Once Upon a Time in the West - Setting the Stage
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- Опубликовано: 21 авг 2024
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An analysis of the opening to Once Upon a Time in the West, and specifically how it establishes the major threads that will dominate the film. One key note: while this video essay is largely concerned with the opening sequence, it does still refer to other events within the film, including the ending.
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This opening is simply the most stunning one in the history of movies, period.
The coolest shot in the movie was the 5 gunmen approaching the house after killing the family. Wind blowing their dusters, guns in hand walking up to that little boy. Then the camera pans to the leader and its Henry Fonda. " Holy Cow!"
Fonda also played against type in Firecreek and was magnificent.
Don’t forget the bad-ass score by Morricone playing in the background
@@leftcoaster67 I remember seeing Firecreek at the drive in theater in our family station wagon the whole family
Henry Fonda said he got contacts and grew a beard for the role to look more mean and that Sergio Leon told him get rid of that we want clean cut blue-eyed America's Golden boy Henry Fonda. basically Tom Hanks being a villain.
@@angelcanez4426 Lol. Don't compare Gump to Henry Fonda, if you please.
Sergio Leone is the master of suspense. It is amazing how he can lock you up to 5-10 minute long scenes. He does it so amazingly that you can't move a muscle in your couch.
The credits till the train arrives ar like fifteen minutes
The waiting at the station, Conny Corleone's wedding, to me these are example of sequences so well done that, by themselves, they're better than entire movies out there.
You can also do much without violence... like the intro for 'Patton' or 'Happiness'...
Add 'The Deer Hunter' intro too.
My most favorite masterpiece of western movie's.
Probably mine too. This and Unforgiven are neck and neck but I think Leone has the edge.
@@EyebrowCinema I might get shit for this, but my second favorite is Tombstone
@@dreday5880 Why would you get shit for it? It's a beloved film.
Well done. I used think The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly was Leone's masterpiece. Then I watched this and was blown away.
Same for me.
I can't decide if it's The good The bad and The ugly " or this ? Both are masterpieces , and the music is out of this world .
Greatest western movie ever period!!
That was one of the best analysis - and there's been hundreds - of the beginning scene of "Once Upon A Time".
I like how you have no idea what is happening for the first 30 minutes
It never talks down to us. We get a chance to figure it out.
@@JerryBanks572 I know. I love it. The fact that you don't even know the main character's goal or name (until the end) is amazing.
@@TheF0xskibidbopmmdada Do you know why he rips her dress? I was so preoccupied with figuring out whether he was a hero or villain and ogling her that a friend had to tell me why.
@@JerryBanks572 think he was just being sexist. Definitely wouldn't fly in today's cinemas.
@@TheF0xskibidbopmmdada Actually he did it entice the riflemen to get closer. They were just going to kill her and ride off.
I watched this as an 8 year old back in 1969 and it felt iconic even back then!
Eight-year-old you knew what was good.
This is possibly one of the most tastefully done synopsis of an excellent film. I enjoyed every moment of your rich narrative & the symbolism in the storytelling, explained so eloquently to mirror Leone’s vision. Thank you for the share!
This is my favorite Western of all time tied with Burt Lancaster's lawman and the first 10 minutes no one says a f****** word and it's amazing still
7:19 that windmill still gives me goosebumps
Greatest western of all time and probably one of the top 5 greatest films ever
The "Greatest" Western of all time - is a matter of an individual's taste !
@@HartmutJagerArt sure
I agree 👍
Good job OUTIW is my favourite western and Leone's masterpiece in my opinion
I agree with both claims.
I think Once Upon A Time In America is right there, too.
I always found it interesting that those who would normally be labelled outlaws in most Westerns (Harmonica and Cheyenne and his band) actually are the anti-heros here against the evil corporate villains (is the earliest examples of the Corporate Villain Trope that filled later movies?). Even Cheyenne's men aren't quite sure what is going on when he orders them to start building the station. And of course, the Evil Corporation is set in Harmonica's mini-monologue to Frank before their duel where says "More Mortons will come along and ruin it all." Frank seems unmoved, interested only in who is this guy that is haunting him as if to say, its inevitable. Still, one my favorite badass scenes any movie occurs with Harmonica and Frank's thugs at the beginning.
sergio can make even the literal dropping of water suspenseful
RIP Mr. Morricone.
