When was the last time you watched a movie where after the first hour of the movie you didn't know any of the main character's names or what the movie was about yet you were completely engrossed? Ah, the genius of Sergio Leone. Once again, Leone paints a detailed picture with scant few words and captivates the audience while doing it. This film is also widely regarded as the greatest "face" movie of all time. While Henry Fonda was at the top of the billing, it is actually Charles Bronson (I kid you not) that is the star of this film.
One thing I love about Leone is that he's never trying to make a point. There isn't a moral to the story and there aren't any feel-good moments. He brings together a group of characters and spares you the details of who they are and where they come from. There are no good vs. evil confronations. In fact, the most sympathetic person in this movie was a reformed prostitute and the lead in the movie (Bronson) is never actually identified by name.

follow me at https://IHateBadMovies.com or facebook IHateBadMovies

Masterful and enthralling storytelling, while barely uttering a word. They just dont make them like this anymore. Really just a mesmerizing film and score

The absolute best Western to date.

I didn't liked this movie, it was slow paced, not much action, movie could be shorter. I prefer much more clint eastwood western movies.

One of the great films in cinema history.

One of the finest westerns ever made.

Good film. The music is the highpoint for me. I like the story but it drags on a bit, especially in the beginning. Also… they took it a bit too far with all the close ups, even though it contributes to the charm of it all.

Still the best Western ever made. Superb cinematography. Superb score. Superb actors. A story that is simple in its core and yet told in a complex way with a lot of twists, sub-plots and multi-layered anti-heroes. This movie doesn't shy away from the most brutal aspects of life. Not even sure the outcome is a positive one.

There's only little to be criticized. Like the sometimes too cartoon-ish character of some characters. And like the great depiction of violence without the notable exception of blood or visible wounds (That's excused though - it's a 60's movie with strict regulations). It's not really needed though and I certainly don't want this to be a splatter movie but it would add to the immersion.

Hands down Leone's most mature western, even if a little low-key when compared to the Dollars Trilogy. His style is recognizable but strangely sober here, with the calm before the storm eating up most of the time. Action, music, and humor, which were the main three elements of Leone's past works, are this time kept to the minimum necessary to emphasize the slow-burning wait for the gun to fire, for the hero to finally appear. While "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" was held back by its episodic nature, this time we have a coherent complex plot that connects all characters and slowly reveals their nature, at a time where the Old West was about to be wiped out by the birth of a new nation. The film has a melancholic mood and is packed with overt references to western classics taken out of context, as if Leone's aim was to bid farewell to the genre that had made him a household name. Sometimes it drags on a little too much, but the payoff is guaranteed.

I've watched silent movies with more dialogue than this. It's still a good western though.

The original italian title of the film is C'era una volta il West.

Boy, they don't make it like this anymore. Not for inpatient kiddos.

Level "Marvellous" • 9 :heart: • Very Recommended.

Great western with minimal dialogue. This movie is a work of art.....

Seriously great film with Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson and a harmonica. I understand that it was Sergio's dream to direct a film which starred Henry Fonday. Makes sense to me. Many critics rate this as the #1 Spaghetti Western of all time, or even the best Western of all time. It would definately be in my top five.

Check out my list: https://trakt.tv/users/jeffsmith99/lists/spaghetti-westerns-i-want-to-watch

Look for it on Amazon Prime Video
Also available on popcornflix.com

Great movie, Bronson was the original man with no name, a role later taken by Clint Eastwood in the later Leone flicks.

Leone's film unfolds across the screen in time and space with all the mellowness and majesty of such great Westerns as "Shane," "The Searchers," and "The Magnificent Seven."