When he's not writing, Anthony can be found at Brands Hatch race track or at home watching indie horror movies nobody has heard of.
Leone takes time to establish locations and introduce characters, and it's a stylistic choice we rarely see in movies today. There's an incredible amount of suspense and intrigue in character introductions. For example, when we meet Cheyenne (Jason Robards), the Bandit, we've already heard of him, though we don't know what he looks like.
We hear commotion and gunshots outside a saloon, but we don't immediately know what happened. The people inside the building take their time to assess this mysterious individual as he walks in. It's not until he takes a drink and lifts his handcuffs into view that we can connect the dots. That same mystique permeates Once Upon A Time In The West's Final Duel Is A Perfect Western Moment
The pair stare each other down, and Leone's stylistic approach takes make the moment intense and palpable. Then, we get the reveal. As we see a close-up of Harmonica, a flashback appears, and a man slowly walks toward the camera. As that figure gets closer, we realize it's Frank, and he's holding a harmonica. He coldly holds it in front of him with the chilling line, "Keep your loving brother happy."
The perspective shifts, and we see Frank force the harmonica into a young boy's mouth. He's standing under his brother, who has his feet on his shoulders and a noose around his neck. It's a shocking, heavy moment as a young Harmonica collapses.
The duel itself is fast and grounded, as Harmonica finally gets his revenge. As Frank lies on the floor dying, he shakily asks, "Who are you?" Harmonica is silent, but looks down at his fallen opponent with his harmonica in his hand. He places it in Frank's mouth, and during his final breaths, Frank realizes who Harmonica is.
The pacing is a huge part of what makes the scene so unforgettable, but another part that cannot be understated is the incredible musical score.
Once Upon A Time In The West's Score Elevates The Scene Even Further
Harmonica's own tune is a big part of what makes the showdown soundtrack special. Several key characters in Once Upon a Time in the West almost have their own theme, complete with a musical flair. That flair for Harmonica is, unsurprisingly, that harmonica, and once we see what that final confrontation with Frank is all about, that instrument's wail becomes so much more powerful, like a symbol of his quest for revenge.
It's also worth noting that while Ennio Morricone's score is brilliant, it stops before Frank and Harmonica's final shootout. The pair stand in front of each other in absolute silence, as, at that moment, nothing else matters. The harmonica tune only returns as we see Frank approach in a flashback. The final showdown in Once Upon a Time in the West is
- Release Date
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December 20, 1968
- Runtime
- Director
- Writers
166 Minutes
Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone, Sergio Donati, Dario Argento, Bernardo Bertolucci
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Henry Fonda -
Charles Bronson