Once Upon a Time in the West

Released:  May 28^th, 1969

Rated:  PG-13

Distributor:  Paramount Pictures

Starring:  Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, Charles Bronson

Directed by:  Sergio Leone

Written by:  Sergio Leone, Sergio Donati

Personal Bias Alert:  the only Sergio Leone film I’ve seen, not a big fan of westerns

7.2 of 10

            Once Upon a Time in the West is a film made quite literally out of space and time.  Writer/director Sergio Leone was fascinated with telling American stories, most notably the spaghetti westerns that Once Upon a Time is a part of, despite being born, raised, and dying in Italy.  Time-wise, the film was made long after the death of the west, but the more notable anomaly is the film’s very modern feel.  Its twisting story could easily fit in with the ‘00s trend of distinct but interlocking narratives, and certainly its large scope (and subsequently long run time) is more palatable in modern Hollywood than it was in the ‘60s.  And yet there was the film, released in the US in ’69 to an underwhelming box office and critical response, only to have its reputation grow as cinema caught up to its particular style.

            The story is loosely wrapped around the expansion of the railroad into the American west, specifically a fictional town called Flagstone.  As it is often romanticized, the railroad is bringing culture and stability to the area, but not before one last death rattle from the rough and lawless men that it continues to chase west.  You see, as society’s wealth moves closer, there’s opportunities for a quick buck, attracting several people willing to jockey for the payday.  Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti) is the railroad tycoon trying to buy his way through the town.  Frank (Henry Fonda) is his hired muscle who’s eyeing the inevitable demise of his ill employer.  Local gang leader Cheyenne (Jason Robards) is looped into the fight and defends his turf and name with gusto.  What they’re all fight for is a crucial piece of land that is owned by the tough widower Jill (Claudia Cardinale).

            These are all rather straightforward battles, but lurking in the center of the mess is a quiet sharpshooter played by Charles Bronson.  While his motives are murky, he constantly inserts himself into the events at Flagstone, seemingly not caring who comes out on top.  His ambiguity and the constantly shifting alliances of all the players makes the film seem like a continuously expanding web, slowly trapping them all in a situation they seem unlikely to escape.  It’s a slow build, one that lets some of the early moments drag, but eventually you find yourself gritting your teeth in anticipation of the next twist.

            Epic is an apt way to describe Once Upon a Time in America, not only because of its expansive story, but also for the skill and breadth on display.  There’s wide shots here that would make modern filmmakers envious, with period extras and wagons filling the dirt road of the town and the barren desert expanding out into the farthest reaches of the frame.  It’s all rather beautiful in the way of rugged westerns, although this mastery shouldn’t surprise anyone considering Leone already had his Dollars Trilogy under his belt.

            Leone’s trademark shots, from the aforementioned wide shots to the tight holds on a character’s eyes, lends to the feeling of grandeur, but can also slow the film down.  Much of this is done to sit on a moment and let the tension build, but in an already long film this technique often slow things down too much.  A film needs to have a damn good reason to be this languid, and Once Upon a Time in the West lacks an emotional or intellectual payoff to justify the time spent.

            Still, you’re bound to find things you’ll like in Once Upon a Time in the West.  Leone certainly knows his way around a camera, and all the actors are effective as characters who play things close to the vest.  It’s too bad the story isn’t crisper, and that it’s many replicators have left it feeling so familiar.

            Other Notes:

Ø  I couldn’t place where I recognized Charles Bronson from.  Then I realized he was in a great episode of The Twilight Zone called Two. 

Ø  “How can you trust a man who wears a belt and suspenders?  The man can’t even trust his own pants.”

Ø  Jill is a rather progressive character for the time.