Directed by:
Sergio LeoneCinematography:
Tonino Delli ColliComposer:
Ennio MorriconeCast:
Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef, Aldo Giuffrè, Luigi Pistilli, Rada Rassimov, Enzo Petito, Claudio Scarchilli, John Bartha, Livio Lorenzon (more)VOD (1)
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Clint Eastwood returns as the "Man With No Name," this time teaming with two gunslingers (Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef) to pursue a cache of $200,000 and letting no one, not even warring factions in a civil war, stand in their way. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (13)
An absolute pinnacle of filmmaking. And probably one of the works that had the biggest influence on me early on in my film development. I remember back then being hypnotized by the overlong images, the minimalist dialogue, the stylistic mannerisms on the small TV at my parents' cottage. I for the most part didn't know much about what any scene was about until now, and it didn't matter at all. Even a few minutes after watching it, the film feels a bit like a dream. Leone wasn't just rewriting western canons, he was writing general formal laws of the genre that are still in use to this day. And not just in film, but in comics and video games as well. The work with character attributes (Eastwood's casual attitude compared to Wallach's neurotic approach, Tuco's signature custom gun), the purely superficial building of iconic shots (the gunslingers slowly disappearing into the dust after the explosion), the naturalistic cynicism ("Sorry Shorty. "), or, for example, the seemingly pointless battle sequence, which in its perfectionist handling of extras and set pieces faithfully recalls wartime illustrations of the American Civil War. Superficial Mannerist cinematography at its finest. Coppola's attention to detail, Tarkovsky's patience, a pulp story. Plus some purely music video passages, of which this is the leader, quite understandably.
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It’s a high-quality western that leaves most of its competition in the dust. The main trio of actors shines, and I enjoyed their verbal showdowns. It’s also accompanied by the absolutely excellent musical score by Ennio Morricone. However, it still remains somewhat overshadowed by its younger sibling, Once Upon a Time in the West, as I find that film to have added value in its story (don’t stone me... it’s just my opinion). But back to this film. Clint Eastwood is, as always, a guarantee of quality; his gaze was made for these types of roles. And Eli Wallach, alongside him, was equally impressive; I enjoyed watching him try to outwit everyone around him. The setting during the Civil War added an extra layer of interest to the film. So yes, it’s a technically flawless film, but for me, it’s slightly hindered by the more straightforward story of searching for buried treasure. I give it a 7.5/10.
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An interesting story, straightforward and perfectly resolved. Morricene's catchy melody got under my skin again, Clint had charisma to spare in his younger days and Eli Wallach as the bad guy you actually root for is great. But it lacked something, something very little, to be perfect and I couldn't help comparing it to the brilliant Once Upon a Time in the West. The latter is a flawless five-star affair, this one has a few lapses in logic and especially a strange plot insert with armies fighting over a bridge, where Eastwood and Wallach went about as if they could not die. Otherwise, no complaints.
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Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach... Add Van Cleef's villain, a first-rate bastard, and you've almost got everything. Which scene from this western of all westerns to pick as the best? For me it is definitely Tuco's running between the graves accompanied by the song “The Ecstasy of Gold".... Something like this could not be made (and composed) by man, but rather by God. The best western of all time and perhaps the second best film of all time after Lawrence of Arabia.__P.S. "Comedy" is noticeably missing from the genres here.
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Admittedly, in those nearly three hours, there were moments when my concentration wavered, but the music by the genius Ennio Morricone always quickly reeled me back in. Sergio Leone didn't hold back, adding something extra compared to the previous film. Alongside Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef, I also got to see that notorious Calvera (at least that's who Eli Wallach will always be to me), but the movie also had a significantly better-crafted script. Despite the harsh realities of the Wild West, it included several unexpectedly touching scenes without pushing too hard. I've immensely enjoyed the film many times, and I'm certain I'll return to it again (unless failure of vital organs prevents me from doing so). / There are two lessons here, the first of which I shamelessly stole directly from the movie: "There are two kinds of people in this world, those with loaded guns and those who dig." And the second one: The film is another proof that smoking kills.
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