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Once Upon a Time in the West (DVD)
by TimListfield
I think everyone would agree that Sergio Leone will always be best remembered for his fast paced Dollars trilogy with Clint Eastwood. But we shouldn't forget that he was hugely talented and did go on to make a few other very significant films. This film, Once Upon a Time in the West, is one of them. Though it's another western, this is ... very different to his original Dollars trilogy. I'd always way that the Dollars trilogy focused more on the adventure of the characters. But this film focuses on the characters, and is a brooding, well paced epic. As before, the underlying story is about greed and more specifically the greed surrounding the rail roads. But instead of showing a bunch of men going after the money, we are shown men who are drawn towards each other for different reasons. The film has a stella cast with Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Jason Robards and Claudia Cardinale.
The film starts with a scene at a railroad station, where three gunfighters await the arrival of a mysterious man only known as 'Harmonica',named after the musical instrument he plays. After a tense build up, Harmonica (Charles Bronson) arrives. For a moment, he and the three gunmen just stare at each other while 'Harmonica' calmly plays his harmonica. Suddenly, there is a shootout and Harmonica turns from a calm, cool headed man into a killer with mission.
Meanwhile a man called Brett McBain has just married. He also owns a plot of land near water in the desert which he bought for a cut price, foreseeing that the railroad will need to pass through it. However, before his new wife can join him, he and his children are shot to death by a ruthless henchman called Frank who works for the railroad's director.
Soon the paths of Harmonica and Frank start to cross each other, and it becomes apparent that Harmonia is after him for some reason. In the middle of all this, there is the railroad, and Harmonica tries to ensure that Brett's widow (played by Claudia Cardinale) isn't intimidated by the railroad director and his henchman. This naturally leads to a brilliant climax, where all is revealed about the men.
For those expecting a fast paced ride from Sergio Leone, this can initially come as a shock as it is so different from the dollars trilogy. This film is brooding, and is very deep. The story isn't told through violence or action, but very much through exceptional characterization that has the action added to it when it is fit. As with The Good the Bad and the Ugly, this film also uses a specific background that connects to the west. In The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, it was he American Civil War. In this film, it's the railroads. As always, Leone carefully builds up the tension using a variety of long takes and some quick close ups and cuts. This is particularly evident in the outstanding opening scene at the railroad station, where only a few words are uttered in the first ten minutes, and again in the final showdown between Harmonica and Frank. This also has a beautiful soundtrack by Ennio Morricone, which highlights the epic, brooding feel that this film has. The action scenes, as always, are shot to perfection and the violence is always believable and never exploitative, meaning that everything in this film blends together perfectly.
This also boasts some of the best acting in film. I am a huge fan of Clint Eastwood, but he made the right decision to stay out of this film. This is a deep film, and needed very subtle character actors to pull it off. Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson were perfectly cast in this film and both make their roles their own. When you watch them act, it's very hard to envisage anyone else in their roles. there is also oustanding support from Jason Robards and Claudia Cardinale, both of whom are in top form in this.
Though this is not quite as good as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, this is another masterpiece from Sergio Leone and is probably one of the deepest westerns ever made, rivalling Unforgiven.
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Unforgiven (DVD)
by TimListfield
The last best western film. As far as I'm concerned, no one should ever bother with a western again following this, because no one can do any better. This takes every good point from the western genre and turns it into a masterpiece. From the violence, the pace and the flawed heroes that the spaghetti westerns had to offer, to the moral ... tone that John Wayne's finest films had to offer, this film has it all. It is, arguably, Clint Eastwood's finest film (even if it's not his most popular or even my most favourite). But credit where it is due, this is just so well crafted from start to finish. From the subtle yet ever present directing, to the stunning acting, this film really is a relentless ride. The story, as the title suggests, is about forgiveness and revenge. It's a story that shows the villains as the heroes of the moment, and the lawmen as the villains. And that's what makes this so good. It takes everything and throws it on its head. The film was directed by Eastwood himself, and it stars him, Gene Hackman (in another outstanding role), Morgan Freeman and Richard Harris.
In the town of Big Whiskey,a prostitute called Deliliah is attacked and disfigured by a client. The attacker gets away, and because the law can't find him, the prostitutes all put up their own reward. This not only upsets the owner of the hotel that they work in, but also Sheriff Bill Daggert, a man who prides himself on the fact that his town is so crime-free and has banned all assassins and guns from the town.
Meanwhile, an arrogant young man called The Schofield kid (Jamez Woolvett) visits an ageing and reformed criminal called William Munney, who is also a widower and is looking after his children. the Schofield kid informs him of the reward the prostitutes are offering and asks him for assistance. Munney eventually agrees when he realizes that he is in desperate need of the money. He also picks up his old riding partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) along the way.
