Sergio Leone. What more is there to say? Don't be fooled by the context: Charles Bronson, Henry Ford, the end of the 1960's, a "western"...no, no, my friend -- this movie is liquid style that transcends its own time period. Not even a "western" anymore, but a cool Leonefied experience.
The best soundtrack ever (Ennio Morricone's famous thrusting ballad was composed first, and then Leone wrote it into the script). Beautiful to listen to, fascinating to watch. Claudia Cardinale (a delicious Italian beauty) plays the part of lead woman, which is the largest difference between this and the "Trilogy" Leone made prior. Those had no women in them, except in small roles as the hostage and/or mother and/or rape victim and/or food fetcher. Here Miss Cardinale is magnified under the Sergio Leone patented spotlight and transformed into the pouty grieving widow, in all her false eyelashed, holier-than-thou attitude and spicy comeback glory.
And then people die. Lust for revenge boils blood. Threats are made. Threats are carried out. Harmonicas play. A beautiful, dusty, long, dangerously deliberate masterpiece plays out that curls your lips into an amused little smile by the time Jill serves the water to the men, and then the great opera finally ends.
Leone was a great director. Rumor has it he was in line to direct The Godfather. All of his trademarks are in this one, including some surprisingly deeper poetic touches [the sound of the ocean as the cripple looks at the painting, which foreshadows his fate] and classic irony [the cripple on the train has enough money to afford everything, except his own health]. As usual, the sound effects are exquisite -- everyone's voice seems amplified, and the detail of smaller elements are emphasized, like the buzz of a fly in a gun barrel, or dripping water, or doors opening.
Leone wanted Angel Eyes, Tuco and Blondie to make cameos as the 3 wanderers in the opening sequence, but Eastwood backed out so it never happened. Actually it turned out better this way. Some have said that "Once" is too slow. There is an obvious difference between "Once" and the "Trilogy," which was much more commercial. This looks more minimalistic, and is moodier than the Trilogy. Perhaps this difference in starkness and stubborn pretension via Leone is why it never became a huge hit.
Italian directors are masters of this genre. If you're starved for more, try to find "A Fistful of Dynamite (Duck, You Sucker)" -- it's another great, yet often overlooked Leone film.
The best soundtrack ever (Ennio Morricone's famous thrusting ballad was composed first, and then Leone wrote it into the script). Beautiful to listen to, fascinating to watch. Claudia Cardinale (a delicious Italian beauty) plays the part of lead woman, which is the largest difference between this and the "Trilogy" Leone made prior. Those had no women in them, except in small roles as the hostage and/or mother and/or rape victim and/or food fetcher. Here Miss Cardinale is magnified under the Sergio Leone patented spotlight and transformed into the pouty grieving widow, in all her false eyelashed, holier-than-thou attitude and spicy comeback glory.
And then people die. Lust for revenge boils blood. Threats are made. Threats are carried out. Harmonicas play. A beautiful, dusty, long, dangerously deliberate masterpiece plays out that curls your lips into an amused little smile by the time Jill serves the water to the men, and then the great opera finally ends.
Leone was a great director. Rumor has it he was in line to direct The Godfather. All of his trademarks are in this one, including some surprisingly deeper poetic touches [the sound of the ocean as the cripple looks at the painting, which foreshadows his fate] and classic irony [the cripple on the train has enough money to afford everything, except his own health]. As usual, the sound effects are exquisite -- everyone's voice seems amplified, and the detail of smaller elements are emphasized, like the buzz of a fly in a gun barrel, or dripping water, or doors opening.
Leone wanted Angel Eyes, Tuco and Blondie to make cameos as the 3 wanderers in the opening sequence, but Eastwood backed out so it never happened. Actually it turned out better this way. Some have said that "Once" is too slow. There is an obvious difference between "Once" and the "Trilogy," which was much more commercial. This looks more minimalistic, and is moodier than the Trilogy. Perhaps this difference in starkness and stubborn pretension via Leone is why it never became a huge hit.
Italian directors are masters of this genre. If you're starved for more, try to find "A Fistful of Dynamite (Duck, You Sucker)" -- it's another great, yet often overlooked Leone film.