After 40 years of loving this movie, finally got to see it on the big screen last year, it was even better than I hoped for. My favourite western.
Thoughtful insights, especially establishing this film, while honoring what has become before it, as something that transcends any western that has preceded it. I was blown away by this Ifilm in 1969 at 21 years old. At 72 it remains in my mind among the greatest movies ever conceived and made, years ahead of its time. Indeed, time is just beginning to catch up to it. Terrific analysis - thanks for posting.
Thanks for the kind words, Byron. Consider me deeply envious you got to see this upon release in 1969.
@@EyebrowCinema Sure, thanks. I was astonished on the first viewing. I had never experienced anything like it. Since it came out on video I guess on average I've watched it at least once a year ever since. Somehow it remains fresh and riveting with every viewing (and listening). Again, your analysis is outstanding.
...and that version was cut by 21 minutes - including the ENTIRE cantina scene that introduces Jill to Harmonica AND Cheyenne.
{POSSIBLE SPOILER BELOW - SCROLL DOWN IF YOU DON'T CARE}
...and because of that cut. in that version, when Frank's man tries to frame Cheyenne for the murders ... she doesn't know it's a lie like in the uncut version
Still watch this movie every Christmas morning.
It's my present to myself.
My favorite lines were:
1- Harmonica: “you brought too too many”
2- Harmonica: “inside the men there were 3 bullets”
Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone best combination ever
When they were introduced by a studio {years before "Fistful"} they were rather surprised to realise they had gone to the same high school
Bronson was terrific, Fonda too RIP 🙏
Excellent analysis on one of my favorites films ever! You got yourself a subscriber!
I do like how notion that the train is the harbinger of modernity and the passing of the Wild Wild West, as well as the end of the Western film era. It's almost like there's pre-OUTW and post-OUTW
Glad you enjoyed it! And I certainly agree that this film marks a paradigm shift in the genre. The Dollars Trilogy is part of this too, but those films celebrate the Western in a way OUTW doesn't. Furthermore, films like The Wild Bunch and most of the major Westerns made in the 1970s are much more deconstructive and don't take the binary divide of good and evil as a given.
This film is such an art treasure and like the proverbial onion in so many ways. The more layers you peel away, the more enjoyment for the viewer. Leone's close up shots are beautiful in this film.He really did create the greatest Western film, arguably in the top 5.
It's definitely in my top 5 Westerns. Maybe my number one.
The "Greatest" Western of all time - is a matter of an individual's taste !
@@HartmutJagerArtThe "Greatest" Western of all time was what Leone aspired to create, but it's all opinion after all. He wasn't prolific, but I believe he created some great films.
Amazing movie. I'm not sure if many new generations would have the patience to watch it. Especially without their phones within arms reach.
I watched all the blu ray features over the weekend and you still found completely different things to talk about that hadn't occurred to me. Subscribed.
Glad to hear! Welcome to Eyebrow Cinema.
I never noticed how close that shovel came to Eli’s head haha awesome almost like that wasn’t acting that was real reaction!
Same. Wonder if it was a prop.
Yep, same thing happens earlier when Eastwood throws the other shovel which stabs the ground less than 2 inches away from his hand, add all the other "accidents" he had on the set and how did Wallach wanted to still work with Leone is a miracle to me 😂😂
Excellent analysis, spot on from my impression but also you revealed things I wasn't aware of. Thanks!
Thank you!
Great analysis. Well done comparisons of some great films.
Excellent analisys Eyebrow!
The movie, by many referred as the "best western of all time", is actually a non-western movie, since it destroys all those stereotypes at once, looking for historic realism instead. It revisites the american history from a neutral perspective, very unusual at the time. "The good the bad and the ugly" exactly shares this very intent.
This attitude, together with great cinematography, exceptional plot, perfect score and superb acting, makes the difference between a great movie and a real masterpiece.
NO SHIT ?
Excellent analysis. Thank you for that.
The full opening scene and credits is hands down the best in movie history! Epic! And Morricone's score is as good as any of the spaghetti westerns.
Just watched this video after your OUATIA video. Great video! Definitely earned a subscriber.
Welcome to Eyebrow Cinema! I hope you like what you see.