Together, the men set off to get their reward. However, Sheriff Daggert is unhappy about their presence, and soon tries to get rid of them. the lawmen become the criminals, and the criminals become the lawmen, leading to one of the finest western climaxes on screen.
This really is outstanding. I wouldn't say it's quite as good as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, but it's nearly there.
Starting with the directing, you can see on screen that Eastwood has pulled out all the stops to make this a stunning visual masterpiece. The atmosphere is built upon quite a few long takes and some beautiful landscape shots, and you feel yourself being drawn into some sort of colourful epic. Then it starts to change as the story does, and you realize that the weather often reflects the mood of the film. Unlike a lot of other westerns that are set in the sun, this is set in cloud, darkness and rain. And the atmosphere becomes more and more claustrophobic for the characters as the neat the town of Big Whiskey. Eastwood racks up the tension throughout, bringing you several mini climaxes before the outstanding final one, where he redeems all the characters in their own way. Clint won his first directing Oscar for this film.
It also has to be said that the writing is magnificent in this. There is some fabulous and very meaningful dialogue between several characters, with the emphasis on loyalty, forgiveness and revenge. Certainly the characterization is outstanding, most notabley on Bill Daggert. The screenplay by David Webb Peoples was Oscar nominated, but didn't win.
And then there is the acting. And what is there to say, other than the four men who are billed as stars are some of the finest actors Hollywood has to offer (or had, in the case of the late Richard Harris). Clint Eastwood adds his ever present 'cool' persona to his flawed hero. Morgan Freeman is like the angel on Clint's shoulder, and you can feel the loyalty he has for Clint's character. Richard Harris' character English Bob is an interesting one, as he never meets Munney or Logan. Instead, he is more of a sacrificial lamb used to show up Bill Daggert. He's only in it for ten minutes or so, but it's one hell of a cameo. Finally, there is the man who steals is all. Gene Hackman. The last time he was on this kind of form was way back with The French Connection, and I think the role of Bill Daggert, the violent Sheriff who has become what he wanted to fight, is his best role. He rightfully won an Oscar for his role.
Unforgiven is a film that was nominated for 9 Oscars in total, and won 4. Pretty much says it all really. An masterpiece, and no one should bother with a western again.
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Hang 'Em High (DVD)
by TimListfield
Though Hang 'Em High is a very enjoyable western, it is not without its flaws. The story is a simple one, as you would expect, but it's not always fleshed out enough and at times has a few structural problems. But the point is very clear, and this film does try to ask questions about the use of the death penalty, and what happens when ... you either use it to much, or don't use it enough. And, like Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, it does try to reinvent the west not as the preachy place it always seems with other films, but as a nasty place where there good and bad becomes blurred. The film stars Clint Eastwood in his usual 'Mr Cool' type of role, and he has brilliant support from Ed Begley and Pat Hingle. And watch out for the late Dennis Hopper in one of his earliest roles.
Jed Cooper (Clint Eastwood) is a law abiding man who has bought some cattle and is moving across country. As he does, he notices that he is being followed by a group of men led by a man called Captain Wilson (Ed Begley). The stop Cooper, before accusing him of stealing the cattle. Cooper shows them a receipt. However, they refuse to believe him so they beat him and lynch him. But even though Cooper has been hanged, he's not dead and is rescued by a Marshall. It also turns out that he is an ex lawman.
Once rescued and found innocent, Cooper takes a job as a Marshall in the Oklahoma territory and decides to exact his revenge by finding the men who attempted to lynch him. But it's not as easy as it seems, as the Judge insists he bring the man back alive so he can judge them properly. Also, as Cooper is a Marshall, he to arrest others and at times finds himself questioning those orders. In turn, this leads to a dramatic climax where Cooper finds those responsible.
There is no doubt that this is hugely enjoyable and has some brilliant and harrowing moments in it. The first scene where Cooper is lynched pretty much sets the mood of the film, and throughout this there is some great action including shootings and fightings that really do keep you glued to the screen. The film is also well paced for the majority of the time, though there is a moment in it that does slow it down. The only real problems with this film are the structure, which at times is a bit too loose, and the climax where you almost find yourself feeling that Cooper is cheated from having real justice. But, for most part, this is hugely entertaining.
This also boasts some great acting. Clint Eastwood is Clint Eastwood, the cool headed man out for revenge. But he's just so good at it, and he does steal the scenes he's in. However, for character acting, Ed Begley is outstanding as Captain Wilson. You really can feel yourself growing to hate the man as the film goes on. And Pat Hingle as the Judge also adds for some great support, making his character the lawman who has to sentence people to death, but doesn't always like it. In many ways, his character adds the most human touch to this film. He knows what he has to do, even if he doesn't always agree with it. And it has to be said that Pat Hingle really does show that.
All in all, it's a very entertaining film with plenty of action and some great acting. It may not be perfect, but don't let that put you off.
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