Review of Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) by Tony P — 30 Nov 2017
Excellent 'spaghetti western from director Sergio Leone.
The film has the same Italian crew as the Dollars trilogy it appears but has a lot more money on the screen.
The set designs, cinematography and locations including Death Valley in Utah, U.S. are used to full effect.
I had some trepidation before watching the film about the casting. Rather the omission of Dollars stalwart Clint Eastwood.
I needn't have had those thoughts. Charles Bronson appears to fill his role as the gunslinger with little vocabulary (rather a harmonica) with ease.
You can see some of the Bronson hallmarks of revenge in his character incidentally called Harmonica!
The music from composer Ennio Morricone is excellent again. A blend of late sixties/seventies guitar strings with the harmonica influence.
I watched with the television on high volume to appreciate the soundtrack and some excellent sound effects such as rusty railway station signs blowing etc. during tense stand offs opitimised by staring of characters!
The stand offs do drag on at times and inevitably the run time of the film goes up. One of my few complaints.
The polished appearance of the film whilst noticeable goes against the lower budget grittiness of Leone's Dollars trilogy.
The American locations are used to full effect as the story revolves around the expansion of railroads.
At times I felt I was spotting excellent actors from other films I have enjoyed such as Henry Fonda and Gabrielle Ferzetti (On Her Majesty's Secret Service).
This review of Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) was written by Tony P on 30 Nov 2017.
Once Upon a Time in the West has generally received very positive reviews.
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