Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

My favorite spaghetti western

Yes, it's long. SO long in fact that it never made theaters in the US. It was the longest running film in theaters in France. If you can appreciate the cinematography, it's amazing. This is the kind of flick that you would like if you like Citizen Kane. November 28, 2008

BORING

A previous reviewer said best western ever. NO WAY. It has the star power but EXTREMELY SLOW going and way too many cliches. November 23, 2008

once upon a time in the west

I thought that the service and product from amazon was outstanding. I was very happy to get this old movie and enjoyed it a lot and found that the quality was very good, I was real very pleased. Thank you, Alan Tiensvold November 4, 2008

wonderful

I have seen this movie over and over again, and never tire of it. It is Sergio Leone at his best. Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, and Charles Bronson show what made them stars. The characters are very gritty, as well as the story itself, and at times, downright disturbing. If you liked Unforgiven, you will LOVE this movie. October 22, 2008

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Director Sergio Leone may always be best remembered for the three westerns he made with Clint Eastwood, but, without doubt, his finest work in that genre came later with ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968), available on DVD in a superb 2-disc special edition from Paramount Home Entertainment.

It may be a bit on the slow side, but ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST is never dull. Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale and Jason Robards star in this magnificently photographed epic that is part "spaghetti western" and part homage to John Ford. (His westerns were also "slow").

Indeed, Leone's footage of Monument Valley is as stunning, if not more so, than anything that Ford ever put onto the screen.

The story concerns Cardinale, a New Orleans whore who has married one of her customers and come West. Upon her arrival, she learns that her new husband and his children have been murdered...by Fonda. (A brilliant bit of reverse casting.) He works for the railroad, which wants her late husband's land.

Robards is cast as a likable outlaw, framed for the killings by Fonda, and Bronson is a harmonica playing gunfighter who is stalking Fonda for some enigmatic reason.

The film is enhanced with an exceptional recreation of frontier life, fine performances and many unforgettable moments, such as the 10-minute opening sequence, in which three gunfighters, including veteran bad guys Jack Elam and Woody Strode, wait silently at a desolate railroad station for the train carrying Bronson, their prey, to arrive.

"Did you bring me a horse?" Charlie asks them.

Elam glances at the three horses behind him. "Guess we're one shy," he says with a nasty grin.

"No," replies Bronson, "you brought two too many."

Elam's grin disappears. And then, the gunfire erupts.

Ennio Morricone wrote the background score for this truly great western.

DVD extras include audio commentary with contributions from directors John Carpenter, John Milius, cast and crew, three documentaries including interviews with Cardinale, Gabriele Ferzetti and others, plus much more.

© Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD October 10, 2008

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