Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Clint Eastwood | ... | Monco | |
Lee Van Cleef | ... | Col. Douglas Mortimer | |
Gian Maria Volontè | ... | El Indio (The Indian) | |
![]() |
Mara Krupp | ... | Mary - Hotel Manager's Beautiful Wife (as Mara Krup) |
Luigi Pistilli | ... | Groggy, Member of Indio's Gang | |
Klaus Kinski | ... | Juan Wild - The Hunchback | |
![]() |
Luis Rodríguez | ... | Manuel, Member of Indio's Gang (as Luis Rodriguez) |
Benito Stefanelli | ... | Luke 'Hughie' | |
![]() |
Panos Papadopulos | ... | Sancho Perez, Member of Indio's Gang (as Panos Papadopoulos) |
Aldo Sambrell | ... | Cuchillio | |
Roberto Camardiel | ... | Tucumcari station clerk (as Robert Camardiel) | |
![]() |
Joseph Egger | ... | Old Prophet (as Josef Egger) |
Tomás Blanco | ... | Tucumcari sheriff (as Tomas Blanco) | |
![]() |
Lorenzo Robledo | ... | Tomaso, Indio's Traitor |
![]() |
Dante Maggio | ... | Carpenter in cell with El Indio |
Drifting from town to town, the poncho-clad Man with No Name and the lightning-fast right hand rides into the town of El Paso, in search of the maniacal escaped convict, El Indio. It's been eighteen short months since the deadly confrontation in A Fistful of Dollars (1964), and this time, the solitary stranger, now a professional bounty hunter, will have to go against his beliefs and do the unthinkable: join forces with the hawk-eyed marksman, Colonel Douglas Mortimer, to collect the hefty reward. Now, as El Indio and his cut-throats have already set their sights on robbing the crammed-with-cash Bank of El Paso, the stage is set for a bloody showdown at high noon, against the backdrop of silent double-crosses and fragile allegiances. But, is it worth dicing with death for a few dollars more? Written by Nick Riganas
Exceptional performances by three heavyweight actors, Gian Maria Volonte and Lee Van Cleef - both of whom, it's a shame, did not have all that many more opportunities to shine in quality films after this one - and Clint Eastwood, along with taut direction, editing, cinematography and gripping and unique music (by the great Ennio Morricone), make this movie a real standout. (The music's almost a major character in this film, in fact.) Stylistically iconic, this Sergio Leone opus has an endlessly fascinating and spellbinding story that surprises to the end. Plus, we really come to like the co-heroes, Van Cleef and Eastwood - we want to befriend them and emulate them. Volonte was priceless as a demonic villain - his facial expressions rich with narcissism and a strange kind of violence-fueled euphoria no one else has ever matched in film history, for my money. Though he clashed with director Leone and purportedly did not like the Western genre, Volonte's performance rises above the film's genre and could be favorably compared to the best portrayed villains of other more mainstream movies. Volonte brought a realism to his character and an intensity you don't see in many films. But so did Van Cleef, whose work in this film is incredible. You'd have thought other movie makers would have rushed to cast Van Cleef in important roles after this film, but no. Very strange. Though some might question the wanton violence in this film, the truth is that the real wild west was even more violent and the violence often much more capricious and random. Like all great artistic works, this film never grows old for me. I am always drawn to watch it again and again for it is of such a depth and complexity that it only reveals more of itself with each viewing.