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IMDbPro

Once Upon a Time in the West

Original title: C'era una volta il West
  • 19681968
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 45m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
326K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
713
53
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
UK Trailer
Play trailer3:02
1 Video
99+ Photos
Western
A mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad.A mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad.A mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad.
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
326K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
713
53
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Sergio Leone
    • Writers
      • Sergio Donati(screenplay by)
      • Sergio Leone(screenplay by)
      • Dario Argento(from a story by)
    • Stars
      • Henry Fonda
      • Charles Bronson
      • Claudia Cardinale
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Sergio Leone
    • Writers
      • Sergio Donati(screenplay by)
      • Sergio Leone(screenplay by)
      • Dario Argento(from a story by)
    • Stars
      • Henry Fonda
      • Charles Bronson
      • Claudia Cardinale
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 809User reviews
    • 147Critic reviews
    • 80Metascore
    Top rated movie #48
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 5 nominations

    Videos1

    Once Upon A Time In The West
    Trailer 3:02
    Once Upon A Time In The West

    Photos216

    Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Jason Robards in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Claudia Cardinale in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    "Once Upon a Time in the West" Claudia Cardinale 1968 Paramount Pictures
    Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, and Jason Robards in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, and Jason Robards in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
    Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Henry Fonda
    Henry Fonda
    • Frank
    Charles Bronson
    Charles Bronson
    • Harmonica
    Claudia Cardinale
    Claudia Cardinale
    • Jill McBain
    Jason Robards
    Jason Robards
    • Manuel 'Cheyenne' Gutiérrez
    Gabriele Ferzetti
    Gabriele Ferzetti
    • Morton - Railroad Baron
    Paolo Stoppa
    Paolo Stoppa
    • Sam
    Woody Strode
    Woody Strode
    • Stony - Member of Frank's Gang
    Jack Elam
    Jack Elam
    • Snaky - Member of Frank's Gang
    Keenan Wynn
    Keenan Wynn
    • Sheriff - Auctioneer
    Frank Wolff
    Frank Wolff
    • Brett McBain
    Lionel Stander
    Lionel Stander
    • Barman
    Livio Andronico
    • Bit part
    • (uncredited)
    Salvatore Basile
    Salvatore Basile
    • Member of Cheyenne's Gang
    • (uncredited)
    Aldo Berti
    Aldo Berti
    • Member of Frank's Gang Playing Poker
    • (uncredited)
    Joseph Bradley
    • Train Station Master
    • (uncredited)
    Frank Braña
    Frank Braña
    • Member of Frank's Gang Smoking Pipe at Auction
    • (uncredited)
    Marilù Carteny
    • Mourner at Brett McBain's Funeral
    • (uncredited)
    Saturno Cerra
    Saturno Cerra
    • Member of Frank's Gang on Train
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Sergio Leone
    • Writers
      • Sergio Donati(screenplay by)
      • Sergio Leone(screenplay by) (from a story by)
      • Dario Argento(from a story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Henry Fonda originally turned down the role of Frank. Director Sergio Leone flew to the United States and met with Fonda, who asked why he was wanted for the film. Leone replied, "Picture this: the camera shows a gunman from the waist down pulling his gun and shooting a running child. The camera pans up to the gunman's face and...it's Henry Fonda" (until then, with one exception, Fonda had only been cast in "good guy" roles. Leone wanted the audience to be shocked).
    • Goofs
      Frank goes to Morton's train and finds that dead bodies are scattered around. But the train's fireman appears not to be bothered. The engine's safety valve opens frequently, which means that the fireman dutifully keeps doing his job and keeps the boiler at maximum pressure. (The fireman and the driver never appear in the movie, but they must be there.)
    • Quotes

      Harmonica: [facing three men] And Frank?

      Snaky: Frank sent us.

      Harmonica: Did you bring a horse for me?

      Snaky: Well... looks like we're...

      [snickers]

      Snaky: ...looks like we're shy one horse.

      Harmonica: [shaking head] You brought two too many.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits appear over the three gunmen waiting at the train station.

