heart of the agave plant, to taste. “I ran back to the Master [Distiller] and said, ‘I think it needs this’.”

Just two iterations later, they finally landed on the flavor they had been chasing.

Tequila Skincare Heads To Luxury Resorts Nationwide

Blood Orange Glowrita Body Scrub
PANTALONES X FARMHOUSE FRESH

The tequila-infused scrub isn’t just staying on shelves, because it’s heading straight to luxury destinations. The Glowrita will be available online and featured in hotels and resorts across the country, where guests can even pair the experience with Pantalones cocktails on the menu.

Beyond the glow, the collaboration also comes with a meaningful impact. As with all FarmHouse Fresh products, a portion of every purchase, between 10% and 15%, supports the brand’s nonprofit farm animal sanctuary in McKinney, Texas.

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So while the Glowrita may feel like a treat, it’s also giving back in a big way.

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10 Best Western Movie Showdowns, Ranked

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A Fistful of Dollars - 1964

A Western movie doesn’t need to have a showdown to be good, but it often helps, right? It’s satisfying to have two (or more) characters at odds ultimately settle their differences through an impromptu or well-planned showdown, with it being inevitable that at least someone will perish by the time it’s over. It’s a reliable way to end almost any kind of movie (see Gladiator, The Last Duel, or just about anything directed by John Woo), and it’s particularly so for Westerns.

What follows is a rundown of the Western movies that have some of the best showdowns or duels in cinematic history, with such scenes usually – but not exclusively – taking place toward the end of each respective movie. There will therefore be some spoilers here, since showdowns are often climactic in nature, but plenty of these movies are fairly old, and also, a good many of the showdowns do end in the way you’d probably expect them to.

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10

‘A Fistful of Dollars’ (1964)

A Fistful of Dollars - 1964 Image via Unidis

You’re going to have to get used to seeing Sergio Leone films pop up in this ranking a fair bit, since he directed some of the best Westerns of all time, and pretty much all of them had at least one great showdown. With A Fistful of Dollars, said showdown was fairly simple, compared to what came later in Leone’s filmography, but it’s still great regardless.

Infamously, A Fistful of Dollars was an unofficial remake of Yojimbo, with both movies being about someone coming into a town and playing two warring factions within that town against each other. By the end of A Fistful of Dollars, the ruse is revealed, but by that point, Clint Eastwood’s character doesn’t run the risk of being properly outgunned (plenty of people have already been gunned down), and so he gets to finish things off himself, and in style.

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9

‘Shane’ (1953)

Shane - 1953 Image via Paramount Pictures

Shane has proven to be an influential and enduring Western, being one of the better ones made in the 1950s, truth be told. The narrative here is also about as simple as the title, since Shane is about a mysterious gunfighter of that name who ends up serving as the protector of a family who are being pressured to move off from their farm, first with money, and later with intimidation.

It all naturally builds to a showdown in the way you’d expect, but the ambiguity after the showdown’s gone, well, down, and the bad guys are out of the picture, makes Shane’s ending feel a little more memorable. It’s definitely bittersweet, and depending on what you think is in store for the titular character’s future, it could be a little more sweet than bitter, or perhaps more bitter than sweet.

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8

‘The Quick and the Dead’ (1995)

It might well be something akin to cheating to put The Quick and the Dead here, since the whole premise involves just a bunch of showdowns, effectively, but from another point of view, that makes it a necessary one to single out. The setting here is a town that’s hosting a quick draw competition, and various people show up to compete (some of them quirky and with their own dramatic backstories), and it doesn’t take long for the competition to become deadly.

People associate Sam Raimi mostly with the horror genre, or maybe the superhero one, thanks largely to his Spider-Man trilogy, but The Quick and the Dead also showed he had what it took to make a great Western, too. The cast here is also to die for, and speaking of dying, that’s what many of the characters played by said cast members do.

7

‘Tombstone’ (1993)

Doc Holliday, Virgil Earp, Wyatt Earp, and Morgan Earp walk side by side in Tombstone.
Doc Holliday, Virgil Earp, Wyatt Earp, and Morgan Earp walk side by side in Tombstone.
Image via Buena Vista Pictures
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An overall beefy and largely exciting Western, Tombstone packs a lot of bombast, drama, and entertainment value into a single movie, probably being the definitive film about the famed gunfight at the O.K. Corral. It’s partly about that, at least. Tombstone goes a little more epic in scope, having a narrative that continues beyond that particular showdown/battle.