I'm 67. Still the greatest western for me. Ahhh the violence! The black actor is Woody Strode of "Sgt Rutledge" fame. His name was later homaged in the TV series "Psych", as the medical examiner! 👍🏾🎙💯
one of the best movies of all times. All categories!
This was a great running mini lecture and crash course in know you’re wild West better than you’ve been led to believe. Insightful analysis.
There’s a lot of entertainment based stuff crowding RUclips but this is cream that has floated to the top. When I have time I’m going to sit down and take it really slow with a bottle of Choya Sake (almost the best a man can get in the west) and soak up the fullness of this masterpiece. Hard to believe I haven’t watched it yet. But thanks to Connoisseurs like yourself that can all change now.
Molto Grazie!
My personal favourite Leone opening is Once Upon A Time In America (1984). Silent, dark opening titles, the faint sounds of “God Bless America” beginning before being suddenly shattered by a moment of unkempt violence before we are introduced to our protagonist in a drug den after several minutes of build up following the victimisation of multiple characters. Perfectly suited to a film which utterly destroys the romantic nature of gangsters and the American dream, a theme we can see going back in even past 1969’s Once Upon A Time In The West.
greatest western ever made
A deep and insightful analysis, well done! I love Once upon a time in the West. It truly is something different compared to the better-known dollar's trilogy
6:48 Iconic image composition...! The whole movie is a unique masterpiece and a climax in film history....the story, the music, the characters, the camera, the cuts, the landscape, plenty of hints, references to former western movies and fine details....this was only possible because Leone was a film freak, kept his team and continuously improved his work
I sneaked down to my living room. My parents and sister are asleep upstairs. The first time I saw this movie that began at 11pm and ended at 6 am with limited number of commercials. This was NO cable, just regular TV, 1970, and I had to go to high school at 8 am. I never seen Italian westerns before. What Henry Fonda a bad guy??? Charles Bronson a good guy? They shot the little boy?? What is this movie about? Reusable bath water?? I love all Italian westerns!
Can we also talk about the WEIGHT of the gunshots in the once upon in the west?
Compared to the clip of clint eastwood, the gun shots are quick, soon to be gone, etc.
While in once upon, the shots got bass, weight on it, and makes the shots feel much more heavier.
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY (1962), THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1963) THE PROFESSIONALS (1966) ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968) and THE WILD BUNCH (1969) can be linked together by one central theme: the passing of "The West" as both an era and as an idea. There may have been Western themed movies like SHANE (1950) and the GUNFIGHTER (1951) that came before as pitched the same idea, and certainly John Wayne's swan song, THE SHOOTIST (1976) had similar themes, but those five classics from the 1960s are definitive. Leone's work, however, is operatic in its treatment, the same way Coppola lifted the gangster genre to another level with THE GODFATHER (and Leone, too, with ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA).
I especially love the train and its sounds
Almost its heavy breathing
Idk just some cool stuff
Excellent video!
I just watched the movie for the first time yesterday. I've only seen a couple of the old spaghetti westerns years ago, being more familiar with the postmodern ones like Unforgiven, and even 2014 The Salvation, so some of the subversive tone changes in this film had completely flown past me.
It is fascinating that so much of Leone's subversion has become harder to see given his Westerns have larger become the prototypical Westerns in the minds of so many modern viewers.
Thank you for the kind words!
My number 1 movie , it is a masterpiece along with the best soundtrack, No country for old men is top 5 too , Old Henry this year was great and The English series is surprisingly good with Leone like angles and beautiful colors
i would love to hear you talk more about this movie
It's great that you ended your video with the creaking windmill audio. That windmill was one of the things which gave a greater sense of reality to the scene.
I think too much is made of Leone's idea about casting the trio from TGTB&TU as the three gunmen at the opening of OUATITW. I think he would eventually have seen that it wasn't a great idea. It would have been too distracting, and might even have made fans resent Harmonica being imposed upon them as better-than.
Fun note - the native American lady at the beginning was actually Woody Strode's wife. Her inclusion may have been his idea (don't know). Leone had some happy accidents in terms of plans not going as he originally thought but working out for the better.
Man I gotta rewatch this movie
It's always a good time to rewatch OUATITW.
Really good take on this masterpiece.
Every time I watch this movie I enjoy it more until its now my favorite western of all tim
Amazing film. Best western ever, in my opinion. Along with The Unforgiven, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
The "Greatest" Western of all time - is a matter of an individual's taste !