      The film title itself appears at the end of the film.
    • Alternate versions
      Frank's line upon giving Harmonica his namesake varies from version to version. The Italian translates to "play something for your brother," but the most common English version is "keep your loving brother happy," and the German translates to "play me the song of death." The German movie title was inspired by this line.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Clock (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Danny Boy
      (1913) (uncredited)

      Written by by Frederick Edward Weatherly

      Hummed and sung a cappella a bit by Simonetta Santaniello

    User reviews809

    Review
    Top review
    pure cinematic paradise
    Thank god that I'm a Bronson fan. This was my first Leone movie, and dumb kid that I was, I actually watched it thinking I was in for a typical Bronson "vehicle"! Looking back I'm thankful, because if it wasn't for his involvement, I would never have discovered the beauty and majesty that is Once Upon a Time in the West.

    I absolutely love this movie. It's probably my all time favourite, certainly one of the few that I can watch OVER and OVER again without losing interest. I love the way Leone creates intrigue and mystery around what is a relatively thin plot. He can make even the smallest twist of fate seem like an epic turn of events, with that amazing sense of revelation that he generates out of old hackneyed situations (something Argento has since picked up). Leone proves in this film that he could seemingly take anyone, even peripheral characters, and give them screen charisma without using dialogue as a crutch.

    OUATITW features the most tense two man stand-offs ever, with some serious deja-vu in the direction of his "Dollars" trilogy. In fact, it does feel like those three movies were warm ups, practice sessions in the build up to OUATITW. Here though, he perfected everything; despite the long running time, it's all focused, and without a single irrelevant scene. For me, the two hours plus just fly by, I wish it would never end. Leone was without question at his artistic peak when he made this, that's not to say that he went downhill from then on, but I honestly don't think he ever did another film where everything came together so perfectly.

    The cast is flawless. Fonda eclipsed every good guy he ever did in one fell swoop, truly chilling. Robards is a great comic character, the lovable rogue with an edge. And Cardinale is more than just (incredible) window dressing; she switches between passionate, angry, delicate and sentimental at all the right moments.

    Which leaves the hero; I'm a huge Eastwood fan, but I honestly don't believe he could have done the role justice. His "man with no name" was a cool, sly character with hidden complexities. Eastwood always does these layered personalities, with some kind of mental baggage. Bronson, on the other hand, mostly does himself; simple, uncomplicated figures with only one state of mind, that's why he's put in so many revenge flicks. Plus, he looks like he's been seriously wronged at some point in his life, Eastwood doesn't have that quality. Bronson is the genuine hard-as-nails article. You can readily imagine that, had he been born decades earlier and been put in the same situation, he would resolve the problem in much the same way as his character in the movie (sometimes I affectionately refer to this movie as Deathwish part 0- could Harmonica be the great granddaddy of Paul Kersey?).

    Of course the other great contribution is the music. I still think that the main theme is one of the most breathtaking pieces of music I have ever heard. It affects me deeply whenever I hear it, regardless of the mood I'm in. Maybe I should listen to more opera or something, I don't know, but that's the way I feel. And the individual character themes are just so well integrated into the film, it's unbelievable. Leone replaces words with music, and it conveys so much more in return. Bronson just plays that melancholy tune on the harmonica instead of answering people back, it consistently cracks me up.

    High Noon, Naked Spur, Shane, The Searchers, etc. are all classics of the genre, but I really don't think it's possible to compare those "traditional" westerns with OUATITW. For me, it exists on a plane of it's own, it's the kind of film experience that you let wash over you, a waking dream. I recommend this movie to anyone, if you're on the right wavelength you'll be greatly rewarded.
    helpful•329
    95
    • Sadako-Toyboy
    • Jul 26, 1999

    FAQ6

    • Is this movie based on a book?
    • What is the sequence of events involving the ambush of Frank in Flagstone and Cheyenne's attack on Morton's train?
    • Why doesn't Frank kill Morton?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 4, 1969 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • United States
    • Languages
      • Italian
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • There Was Once the West
    • Filming locations
      • Monument Valley, Arizona, USA
    • Production companies
      • Rafran Cinematografica
      • San Marco
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,321,508
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,434,825
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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