“Once Upon a Time in the West” Movie Review

 

“Once Upon a Time in the West”

Movie Review

 

Once Upon a Time in the West is a 1968 epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, written with Sergio Donati, and based on a story by Dario Argento, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Leone. It stars Henry Fonda as the villain, Charles Bronson as his nemesis, Jason Roberts as the robber, and Claudia Cardinale as the newly widowed housekeeper. Widescreen cinematography by Tonino Delli Golli and film score by Ennio Morricone.

The story revolves around two storylines set in the old western town of "Flagstone". First, a man named "Harmonica" seeks revenge against the outlaw Frank. Second, Frank works as a hired gun for Morton, a railroad tycoon who is trying to acquire some land owned by the Brett McBain family. The story also introduces a second outlaw, Cheyenne.

Harmonica ambushes and kills the three when the train arrives at the station. The dusters they wear lead him to believe they are Cheyenne's men. Meanwhile, Frank and his henchmen kill Brett McBain and his three sons at their farm, which they call "Sweetwater". Frank leaves behind evidence to frame Cheyenne for the murders.

A woman named Jill arrives in Flagstone, en route to Sweetwater, for what is assumed to be her upcoming marriage to McBain. However, Jill, a New Orleans prostitute, marries McBain while there, making her Sweetwater's sole heir. McBain knew that one day the railroad would pass through Sweetwater, and he planned to build an irrigation station on his property subject to the withdrawal that McBain would lose Sweetwater if the station was not built by the time the railroad reached that location. Morton sends Frank to intimidate McBain, but McBain's murder and Jill's inheritance put Morton and Frank at odds. Morton wants to make a deal with Jill, but Frank wants the land for himself.

Cheyenne denies his men tried to ambush Harmonica, and the two learn that Frank is behind both the ambush and framed Cheyenne for the McBain murders. Harmonica discovers the connection between Frank and Morton but is captured by Frank's men. When Frank asks for Harmonica's identity, he replies with the names of the people Frank killed. Cheyenne rescues Harmonica and the two help Jill rescue Sweetwater.

Jill decides to auction off the land and return to New Orleans; however, Frank's henchmen bully bidders into buying the land at a lower price. Harmonica appears with Cheyenne and bids $5,000, which is the price on Cheyenne's head as a wanted fugitive. Morton hires Frank's own men to kill Frank, but Harmonica intervenes to protect Frank's hideout for himself. Meanwhile, Cheyenne escapes custody and he and his gang engage in a shootout with the rest of Frank's gang on Morton’s train. All are killed, including Morton, except Cheyenne, who goes to Sweetwater.

After witnessing the aftermath of the shooting, Frank heads to Sweetwater, where he finds Harmonica waiting. Cheyenne has also arrived but is at the farmhouse with Jill. Harmonia draws the game by defeating Frank. When Frank lies about dying, he again questions Harmonica's identity. In a flashback, it is revealed that Frank shoved a harmonica into a boy's mouth just before the boy collapsed under the weight of his hanging older brother. Now, Harmonica returns the instrument back to Frank by placing it in his mouth. Frank realizes who shot him.

Harmonica and Cheyenne leave Sweetwater, but Cheyenne collapses and dies from a gut wound received from Morton in the shootout. As Harmonica departs, Jill gives water to the railroad workers.

After directing The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Leone decided to retire from Westerns and decided to make his film based on The Hood's novel, which would eventually become Once Upon a Time in America. However, Leone accepted an offer from Paramount Pictures, which offered Henry Fonda and the budget to make another Western. In 1966 he recruited Bertolucci and Argento to plot the film, researching other Western films in the process. After Clint Eastwood turned down an offer to star in the film, Bronson was offered the role. The film is the first part of Leone's Once Upon a Time trilogy.

In 2009, the Library of Congress preserved the film in the United States National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

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