@@modsquad20 Totally agree. "Who,... who are you ?", is a superb piece of acting. Also his eye movement at the point of death, when he mentally recalls and replays the young Harmonica falling to the ground, is just awesome acting. He also delivers a superb one word dialogue of "Why?" when Morton tells Frank he "Can never be like me" when on the train. The way he conveys his confusion, his doubt, as to why Morton would say that, all encapsulated in a single word (!), is a testimony as to his incredible acting ability. So glad you picked up on his reaction, his sheer shock at meeting a faster gun, sensing he is about to die,.... just magical.
Not just that but Henry Fonda in a role nobody would ever associate with him - as a complete monster whose death we still find ourselves regretting despite knowing what he is - and nailing it
I've watched a lot of westerns from being a kid to an adult and this one definitely has to be the best. The drama and suspense are fantastic. One of Henry Fondas best. Charles Bronson is cold and Jason Robards is awesome.
"So your Jack Wilson", "What’s that mean to you Shane?", "I've heard about you", "What have you heard Shane?" "That you're a low down Yankee liar", "Prove it.........."
@@poom641 - Me too. But if I was asked to name the ones I can remember clearly (and it's 4), they all had Morricone music in the background and this is one of them.
Charles Bronson was not the original choice, Sergio Leone approached Clint Eastwood to play the role of Harmonica, but Eastwood wanted to explore different venues and become a filmmaker himself. Today, it's impossible to think of anyone but Bronson in the role.
I just can't imagine Clint playing a harmonica. Honestly, the very idea is just ridiculous. Only Charles could play the harmonica. The legendary melody and his supernatural appearance are a perfect match. Here in Germany everyone knows the melody as "the song of death".
Bullshit!!!!he wanted bronson or coburn tor the dollars trilogy!!!!Leone said Bronson was the best actor he ever worked with!!!!true professional!!!you talking bullshit my friend!!!to be honest i dont like Eastwood that much.....Bronson is waaay better mainly because before blowing off he slaved away for 15 years without being the leading man!
You have it backwards. Charles Bronson turned down the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the first spaghetti western because he said there weren't enough lines. Clint Eastwood got the role and became a huge movie star. Bronson was late to the genre and regretted it. Clint started his own production company and then became an Oscar winning director. Check the dates on when the movies came out.
What seals the deal for me on this being one of if not the best western duel is how the music ties in with the scene because of the harmonica, it's all so beautifully intertwined into the whole movie. We hear the harmonica theme and catch glimpses of his brothers hanging throughout the movie but never a clear picture. We are left wondering until this final duel, where we finally get the full story and realize just how important the harmonica was the entire time. He gets to avenge his brothers death and by leaving the harmonica where it belongs, he can finally move on.
I'm sorry to disagree He can't move on, he's dedicated his whole life to revenge, and he's trapped inside it,only friend he probably ever had dies at the end. Death follows him wherever he goes
Something i want to add, when Harmonica walks back into the house to collect his stuff after killing Fonda. The woman gives him the LOOK hits him full force with it and on 99.9% men on earth that would work, but not him, why cause there's NOTHING THERE NOTHING and she's see that. Also when he sees the Gut shot in his dying friend he asked him WHO he's ready to go on revenge again
Fonda being cast as the ruthless villain was completely against type, another deliberate move by Leone that paid off well. Absolutely brilliant acting.
This was actually on of Fonda's favorite parts, he said being able to play a full out murdering bastard was one of his most enjoyable movie making experiences.
Personally i never saw any other movie from Fonda so for me in my head he's just a villain actor, especially since his performance is legendary it's hard for me to imagine him playing a good guy.
I get the chills when the camera moves in on Harmonica's face and the music starts to play. It is so dramatic, and you know something special is going to happen. And what a time for a flashback! Right in the middle of a gun duel! Are you kidding? It is genius. The whole circumstance and history come into play and wells up into a climax. Whew!
Definitely a 10. The combination of Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone's score make this one of the best westerns ever made. Upscaled to 4k , the detail is fantastic.
Why did you think it's "upscaled?" It may have been scanned well. Upscaling adds no information, it's not a quality increase, it's only interpolation that impresses the noobs and increases data.
@@stevek8829 I didn't say it was upscaled. But my 4k tv has to process the the information to simulate the extra pixels. The picture quality is far better than the original, so is that not upscaling ?
@@ianpalmer4840 if it looks better to you, then it must be ok. I've never had a 4k tv yet, but in photography it's accepted that extrapolating extra pixels adds no actual usable detail. If you can see an improvement, I won't argue. I don't have one.
Upscaled? This movie was originally shot on 35 mm film. Anything less than an actual acetate print is down sampled. When we get to a digital format that can surpass the number of molecules of silver nitrate in each frame then maybe there can be "upscaling".
This was one of my father's favorite movies. He loved all the spaghetti westerns. I watched this so many times growing up, I remember him telling me about the first time he saw it in the threater. Now, when I see these, I can only think of my father as a young teenager in the movies smiling. Miss you dad
I give this an off the charts 12. This is by far the best western movie ever and I have been watching it off an on since it first came on television back in 1969. Ennio Morricone's (may he rest in peace) soundtrack is a Masterpiece.
The best scene ever shot, a Sergio Leone masterpiece. See the way he takes his own time going about it, no hurry at all. The camera twice focuses on close up shots of Charles Bronson, first with the complete face and the second has only eyes! Four great masters like Sergio Leone, Ennio Morricone, Charles Bronson and of course Henry Fonda create this magical scene.
Fifty years after first seeing One Upon a Time in the West, I just realised that the brother with the noose around his neck, kicked his little brother away so he wouldn't have to live with the guilt of not being able to hold his big brother up once he became fatigued.
Absolutely love the way Fonda glances up at the sun as he vies for position and advantage, such nuance and attention to detail, and it only gets better from there on. What a masterpiece.
The irony here is that harmonica does not have anger on his face. and I really disagree with your statement altogether i.e. it was Henry Fonda's character and face killing the whole family and the little boy that would fit your description and statement here.
