Once Upon a Time in the West

The Spaghetti Western is a part of cinema I've only caught glimpses of on TV and never found time to give one of Sergio Leone's epic long films the time they deserve. The director has made a number of classics and when looking at the best from the western genre, more than a few of his will likely feature around the top. The first on my list was Once Upon a Time in the West from 1968 that stars Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards and Claudia Cardinale with Ennio Morricone providing the score.

The story is tricky one to explain as there are two storylines that interweave as the film progresses. One is with Bronson's gunman, named only as Harmonica, who is in search of a man named Frank (Fonda playing against his usual protagonist casting) who has sent men to kill him. The other story is with Cardinale's wife, Jill, arriving at her husband's homestead to find the entire family killed by Frank's bandits and who now must find a new way in the world.

Aside from the iconic score and opening scene featured in many of its posters, I knew very little about Once Upon a Time in the West. The clichés in westerns can easily turn some away but Leone starts the film strong with an extended opening as three unpleasant bandit wait at a dusty, dilapidated train station. This sets the scene perfectly with its atmospheric long takes that rack up the suspense and also sets the tone for the rest of the film.

Writing about westerns can feel fruitless as it seems you either have time for them or you don't; it's a genre that's not entirely dead but has lost its star power over the decades. It has taken many forms in the shape of No Country for Old Men that opted for a more modern setting but the sight of a quiet gunslinger will seem cliched. But to dismiss the genre would be a great crime as there's so much to enjoy and Leone creates a compelling drama that goes beyond the usual 'showdown at noon with the local baddie'. Granted, there are indeed a few duels along the way but no one handles them quite like Leone.

Once Upon a Time looks gorgeous, the cast are great and Morricone's haunting score is fantastic in completing Leone's gritty vision of the old west. The 166 minute running time will seem daunting at first but it flies by and is a very satisfying experience that had me engaged all the way through which makes this an easy recommendation. I really enjoyed venturing in to the spaghetti sub-genre of westerns and will be sure to watch more of Leone's collection, and hope this article persuades you to do the same.