Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West (, ) is a 1968 epic Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone, who co-wrote it with Sergio Donati based on a story by Dario Argento, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Leone. It stars Henry Fonda, cast against type, as the villain, Charles Bronson as his nemesis, Jason Robards as a bandit, and Claudia Cardinale as a newly widowed homesteader. The widescreen cinematography was by Tonino Delli Colli, and the acclaimed film score was by Ennio Morricone.
Plot
The film portrays two conflicts that take place around Flagstone, a fictional town in the American Old West - a land battle related to the construction of a railroad, and a mission of vengeance against a cold-blooded killer. A struggle exists for Sweetwater, a piece of land in the desert outside Flagstone that contains the region's only other water source. The land was bought by Brett McBain, who foresaw that the railroad would have to pass through that area, to provide water for the steam locomotives. When crippled railroad tycoon Morton learns of this, he sends his hired gun Frank to intimidate McBain to move off the land, but Frank instead kills McBain and his three children, planting evidence to frame the bandit Cheyenne (Robards). Meanwhile, former prostitute Jill arrives at Flagstone from New Orleans, revealing that she is McBain's new wife and therefore the owner of the land.
Awards
Cast
- Al Mulock
- Aldo Berti
- Aldo Sambrell
- Antonio Molino Rojo
- Benito Stefanelli
- Bruno Corazzari
- Charles Bronson
- Claudia Cardinale
- Claudio Scarchilli
- Conrado San Martín
- Don Galloway
- Enzo Santaniello
- Fabio Testi
- Frank Braña
- Frank Wolff
- Gabriele Ferzetti
- Henry Fonda
- Jack Elam
- Jason Robards
- John Frederick
- Keenan Wynn
- Lionel Stander
- Lorenzo Robledo
- Marco Zuanelli
- Paolo Stoppa
- Ricardo Palacios
- Robert Hossein
- Saturno Cerra
- Sergio Leone
- Spartaco Conversi
- Woody Strode
More details
| author | Bernardo Bertolucci Dario Argento Sergio Donati Sergio Leone |
|---|---|
| award | National Film Registry |
| contentLocation | Wild West |
| director | Sergio Leone |
| editor | Nino Baragli |
| events | American frontier American pioneer amorality anonymity capitalism community building frontier justice identity masculinity revenge |
| genre | western |
| keywords | build cripple dead body force former prostitute hired gun kill new orleans old west older brother pott disease railway station reward shoot steam locomotive taking a bath want wound yuma prison yuma territorial prison |
| musicBy | Ennio Morricone |
| producer | Fulvio Morsella |
| publisher | Euro International Film Paramount Pictures |
| recordedAt | Almería Arizona Cinecittà La Calahorra Utah |
| theme | epic spaghetti western transport |