Once Upon a Time in the West: An Appreciation

Before I get started, I would like to thank again my friend Ellen Giai Gianetto for providing some of the artwork. www.ellengiaigianetto.com 

For me, the western genre is one of my favorite genres in film. It could be the action, characters, historical setting and the way a director shoots it. Since the days of silent cinema, the genre was seen as low brow or “B” movie material. It wasn’t until the release of John Ford’s classic “Stagecoach” that the genre elevated with seven Oscar nominations, including two wins. In the years that followed, “Red River”, “The Searchers”, “Shane”, “High Noon”, “Johnny Guitar” and many others featured A-list actors and are still regarded as some of the best westerns. During the decline of American westerns in the early 60’s, Italian director Sergio Leone introduced audience to a then unknown Clint Eastwood in “A Fistful of Dollars”, which itself was an unofficial remake of Akira Kurosawa’s “Yojimbo”. Two more films followed featuring Eastwood’s The Man with No Name, “For a Few Dollars More” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. After the success of the latter film, Leone was said to have been done with the western genre. Then Paramount Pictures however offered him a big budget and the chance to work with one of his favorite stars, Henry Fonda. Along with then film critics Bernardo Bertolucci and Dario Argento, the trio constructed a story based on their admiration for American Westerns. Released in 1968, “Once Upon a Time in the West” is not only my favorite western but it's in my personal top ten. The film tells the story of a recent widow (Claudia Cardinale) whose family is slain when her property interferes with railroad plans. She also runs into mysterious characters, like outlaw Cheyenne (Jason Robards), the near silent Harmonica (Charles Bronson) and the cold blooded Frank (Henry Fonda). Famed composer Ennio Morricone returns to score in which he uses music to identify the four characters very creatively. For it's 50th anniversary, I think it is timely to discuss my love for this film. Some of the facts I have I pulled from the IMDB trivia page, which has some fun anecdotes. (Warning: some spoilers ahead.)

  While Leone’s Dollars Trilogy were known to be over the top, quirky and fast paced, this film was serious but with bits of dark humor and slowly paced. The opening fourteen minutes of the film is nearly dialogue free as three gunmen wait for a train. Sound is a factor in the scene to illustrate what the characters surroundings are like. Then the sound of a harmonica introduces us to Charles Bronson’s character and after a few words of exchange, he opens fire on them. Bronson had starred in ensemble films like “The Magnificent Seven”, “The Great Escape” and “The Dirty Dozen” and here, he is given the chance to being a main character with on a mission of vengeance. Though at times, he does not show heroic characteristics but then you begin to understand his actions. He is also tough when Frank slaps him multiple times on the train. The reason I really like this film is because of it's characters, whether they are good or evil.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QML28YQBvyc -Opening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XkHsinz7oU - Harmonica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6BQKFs3-VM - Hamonica's theme

After that, we are introduced to a family preparing for the arrival of the father’s wife. They are then gunned down by the cold blooded Frank. Up to this point, Henry Fonda was known for playing warm hearted and sincere characters. Leone had always wanted to work with Fonda as he was the original choice for “A Fistful of Dollars” but he was too expensive. Though he turned down the role, Leone flew to New York to convince him to take on the role. He wanted to shock audiences, much like Hitchcock with Psycho, of Fonda killing an entire family.   In the end, Fonda has stated that it was a favorite film performance. His character’s choice of clothing, all back, reflects his own soul. His theme has a sinister feel to it. Some of his line delivery in certain scenes sends chills to viewers. Later in the film, Frank is betrayed by his men and he shoots them with the assistance of Harmonica, who really wants to kill him himself.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YopB9-vIqyY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdPo_Ww6Dag - Frank's theme

Another lead character in the film is Jill, a former prostitute who gets caught up in a land battle when her husband and family are slained. Jill’s theme is light and elegant and it captures her beauty and innocence. Known for having a deep voice, Claudia Cardinale’s voice was dubbed by another actress. Her character interacts with all three of the male protagonists and she handle her own. It is refreshing to see a female character in a western not be a damsel in distress or love interest. She reminds me of Claire Trevor's character in "Stagecoach" of a woman escaping her past and having to navigate her new life.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdL__zuZvpA 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZXPwj4Mmno - Jill's theme

Then there is Cheyenne, an outlaw who is framed for murdering the family. When his character teams up with Harmonica, it becomes something of a buddy film. Jason Robards plays the character with a wicked sense of humor and also gentleman like when he interacts with Jill. His theme that plays has a comedic beat to it. One day on the set, Robards got intoxicated which infuriated Leone. He told the actor to never do it again and Robards apologized.  One of my favorite scenes in the film is when he is on top of the moving train and takes out Frank’s men.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B2gKcLkygI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5IpN3grKDI - Cheyenne's theme

Clocking in at two hours and forty five minutes, “Once Upon a Time in the West” is worth checking out if you are a fan of westerns. Though the film did not do well financially in America, it was a huge hit in Europe. A year later, Sam Peckinpah releases his masterpiece, “The Wild Bunch”, with a grittier tone and violence. The film has also influence many film directors like Quentin Tarantino, John Carpenter, George Lucas, and Baz Luhrmann. Leone would go on to make two more films before his untimely death in 1989, the underrated “Duck, You Sucker” and his epic crime drama “Once Upon a Time in America”. The western genre continues to be revisited from time to time, often times a mixed success. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw-Av9BpC-w