The duel is so good, it basically overshadows what happened later. Since Harmonica's only purpose in his entire life was revenge, after killing Frank he becomes an empty shell and the way he's leaving it's like he became a ghost. Brilliant directing from Sergio Leone and non verbal acting by Charles Bronson
That's right. Only a ghost would leave Claudia Cardinale. No man ever would, she is like the perfect woman in this film. Thought so when I first saw his film when I was 13 and still think so to this day when I'm 54.
Best Western EVER made…!!! Lived in Alaska to see this on an army base with my older brother. I remembered it was rated “M” for mature adults. We were just kids but was so mesmerized how beautiful made this movie was. Still watch it at least twice a year. Amazing cast, director, and lets never forget Ennio Morricone for what made this movie with his music, was incredible…!
100% right on!.. best western EVER...I've watched it 32 times over the years always hoping Harmonica changes his mind at the end and doesn't ride away from Jill! "Hope you'll come back one day".. "Someday" SOMEDAY?? c'mon man, when a girl like that smiles at ya you DON'T walk out the door! Epic movie...
this is without doubt the best western ever made,love others like unforgiven,Open range,etc,but none even come close to the power of this film,an absolute masterpiece
I watched Open range recently, and in my opinion it doesn't measure up to some of the Western classics like this and Unforgiven and The Outlaw Josie Wales. The ending was sappy. Costner just didn't have the balls to end it like Leone did here. Both these men walked away from Claudia Cardinale for Pete's sake. Now that's an ending!
@@thebiggianthead8364 Oh, Yes! I like it too!... The *soundtrack* of _'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly's_ I got to know _before_ the movie itself!... Because in Hungary, it was *stolen* by the filmmakers as it an 'accompanying background music' of a (Hungarian) TV film series showing the _training of fighter pilots_ ... And!... And I really liked that music too!... (While I didn't know at the time that it wasn't an original composition...) :-))
I’m almost 50, and this movie is older than me. I remember watching this movie for the first time as a kid in the 80s with my Dad. Even then, I found this scene absolutely mesmerizing. Forty years later, I still do. Minimalist perfection by two all time greats, great cinematography, and the musical score is fantastic.
This film transcends its own genre. It is Leone's magnum opus. The zoom out, to pull out, to crane out shot of the flashback is fucking magical. This scene gives me the chills. My favorite film ever.
@@erictjones No doubt. Imagine the shock to the moviegoer when Fonda, who always played straight heroes or good men starts the movie by shooting a little kid dead.
This is art, and the older you get the more fine details you can appreciate. In many scenes, its slow, but packed with deep details. Like a masterpiece, the more you look, the more you appreciate it.
@@JoeMckenzie85 Hello.Actually I checked the credits for Once Upon A Time In The West after reading your comment - and he's credited on that film as Production Manager. But I see he has been credited as set designer as part of his work history.
Story goes that on day one of filming Fonda showed up disheveled with a scraggly beard. Sergio Leone immediately told him to shave it off. He wanted audiences to be shocked at seeing the clean-shaved all-American Henry Fonda be a psychotic killer
I personally think it was Henry Fonda's greatest performance. He played a despicable monster and everyone who watched, including myself wanted Frank de@d almost as much as Harmonica did. This is Sergio Leone's masterpiece IMHO. 👏
Why did Bronson move so close to Fonda? It is all in the eyes. Bronson was able to watch for Fonda to physically blink. In that fraction of a second while his eyes are closed, you draw and fire. Brilliant on the Director's part. 🤠
The soundtrack was amazing. The scenery was amazing. The entire cast was amazing. Sadly, they're all gone now. 😢We'll never see another western like this ever again.
A masterpiece among masterpieces. But a perfect timeless opera might not be my choice of words for a guy going on revenge and basically killing everybody on his way.
@@Jens-Viper-Nobel idk, Rigoletto was a revenge story. Many of the operas based on Shakespeare had revenge in them. Even some of Puccini’s had revenge in them.
@@ML-dz5ix And don't forget Lucia di Lammermoor and Carmen and Aida and Il Trovatore and Tosca and Madam Butterfly (She got revenge by killing herself. Kinky.) and Dead Man Walking and too many others to mention...
I think it's one of if not the best revenge scenes in movies and fiction in general. The cruelty of Frank's actions from the past (and who knows what other sadistic things he has done in his life) and the irony of that fact that he killed so many and so often he just can't remember a boy from a long ago who's brother he executed and who is going to be his death.
One even wonders if this was the only lad with whom Frank ever played the harmonica game? The stylized sadism of it (and the combination of boredom and anticipation among his goons) suggests he might have done this more than once.
In Germany the tile is "Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod" - "Play the song of death for me", which replaced the line "keep your loving brother happy" from the English version. We thought the man on his shouldiers was his father, not brother. This film was absolutely iconic here, rather like an wild west opera.
At our old ranch we had an old wind turbine like this one. It also creaked but at a lower tone. My wife, who I think only saw this masterpiece once, said that our wind mill's sound always reminded her of this iconic intro.
Couple of things I've always liked about this. 1: Harmonica is like a golem. Frank's glancing around, wincing, twitching. Meanwhile Harmonica is just stood there, his expression frozen like it's carved in stone and not even blinking. He's totally focused on Frank 100%. 2: There's a tradition in Westerns for the bad guy to draw first and the good guy to beat him anyway. Not here. Harmonica clearly draws first.
Franks is glancing around, walking around to get to the best position so that the sunlight wouldn't blind him, you are so stupid that you don't even see the shadow lowering Harmonica's face under his hat.
