It was once in the West

See also: It was once

It was once in the West is a film of Sergio Leone left to the screen the August 27th 1969.

This film is regarded as one of the masterpieces of the kind Western spaghetti which allowed a revival of the western.

Synopsis

Whereas it prepares a festival for the arrival of his wife whom it married one month earlier with La Nouvelle-Orléans, Study Bureau McBain is killed with his/her three children by Frank, a dangerous psychopathe. Jill McBain inherits then the grounds of her husband, coveted by Morton, the silent partner of the murder. But the suspicions go on an adventurer, Cheyenne… This last, like Harmonica, a foreigner who seems to have something to regulate with Frank, will leave to regulate their accounts.

It was once in the West is a film whose action occurs at the time of the conquest of the American west. It turns around the construction of the railroad and puts in scene various characters representative of the traditional westerns for better diverting them.

Sergio Leone makes of it a work imposing and personal, which would be the reason of its commercial failure to the E. - U., contrary to the Europe which made him a triumph.

Claudia Cardinale inherits a role of tenancière in the large heart, Jason Robards that of the adventurer without scruple which will find the redemption, Henry Fonda the villain engaged by the boss of the railroad to hasten its construction and Charles Bronson in the role of the quiet avenger to last turbid.

Data sheet

Distribution

Around film

  • Sergio Leone, which had already tried to engage - without success - Charles Bronson in the films For a handle of dollars and the Good, the Rough one and the Gangster , obtained finally its agreement to interpret Harmonica. This Indian obnubilated by his desire to avenge his brother assassinated by Frank, the pitiless killer played with conviction by Henry Founded. Leone absolutely made a point of having Fonda for the role of Frank, against-employment of the roles of honest good sort who made his fame. With the whole beginning of turning, on arrival of Founded, Leone, the indicator to arrive with lenses of color and a beard, wanted immediately to replace it. But after make upbeing made up and equipbeing equipped, this one convainquit the realizer without saying only one mot.

  • For the scene of the beginning with the three killers, Leone wished, in the form of wink, them to make play by the three protagonists of the Bon, the rough one and the gangster (Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach and Clint Eastwood). But Eastwood, whose notoriety started to grow, refused. One of these gredins is played by Jack Elam, second knife of which strabism serves this scene admirably. The black actor who appears in this scene is him Woody Strode, become famous in the world of the western to have played the black Sergent of John Ford. The last small drainage canal, Al Mullock is also a known head since one sees it as an bargain hunter penguin in the Good, the Rough one and the Gangster . This last would have committed suicide besides during turning.

  • the music of film was composed and directed by Ennio Morricone, accessory to every moment of Sergio Leone. According to certain interviews of the type-setter, Leone would have made him remake work twenty times before being declared satisfied. The music was played on the plate during turning in order to better impregnate the actors. The original soundtrack remained hit-parades very a long time at the head. She is conceived around four topics for the four main characters: Jill, Harmonica, Frank and Cheyenne.

  • It is the first film of a trilogy which includes/understands then It was once the revolution and It was once in America . The film made following the success of the Good, the Rough one and the Gangster , of the American producers order this second shutter.

Quotations

  • It plays of the harmonica… but it also plays of the trigger (Cheyenne).
  • I do not rely any on somebody who carries at the same time a belt and straps… as somebody who doubts his pants (Frank)
  • Your friends have a very high death rate. Yesterday three, today two… (Harmonica)
  • You know a man who trotts himself in the area by playing the harmonica? It has a mouth which one does not forget. He plays of the harmonica when he should speak, and he speaks when he would make better play (Cheyenne with Jill Mc Bath)
  • Cheyenne: You are interested in the last models of the male mode?

The harmonica: I saw three of these dust-coats presently. They awaited a train. (A time) Y had three men inside the dust-coats.

Cheyenne: then?

The harmonica: Inside the men y' had three balls.

  • It cuts a piece of wood… and I have the impression that when it finishes, it will occur quelquechose (Cheyenne)

  • the harmonica: You brought a horse for me?
three men of Frank: Bah, horses question, one is a little right, one excuses oneself! (mocking laughs)
the harmonica: Mmmm, I see two of them which is not with anybody…
  • Frank: Morton said to me one day that I will be never like him. Now, I know why: me that annoys me to know you alive. He would have ignored you.
Harmonica: All in all, you have just discovered that you are not a business man.

Frank: a man, it is all.

Harmonica: It is a very old race. But from other Morton will come, which will try to extinguish it.

See too

Random links:Eugene Terreblanche | Véroncle | Zoteux | Chart in T | Coupe de France of football 1972-1973 | 1560