C'era una volta il West (1968)

User Rating:

8.8/10   

Director:

Sergio Leone

Writers:

Dario Argento (story) &
Bernardo Bertolucci (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 December 1968 (Italy)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

There were three men in her life. One to take her... one to love her... and one to kill her.

Plot:

Epic story of a mysterious stranger with a harmonica who joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad.

Plot Keywords:

Assassin | Widow | Epic | Railway | Man With No Name

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Nov. 17

8:00 PM

TCM

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Frank
Claudia Cardinale	...	Jill McBain
Jason Robards	...	Cheyenne
Charles Bronson	...	Harmonica
Gabriele Ferzetti	...	Morton (railroad baron)
Paolo Stoppa	...	Sam
Woody Strode	...	Stony - Member of Frank's Gang
Jack Elam	...	Snaky - Member of Frank's Gang
Keenan Wynn	...	Sheriff (auctioneer)
Frank Wolff	...	Brett McBain
Lionel Stander	...	Barman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Livio Andronico	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Salvatore Basile	...	Member of Cheyenne's Gang (uncredited)
Aldo Berti	...	Member of Frank's gang playing poker (uncredited)
Frank Braña	...	Mamber of Frank's gang smoking pipe at auction (uncredited)
Saturno Cerra	...	Hired Gun on Train (uncredited)
Luigi Ciavarro	...	Older sheriff's deputy (uncredited)
Spartaco Conversi	...	Member of Frank's gang shot through boot (uncredited)
Bruno Corazzari	...	3rd Member of Cheyenne's Gang (uncredited)
Paolo Figlia	...	(uncredited)
John Frederick	...	Jim - Member of Frank's Gang (uncredited)
Don Galloway	...	Member of Frank's Gang in flashback (uncredited)
Michael Harvey	...	Frank's lieutenant (uncredited)
Stefano Imparato	...	(uncredited)
Francesca Leone	...	Girl at Flagstone station (uncredited)
Raffaella Leone	...	Girl at Flagstone station (uncredited)
Frank Leslie	...	(uncredited)
Rafael López Somoza	...	Train Station Master (uncredited)
Luigi Magnani	...	(uncredited)
Claudio Mancini	...	Harmonica's brother (uncredited)
Dino Mele	...	Harmonica, as a boy (uncredited)
Antonio Molino Rojo	...	Member of Frank's gang at auction (uncredited)
Enrico Morsella	...	(uncredited)
Umberto Morsella	...	(uncredited)
Al Mulock	...	Knuckles - Member of Frank's Gang (uncredited)
Ricardo Palacios	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Tullio Palmieri	...	Flagstone carpenter (uncredited)
Renato Pinciroli	...	First bidder at auction (uncredited)
Lorenzo Robledo	...	2nd Member of Cheyenne's Gang (uncredited)
Sandra Salvatori	...	(uncredited)
Aldo Sambrell	...	Cheyenne's lieutenant (uncredited)
Conrado San Martín	...	Gangmember on Train (uncredited)
Enzo Santaniello	...	Timmy McBain (uncredited)
Simonetta Santaniello	...	Maureen McBain (uncredited)
Claudio Scarchilli	...	Member of Frank's Gang (uncredited)
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia	...	(uncredited)
Robert Spafford	...	Construction yard owner (uncredited)
Benito Stefanelli	...	Frank's lieutenant (uncredited)
Luana Strode	...	Indian woman (uncredited)
Fabio Testi	...	Member of Frank's gang with black hat at auction (uncredited)
Dino Zamboni	...	(uncredited)
Marco Zuanelli	...	Wobbles (uncredited)

Directed by
Sergio Leone

Writing credits
Dario Argento		(story) &
Bernardo Bertolucci		(story) &
Sergio Leone		(story)
Sergio Leone		(screenplay) &
Sergio Donati		(screenplay)
Mickey Knox		(dialogue: English version)

Produced by
Bino Cicogna	....	executive producer
Fulvio Morsella	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Tonino Delli Colli

Film Editing by
Nino Baragli

Production Design by
Carlo Simi

Set Decoration by
Rafael Ferri
Carlo Leva		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Antonella Pompei
Carlo Simi

Makeup Department
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup artist
Giannetto De Rossi	....	makeup artist
Grazia De Rossi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Claudio Mancini	....	production manager
Camillo Teti	....	production supervisor
Ugo Tucci	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Salvatore Basile	....	assistant director (as Salvo Basile)
Giancarlo Santi	....	first assistant director
Adolfo Aristarain	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Antonio Palombi	....	assistant production designer
Enrico Simi	....	assistant set decorator