And it has a legendary music soundtrack
If the trio from Dollars would’ve been the people waiting, we would need a second internet to store all of the video essays!
Underrated channel.
this is the greatest film ever made
It's pretty hard to argue with.
Great video, made me appreciate the movie even more. Subscribed 👍
Great analysis!
Thanks!
honestly seeing Woody Strode go down in the first act was jarring for many western fans. Small cameo but it too gave you the sense of chaos that anything could happen just as much when he went down.
Rumor has it that nobody oiled that bearing in 125 years 😉
Keep it up , man.
Thank you, Gabriel!
The icon of North Atlantic culture.
You deserve more subs
I appreciate that.
The analysis of this film was as good as the film itself. I never had a movie that I like most. In my opinion, movies are not a horse race.(I borrow here famous finnish movie director Aki Kaurismäki). But, if I had to choose, it definitely would be a choice between Stanley Kubrick, Howard Hawks and Sergio Leone. Once upon A time in the west is a master piece. Impeccable collaboration between the director, actors, cinematographer and movie composer Ennio Morricone makes it a good choice for the best movie ever made.
The "best movie" Western, of any type, of all time - is a matter of an individual's taste !
BEST OF THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very good job man !!
Keep it up !
Thank you! More is always on the way.
One of the greatests
They had to import several hundred pounds of DUST from Monument Valley to Spain where they shot most of the interiors, for scenes like the cantina scene where Jill, Cheyenne and Harmonica first encounter each other with the blowing dust - the dust in Monument Valley was red ... the dust in Spain was yellow.
No Doubt .we can see where Eastwood, picked up alot of the Director Leone, craft, Josey Wales, Pale Rider,
This was the best opening of any movie ever.
One of the things I've said, the door opening is anti the Searchers
Chayanne didnt die, you cant prove that he did! >:(
The scene in "Fistful of Dollars" you reference - indeed, the whole film - is an uncredited, virtually scene-for-scene of a similar scene in Kurosawa's "Yojimbo" {which, in turn, is an uncredited adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's "Red Harvest"} Lucas also used an uncredited version of the scene from "Yojimbo" in "Star Wars" {NOT "A New Hope" - i saw it in it's original release in 1977 and there was no subtitle} which, like the scene in "Yojimbo" winds up with a severed arm on the floor.
Of the two "Native Americans" you show - the woman from "Once Upon a Time in the West" is definitely not an American Indian; and the male you see looks like Iron Eyes Cody {the "crying Indian"}.
She's a Hawai'ian princess {and Woody Strode's wife} - and if it is Iron Eyes Cody, he was Italian-American and played many Indians...
The Japanese studio {Toho?} wanted to sue Leone for ripping off "Yojimbo"; as i understand it, they didn't know where the story for "Yojimbo" came from.
Kurosawa, OTOH, tried to talk them out of it.
amazing stuff as usual 💪
Thank you :)
Excellent review
Best movie ever made.
This is the gone with the wind of westerns
Why to pronounce the name of the great Morricone as Marconi?
On Dick Cavett, Fonda said he got tan and got brown contacts for the movie and Leone took one look at him and said No! I hired you for your blue eyes , good choice
This video is excellent! I'll bringe your entire output if I can.
How the hell do you have only 2000 subs?
Thanks man! Enjoy, and let me know what you think :)
Loved the video. Though I’m really curious does anyone know what the song was at the very start of the video?
Fun fact : Years ago, on his talk show, David Letterman mentioned that "Once Upon a Time in the West" was his favorite film.
Inglorious Basterds has the best opening scene in cinema history.
I don't about the best, but it is pretty darn exceptional.
Watch the scene introducing Lee Van Cleef 's character in "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and you might recognize something familiar... ;) (I do love Tarantino and that movie, just to be clear)
I've seen the 'Inglorious Bastards' and can't even remember it !
The narrator is very bright.
Great vid!! :))
Thanks Alexei!
Sergio Leone was one of the Great!
I really need to rewatch OUTIW!
Any answer will be good. Does Charles Bronson play that harmonica?
To my knowledge Bronson does not actually play. Or at least, it's not him we're hearing on the soundtrack.
@@EyebrowCinema Great, I tried to get my answer many ways. First Johnny just to see if Charles was a guest. Maybe get my answer from that show.
