Review of Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) by Cameron H — 12 Oct 2016

My five-star rating seems inadequate to give to the rare film that earns my appreciation for editing, sound editing and mixing, lighting, set design, even costume design during my first time watching the movie, all while I am fully engrossed in, uh, was that really three hours that sprinted by? The style alone felt too cool and dangerous for its time -- the dual scene play, the foggy flashbacks, the musical cues that the audience does not expect the characters to notice, complete silence in effective use, and, of course, Ennio Morricone's score, much more somber and leisurely in its movements, though frightening in the tensest moments.

Sergio Leone's presentation was perfect for this Wild West melodrama, starring four characters whose motives remain some degree of a mystery, well past any revelations we may have about their situations. This is in debt to both the actors -- Claudia Cardinale, Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, and Henry Fonda (the villain!) -- and the script, which together tell a story of self-interested players and shooters who try to predict the target's next move as best as they can, without revealing their tactic. Frank (Fonda) seems to play strictly for profit, gaining such by whatever means are necessary. Jill (Cardinale), after moving into her home to find her entire family dead, wants to settle into the lifestyle she had planned in the first place. Cheyenne (Robards) usually plays for profit too, though he was framed by Frank for the death of Jill's family and must shift focus towards protecting her and himself. Harmonica (Bronson) is out for blood, Frank's blood. They are all smart people, and do not dare reveal every perspective and strategy in their book. However, they also immediately pounce on the opportunities for an alliance, however long it will last. I could not say there was much of a theme, as each character's motives were so different, but a theme does not matter as much as focus. And Leone has that, packaging Once Upon a Time in the West in such a way that demands your full attention for every scene, lest you miss an important clue into a character's head. Cinema at its chunkiest and most gripping.