@@AngelGonzalez-pd4cn Someone needs a hug! 😁 But hey, I get to do my two point thing again as a bonus and with a bonus, so it's all good. 1: What you say doesn't contradict my comment. 2: You're actually incorrect. If you dig the movie out and watch this clip from an earlier position, Frank removes his jacket and drops it. As he begins his walk, the Sun is already to his back - the ideal position if what you're saying is correct. The sun is out of his eyes and his opponent is fully illuminated. He starts walking a counter-clockwise quarter-circle around Harmonica, and when he stops the Sun is now to his left, Harmonica's right, increasing the chance it will get in his eyes, and reducing the chance it will get in Harmonica's. Though either seem unlikely, since it's high enough in the sky for the brim of their hats to block it out anyway. Bonus Fact: Just prior to Frank dropping his jacket, the Sun is in front of him, then without him moving, in the next shot as he starts to walk it's behind him which suggests the sequence was a shot at different times of day, which suggests the sun's position wasn't all that relevant to the scene. From the moment he starts walking to the point where he's shot however, the Sun is consistently placed and doesn't line up well with your comment, at all. 😃
There is a reason for Number 2, Number 1. As Nobel Prize winning physicist Niels Bohr proved on the streets of Copenhagen one day at high noon, letting the bad guy draw first lets the good guy win every time. Bronson just got lucky.
I have to say, they did an incredible job making Henry Fonda, who was 63 at the time of filming, look young in the flashback scene. A lot of times, particularly in older films, when they try to make someone look younger or older it appears pretty unconvincing.
I might've read this in IMDB - not sure about it - but the plot difference in age between Frank and Harmonica is about 20 years. The implication is that Frank was already in his early-to-mid 40s when he executed Harmonica's brother (his own age is never detailed, but he certainly doesn't look like a 13 year old, more like 16-17). Also, Bronson was 47 when he played the role, so there's a nice chronological fit with the flashback.
Yeah, Fonda said that the main reason he took the role is that he got to play the villain. Kissing those luscious lips of Ms. Cardinals didn't hurt either methinks?!
@@macbeavers6938 Henry Fonda had always played the good lead in every movie he'd been in. He wanted Hollywood to see the film ~ and in a state of pure shock, as he murders a defenceless little boy ~ go : "Oh, my God ! Thats ... that's ... Henry Fonda !"
For just a moment there….just a very brief moment during the flashback, and Fonda was walking in towards the camera, slowly coming into focus…just momentarily as the image sharpened with “Frank” younger and with longer hair, I couldn’t help but see his son, Peter Fonda in his Easy Rider role. The similarity was almost uncanny!!
Henry Fonda in his most evil role ever. The look on his face when he realizes. Bronson's face...chiseled in granite and the piercing eyes of both actors. Beautiful photography esp. for the technology of the time. 10/10, easy.
Melhor cena de bang bang que vi! Bronson espetacular como sempre, e Fonda, uma lenda do cinema americano. Me parece que com todo talento que tinha, veio a ganhar um único "Oscar", somente ao final da vida.
Robards is great in this. The movie gives him a nice amount of screen time to show his outlaw skills, and he adds some light-hearted touches to this serious epic. A charming rogue, and his scenes with Claudia are great.
So iconic, everything is there, the faces, the drama with that beautifull arch in ruins, , and the "back-plan", one of the most majestic possible view (Utah's mesas)...and Morricone's music!!!! It's taking you to the bones.....it's such an esthetic summit, with powerfull emotions, a true master work.....The "plan" with Bronson eyes just before the shooting.......Of course 10....!
The rueful smile when Harmonica realizes that at long last he will have his vengeance, confident in his skills to exact it. This movie is a perfect ballet of death.
Harmonica is not from this world, he was sent from a dimension above as Franks ultimate destiny. The whole movie is like a slow fever dream, and harmonica comes in his scenes from nowhere. You don't know how he moves from place to place, he arrives suddenly with the train and has no horse. He is everywhere and nowhere. He can be anywhere he wants and don't need to travel there. He just appears like the genie out of the bottle. Only at the end he sit's on a horse and rides away, away from the railroad, into the desert, into the void from which he came. His only job here was to eliminate - as the "white angel" - the "evil", the ultimate soulless black man from hell. It's no coincidence that he's waiting for him at the end of the railroad line, because only when Frank is dead can civilization (= the railroad) finally take over the pristine wilderness of America. Harmonica clears the way, also for Jill - the whore with the big heart, the "great American mother" of everyone, who brings water, the ultimate elixir of life, to the thirsty workers at the end. So the men can continue to build the railway. And build and build and build. When Jill is there, they will always have water. Harmonika has no interest in any of this, neither in civilization nor in Jill, the most beautiful woman for 500 miles. Any man would do anything to get her. McBain wanted her, Cheyenne wanted her, Frank wanted her. Only harmonica is not interested in her. He's either gay (unlikely) or uninterested in worldly things. When he rips off Jill's clothes in the barn, you think he wants to rape her. But this is not his business, because he is not "from here". In Germany everybody knows his harmonica melody as the "song of the death" ("Play me the song of the death" is the german title). The melody underscores the supernatural in Harmonica / Bronson. He is the angel of death who does his job and disappears again.
That's certainly one way to look at him, as a The Crow-like supernatural avenger. The deleted scene in which he gets beat up by the sheriff kind of confirms Leone's intention to present Harmonica as otherwordly, someone who cannot really be harmed in a tangible way.
Leone was a freaking genius. I could watch this scene (as well as the movie) every day and never get tired of it. It grabs me right from the start and holds on until the screen goes black. And let's talk about the fabulous music. Fonda should have gotten an Oscar for this performance.
One thing that filmmakers back in the days understood and audiences were still able to appreciate is taking your time to build up a scene. Waiting for the action to begin can be just as nerve-wracking, if not more, than the action itself.
They would never allow a scene to build like this nowadays. The bean counters and focus groups would’ve hamstrung Sergio into mediocrity. Masterful scene craftsmanship!
They did. Paramount butchered it by removing 40 minutes . What was left made no sense and the reason it was a box office dud. Warner Bros did the exact same years later on Once Upon A Time In America.
This is a 10 for sure. Movie making at its best. Leone, Morricone, Bronson, Fonda. Doesn't get any better than this. Have watched this many, many times.
