Review of Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) by Paul P — 25 Jun 2011

In a word, Beautiful.....

The realtively simple tale at the centre of this film is surrounded by the development of the railway network in the US and it is a truly fascinating film to watch unravel. The story is told at a very leisurely pace but it never feels boring or bloated as a result. Over 40 years on, this film still feels fresh and the opening 10 minutes of the film in the company of Jack Elam and his killer buddies really is something to behold as they wait for their victim to arrive....

Cast wise, Leone has populated this fiilm with a truly great cast. Without doubt, this is Bronson's finest work and Henry Fonda uses those baby blue eyes of his to brilliant effect as Frank, our cold blooded killer. Then we have Claudia Cardinale, playing what could have been a one note part and making Jill a rounded and tough character. Leone brings out the best in her and she looks truly breathtaking. My favourite part in this film belongs to the wonderful Jason Robards as Cheyenne. He has a terrific presence in this film and whilst there is a lot of focus on other characters, he is the character that I always remember, especially at the end.

Visually, this is a real treat, with all of those wide vista's and then the trademark close up shots which no one else seems to be able to do. When you mix these visuals with Morricone's wonderful score, it makes for a genuinely unique experience, following Jill's arrival at the station to the reveal of the town as the score builds takes my breath away everytime I see it.

Overall, this is a wonderful and unforgetable experience....