Once Upon a Time in the West
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Once Upon a Time in the West (1968 ) is an epic spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone. Its critical acclaim was not immediately forthcoming, yet it has matured into an undeniable classic.
Plot
A train arrives at the Old West town of "Flagstone". A man with a harmonica on a thong about his neck alights and faces three gunfighters who are waiting for him, killing all three. Their leader, an outlaw called Frank, is working as a hired gunman for the railroad tycoon Morton, who is trying to acquire land owned by Brett McBain's family.
The dusters worn by the three outlaws lead Harmonica to believe they are a rival outlaw, Cheyenne's men. Meanwhile, Frank and his henchmen kill McBain and his three children at their "Sweetwater" ranch and leave behind evidence to frame Cheyenne for the murders.
A woman named Jill arrives in Flagstone, supposedly to marry McBain at Sweetwater. In fact, she is a former New Orleans prostitute who married McBain a month earlier, so she is the sole heir to Sweetwater. As it will emerge, McBain knew the railroad would pass through Sweetwater one day and planned to build a watering station there, subject to a reverter that he would forfeit Sweetwater if the station was not built by the time the railroad reached it. Morton told Frank to only intimidate McBain, and the murder has put them at odds. Morton wants to make a deal with Jill, but Frank wants the land for himself.
Cheyenne denies that it was his men who tried to ambush Harmonica and murder the McBains. Harmonica saves Jill from two of Frank's men and spies out the railway carriage to which Morton is confined on crutches, owing to his spinal tuberculosis. Harmonica discovers the connection between Frank and Morton but is seen and captured. When Frank asks for Harmonica's name, he replies with names of men that Frank has killed in the past. Frank is called away and Cheyenne rescues Harmonica. The two collaborate to help Jill save Sweetwater, using stockpiled materials to start building a station.
After a threatening sexual encounter with Frank, Jill is forced to auction the land while Frank's henchmen intimidate the bidders in order to keep the purchase price low. Suddenly, Harmonica appears with Cheyenne in tow and bids $5,000, which is the price on Cheyenne's head as a wanted fugitive, and gets the property himself. Meanwhile, Morton has bribed Frank's own men to kill him, but Harmonica intervenes to save Frank from being ambushed in the street. When Jill condemns Harmonica for saving Frank's life, he replies "I didn't let them (Frank's men) kill him and that's not the same thing".
Cheyenne soon escapes custody and he and his gang engage Frank's remaining men in a gunfight on Morton's train. Except for Cheyenne, who heads to Sweetwater, everyone is killed, including Morton. When Frank sees the aftermath of the fight, he rides to Sweetwater too, where he finds Harmonica waiting. Cheyenne has arrived earlier, but he remains in the ranch house with Jill. Outside, Harmonica and Frank engage in a showdown; through a flashback, it is revealed that Frank had once hanged Harmonica's older brother, forcing the younger brother to support him on his shoulders. Just before the panting boy collapsed under the weight, Frank had forced a harmonica into his mouth, telling him to "keep your lovin' brother happy".
Harmonica beats Frank to the draw. As he lies dying, Frank again asks Harmonica's identity and Harmonica places the instrument in Frank's mouth. Frank remembers, nods his head, and dies.
Jill hopes he will stay with her but, as Cheyenne has already told her, that won't happen. Jill asks Harmonica to come back and he says: "Some day". Harmonica and Cheyenne leave Sweetwater together, but Cheyenne collapses and dies from a gut wound he received in the gunfight with Morton. As Harmonica departs carrying Cheyenne's body on a horse, Jill serves water to the railroad workers.
See also