An incredible scene and music by the musical genius Morricone. Those were the times when good actors could create a film atmosphere with just one look.👍
My all time favorite spaghetti western film! A masterpiece from start to finish! Fonda is a sadistic killer and Bronson is the archetype silent hero. The revelation of Harmonic’s reason for revenge postponed until the final showdown keeps the audience in suspense until the end.
Hi everyone! What grade (out of 10) would you give this video?
Off the charts. One of the best, if not THE best, scenes of any movie ever.
More than a 10 in my opinion. A true masterpiece that I wish would be shown again in the theaters. It doesn't get any better than Leone.
I'd give it 4,970/10.
best best best
close to reality
At the end of the movie, everything falls into place. What a masterpiece. This the greatest western of all time.
Exactly, masterpiece
Sorry that accolade belongs to Shane.
I love both movies its hatd to choose between them
But i give the edge to shane because itbmakes me cry
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@@howardvarley8795 no
Amazing how the eyes tell the whole story, what a MASTERPIECE!
Fonda's reaction to being shot is one of favourite moments of acting, from anything.
@@modsquad20
Totally agree.
"Who,... who are you ?", is a superb piece of acting. Also his eye movement at the point of death, when he mentally recalls and replays the young Harmonica falling to the ground, is just awesome acting.
He also delivers a superb one word dialogue of "Why?" when Morton tells Frank he "Can never be like me" when on the train. The way he conveys his confusion, his doubt, as to why Morton would say that, all encapsulated in a single word (!), is a testimony as to his incredible acting ability.
So glad you picked up on his reaction, his sheer shock at meeting a faster gun, sensing he is about to die,.... just magical.
You can tell toy story used it 😂😂 brilliant, just love this film
Bronson & Fonda , two movie legends doing minimalism to perfection. 10/10
BRAVO 👏
Magnifique 👌
Jason Robards is also in it.
Not just that but Henry Fonda in a role nobody would ever associate with him - as a complete monster whose death we still find ourselves regretting despite knowing what he is - and nailing it
Claudia Cardinale, made quite some impression too..
This was the best showdown ever filmed. The drama, the suspense, the score. Truly a masterpiece.
I've watched a lot of westerns from being a kid to an adult and this one definitely has to be the best. The drama and suspense are fantastic. One of Henry Fondas best. Charles Bronson is cold and Jason Robards is awesome.
Ahem.
"So your Jack Wilson",
"What’s that mean to you Shane?",
"I've heard about you",
"What have you heard Shane?"
"That you're a low down Yankee liar",
"Prove it.........."
I must admit i preferred ''the good , the bad, and the ugly'' ending best.
@@poom641 - Me too. But if I was asked to name the ones I can remember clearly (and it's 4), they all had Morricone music in the background and this is one of them.
1 second of action. 7 minutes of pure art.
That hanging wide shot at 3:47 is amazing, with everyone included inside the arch. It's the painting of an immense master.
Well said...this is a detail that escapes the majority of viewers of the movie,bravo
Charles Bronson was not the original choice, Sergio Leone approached Clint Eastwood to play the role of Harmonica, but Eastwood wanted to explore different venues and become a filmmaker himself. Today, it's impossible to think of anyone but Bronson in the role.
I just can't imagine Clint playing a harmonica. Honestly, the very idea is just ridiculous. Only Charles could play the harmonica. The legendary melody and his supernatural appearance are a perfect match. Here in Germany everyone knows the melody as "the song of death".
@@juerv1 if only Sergio Leone knew how far and how much his work was appreciated :-)
Bullshit!!!!he wanted bronson or coburn tor the dollars trilogy!!!!Leone said Bronson was the best actor he ever worked with!!!!true professional!!!you talking bullshit my friend!!!to be honest i dont like Eastwood that much.....Bronson is waaay better mainly because before blowing off he slaved away for 15 years without being the leading man!
You have it backwards. Charles Bronson turned down the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the first spaghetti western because he said there weren't enough lines. Clint Eastwood got the role and became a huge movie star. Bronson was late to the genre and regretted it. Clint started his own production company and then became an Oscar winning director. Check the dates on when the movies came out.
@@visanion1361 look who the bullshitter is ,you 🤡 don't know what your talking about
What seals the deal for me on this being one of if not the best western duel is how the music ties in with the scene because of the harmonica, it's all so beautifully intertwined into the whole movie. We hear the harmonica theme and catch glimpses of his brothers hanging throughout the movie but never a clear picture. We are left wondering until this final duel, where we finally get the full story and realize just how important the harmonica was the entire time. He gets to avenge his brothers death and by leaving the harmonica where it belongs, he can finally move on.
Long takes of staring eyes searching for the first to the draw. Incredibly suspense.
Sergio Leone had the music played on-set, so that their movements were choregraphed operatically (well both were Italian) to the music.
The best part was the horror on Fonda's face when he realizes who got him & why....
I'm sorry to disagree He can't move on, he's dedicated his whole life to revenge, and he's trapped inside it,only friend he probably ever had dies at the end. Death follows him wherever he goes
Something i want to add, when Harmonica walks back into the house to collect his stuff after killing Fonda. The woman gives him the LOOK hits him full force with it and on 99.9% men on earth that would work, but not him, why cause there's NOTHING THERE NOTHING and she's see that. Also when he sees the Gut shot in his dying friend he asked him WHO he's ready to go on revenge again
Fonda being cast as the ruthless villain was completely against type, another deliberate move by Leone that paid off well. Absolutely brilliant acting.
His only role as villain I think
Not only role - Firecreek with James Stewart also - but a rarity nonetheless
This was actually on of Fonda's favorite parts, he said being able to play a full out murdering bastard was one of his most enjoyable movie making experiences.
Personally i never saw any other movie from Fonda so for me in my head he's just a villain actor, especially since his performance is legendary it's hard for me to imagine him playing a good guy.
@@willcopeland275
Well, there's also Fort apache, but I not quite sure you can consider him a villain in that one.
I get the chills when the camera moves in on Harmonica's face and the music starts to play. It is so dramatic, and you know something special is going to happen. And what a time for a flashback! Right in the middle of a gun duel! Are you kidding? It is genius. The whole circumstance and history come into play and wells up into a climax. Whew!
