StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Yazmin Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

adonis98-743-186503 A mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad. Once Upon a Time in the West doesn't deliver what promises and what it could have been especially with Charles Bronson in it who was known of being a very big tough guy in general (if you've seen Death Wish you know what i'm talking about) but the film is so damn slow and almost reaches 3 hours that is just quite disappointing that it never becomes another cool western which it could. (0/10)

mibyph There is so much to like here. I must admit there are also flaws. The spare dialogue is sometimes apt but also on occasion obvious or crude. Because there is so little, with ambient noise and music soundtrack so beautiful that the contrast is jarring. Several of the character actors, besides those in the opening sequence, are so little used that many of their scenes must have bee cut due to the length of the film. The sound was all recorded independently of the filming, standard procedure in many Italian films. Claudia Cardinale's voice was dubbed which is such a shame since for an actor, their voice is an important part of their craft. View "The Professionals" from about the same period to hear her real voice. Henry Fonda is indeed a real villain here but was nearly as bad in "Firecreek" made around the same time. The opening sequence was either inspired by or inspired that of "The Train Robbers". My main enjoyment of this film is purely visual. Near the end there is a telephoto shot of the train arriving at Sweetwater with all the railroad workers gathering, to the music of Morricone. This is truly an emotional moment as are many others. .

say well Bronson looks so dumb that you wont think there is a brain inside that cowboy. He was just lucky at that time era to get into this. Just staring around was the greatest acting required..Making things go really slow, stare a lot, increase surrounding noises a lot and you have a western? no. Watch Eastwood movies and you really get a feel for style. Not just unwashed people staring around, talking little andpretending to be in a movie..what an overhyped oldie. i love eastwood movies, or many other westerns, but this god, i sat through frame by frame just incase i missed what others might have missed. i can only imagine that in the past when there wasnt much else to call entertainment , this would have been great.. i always say that newer movies have scifi and no good story..but to have a soty and drag it out like this ...waste of my time!!

walterkuciej This has it all: operatic in its themes of revenge (Harmonica), and redemption (Cheyenne), epic cinematography (the last scene, shot from the train), and an emotionally driven score (Jill's Theme). My vote for the best western ever made, and one of the best films as well. See the full-length version. I saw it in the Neptune Theatre in Seattle, maybe 1983. The Seattle Times review said it was "heart stoppingly beautiful." It is.