It doesn’t go as sprawling as Wyatt Earp (1994), though, and that’s for the best, since that movie was a good deal messier and not as satisfying as Tombstone. Past the big gunfight, you’ve got some other tense one-on-one showdowns throughout Tombstone, so it’s a bit of a The Quick and the Dead situation, once more, since you’re spoiled for choice if you’re the kind of person who really likes watching Westerns mostly for such sequences.

6

‘Unforgiven’ (1992)

William Munny (Clint Eastwood) pointing a rifle in Unforgiven.
William Munny (Clint Eastwood) pointing a rifle in Unforgiven.
Image via Warner Bros.
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Since it’s very much a revisionist Western, you don’t get the typically dramatic or even cinematic showdown toward the end of Unforgiven, but you get something that still qualifies, since the protagonist does indeed confront the antagonist. It’s done in a realistic way, and it’s more focused on building tension than it is providing spectacle, since Unforgiven – for all its runtime – is pretty darn down-and-dirty, by Western movie standards.

Little Bill had it coming, and it’s a testament to how good Gene Hackman was in the role that you really feel catharsis when he’s finally gunned down… but not just catharsis, because the weight of the murder is still felt, and Little Bill, though awful, never felt cartoonishly evil. It’s hard to put into words why this finale is so good, and the fairly rambly last 130-ish words are testament to that, but if you’ve seen Unforgiven, you probably get it; you’ve seen the light and all.

5

‘For a Few Dollars More’ (1965)

For a Few Dollars More - 1965 (1) Image via United Artists
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Each movie in the Dollars trilogy is better than the last, and as such, it’s not too surprising that each one has a subsequently better showdown at its end. And A Fistful of Dollars was already mentioned a few places ago, so For a Few Dollars More overall improves what was already really good. There’s a more personal revenge story that eventually emerges as the central one in For a Few Dollars More, but it takes time for all the pieces to fall into place.

Once they do, you kind of know what’s coming showdown-wise, but that doesn’t make the vengeance-fueled duel any less satisfying to see play out. Clint Eastwood is great here, but Lee Van Cleef’s character is the one who has far more personal reasons to go after the main bad guy here, so even if you’re the biggest Eastwood fan in the world, it’s in no way a disappointment to see his character essentially mediate the final duel (and that music… Ennio Morricone pretty much never disappoints).

4

‘High Noon’ (1952)

Black and white shot of Gary Cooper walking in a Western village in High Noon.
Black and white shot of Gary Cooper walking in a Western village in High Noon.
Image via United Artists
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Because of its structure, High Noon is more about the build-up to a showdown than it is about the showdown itself, with things very purposefully progressing toward noon (as the title suggests) in what’s pretty close to real time. There’s a sheriff who has to deal with the fact that a man he once imprisoned is heading to his town for revenge, and he spends much of the film trying to get help to defend himself.

He’s unsuccessful, and so has to pretty much go it alone, only getting a brief assist from his (usually) pacifist wife. It plays out in a way that feels very grounded for a film of its time, and that’s one reason why High Noon holds up so well, for a Western of its age, with the grittiness and intensity of the finale here feeling a little like the previously described one for Unforgiven.

3

‘The Mercenary’ (1968)

The Mercenary - 1968 Image via United Artists
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You could accuse The Mercenary of borrowing a little too much from the showdown in For a Few Dollars More, so putting it ahead of that one is potentially questionable, but also, too bad, because it’s here. And it’s awesome. One of the participants in the showdown, in this instance, is dressed as a clown, and the music used is arguably even better than the music used in For a Few Dollars More.

Here, you’ve got someone mediating a high-stakes – and inevitable – final duel, and the tension is all built so well through the way it’s edited, acted, and scored.

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Well, no, that feels like too bold a claim. Ennio Morricone’s contributions to both showdowns are equally amazing, and so maybe it’s just the clown factor that gives The Mercenary the edge. You’ve got someone mediating a high-stakes – and inevitable – final duel, and the tension is all built so well through the way it’s edited, acted, and scored. Also, if you’re watching it and the music sounds familiar to you, that’s possibly because Quentin Tarantino repurposed it quite effectively in Kill Bill: Vol. 2, for the sequence where the Bride punches her way out of a coffin after being buried underground.

2

‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ (1968)

Harmonica (Charles Bronson) points a gun at Frank (Henry Fonda), who is drawing his gun and looking shocked in Once Upon a Time in the West
Harmonica (Charles Bronson) points a gun at Frank (Henry Fonda), who is drawing his gun and looking shocked in Once Upon a Time in the West
Image via Paramount Pictures

Once Upon a Time in the West does something kind of similar to For a Few Dollars More, with it slowly taking its time to showcase just why one character wants revenge on another, and then the final duel involving the pair of them clashing. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s more drawn out here, and that the music used is even better, but Once Upon a Time in the West probably does it all even better than For a Few Dollars More.