Henry Fonda changed his whole soul for this movie. Those eyes! From angelic baby blues to the most evil you will ever see. Great actor!
A legend.
Even more, when he dies in the film we STILL wind up feeling guilty about it
No one knows what its like to be the bad man, to be the sad man, behind blue eyes.
Fonda auditioned with brown contact lens in.But Leone said no he wanted people to say Jesus that’s Henry Fonda playing the villain
If you read Fonda's book you'll see this was his favorite role.
Definitely a 10. The combination of Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone's score make this one of the best westerns ever made. Upscaled to 4k , the detail is fantastic.
Why did you think it's "upscaled?" It may have been scanned well. Upscaling adds no information, it's not a quality increase, it's only interpolation that impresses the noobs and increases data.
@@stevek8829 I didn't say it was upscaled. But my 4k tv has to process the the information to simulate the extra pixels. The picture quality is far better than the original, so is that not upscaling ?
@@ianpalmer4840 if it looks better to you, then it must be ok. I've never had a 4k tv yet, but in photography it's accepted that extrapolating extra pixels adds no actual usable detail. If you can see an improvement, I won't argue. I don't have one.
Great great 10/10 Spaghettiwestern but still..."The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" is by far the best ;o
Upscaled? This movie was originally shot on 35 mm film. Anything less than an actual acetate print is down sampled. When we get to a digital format that can surpass the number of molecules of silver nitrate in each frame then maybe there can be "upscaling".
This was one of my father's favorite movies. He loved all the spaghetti westerns. I watched this so many times growing up, I remember him telling me about the first time he saw it in the threater. Now, when I see these, I can only think of my father as a young teenager in the movies smiling. Miss you dad
Beautiful story ,,,we 3 brother's watched this flim with our dad in the 70s 😊
May your kids remember you the same way
Same here, partner. I bonded with my old man over westerns. May he rest in peace.
Westerns and war movies!
Unbreakable bonds between father's and sons.
Italian westerns not spaghetti westerns. Would you call an English western a fish and chips western? Lol 😅😂😅
Backstory set, closeup after closeup, minimal dialogue, suspensfull music, slow panning shots, flashback, death. Masterful.
I give this an off the charts 12. This is by far the best western movie ever and I have been watching it off an on since it first came on television back in 1969. Ennio Morricone's (may he rest in peace) soundtrack is a Masterpiece.
Very good my dear
The best scene ever shot, a Sergio Leone masterpiece. See the way he takes his own time going about it, no hurry at all. The camera twice focuses on close up shots of Charles Bronson, first with the complete face and the second has only eyes! Four great masters like Sergio Leone, Ennio Morricone, Charles Bronson and of course Henry Fonda create this magical scene.
And in the shot of his eyes only, one can see the universe in his right (to our left) eye!
Fifty years after first seeing One Upon a Time in the West, I just realised that the brother with the noose around his neck, kicked his little brother away so he wouldn't have to live with the guilt of not being able to hold his big brother up once he became fatigued.
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Yes, he yelled something to the killers and kicked off to end it quickly.
He called them a sob,my favorite part of the movie
OMG! I never realized that... Thanks for the hint, and that tells us how many little details that movie has to make it an absolute masterpiece...
@@Whythehate...he called them son of a bitches💪🏾
warum schaue ich mir diesen Film immer wieder an? Wegen dem Anfang und dem Ende! 11/10
Und dem mittel. Und alles!
Absolutely love the way Fonda glances up at the sun as he vies for position and advantage, such nuance and attention to detail, and it only gets better from there on. What a masterpiece.
The very faint smile on Bronson's face when Fonda does that is masterful. Harmonica knows Frank very well!
REVENGE has never had a more powerful, determined and cold-blooded face, than Charles Bronson's
Amen
Well Defined
And Terence hill make you smile ok
Isn’t he in jail?
To those of you who don’t understand, this is a joke.
The irony here is that harmonica does not have anger on his face. and I really disagree with your statement altogether i.e. it was Henry Fonda's character and face killing the whole family and the little boy that would fit your description and statement here.
The duel is so good, it basically overshadows what happened later. Since Harmonica's only purpose in his entire life was revenge, after killing Frank he becomes an empty shell and the way he's leaving it's like he became a ghost. Brilliant directing from Sergio Leone and non verbal acting by Charles Bronson
Como e o nome dese filme em brasileiro
@@valdirsoratto2781 Era Uma Vez no Oeste
No, not at all. He chose to play bagpipes instead.
That's right. Only a ghost would leave Claudia Cardinale. No man ever would, she is like the perfect woman in this film. Thought so when I first saw his film when I was 13 and still think so to this day when I'm 54.
Like princess bride
Best Western EVER made…!!! Lived in Alaska to see this on an army base with my older brother. I remembered it was rated “M” for mature adults. We were just kids but was so mesmerized how beautiful made this movie was. Still watch it at least twice a year. Amazing cast, director, and lets never forget Ennio Morricone for what made this movie with his music, was incredible…!
Totally agreed with you, dude.
watched it twice last month, an amazing film
100% right on!.. best western EVER...I've watched it 32 times over the years always hoping Harmonica changes his mind at the end and doesn't ride away from Jill! "Hope you'll come back one day".. "Someday" SOMEDAY?? c'mon man, when a girl like that smiles at ya you DON'T walk out the door! Epic movie...
Best ever my aunty Elsie!!! You miusnt have seen many westerns then?
@Roger Coles I like to think he left knowing she needed a more normal man not a killer.
How Frank can't hold Harmonica's gaze at 0:10 - small but telling detail, brilliantly acted, the old gangster becomes insecure...
Good catch. He's gonna lose.
this is without doubt the best western ever made,love others like unforgiven,Open range,etc,but none even come close to the power of this film,an absolute masterpiece
And it *_not_* even an American masterpiece...
I prefer The Good, The Bad,
and The Ugly. But I get it.
