Can You Score 20/20? This Brutally Difficult Western Trivia Quiz!

Answers Below – No Peeking!

Think you’re a true Western aficionado? This brutally difficult trivia quiz dives deep into classic and iconic Western films, from John Ford epics to spaghetti Westerns. Questions range from moderately tricky to downright obscure – only the most dedicated fans will conquer all 20!

20 Trivia Questions on Western Films

Question 1: In The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), what is the name of the bounty hunter played by Lee Van Cleef?

A. Tuco
B. Blondie
C. Angel Eyes
D. Shorty

Question 2: The Searchers (1956) was primarily filmed in which location?

A. Death Valley
B. Sedona, Arizona
C. Monument Valley
D. Big Bend National Park

Question 3: Who wrote the screenplay for Unforgiven (1992)?

A. Clint Eastwood
B. Gene Hackman
C. David Webb Peoples
D. Brian Helgeland

Question 4: In Stagecoach (1939), what is the first name of the character played by John Wayne?

A. Curley
B. Doc
C. Dallas
D. Ringo

Question 5: Which film is considered the first sound Western to win the Academy Award for Best Picture?

A. Wings (1927/28)
B. Cimarron (1931)
C. Cavalry
D. The Covered Wagon (1923)

Question 6: In Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), what is the name of the railroad baron played by Gabriele Ferzetti?

A. Frank
B. Cheyenne
C. Harmonica
D. Morton

Question 7: My Darling Clementine (1946) is based on the life of which historical figure?

A. Doc Holliday
B. Billy the Kid
C. Wyatt Earp
D. Jesse James

Question 8: In Shane (1953), what is the last name of the family that Alan Ladd’s character helps?

A. Torrey
B. Fenty
C. Lewis
D. Starrett

Question 9: The Magnificent Seven (1960) is a remake of which Japanese film?

A. Yojimbo
B. Rashomon
C. Seven Samurai
D. Throne of Blood

Question 10: In Rio Bravo (1959), which actor plays the recovering alcoholic deputy?

A. Walter Brennan
B. Ricky Nelson
C. John Wayne
D. Dean Martin

Question 11: What is the name of the town in High Noon (1952)?

A. Four Corners
B. Laramie
C. Redemption
D. Hadleyville

Question 12: In The Wild Bunch (1969), who directed the film?

A. Robert Aldrich
B. Don Siegel
C. Sam Peckinpah
D. Arthur Penn

Question 13: A Fistful of Dollars (1964) is a remake of which Akira Kurosawa film?

A. Seven Samurai
B. Sanjuro
C. Hidden Fortress
D. Yojimbo

Question 14: In Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), what song plays during the bicycle scene?

A. “South America”
B. “The Old Gang”
C. “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”
D. “Bidin’ My Time”

Question 15: Red River (1948) was directed by whom?

A. John Ford
B. King Vidor
C. Howard Hawks
D. Raoul Walsh

Question 16: Which actor won his only Academy Award for True Grit (1969)?

A. Glen Campbell
B. Dennis Hopper
C. Kim Darby
D. John Wayne

Question 17: In the original 3:10 to Yuma (1957), what is the name of the outlaw played by Glenn Ford?

A. Charlie Prince
B. Dan Evans
C. Ben Wade
D. Byron McElroy

Question 18: Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) features Bob Dylan in what role?

A. Pat Garrett
B. Billy the Kid
C. Sheriff Baker
D. Alias

Question 19: In The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), what is the name of the Native American character played by Chief Dan George?

A. Little Moonlight
B. Lone Watie
C. Ten Bears
D. White Moon

Question 20: In Tombstone (1993), who plays Doc Holliday?

A. Kurt Russell
B. Sam Elliott
C. Val Kilmer
D. Bill Paxton

Answers

  1. C. Angel Eyes – Lee Van Cleef portrays the sadistic bounty hunter known as Angel Eyes throughout Sergio Leone’s film; the other names belong to Eli Wallach (Tuco), Clint Eastwood (Blondie), and a minor character.
  2. C. Monument Valley – John Ford famously shot much of The Searchers in Monument Valley, Utah, for its iconic landscapes; the others are common Western filming spots but not primary here.
  3. C. David Webb Peoples – Peoples wrote the original screenplay The William Munny Killings, which Clint Eastwood adapted and directed; the others are cast or later collaborators.
  4. D. Ringo – John Wayne’s breakout role is the escaped convict Ringo Kid; Curley is the marshal (George Bancroft), Doc is the drunk doctor, and Dallas is the prostitute.
  5. B. Cimarron (1931) – It was the first Western sound film to win Best Picture at the Oscars; Wings won earlier but is a war film, and the others didn’t win.
  6. D. Morton – Ferzetti plays the dying railroad tycoon Morton; Frank (Henry Fonda), Cheyenne (Jason Robards), and Harmonica (Charles Bronson) are others.
  7. C. Wyatt Earp – The film dramatises Earp’s (Henry Fonda) involvement in the O.K. Corral gunfight; the others appear but aren’t the central historical figure.
  8. D. Starrett – Shane aids the Starrett family (Van Heflin, Jean Arthur); the others are conflicting ranchers or townsfolk.
  9. C. Seven Samurai – John Sturges remade Kurosawa’s 1954 film; Yojimbo inspired Eastwood’s Dollars trilogy, and the others are unrelated.
  10. D. Dean Martin – Martin plays Dude, the reformed drunk deputy; Brennan is Stumpy, Nelson is Colorado, and Wayne is Sheriff Chance.
  11. D. Hadleyville – The isolated town facing the Miller gang is Hadleyville; the others are from different Westerns.
  12. C. Sam Peckinpah – Peckinpah directed his violent masterpiece; Aldrich did The Dirty Dozen, Siegel Dirty Harry, Penn Bonnie and Clyde.
  13. D. Yojimbo – Leone’s film unofficially remade Kurosawa’s ronin tale; Seven Samurai became Magnificent Seven.
  14. C. “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” – The Burt Bacharach/Hal David hit plays as Butch (Paul Newman) bikes with Etta (Katharine Ross); others are unrelated songs.
  15. C. Howard Hawks – Hawks co-directed with Christian Nyby (disputed), starring John Wayne; Ford directed many Westerns but not this.
  16. D. John Wayne – Wayne won Best Actor for Rooster Cogburn, his only Oscar; the others are co-stars.
  17. C. Ben Wade – Ford plays Wade, captured for the train to Yuma; Evans (Van Heflin) is the escort, others from remake.
  18. D. Alias – Dylan plays the enigmatic Alias; James Coburn is Garrett, Kris Kristofferson Billy.
  19. B. Lone Watie – Chief Dan George plays the Cherokee Lone Watie; others are different characters.
  20. C. Val Kilmer – Kilmer’s iconic portrayal of Holliday opposite Kurt Russell’s Wyatt Earp; others play Earp brothers/Virgil.

How did you fare? Share your score in the comments and challenge your fellow Western fans to beat this brutal quiz!