Once Upon a Time in the West

All what you can expect from a western.

Peter McGinn

2020-04-04

⭐ 10

With apologies (not really) to fans who disagree, this is truly a classic western. I read a criticism that some scenes run long with agonizingly lengthy close-ups, but I found the cinematography intriguing. Those shots divulge nearly as much into the characters' personalities as a wad of dialogue from older traditional westerns. Sometimes in a spaghetti western I find myself thinking, aw, why did that innocent person have to die, but innocents did die in the old west, I imagine. I am sure there was a lot of senseless violence then, just as there is now. And Bronson seemed like an odd choic…

I can't say that this script doesn't play on Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name" (which Sergio Leone also directed), but it's not important. If you're a spaghetti western fan, this film is a step up. The idea of putting Fonda in a bad guy role, and casting Bronson as anti-hero was a little shocking at first. At the end, I see how it worked to film's advantage by making all the characters more complex, ambiguous and real. If you were a Clint Eastwood, you'll love this film.

drystyx

2023-04-18

⭐ 1

The worst of the worst Leone Westerns. Leone destroyed the Westerns with his garbage, but the blame goes on to the critics who praised his lack of motivation, lack of inspiration, lack of credibility, lack of entertainment value, lack of strategy, just a total lack. This is the worst of his stupid Westerns. It's the most contrived of his contrived Westerns. It's another "classical Greek hero" story of gods, demigods, and cannon fodder. The more of a homicidal maniac you are, the more of a god you are. Great message. Here, we have a traditional Greek demigod hero who is out for revenge, the…

Filipe Manuel Neto

2023-06-22

⭐ 8

**One of the great western movies.** Western movies made in co-production by Italians and Americans (called "spaghetti-western") have been considered among the best that emerged within their genre, cleverly combining the tough action of Wild West gunslingers with the taste for raw realism and detail of the Italian filmmakers. I believe that such a thing may displease North Americans, who consider the cowboy a figure that is "true USA". I therefore invite them to visit the Brazilian city of Barretos, or the rural areas of Goiás, Mato Grosso or Tocantins in Brazil. There are plenty of cowboys…

JPV852

2024-06-17

⭐ 9

Great western that I never watched despite owning the old DVD, but with Paramount releasing this on 4K UHD, decided to sit down through the 165-minute duration and it was a wonderful experience. Great performances all around, but most notably Jason Robards and Charles Bronson. Just another homerun from Sergio Leone though I think I prefer "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" but it's close. **4.5/5**

This is a masterpiece in story, sound and vision. The detailed long lingering beautiful shots and scenes building tension are a fabulous antidote to today's movies where stuff or extreme proportions must just happen every 3 minutes whatever! The opening scene is my favourite. Who would think it would be so captivating to have so little happen for so long (11 minutes till the first line is delivered by Charles Bronson). The photography, the sound of the creaking windmill, the tension and anticipation building. And then the action. Just magic.

CinemaSerf

2026-01-23

⭐ 7

Now we know all along just who is responsible for the wholesale slaughter that “Jill” (Claudia Cardinale) encounters when she arrives to join her family on their frontier ranch. She’s devastated, all alone and distinctly wary of “Harmonica” (Charles Bronson) who doesn’t speak much, unless it’s with his instrument or with his pistol. What we do know of the crime is that it was instigated on behalf of a railroad owner “Morton” (Gabriele Ferzetti) who had engaged the services of “Frank” (Henry Fonda) and his longcoat assassins to ensure that their boss could acquire her family’s land for a song. …

Dr_Nostromo

2026-04-29

⭐ 10

97/100 A new bride coming home to her husband's ranch for the first time finds her family has been slaughtered and the land is a chunk of desert ...and now, someone wants her dead. This masterpiece, created by Sergio Leone - the man who can squeeze every drop of drama possible out of a scene ...and them some - rivals his other masterwork, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". Fully formed characters, a grand story, and a cinematic feast for the eyes, all told with a minimum of dialogue, great showdowns, and humor. Who knew Henry Fonda could be this evil. The best! - DrNostromo.com