I watched Open range recently, and in my opinion it doesn't measure up to some of the Western classics like this and Unforgiven and The Outlaw Josie Wales. The ending was sappy. Costner just didn't have the balls to end it like Leone did here. Both these men walked away from Claudia Cardinale for Pete's sake. Now that's an ending!
@@thebiggianthead8364 Oh, Yes! I like it too!...
The *soundtrack* of _'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly's_ I got to know _before_ the movie itself!...
Because in Hungary, it was *stolen* by the filmmakers as it an 'accompanying background music' of a (Hungarian) TV film series showing the _training of fighter pilots_ ... And!... And I really liked that music too!... (While I didn't know at the time that it wasn't an original composition...)
:-))
Agree!
I’m almost 50, and this movie is older than me. I remember watching this movie for the first time as a kid in the 80s with my Dad. Even then, I found this scene absolutely mesmerizing. Forty years later, I still do. Minimalist perfection by two all time greats, great cinematography, and the musical score is fantastic.
Bronson & Fonda , two movie legends doing minimalism to perfection. 10/10. The most epic final movie scene in the cinema history. No doubt..
This film transcends its own genre. It is Leone's magnum opus. The zoom out, to pull out, to crane out shot of the flashback is fucking magical. This scene gives me the chills. My favorite film ever.
Fonda shocked the public with this role and his portrayal. The most chilling bad guy in any Western.
'now that you've said my name...'
My mother would not watch this film because she refused to see Fonda as an evil character. He was epic. Bronson and Robards too.
@@erictjones No doubt. Imagine the shock to the moviegoer when Fonda, who always played straight heroes or good men starts the movie by shooting a little kid dead.
RIP Sergio Leone, Ennio Morricone, Henry Fonda, and Charles Bronson.
This is art, and the older you get the more fine details you can appreciate.
In many scenes, its slow, but packed with deep details.
Like a masterpiece, the more you look, the more you appreciate it.
So true. I noticed how many times the red and white table cloth appeared.
An absolute masterpiece; with no doubt.
Here's a small bit of trivia: the guy being hanged in the flashback scene wasn't even an actor: he was the production manager - Claudio Mancini.
Thanks for the background!
Hahaha
He looks more like set designer to me
@@JoeMckenzie85 Hello.Actually I checked the credits for Once Upon A Time In The West after reading your comment - and he's credited on that film as Production Manager. But I see he has been credited as set designer as part of his work history.
@@jackspring7709 I was actually joking. I've no idea who he is lol
Fonda's stance..the sunkissed faces..majestic....what a movie..just wow....
My dad's favorite western movie, he saw it in cinema at Germany at 1969. R.I.P Dad i miss you
1969...it came out in 69 but made in spring and summer 68.
oh ok thanks @@swann433
Bronson, one of my all-time favourites! I bet Fonda had a blast playing the bad guy, for once.
I believe you are correct recently I caught Henry Fonda on youtube replay of decades ago talking about his role and the experience on the movie.
Story goes that on day one of filming Fonda showed up disheveled with a scraggly beard. Sergio Leone immediately told him to shave it off. He wanted audiences to be shocked at seeing the clean-shaved all-American Henry Fonda be a psychotic killer
He played a villain in an earlier film
I personally think it was Henry Fonda's greatest performance. He played a despicable monster and everyone who watched, including myself wanted Frank de@d almost as much as Harmonica did. This is Sergio Leone's masterpiece IMHO. 👏
Eastwood turned down this role. Even Clint could not have matched Bronson's incredible performance.
"So, you can count, all the way up to 2"?
Those faces and eyes. There is no one like them today.
The ghostly echo of that phantom harmonica REALLY sells it!
Growing up in rural OR in the 50's....my father often played a harmonica quite well and seals it for me.
Why did Bronson move so close to Fonda? It is all in the eyes. Bronson was able to watch for Fonda to physically blink. In that fraction of a second while his eyes are closed, you draw and fire. Brilliant on the Director's part. 🤠
the scene gives me chills...almost made me cry. The entire films cinematography is outstanding, and the soundtrack is really good.
❤❤❤me too❤❤❤
Same here.
One of the all time Greatest Scenes in cinema film history! Gotta be in the top 5
The soundtrack was amazing. The scenery was amazing. The entire cast was amazing. Sadly, they're all gone now. 😢We'll never see another western like this ever again.
Still one of the best scenes ever put to film and Ennio Morricones music is masterful. I just cant get enough of this movie!
Эту сцену повторяли в других фильмах, как и на вокзале против трех с кольтами!
Once Upon a Time in the West is an opera on film. A perfect, timeless opera.
A masterpiece among masterpieces. But a perfect timeless opera might not be my choice of words for a guy going on revenge and basically killing everybody on his way.
@@Jens-Viper-Nobel idk, Rigoletto was a revenge story. Many of the operas based on Shakespeare had revenge in them. Even some of Puccini’s had revenge in them.
@@ML-dz5ix And don't forget Lucia di Lammermoor and Carmen and Aida and Il Trovatore and Tosca and Madam Butterfly
(She got revenge by killing herself. Kinky.) and Dead Man Walking and too many others to mention...
One of the greatest films ever made. Bronson and Fonda and Leone at the top of their game.
it's beyond cinema. I have no words !
I think it's one of if not the best revenge scenes in movies and fiction in general. The cruelty of Frank's actions from the past (and who knows what other sadistic things he has done in his life) and the irony of that fact that he killed so many and so often he just can't remember a boy from a long ago who's brother he executed and who is going to be his death.
One even wonders if this was the only lad with whom Frank ever played the harmonica game? The stylized sadism of it (and the combination of boredom and anticipation among his goons) suggests he might have done this more than once.
Good point. That guy, eating the apple, spoke volumes.@@timothydavidcurp
In Germany the tile is "Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod" - "Play the song of death for me", which replaced the line "keep your loving brother happy" from the English version. We thought the man on his shouldiers was his father, not brother. This film was absolutely iconic here, rather like an wild west opera.
Oui sa donne des idées,mais pas détérioré la musique ou le cinéma.amitiés viviane ✍️✍️✍️✍️🫵🫵🫵🫵
How on earth was this masterpiece never nominated for an Oscar?