Sound Department
Fausto Ancillai	....	sound engineer
Luciano Anzellotti	....	sound effects (as Luciano Anzillotti)
Roberto Arcangeli	....	sound effects
Italo Cameracanna	....	sound effects
Claudio Maielli	....	sound engineer
Elio Pacella	....	sound engineer

Special Effects by
Eros Bacciucchi	....	special effects (as Bacciucchi)

Stunts
John Landis	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Franco Di Giacomo	....	camera operator
Giuseppe Lanci	....	assistant camera
Roberto Forges Davanzati	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marilù Carteny	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Andreina Casini	....	assistant editor
Carlo Reali	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ennio Morricone	....	conductor
Alessandro Alessandroni	....	musician: whistle (uncredited)
Cantori Moderni	....	music performers (uncredited)
Franco De Gemini	....	musician: harmonica solo (uncredited)

Other crew
Serena Canevari	....	script supervisor
Benito Stefanelli	....	master of arms
Glauco Teti	....	production secretary
Manuel Amigo	....	second production supervisor (uncredited)
Roberto Chevalier	....	voice dubbing (uncredited)
Corrado Gaipa	....	voice dubbing: Frank Wolff (uncredited)
Lauro Gazzolo	....	voice dubbing (uncredited)
Nando Gazzolo	....	voice dubbing: Henry Fonda (uncredited)
Bruno Persa	....	voice dubbing: Jack Elam (uncredited)
Cesare Polacco	....	voice dubbing: Lionel Stander (uncredited)
Giuseppe Rinaldi	....	voice dubbing: Charles Bronson (uncredited)
Carlo Romano	....	voice dubbing: Jason Robards (uncredited)
Rita Savagnone	....	voice dubbing: Claudia Cardinale (uncredited)
Stefano Sibaldi	....	voice dubbing: Keenan Wynn (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Finanzia San Marco (as A Rafran-San Marco Production)
• Rafran Cinematografica (as A Rafran-San Marco Production)
• Paramount Pictures (co-production)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1969) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Paramount Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Adams Filmi (1970) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (2009) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm Panavision print - re-release)
• Chapel Distribution (2009) (Australia) (theatrical) (re-issue new 35mm Panavision print full version)
• Paramount (1968) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Cine Plus Home Entertainment (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Mondo Home Entertainment (2007) (Italy) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Lowry Digital Images  digital restoration (2003 re-release)
• RCA  music recording facility

Also Known As:

Once Upon a Time in the West (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West (Australia)
There Was Once the West (USA) (literal English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for western violence and brief sensuality. (re-rated; rated M/PG in 1969)

Runtime:

Italy:175 min | 165 min (international version) | Finland:137 min (1970)

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

Italian

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) (re-rating) (2004) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1970) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (re-rating) (1977) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (re-rating) (2000) | UK:15 (video rating) (1989) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (re-rating) (2003) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1969) | West Germany:16 (w)

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Finanzia San Marco

Trivia:

Jason Robards showed up at the set completely drunk on the first day of filming, and Leone threatened to fire him if he ever did that again. Robards was generally well-behaved thereafter, though in June 1968, after receiving word of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, Robards broke down and refused to perform until the day was over, and Leone decided to stop filming for the day.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: As Frank and his gang ride away from the train, tire tracks are visible in the dirt.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Station agent: Hey - hey hey hey hey, if you want any tickets, you'll have to go around to, eh, to, eh, the front of the, eh... oooh, well, I s'pose it'll be all right.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Detektivbüro Roth: Kunsthandel (#1.16)" (1986)

Far Away The Best Movie Ever

This is one true masterpiece, I can't remember any other movie (and I have seen a lot of movies) that is so powerful like this one. This movie has everything great ambient, scenes larger then life, hypnotic Morricone music and what is most important great acting. In this move Sergio Leone proved that he is one of the most unique directors in movie history. If you saw this movie you know that almost every scene is great piece of art in almost every scene you are amazed by visual style of Leone. In all other great movies (like: Godfather, Casablanca, Citizen Cane, Notorious,Big Sleep, The Third Man, etc.), you won't find these many great scenes like in this one. This is an ultimate Western and i want to say: Thank you Sergio Leone for your great vision and this masterpiece, after this one there is no need for any other western, in compare to this one John Fords westerns are movies for kids and women.