Once Upon a Time in the West

Original title: C'era una volta il West

1968
PG-13
2h 46m

IMDb RATING

8.5/10

356K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

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Desert Adventure Spaghetti Western Western Epic Drama 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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.5/10

356K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

736

313

See production info at IMDbPro

Top rated movie #53

Awards
- 6 wins & 5 nominations

Videos1

Trailer 3:02

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Storyline

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Did you know

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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 reviews880

Review

Featured review

10/10

A masterpiece

It's hard to believe this movie is from 1968. Very modern way of filming for the time. Sergio Leone gave time to each scene... something that new directors seem afraid to do... Great story about the last days of an era. Amazing music and the originality of linking a specific melody to each main character. And all these close-up to character's eyes... Just a wonderful movie.