Once Upon A Time in the West (1968)
Directed by: Sergio Leone
Written by: Sergio Leone, Sergio Donati
Starring: Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards
 
It’s no secret that Sergio Leone made a few spaghetti westerns in the 1960’s. His “Dollars” trilogy is arguably among the most celebrated movie contributions of all time. After that Leone decided that he didn’t want to make any more, that is until Paramount threw a large budget and Henry Fonda at him. So 1968 saw what I believe to be the Sergio Leone epic spaghetti western masterpiece.

It’s a tough argument to make since all of the “Dollars” movies appear in the IMDB Top 250. And “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” ranks higher than “Once Upon A Time in the West.” Having watched all these movies as a kid, they’ve disappeared into a merged blur and it’s only within the last couple of years that I’ve started rewatching them with a more discerning eye. In this latter project, Leone was clearly polishing off the pieces on his previous work and with a bigger budget and the iconic villain in Fonda he had some great pieces to work with. It’s especially interesting to see that the film received somewhat mixed reviews at its original release. I went to Roger Ebert’s site expecting to see buckets of praise only to find him highly skeptical. The movie was heavily cut in its original release and it’s only in more recent years that viewers have been able to see this movie in its epic entirety.

The story by itself is a relatively simple one. A gunman likes bullying people off of their land, killing them if necessary, so his boss can get cheap access to the land that the new railroad is about to run through. A widow stands as the last obstacle, while a mysterious stranger and a bandit stand up for justice and chivalry. Near three hours in length might seem like an extraneous runtime for such a tale and while much of the movie is deliberately slow, there’s enough action interspersed to keep even the most impatient of viewers hooked.

The opening scene is a great example in the way it innovatively employs camera and sound techniques while building tension and suspense. It’s a clear homage to “High Noon” (one scene shows an agonizing look at a clock displaying 10:40) as three bandits wait for the arrival of a train. We hear a windmill grinding and squeaking in the background, creating a tune which I could swear is a twist on the famous Leone chiming watch. Water drips on one man’s head, creating its own tune, while a bothersome fly hums its own theme and a discarded ticket flutters like a moth towards the camera. Unlike “High Noon” however, the three men aren’t awaiting a friend but a showdown, with Harmonica – a man so named because he has no name, and plays a harmonica. I won’t spoil the tale of the harmonica, which is cleverly revealed in a flashback finale, but I will tell you who wins the shootout (come to think of it I don’t need to).

Each of Leone’s subsequent scenes are brilliantly planned and he continues to make great use of sound and suspense as well as numerous other western movie tributes. The photography and sound are certainly remarkable achievements here, but the true magic of the movie lies in its characters. Essentially there are four: the widow (Claudia Cardinale), Harmonica (Charles Bronson), the bandit (Jason Robards) and the villain (Henry Fonda). The characters are not too clearly defined from the outset, and not only do their intentions remain somewhat ambiguous throughout the majority of the movie, there are also significant character transitions.

The most ambiguous piece of casting is obviously that of Fonda, shining knight of westerns past, as the bad guy. Fonda showed up to meet Leone with a beard and contacts to darken his eyes. Leone on the other hand wanted him clean shaven and blue eyed to enhance the cold, icy look. There are no complications as to Fonda’s ruthlessness after one of the movie’s earliest coldblooded scenes, but somehow his evolving relationship with and respect for Bronson almost makes you forget. Bronson, of course, has more of the bandit look about him and if you knew nothing about this movie you’d assume that the roles were reversed. Seeing Jack Elam, Woody Strode and Al Mulock get gunned down in the opening scene also assures you that this is a casting that certainly runs against the grain.

As the emotionless, quiet-spoken type, Bronson never really has to do much as an actor. He doesn’t really get the Clint Eastwood style line either. He doesn’t need it though, as the quiet manner in which he goes about his work is highly impressionistic. But the acting of Fonda is quite exceptional. As I say that, I’m not sure if it’s a versatile piece of acting, or just the fact that Fonda has the perfect natural look for the role. Fonda seems to say a great deal through his eyes without even appearing to move them. The actions of the character that belie his look and his reputation definitely contribute to a highly memorable and iconic movie villain. Robards has one entertaining scene but unfortunately his role doesn’t unfold into the Lee Van Cleef part you’d hope for, and while Cardinale has a lot of material to play with she only ever really looks convincing when she’s lying in a hot bathtub.

The other great achievement in “Once Upon A Time in the West” is the score. It’s the kind of spaghetti western score you’ve heard many times before, especially if you’ve seen any of Tarantino’s last three movies which borrow greatly from this piece. But it’s a landmark achievement for Ennio Morricone, who just happened to work on the “Dollars” movies too. His score is consistent throughout but incorporates different styles for each of its four main characters. The most obvious and memorable of course is the Harmonica theme. It heightens towards the final showdown and often drifts off key, something we don’t appreciate until the revealing flashback.

It’s a shame that “Once Upon A Time in the West” didn’t get the attention in its day that it gets today, because it probably would have been a multiple award winner. Its score, cinematography, sound editing and the role of Henry Fonda are all landmarks that make this a masterpiece. The showdowns and shootouts make this a pretty entertaining piece too.

Verdict: 5 Stars A Masterpiece

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older