This is the best western ever made, I sincerely doubt there will ever be a better Western.
I must be old. Because they don't make movies this good anymore.
Thanks for the opportunity to say…. INCREDIBLE! The crescendo of this film is so well played!. Thanks
I use Harmonica song like ring tone for like 6 years.... my wife hate it ..... I love it!!
I just bought the MP3 to use it as a ringtone on my phone!
At our old ranch we had an old wind turbine like this one. It also creaked but at a lower tone. My wife, who I think only saw this masterpiece once, said that our wind mill's sound always reminded her of this iconic intro.
This is one of my favorite scenes from any movie. The music is brilliant, the drawn out tension, the visuals… All perfect.
Couple of things I've always liked about this.
1: Harmonica is like a golem. Frank's glancing around, wincing, twitching. Meanwhile Harmonica is just stood there, his expression frozen like it's carved in stone and not even blinking. He's totally focused on Frank 100%.
2: There's a tradition in Westerns for the bad guy to draw first and the good guy to beat him anyway. Not here. Harmonica clearly draws first.
The flashback shows he's earned that right.
Franks is glancing around, walking around to get to the best position so that the sunlight wouldn't blind him, you are so stupid that you don't even see the shadow lowering Harmonica's face under his hat.
@@AngelGonzalez-pd4cn Someone needs a hug! 😁
But hey, I get to do my two point thing again as a bonus and with a bonus, so it's all good.
1: What you say doesn't contradict my comment.
2: You're actually incorrect. If you dig the movie out and watch this clip from an earlier position, Frank removes his jacket and drops it. As he begins his walk, the Sun is already to his back - the ideal position if what you're saying is correct. The sun is out of his eyes and his opponent is fully illuminated. He starts walking a counter-clockwise quarter-circle around Harmonica, and when he stops the Sun is now to his left, Harmonica's right, increasing the chance it will get in his eyes, and reducing the chance it will get in Harmonica's. Though either seem unlikely, since it's high enough in the sky for the brim of their hats to block it out anyway.
Bonus Fact: Just prior to Frank dropping his jacket, the Sun is in front of him, then without him moving, in the next shot as he starts to walk it's behind him which suggests the sequence was a shot at different times of day, which suggests the sun's position wasn't all that relevant to the scene. From the moment he starts walking to the point where he's shot however, the Sun is consistently placed and doesn't line up well with your comment, at all. 😃
There is a reason for Number 2, Number 1. As Nobel Prize winning physicist Niels Bohr proved on the streets of Copenhagen one day at high noon, letting the bad guy draw first lets the good guy win every time. Bronson just got lucky.
I have to say, they did an incredible job making Henry Fonda, who was 63 at the time of filming, look young in the flashback scene. A lot of times, particularly in older films, when they try to make someone look younger or older it appears pretty unconvincing.
I might've read this in IMDB - not sure about it - but the plot difference in age between Frank and Harmonica is about 20 years. The implication is that Frank was already in his early-to-mid 40s when he executed Harmonica's brother (his own age is never detailed, but he certainly doesn't look like a 13 year old, more like 16-17). Also, Bronson was 47 when he played the role, so there's a nice chronological fit with the flashback.
Even more amazing is in the flashback Frank looks like a skinny Gian Maria Volonte
Henry Fonda did a great job as the bad guy. It almost turned me against him lol 😂
Yeah, Fonda said that the main reason he took the role is that he got to play the villain. Kissing those luscious lips of Ms. Cardinals didn't hurt either methinks?!
@@macbeavers6938 Henry Fonda had always played the good lead in every movie he'd been in. He wanted Hollywood to see the film ~ and in a state of pure shock, as he murders a defenceless little boy ~ go : "Oh, my God ! Thats ... that's ... Henry Fonda !"
@@hegstad9 Yes, I saw that interview where Fonda said exactly that. He played a great villain as well. Thanks for the note. Mac
@@macbeavers6938 I'm pretty sure I've heard that Fonda's wife was on set for the love scene 😂 awkward.
@@ChadHolzhuter1288 Wow! It would take a rare woman not to be jealous of Claudia. Thanks for the note.
It does not get any better. Beautiful. 12/10
I remember first seeing this scene... a younger Frank walking into the frame with a grin... totally chilling
Probably the best revenge in western world.Brillant movie.
ibrahim ///// I LOVE THE WELL WRITTEN REVENGE MOVIES !!!!!!!
When music, story and acting collide in one big crescendo.
Cutting out that guitar scream in the opening is a cardinal sin for this snippet.
Henry Fonda showed through his eyes how devil he could be. A great actor.
That wasn't acting. Fonda was a Democrat.
For just a moment there….just a very brief moment during the flashback, and Fonda was walking in towards the camera, slowly coming into focus…just momentarily as the image sharpened with “Frank” younger and with longer hair, I couldn’t help but see his son, Peter Fonda in his Easy Rider role. The similarity was almost uncanny!!
Read his ex wife's famous book..Haywire, by Brook Hayward. She can write.
Yes! No doubt about it!
Yeah, I see it now.
One of the best revenge scenes in movie, history!
Henry Fonda in his most evil role ever. The look on his face when he realizes. Bronson's face...chiseled in granite and the piercing eyes of both actors. Beautiful photography esp. for the technology of the time. 10/10, easy.
Melhor cena de bang bang que vi! Bronson espetacular como sempre, e Fonda, uma lenda do cinema americano.
Me parece que com todo talento que tinha, veio a ganhar um único "Oscar", somente ao final da vida.
This movie has so much to discuss its beyond words ,one of the best Westers made. Story and actors are so talented.
Jason Robards was absolutely perfect for the role of Cheyenne...brilliant acting AND casting!
Robards is great in this. The movie gives him a nice amount of screen time to show his outlaw skills, and he adds some light-hearted touches to this serious epic. A charming rogue, and his scenes with Claudia are great.
