One upon a time in the west

[Rye Miles #13621]

I know a lot of people like this movie but I trudged through it last night. Almost 3 hours, fell asleep in the middle for about a half hour. I've seen it before a long time ago. My personal review is it kinda sucks. Slow moving, too many really up close facial scenes. Music was terrible. The acting was way over the top and I like Charles Bronson and Henry Fonda but not in this movie! The only thing good in my estimation was Claudia Cardinale and she wasn't even that great in her acting. 

Thoughts on this movie?

Edited November 16, 2025 by Rye Miles #13621

[Redleg Reilly, SASS #46372]

I dislike it as well.  Your comments are spot on.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

Best part was watching Jack Elam and the fly.  The rest could have been shortened by an hour and a half.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

I got nothing to add to your review, Rye. Spot on. 

[Stump Water]

Wikipedia...

 

Quote

In 2009, the film was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The film is regarded as one of the greatest Westerns and one of the greatest films in history.

 

Also...

 

Quote

Leone liked to tell the story of a cinema in Paris where the film ran uninterrupted for two years. When he visited this theater, he was surrounded by fans who wanted his autograph, as well as the projectionist, who was less than enthusiastic. Leone claimed the projectionist told him, "I kill you! The same movie over and over again for two years! And it's so SLOW!"

 

[Subdeacon Joe]

Wasn't it made in the couple of years when the studios were taking so-so or even crappy scripts, saying,  "Let's see if this will work if we we put a bunch of Big Names in it!"?  It should have been about 90 minutes, not 2.5 hours. 

I kept thinking 

 

last time I watched it. 

[Blackwater 53393]

I LIKE this movie!!  It’s gritty, bold, pretty authentic in sets and terrain, and it’s unapologetically in your face!!

 

I HATE watching it on GRIT and other commercial laden outlets!  Every time it gets moving, there’s a damned commercial!

 

Jason Robards stole the show! His character was the iconic anti-hero and he pulled it off perfectly.

 

Henry Fonda played a total viper of a villain! He did it well and he was totally believable in the role.

 

Bronson was enigmatic throughout the show and his character was slowly revealed throughout the plot, giving the story a second thread to follow. That’s something I enjoy.

 

Claudia Cardinale did a great job of playing a woman who was dumped into a situation that she was completely unprepared for and worked her way through it the best way she could!

 

Aside from the facial closeups, the cinematography was excellent. It was realistic and unfiltered, no over the top effects or CG garbage. Even the shooting scenes were believable!

 

As to the length of the film, it was made back when many movies were that long and had intermissions! I disliked intermissions because they interrupted the flow of the story, so I appreciate the lack of one!

 

The music is simple and fits the story and the settings perfectly!

 

It’s kinda’ like How The West Was Won without the lipstick!!

 

 

Edited November 16, 2025 by Blackwater 53393

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

I guess Sergio Leone isn’t for everyone!

[Rye Miles #13621]

20 minutes ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

I guess Sergio Leone isn’t for everyone!

The Good the bad and the ugly, For a few dollars more, Fistfull of dollars were some of my favorites by him. I just don’t like Once upon a time in the west at all. Sergio has also made some other good non westerns movies. IMHO 

[Cypress Sun]

I liked the movie, albeit slow in parts. 

 

Blackwater said everything I would have said except...I never liked the harmonica theme.

 

Jack Elam's short-lived part made the movie for me when I first saw it as a kid. That scene is a masterpiece in my book.

 

 

A side note - as a kid, I hated intermissions. As an adult, I wish they had intermissions now for just a two hour movie!

[Mild Bill #2326]

 Some love Italian-made westerns, I don’t. The music and full, close-up facial

shots are common in them, and many scenes with impossible. For instance,

in “For a Few Dollars More”, a young peasant boy was jumping off the ground trying to reach low-hanging apples from a tree. Clinton Eastwood

was on a balcony, drew his gun and shot some apples off the tree without aiming. He did not damage the apples. I lost interest right there. There are a couple of exceptions, but I’m not a fan of those enormously popular types of westerns. A good cast is important.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

PLUS ONE for BLACKWATER!!  Big Time.

 

I really really liked "Once Upon a Time In the West!!  Superb.

 

I also really like "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."  Strictly for FUN.

[Sixgun Seamus]

22 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

 

I also really like "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."  Strictly for FUN.

Yes, maybe, but your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries.

[Blackwater 53393]

6 minutes ago, Sixgun Seamus said:

Yes, maybe, but your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries.

RUNAWAAAAAY!!!

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

2 hours ago, Sixgun Seamus said:

Yes, maybe, but your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries.

I fart in your general direction!

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

9 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

I fart in your general direction!

Damn!! Beat me to it!

[Blackwater 53393]

NE!!!

[DeaconKC]

2 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

I fart in your general direction!

 

1 hour ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

Damn!! Beat me to it!

 

1 minute ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

NE!!!

Wow, this is a rough neighborhood! 

[Stump Water]

It's just a flesh wound!

[Blackwater 53393]

I’m getting bettah!

[Cypress Sun]

That's Easy!

[Blackwater 53393]

🤣 Another thread on tour!! 🤣

[Alpo]

She had huge - tracts of land.

[Subdeacon Joe]

We were so worried when the boys were writing it, but now, we're glad. It's better than some of the previous scenes, I think

[Timothy]

I dont think it should be imd number 1. I too prefer how the west was won and didnt like bronson looking like a house painter the whole movie lol

[Mossy Horn Gent]

Should have been a 90 minute movie.

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

4 hours ago, Stump Water said:

It's just a flesh wound!

We’ll call it a draw!