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You’re really spoiled here, because the opening scene of Once Upon a Time in the West is also an all-timer, and is technically another showdown. There are quite a few set pieces sprinkled throughout this slow-paced (but never boring) movie, and each of them could technically qualify as a great shootout or showdown. But it’s the final one – between Frank and Harmonica – that stands as the greatest in the overall movie, and up there among the very best of all time, too.

1

‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (1966)

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - 1966 (1) Image via Produzioni Europee Associati

The Mexican standoff to end all Mexican standoffs, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly expertly builds up to a massive three-way showdown between the three characters alluded to in the film’s title, and it’s immense. The first time you watch the movie, it’s one of the most suspenseful sequences you’ll ever experience, since it feels like there are so many ways a showdown of this kind can go, depending on who shoots first, and who each person chooses to target.

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On a rewatch and in hindsight, it’s somewhat funny how suspenseful it is, since you learn that the game was rigged by “the Good,” and it was always going to a certain way, so long as “the Bad” didn’t shoot first. The showdown here works on both counts, as something undeniably thrilling initially and then darkly funny/silly if you revisit the film (but even then, it’s still easy to get swept up in – and blown away by – the editing, music, and flow of the sequence).

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Zendaya plans to ‘disappear’ for a 'little bit' after releasing 4 movies in 2026: ‘I’m going into hiding’

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The actress will be a fixture on the big screen this year, between “The Drama,” “The Odyssey,” “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” and “Dune: Part Three.”

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How Tia Mowry ‘Manifested’ Love After Years Of ‘Solitude’

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Tia Mowry

​​Tia Mowry is radiating a newfound sense of joy and peace as she steps into a fresh chapter of her personal life, and she’s not afraid to speak about it. 

Three years after her high-profile split, the actress is crediting the power of manifestation for the romantic happiness she is currently experiencing. 

Tia got married to Cory Hardrict in 2008. However, the two finalized their divorce in 2023.  

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Tia Mowry Speaks On Manifesting Joy After Solitude

Tia Mowry
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While attending a gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel on March 18, 2026, Tia revealed that her current relationship is the result of intentional manifestation. The 47-year-old star shared that she spent a significant amount of time in solitude following her split from Hardrict. 

This period allowed her to truly understand her own needs and desires, leading her to “speak into existence” the type of love she wanted. Tia explained that she utilized visualization and neuroscience-based positivity to shift her mindset away from the negative aspects of dating. 

“I will say that I’ve been in a place of solitude for a very long time,” the TV star said. “And there, I was really able to learn who I am, what it was that I wanted, and what it was that I needed. And I manifested this. I really did,” she told PEOPLE Magazine.

Although she confirmed she is “very happy,” she chose to keep her partner’s identity private to protect their budding relationship. Additionally, despite her new romance, the “Family Reunion” star remains focused on her primary responsibilities as a mother to her two children, Cree and Cairo. 

A major part of Tia’s healing process involved the support of her close-knit “tribe,” including her dear friend Gabrielle Union. She praised Union for being a non-judgmental mentor who understood exactly what she needed during her transition out of marriage. 

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Tia Mowry Is ‘In Love’ With Her New Partner

Tia Mowry at a Revolve party
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This is not the first time Tia has gushed about her newfound love interest. The Blast previously reported that the 47-year-old actress confirmed that she has taken a massive leap forward in her personal life.

During a candid interview, she simply said, “I’m in love.” 

This romantic update is a far cry from where she stood just a year ago, when she openly navigated the complexities of being a single mother. In the past, the actress used her platform to speak candidly about the emotional weight and occasional shame of seeing her family structure shift away from the traditional norm. 

She admitted that it was difficult to break down those societal expectations while she held down her household and raised her two children, Cree and Cairo.

The Actress Had To Work On Her Boundaries Following Her Divorce

Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict
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In addition to being candid about her newfound love interest, Tia also opened up about making certain changes in her private life. According to The Blast, after her divorce from Hardrict was finalized in April 2023, the 47-year-old actress developed a much stricter set of boundaries regarding what she chooses to disclose to the public. 

She now prioritizes her own internal security over the “noise” of outside opinions, only speaking on topics that she feels truly firm and settled in.

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“I’ll create a boundary until I’m ready to. So yeah, it’s all about what I feel secure about, and also just [what I’m] passionate about, that I’m open to talk about,” she said. 

The Actress Addressed The Backlash She Received For Referring To Herself As A Single Mom

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Tia didn’t just work on her boundaries, but she also boldly addressed the backlash she received for referring to herself as a “single mom.”

