Review of Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) by Xander S — 14 Aug 2015
Just about the definitive "Spaghetti Western," "Once Upon a Time in the West" boasts a haunting Morricone score, gorgeous locations, and a riveting, all-encompassing emotional palette.
Commonly billed as a revenge tale, it is much more than that. Claudia Cardinale plays Jill, the widow of an Irish-American homesteader who struggles to save his land from her husband's killer, a sly and ruthless Henry Fonda (in a notable departure from his wholesome image).
Charles Bronson and Jason Robards are superb as two likeable bandits who also find themselves squaring off with Fonda's villain. The characters, while archetypal, are all as rich and real as any ever conceived--Jill is no damsel in distress; Fonda's Frank is no mustache-twirling through-and-through baddie.
And speaking of realism, Leone shot substantial portions of the film in the real American Southwest, whose ruddy pillars of rock and dusty desert vistas feel gloriously authentic, more so than even the picturesque Spanish plains where the Spaghetti Westerns were more commonly filmed.
And it's all topped off by what is arguably Ennio Morricone's grandest score, with its lilting main theme and a number of other poignant compositions. It's not fair to compare it to "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
" Both are utter masterpieces, and each stands on its own as a unique tribute to a mythical yet visceral time and place, beautifully brought to life by a wise, visually gifted outsider.
This review of Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) was written by Xander S on 14 Aug 2015.
Once Upon a Time in the West has generally received very positive reviews.
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