So iconic, everything is there, the faces, the drama with that beautifull arch in ruins, , and the "back-plan", one of the most majestic possible view (Utah's mesas)...and Morricone's music!!!! It's taking you to the bones.....it's such an esthetic summit, with powerfull emotions, a true master work.....The "plan" with Bronson eyes just before the shooting.......Of course 10....!
If you lose Al Mulock, Woody Strode, and Jack Elam in the first ten minutes the rest of the movie has a lot to live up to…this one sure does!
A movie classic between two legends Henry Fonda & Charles Bronson.legends RIP
Fonda was a PERFECT bad guy in this, plus the huge surprise he was cast for the part is fantastic. Should have played WAY more villians
The rueful smile when Harmonica realizes that at long last he will have his vengeance, confident in his skills to exact it.
This movie is a perfect ballet of death.
Harmonica is not from this world, he was sent from a dimension above as Franks ultimate destiny. The whole movie is like a slow fever dream, and harmonica comes in his scenes from nowhere. You don't know how he moves from place to place, he arrives suddenly with the train and has no horse. He is everywhere and nowhere. He can be anywhere he wants and don't need to travel there. He just appears like the genie out of the bottle. Only at the end he sit's on a horse and rides away, away from the railroad, into the desert, into the void from which he came.
His only job here was to eliminate - as the "white angel" - the "evil", the ultimate soulless black man from hell. It's no coincidence that he's waiting for him at the end of the railroad line, because only when Frank is dead can civilization (= the railroad) finally take over the pristine wilderness of America. Harmonica clears the way, also for Jill - the whore with the big heart, the "great American mother" of everyone, who brings water, the ultimate elixir of life, to the thirsty workers at the end. So the men can continue to build the railway. And build and build and build. When Jill is there, they will always have water.
Harmonika has no interest in any of this, neither in civilization nor in Jill, the most beautiful woman for 500 miles. Any man would do anything to get her. McBain wanted her, Cheyenne wanted her, Frank wanted her. Only harmonica is not interested in her. He's either gay (unlikely) or uninterested in worldly things. When he rips off Jill's clothes in the barn, you think he wants to rape her. But this is not his business, because he is not "from here".
In Germany everybody knows his harmonica melody as the "song of the death" ("Play me the song of the death" is the german title). The melody underscores the supernatural in Harmonica / Bronson. He is the angel of death who does his job and disappears again.
Interesting theory.
That's certainly one way to look at him, as a The Crow-like supernatural avenger. The deleted scene in which he gets beat up by the sheriff kind of confirms Leone's intention to present Harmonica as otherwordly, someone who cannot really be harmed in a tangible way.
I for one enjoyed your explanation of the story. Thank you for that and explain away. I’m curious for another explanation.
KInda like Clint Eastwood in High Planes Drifter and Pale Rider , both of which he was a ghost.
@@williamnorthrup2335clint was a ghost of his brother coming to avenge his death
Henry Ford is an ominous Bad Guy, one of the screens greatest actors of any era and excels here.
Henry Ford? Really? I always thougt this black dressed guy is Walter P. Chrysler!
We are lucky to have seen a actor with such talent.
No one in Hollywood has half the talent.
Shouldn't that be 'actors', not actor? 😉
Charles Bronson Vs Henry Fonder I love this western movie♥️♥️
With Leone and Morricone, It was hard to beat that.
Leone was a freaking genius. I could watch this scene (as well as the movie) every day and never get tired of it. It grabs me right from the start and holds on until the screen goes black. And let's talk about the fabulous music. Fonda should have gotten an Oscar for this performance.
The best scene in the best movie ever made.
One thing that filmmakers back in the days understood and audiences were still able to appreciate is taking your time to build up a scene. Waiting for the action to begin can be just as nerve-wracking, if not more, than the action itself.
What a show down, one of the best.
The most epic final movie scene in the cinema history. No doubt.
I'm going to say tied for first place, with, of course, "Citizen Kane"---and this item: ruclips.net/video/OcK8FLGx0fo/видео.html
Reckon so.
4:48 the bell ringing is not just the soundtrack- it’s his brother swinging
Sergio Leon what a brilliant Director!!!!
Yeah, Sergio died way too young at the age of 60. What a genius!!
Leone, but I'll let it slide because you are brilliantly correct.
Der beste Western aller Zeiten!!...Schluss, aus,mehr geht nicht.
*Masterpiece*
They would never allow a scene to build like this nowadays.
The bean counters and focus groups would’ve hamstrung Sergio into mediocrity.
Masterful scene craftsmanship!
Unless someone wrote it into their film and then shot it that way.
Maybe because you didnt watch movies anymore
They did. Paramount butchered it by removing 40 minutes . What was left made no sense and the reason it was a box office dud. Warner Bros did the exact same years later on Once Upon A Time In America.
To truly appreciate this film you have to feel Charles Bronson's eyes staring into yours from a 100 foot screen.
That unflinching stare burns a hole through your head! Each time its shown it gets closer and closer to the camera and NEVER changes.
Fonda’s eyes at 4:20 are devilish, remarkable as well
This is a 10 for sure. Movie making at its best. Leone, Morricone, Bronson, Fonda. Doesn't get any better than this. Have watched this many, many times.
Everyone needs a villain. Fonda perfected it.
10+, an amazing movie and an absolutely great end scene 👏🏻
Henry Fonda in the leading role. Here he played every actor to the core...
An incredible scene and music by the musical genius Morricone. Those were the times when good actors could create a film atmosphere with just one look.👍
Henry Fonda must have had great fun playing a bad guy for once.
Not the first time
My all time favorite spaghetti western film! A masterpiece from start to finish! Fonda is a sadistic killer and Bronson is the archetype silent hero. The revelation of Harmonic’s reason for revenge postponed until the final showdown keeps the audience in suspense until the end.
I'd like to have seen Eastwood & Bronson in a western together. The awesomeness would have been off the charts. Too late now though.
This is my FAVORITE Cowboy Movie,...I carry a 1851 Navy Pistol too !!!!
Great Fonda's eyes with the harmonica stuck in his mouth are those of man who remembers now.