Through a detailed Instagram post, the movie producer explained that while she is co-parenting with her ex-husband, her day-to-day reality within her own home is that of a single parent, per The Blast

Tia emphasized that family structures can look different than what was once imagined while still remaining full of stability, love, and joy. She clarified that in her household, she is “holding it down for everyone” as the only parent present on a daily basis.

She also acknowledged that the traditional archetype of a single mother often implies the total absence of a father, but she argued that the term should allow for more nuance.

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Tamera Mowry Opened Up About Her Feud With Tia 

Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry
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While she is currently navigating a new romance and the complexities of single motherhood, she is no stranger to conflict, as she also has had her fair share of fights with her twin sister, Tamera.

Tamera recently shared that one of the most challenging periods of her life involved a time when the two sisters lived together and found themselves constantly at odds, as reported by The Blast.

She opened up about a period of intense feuding that occurred when the twins decided to share a home. After growing up in the public eye as a duo, living together as adults forced them to confront the fact that they were evolving into very different people. 

Eventually, the sisters reached a breakthrough, realizing that their differences were actually a superpower rather than a weakness. 

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RHOBH’s Dorit Leaves Erika and Kyle in Italy After Fight

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The highly anticipated fight between Dorit Kemsley, Kyle Richards and Erika Jayne is finally here.

The Thursday, March 26, episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills showed the three women reaching a breaking point during a cast trip to Italy. Kyle explained that she and Erika separated Dorit from the rest of the group for a “private” conversation to “get to the bottom of what’s going on with her.”

“As far as Dorit knows, we’re going to do a little sightseeing and have a little gelato,” she added.

Well, they did get gelato, but things quickly started to go downhill. Erika broke the literal silence because she felt “awkward” and wanted a reconciliation between Kyle and Dorit.

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“I don’t like what’s going on between the two of you,” Erika said. Dorit, however, appeared to be unaware that there was an issue at all. (Kyle and Dorit have been experiencing ups and downs in their friendship since season 13 aired in 2024.)

Erika Jayne Says She Hated Every Minute Of Dorit Sharing Kyle Richards Text During Reunion


Related: RHOBH’s Erika Jayne Reacts to Dorit Kemsley Showing Her Kyle Richards’ Text

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne is sharing her thoughts on Dorit Kemsley’s decision to share a text message from Kyle Richards during the season 13 reunion. “It’s a tough question because it’s personal and it sucks,” Erika, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, February 29, when asked whether Dorit, 47, […]

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“Honey, I didn’t know there was anything going on between the two of us,” Dorit said. “All I know is I’m being told that Kyle has these conversations saying that I’m acting erratic and brings up being late and spending.”

Kyle walked back her use of the word “erratic” when it comes to Dorit’s behavior. Erika, for her part, agreed that Dorit’s lateness has been “disrespectful” to the other women, causing Dorit to claim that people were “coming” at her.

“Erika’s now having an issue with me. You have an issue with me,” Dorit said to Kyle. Erika hit back, adding, “No, I’m having an honest conversation with you about my feelings.”

Dorit revealed that she doesn’t “trust” Kyle, and the women started airing all their grievances with each other.

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“You know I’m going through a lot, you know I’m overwhelmed,” Dorit continued alluding to her ongoing divorce from PK Kemsley. “You just said yourself, it’s understandable. You can’t show me some grace, Kyle?”

Dorit claimed that Kyle has a “tough time” showing support. Kyle, meanwhile, argued Dorit “never” asks about updates on her relationship with estranged husband Mauricio Umansky.

Erika Jayne Says She Hated Every Minute Of Dorit Sharing Kyle Richards Text During Reunion


Related: RHOBH’s Erika Jayne Reacts to Dorit Kemsley Showing Her Kyle Richards’ Text

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The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne is sharing her thoughts on Dorit Kemsley’s decision to share a text message from Kyle Richards during the season 13 reunion. “It’s a tough question because it’s personal and it sucks,” Erika, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, February 29, when asked whether Dorit, 47, […]

As Dorit and Kyle started yelling at each other again, Erika chimed in — but Dorit attempted to shut her down.

“Erika, please. Erika, I’m not doing this,” Dorit said. “I’m having a conversation with Kyle about issues that I have with Kyle.”

Erika said, “I’m not going to stop talking, Dorit. You’re not going to make me stop talking, ever.”

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As things got heated, Dorit turned to leave and called the girls to go with her. Kyle and Erika stayed put as Dorit got into their van and went back to the villa, leaving them stranded.

