Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
#EnnioMorricone#OnceUponATimeInTheWest#TESEO#DoubleBass
Once Upon a Time in the West is a 1968 film directed by Sergio Leone. It is an epic Italian western produced by Paramount Pictures and starring Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards and Charles Bronson. The screenplay was written by Leone and Sergio Donati, from a subject created by Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci and Dario Argento. The film was photographed by Tonino Delli Colli and set to music by Ennio Morricone. It is the first episode of the trilogy of the time of Leo, which will continue with Giù la testa (1971) and Once upon a time in America (1984).
The director's original version was 165 minutes long when the film was released on December 21, 1968. This version premiered in European cinemas, and was a box office success. For the US release on May 28, 1969, Once Upon a Time in the West was cut from Paramount to a running time of 145 minutes, receiving mostly negative critical reception and failing financially. The film is now considered among the best westerns ever made.
In 2009 the film was included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant.
Sweetwater, a piece of land near Flagstone (a fictional city in the West), contains the region's only water source, and is at the center of a conflict. The land was bought by Brett McBain, who predicted that the transcontinental railroad under construction would have to pass through that area to get the water needed for the steam locomotives. When railroad tycoon Morton learns of it, he sends his hitman Frank to simply intimidate McBain to get off the ground, but Frank instead kills McBain and his three sons, leaving evidence to indict the bandit Cheyenne. It seems that the land no longer has any owner; however, a former prostitute arrives from New Orleans, revealing that she is Jill McBain, Brett's new wife and owner of the land.
Meanwhile, a mysterious harmonica-playing gunslinger, later nicknamed "Harmonica" by Cheyenne, is in search of Frank. After killing three men Frank had sent to kill him, he arrives at an inn on the way to Sweetwater, where he informs Cheyenne that the three gunmen appeared to pass themselves off as his men.
Sweetwater is given materials to build a train station and a small town. Harmonica explains that Jill will lose Sweetwater unless the station is finished before the railroad construction team reaches that point, so Cheyenne puts his men to work to build it.
Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale)
Frank rebels against Morton, who wanted to make a deal with Jill. Morton is paralyzed and unable to react. After raping her, Frank forces Jill to sell the property at auction. He tries to buy the farm cheaply by intimidating the other bidders, but Harmonica arrives with Cheyenne and makes a much higher offer based on the reward for delivering Cheyenne to the authorities. Harmonica rejects Frank's offer to buy him the farm for a dollar more than the auction paid.
Frank's men betray him and ambush him, having been paid by Morton to turn on him, but - to Jill's indignation - Harmonica helps Frank kill them, just to keep that privilege to himself.
Morton and Frank's other men are killed in a confrontation with Cheyenne's gang. Frank then goes to Sweetwater to face Harmonica. On two occasions Frank had asked Harmonica who he was, but both times Harmonica had mysteriously mentioned the names of men Frank had killed. This time, Harmonica says it will reveal who is "just about to die". The two men prepare for a duel, and at this point Harmonica's motive for revenge is revealed in a flashback.
When Harmonica was a boy, a young Frank, already a cruel bandit, had forced him to keep his adult brother standing on his shoulders while the latter had a noose around his neck. While the boy struggled to support his brother's weight, Frank had put a harmonica in his mouth. In the end, the older brother, after cursing his killer, had pushed the boy with his feet to avoid the responsibility of his death: he is hanged at the village bell, while Harmonica collapses to the ground.
Harmonica draws her gun first and shoots Frank. At the point of death, Frank asks Harmonica again who he is: the latter puts the harmonica in Frank's mouth, who, recognizing him, nods weakly, only to die soon after. Harmonica and Cheyenne say goodbye to Jill, who is overseeing the construction of the train station as the railroad crew reaches Sweetwater. Cheyenne collapses, revealing that he was fatally shot during his clash with Frank's gang by tycoon Morton. The work train arrives and Jill carries the water to the rail workers, while Harmonica rides off with Cheyenne's body.
