>>213530589 (OP)I don't think either were peak Hollywood, but westerns are superior to noir.
Westerns proclaim, encourage, and recount all of the best traits of society. So it's the one man standing up for what's right because it's right; or the western settlers building their farms/ranches and their communities through honest hard work.
Noir highlights the worst in humans; and unless you're anti-social, they show behavior that is discouraged, not encouraged. So you have people cheating on their spouses and getting punished, or a cheating wife and new boyfriend murdering the husband, and eventually getting caught or otherwise facing the consequences.
I am of the opinion that while noir might attract more viewers due to the titillation value; the western has longevity because it (usually) reflects traits we all wish to see in ourselves.