“Go f*** yourselves,” Dorit said. During her confessional, Dorit called the conversation “a f***ing ambush.”

When Erika and Kyle got in their own car, they were baffled Dorit left them.

“She’s being unreasonable,” Erika said. “Everybody had better come correct and tell her exactly what they’ve been saying because that’s not going to work.”

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs on Bravo Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET and streams the next day on Peacock.

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Cheryl Hines Fires Back After Chelsea Handler’s ‘Toxic House’ Allegations

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Cheryl Hines and Robert F Kennedy Jr as he is Sworn-in as Secretary of HHS

Cheryl Hines is finally speaking out after Chelsea Handler publicly claimed she was sold a “toxic” home, and she’s not holding back. The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star is addressing the accusations head-on, questioning both the timing and the validity of Chelsea Handler’s claims, which have been making headlines following comments on her podcast.

Cheryl Hines Questions Timing Of Chelsea Handler’s Claims

Cheryl Hines and Robert F Kennedy Jr as he is Sworn-in as Secretary of HHS
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Appearing in a preview clip from an upcoming episode of the “Tomi Lahren” podcast and obtained by PEOPLE, the actress pointed out that Handler waited years before speaking out. Handler “bought this house five years ago and she’s just now complaining about it, which is also, I don’t know that she’s getting a lot of sympathy from people.”

“She’s buying a $6 million house,” she continued, before adding that claims the house was “toxic” don’t “make sense.” “And talking about how she feels duped and that we tried to sell her a house that was, her word, ‘toxic,’ which also doesn’t make sense,” Hines added.

Hines Defends Herself With Personal Note Claim

Cheryl Hines sitting down
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According to Hines, her actions after the sale don’t line up with the accusations. The actress revealed she reached out to Handler personally after the purchase.

“I did write her a personal note when she moved in, just saying how much we love the house,” she said. “And I hope that she has a beautiful life in this house. And if you need anything, call me. And I left my number. So I don’t know. If we were trying to unload a toxic house on her, I wouldn’t have left my number.”

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Hines didn’t stop there. She also questioned Handler’s motives.

Cheryl Hines Accuses Chelsea Handler Of Chasing Attention

Cheryl Hines and Robert F Kennedy Jr in courtroom
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The actress suggested the timing of the claims could be tied to attention or even an attempt to poke fun at her husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “So, what are you going to do? She’s trying to get a laugh, I guess, and some likes,” Hines expressed.

Kennedy currently serves as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and is part of the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement.

His tenure has also sparked significant controversy, with critics questioning his approach to public health policy. A recent review from Protect Our Care described his agenda as “a wrecking ball” for U.S. public health, warning that policy decisions, funding cuts, and the spread of misinformation could have serious consequences.

“In one year, RFK Jr. has made America sicker,” Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, said during a news conference. “He’s undermined public trust…he’s wreaked havoc on our nation’s public health system.”

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Chelsea Handler Doubles Down On ‘Toxic House’ Claims

Chelsea Handler at 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
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Handler, however, has stood by her claims, detailing her experience during episodes of her “Dear Chelsea” podcast. “I bought RFK Jr.’s house in Los Angeles five years ago. I still have not lived in this house, that’s how f-cked up this house was,” she said.

Handler reportedly purchased the couple’s former Brentwood, Los Angeles home for $5.9 million, complete with five bedrooms, a pool, and, according to her, more than a few unexpected issues. “It was a disaster,” she claimed. “And I didn’t know it going in because everything was, you know, under wraps.”

Handler went on to describe issues with the home that were not disclosed during the inspection and said she later learned of more serious problems. “This house is the most toxic environment,” the comedian continued. “You cannot live here for at least two years.”

She also criticized the condition of the property, adding, “Now we have to remove his illegal bullsh-t from my property and I’m like, how did they not find this upon the first inspection?”

Chelsea Handler Claps Back At Cheryl Hines’ Note

Chelsea Handler at iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM's Jingle Ball 2025
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After realizing the home she purchased came with far more problems than expected, Handler didn’t hold back when recalling one detail that stuck with her. According to the comedian, Hines left a note after the sale that read, “Let us know if there’s anything we can do for you, Chelsea.”

Handler admitted the message didn’t land the way it was likely intended. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, how about a f-cking foundation?’ That’s something you could do for me,” Handler retorted, clearly frustrated by the situation at the time.

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Despite her strong reaction, Handler shared that she’s since moved on from the experience, noting she is no longer “angry” and has gotten over the ordeal.

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John Cena has no time for viral TikTok singer: 'I'm not buying what you're selling'

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Harry Daniels attempted to serenade John Cena with a Taylor Swift tune.

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