Go ahead. Take my tray.
“Oldie but a Goodie” Movie Review
With the American release of Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars in 1967, the “spaghetti western” was born. The sequel For a Few Dollars More, and the trilogy-transcending final film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, solidified both Leone and the series’ star, Clint Eastwood as untouchable Hollywood legends (rambling speeches gone viral notwithstanding).
Now, nearly 45 years after Fistful’s release, all three films still stand up. The trilogy’s themes – money, revenge, and, in the trilogy’s conclusion, the combination of both elements – are timeless ones.
Eastwood plays a bounty hunter dubbed Joe, Monco or Blondie in these classics, but it doesn’t matter what people call him: he’s always after cash. Personifying the antihero all antiheroes aspire to be, Eastwood never kills women and children, but doesn’t seem to mind if they become collateral damage in the wake of his chosen quests.
These flicks are still successful today, despite some glaring flaws today’s filmmakers would not have allowed. So enamoured with imagery, Leone never shot his films with sound. Rather, everything is dubbed in post-production, and the sound synching is slightly off. To make matters worse, almost everyone except Eastwood spoke Italian during filming. so the dubbing really doesn’t match with the actors’ mouths. In the end, though, it all lends to the authenticity of what are considered to be the founding fathers of western movies.
Take some time to sit down and watch the entire trilogy. Then watch it again. You’ll understand.[hr]
