Once Upon A Time In The West

Year: 1968
Genre: Western
Director: Sergio Leone


Plot: A harmonica playing gunslinger and a desperado team up to protect a widow from a hitman who works for a railroad owner wanting to acquire her land.


The gist: In the IMDb top 250 films, this is number 23. As a western, it has all the classic elements. A hero or two. A bad guy. Quickdraw showdowns. Stuff about honor. And lots of staring and contemplating.

If you're the kind of person who doesn't enjoy things taking their own sweet time unfolding, then this film really isn't for you. As for me, I'm kinda on the fence in that regard.

For instance, I can appreciate the opening scene at the train station where Charles Bronson's character is introduced. Nicely set up, looks pretty cool. But some of the other scenes take a bit too long to sit through, and a bit of editing would have helped.

Nevertheless, westerns are usually meant to be experienced rather than simply watched. Once Upon A Time In The West is a solid member of its genre, thanks to fine performances from the leads and great cinematography and score to go with it.


The good: Bronson and Jason Robards are great in their roles as the two heroes in question, while Henry Fonda is equally adept as the villain. I personally liked the fact that there are different music scores each time the three men and Claudia Cardinale's character appear on screen. The way the three men are each introduced in the film are cool too.

The bad: As mentioned, the editing could be improved somewhat.And there were a few times when I didn't understand why some of the characters did or didn't do certain things.


Verdict: It's not meant for people with a low level of patience. But if you let it, this film will entertain you, and give you a great example of a spaghetti western. (3.5/5)