Western Films with Epidemics and Viruses

Description: John Ford's classic features a subplot where a character contracts a disease, highlighting the harsh realities of frontier life and the spread of illness in isolated communities.

Fact: The film was shot in Monument Valley, which has become synonymous with Westerns, and it was one of the first films to use the VistaVision process for its widescreen format.

Description: While focusing on the famous battle, the film also shows the impact of disease on the soldiers, adding another layer of tension to the siege.

Fact: John Wayne, who directed and starred in the film, spent over a decade trying to get it made, and it was one of the most expensive films of its time.

Description: This classic Western features a village under siege, where disease and hardship are as much a threat as the bandits, showcasing the vulnerability of frontier life.

Fact: The film was a remake of Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai," and it was one of the first Westerns to feature a diverse cast of characters.

Description: Although not explicitly about an epidemic, the film's setting during the Civil War includes scenes of soldiers suffering from various ailments, reflecting the era's health challenges.

Fact: The film was shot in Spain, not Italy, and the famous three-way standoff was filmed in one take.

Description: While primarily a revenge tale, the film touches on themes of survival and the spread of disease among the characters, reflecting the harsh realities of the post-Civil War era.

Fact: Clint Eastwood directed and starred in this film, which was his first Western as a director, and it was shot on location in Utah and California.

Description: Set in the Australian outback, this film includes a subplot where a character suffers from a mysterious illness, showcasing the isolation and vulnerability of frontier life.

Fact: The film was based on the poem by A.B. "Banjo" Paterson, and the horse riding scenes were done by stuntmen, with Kirk Douglas performing some of his own stunts.

Description: This Clint Eastwood film features a mysterious preacher who arrives in a mining town plagued by disease and corruption, embodying both a spiritual and physical cure.

Fact: The film was inspired by the Book of Revelation, specifically the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and Eastwood's character is a direct reference to Death.

Description: In this Sam Raimi-directed film, a mysterious woman arrives in a town where a deadly duel is about to take place. While not explicitly about an epidemic, the town's atmosphere is rife with tension and disease-like corruption, making it a fitting addition to this list.

Fact: Sharon Stone was trained by renowned gun coach Thell Reed for her role, and the film features a cameo by Sam Raimi himself.

Description: This Australian Western explores themes of brutality and survival, with a subplot involving a character suffering from a disease, reflecting the harshness of the outback.

Fact: The film was shot in the Australian outback, and the script was written by Nick Cave, who also composed the score.

Description: This silent film, one of the earliest Westerns, includes a scene where a character is shot and subsequently dies from infection, highlighting the primitive medical conditions of the time.

Fact: It was one of the first films to use narrative techniques like cross-cutting and parallel action, and it was also one of the first to use a close-up shot.