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#EnnioMorricone#OnceUponATimeInTheWest#TESEO#DoubleBass
Once Upon a Time in the West is a 1968 film directed by Sergio Leone. It is an epic Italian western produced by Paramount Pictures and starring Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards and Charles Bronson. The screenplay was written by Leone and Sergio Donati, from a subject created by Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci and Dario Argento. The film was photographed by Tonino Delli Colli and set to music by Ennio Morricone. It is the first episode of the trilogy of the time of Leo, which will continue with Giù la testa (1971) and Once upon a time in America (1984).
The director's original version was 165 minutes long when the film was released on December 21, 1968. This version premiered in European cinemas, and was a box office success. For the US release on May 28, 1969, Once Upon a Time in the West was cut from Paramount to a running time of 145 minutes, receiving mostly negative critical reception and failing financially. The film is now considered among the best westerns ever made.
In 2009 the film was included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant.
Sweetwater, a piece of land near Flagstone (a fictional city in the West), contains the region's only water source, and is at the center of a conflict. The land was bought by Brett McBain, who predicted that the transcontinental railroad under construction would have to pass through that area to get the water needed for the steam locomotives. When railroad tycoon Morton learns of it, he sends his hitman Frank to simply intimidate McBain to get off the ground, but Frank instead kills McBain and his three sons, leaving evidence to indict the bandit Cheyenne. It seems that the land no longer has any owner; however, a former prostitute arrives from New Orleans, revealing that she is Jill McBain, Brett's new wife and owner of the land.
Meanwhile, a mysterious harmonica-playing gunslinger, later nicknamed "Harmonica" by Cheyenne, is in search of Frank. After killing three men Frank had sent to kill him, he arrives at an inn on the way to Sweetwater, where he informs Cheyenne that the three gunmen appeared to pass themselves off as his men.
Sweetwater is given materials to build a train station and a small town. Harmonica explains that Jill will lose Sweetwater unless the station is finished before the railroad construction team reaches that point, so Cheyenne puts his men to work to build it.
Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale)
Frank rebels against Morton, who wanted to make a deal with Jill. Morton is paralyzed and unable to react. After raping her, Frank forces Jill to sell the property at auction. He tries to buy the farm cheaply by intimidating the other bidders, but Harmonica arrives with Cheyenne and makes a much higher offer based on the reward for delivering Cheyenne to the authorities. Harmonica rejects Frank's offer to buy him the farm for a dollar more than the auction paid.
Frank's men betray him and ambush him, having been paid by Morton to turn on him, but - to Jill's indignation - Harmonica helps Frank kill them, just to keep that privilege to himself.
Morton and Frank's other men are killed in a confrontation with Cheyenne's gang. Frank then goes to Sweetwater to face Harmonica. On two occasions Frank had asked Harmonica who he was, but both times Harmonica had mysteriously mentioned the names of men Frank had killed. This time, Harmonica says it will reveal who is "just about to die". The two men prepare for a duel, and at this point Harmonica's motive for revenge is revealed in a flashback.
When Harmonica was a boy, a young Frank, already a cruel bandit, had forced him to keep his adult brother standing on his shoulders while the latter had a noose around his neck. While the boy struggled to support his brother's weight, Frank had put a harmonica in his mouth. In the end, the older brother, after cursing his killer, had pushed the boy with his feet to avoid the responsibility of his death: he is hanged at the village bell, while Harmonica collapses to the ground.
Harmonica draws her gun first and shoots Frank. At the point of death, Frank asks Harmonica again who he is: the latter puts the harmonica in Frank's mouth, who, recognizing him, nods weakly, only to die soon after. Harmonica and Cheyenne say goodbye to Jill, who is overseeing the construction of the train station as the railroad crew reaches Sweetwater. Cheyenne collapses, revealing that he was fatally shot during his clash with Frank's gang by tycoon Morton. The work train arrives and Jill carries the water to the rail workers, while Harmonica rides off with Cheyenne's body.
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