Although far from his most well-known outing, is rightfully considered one of James Stewart's greatest contributions to the Western genre. Despite making a name for himself in romantic comedies and dramas in the 1940s, Stewart later developed a reputation as a great Western actor. In fact, some of the most memorable Westerns of the 1950s starred James Stewart.

Interestingly, a substantial portion of James Stewart's Westerns were made with just one director. James Stewart was obviously a favorite of Anthony Mann, a prominent Hollywood director at the time. During just a five-year period that began in 1950 and ended in 1955, Mann tapped Stewart to star in eight of his movies, five of which were Westerns. Their third pairing produced a true gem in The Naked Spur, which hit theaters in 1953. It still holds up today, with its 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating being an accurate indication of its quality.

The Naked Spur pits James Stewart against Robert Ryan, another talented actor remembered at least partially for his Western roles. Stewart plays Howard Kemp, a soldier who fought in the Civil War, and someone clearly still suffering from the emotional trauma he went through during those years. Now acting as a bounty hunter, Kemp has taken it upon himself to hunt down Ben Vandergroat, an outlaw on the run with Janet Leigh's Lina Patch. However, the film isn't necessarily a cat-and-mouse story, as Kemp actually catches his target (and the movie's main antagonist) early on.