After Frank [Henry Fonda] and his crew massacres the McBain family he leaves a newlywed wife, Jill McBain [Claudia Cardinale], a widow and the sole owner of the McBain estate.  The prime suspect, Cheyenne [Jason Robards], and a passer through, Harmonica [Charles Bronson], decide to find the man responsible and make him pay for his crimes against the lady.

So it’s no secret that my biggest film related blind spot has to be westerns.  I’ve had a deep seated, and misguided, disliking towards them ever since I was young.  I don’t know exactly what it is about them but whenever I watch a western I just can’t seem to believe that this actually existed/happened in reality.  When I see the dust bowl landscape all I can think is that this is what I imagine it would look like if the apocalypse were to occur now.  However, I have mended my brain and after seeing a couple Leone westerns I realise how wrong I was.  This is quite possibly the greatest western I’ve seen to date.

I loved most everything about this movie.  This is actually only the second movie I’m seeing with the famous Charles Bronson and all I can say is that Harmonica kicks any Eastwood character’s ass as far as I’m concerned.   What I think I loved most about this movie is that it gave us all bad guys (or seeming so) and made them each honourable in their own way.  I even couldn’t help but feel for Frank towards the end of the film when he had become isolated from his world.

Sergio Leone is famous for his westerns in the 60s and now we know why.  He’s able to frame a man vs. three dusters having a gunfight and never seem to lose any artistic credit.  One element that I couldn’t ignore was Leone’s use of the silent gunman.  Harmonica is a different breed of gunman.  He walks in, sits down and enjoys the show while playing his harmonica and if you come too close or show any aggression he switches from the harmonica to the gun.  It’s beautiful how tough as nails they made characters in the west and I love it.

I particularly couldn’t ignore the brilliance of Ennio Morricone’s score for the film, making sure that all those long stares built even higher in tension on screen for us.  I’ve heard Morricone’s music before as examples of scoring genius and as references in films of today (namely Inglorious Basterds) but seeing it in action in a film it was actually intended for was just amazing.  I continue to tell people that music is almost as important as the story that it accompanies.  Sometimes people get annoyed by it because it may give away what’s about to happen on screen, usually with horror films, but generally it gives everyone a more immersive feeling because when done right the music alone can get you in the mood for the scene about to occur.  I particularly love when I hear a song after a film and it immediately transports me to that scene in the film and all I can do is smile knowing that’s what’s in my mind now.

This is the perfect film to introduce anyone to what a western really is.  It’s beautiful in every way.  The characters are all great and well made with the use of an intriguing plot and some brilliant acting.  If you haven’t seen it yet put it high on your list.

IMDB says 8.8/10 (#23 on the top IMDB Top 250)

Rotten Tomatoes says 98%

I say 9.0/10