Also Wikipedia, had Zippo.
My guess was what you wrote in your comment.
Your answer is now real old. Year 2021, March 29. Happy.
Thanks for a good introduction to a great movie. So many fanboys on youtube just want to gush over their favourite scenes. You analyse.
The analysis in this piece misses the most important thing in the movie: Harmonica is a Navajo. This is mentioned only in passing in the movie and is easy to miss. It's when Frank says: "Tie up the Navajo." (The sequence where Frank has gotten the drop on Harmonica on the train just before Frank rides off "to take care of the woman".) Once you see this, the whole theme of justice and revenge that runs through the movie takes on a much more profound meaning.
I've never particularly liked this reading given Charles Bronson is pretty obviously a white dude and reading him as Navajo doesn't quite sit right with me. Plus, the movie doesn't overly emphasize his status as Navajo so it's easy enough to ignore. Still, it is a valid reading, and as you correctly state, one that changes the themes of the film.
@@EyebrowCinema Great video!
But in the retrospect at the final duel, the young Harmonica and the father/brother on his shoulders are clearly some kind of "Mexicans" or perhaps "Indians," obviously and deliberately not "white dudes." Those actors were chosen to look like a certain type on purpose (they are opposed to, say, McBain who is clearly "a white dude" as is the woman, Frank, and Cheyenne.) Everyone in there is "a white dude" EXCEPT the young Harmonica (and by inference, Harmonica himself).
I don't think the point is racial, really. The white guy, Frank, kills the white guy, McBain, as an agent, not of whiteness, but of industrial, capitalistic expansion (the railroad interests) which has changed the landscape for everyone. The Indians aren't the bad guys anymore, but the capitalist robber-barons (who happen to be white, yes). But the brutality of the robber-barons extends to whites as well as Indians or Mexicans, or whomever.
I see the movie as bringing the individuals to account -- Frank, who can't hide behind the corporation and must answer for what he, himself while the owners looked the other way.
It's a kind of final Western. The world moves on, the "bad guys" have changed, the victims aren't who they used to be, and Harmonica is there to bring it all back one last time to a man-to-man accounting before the whole morality is lost in industrialization and corporations. You get a kind of sense of this in "Butch Cassidy," the meeting of the old west and the new. In "Butch," they lose. In "Once Upon a Time," The Old West wins. Maybe just one last time, but the men behind the corporate interests are held individually accountable as in the case of Frank.
0:31 The shadows from the clouds look super dark. Is this some effect of the film stock they used?
Nice!
Just noticed that is not Jack Elam's voice. Weird
It is
This movie! 💌
good work
please do more leone's
Thank you. I have no immediate plans to do more Leone videos, but I wouldn't rule it out in the future. He's one of my favourite directors and one I've studied a lot so I certainly have the material to draw on.
@@EyebrowCinema I will keep an eye on your channel for sure.
Appreciate it! Any other filmmakers you'd be interested in?
@@EyebrowCinema Besides Leone, I'd like to hear your take on Stanley Kubrick's work, your video on Barry Lyndon was right on point.
Hey, I know Alex Cox tells the story about Eastwood, Van Cleef, and Wallach as the three killers in the DVD extras but even he admits he doubts it's true.
FWIW, Leone flew personally to California to deliver the script for OUATITW to Eastwood... in the hope he'd play Harmonica.
In Christopher Frayling's biography Something to Do with Death, he states Leone first courted Eastwood for Harmonica before shifting to bringing back the trio as the three killers. As with most Leone stories, it's hard to say how true it is given the man's habit for embellishment, but even if he told the story retroactively, it does suggest he too saw the opening as a way of breaking from the Dollars Trilogy. That or he just thought it was a rad as hell story, which it totally is.
@@EyebrowCinema I know in the lead up to ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA Leone got into the habit of telling stories that were somewhat ungracious towards Eastwood, for whatever reason. I think there was some bitterness that he had so much trouble getting that film off the ground and Eastwood had carte blanche to do whatever he wanted by that point.
I seriously doubt the story because it's kind of an insulting offer to Eastwood and I know he offered him Sean in DUCK, YOU SUCKER as well. So why would you try that in between trying to get him to star in your films?
Can you do this commentary for the movie pale rider ?
It's an homage to "Shane"(1954).
Sweet