Gotta say FOFDM is my favourite “Dollars” film too. Yes parts of it may seem a little silly or senseless and it has a long running time, but to me, the other too have quite generic storylines and the characters are pretty one dimensional (don’t get me wrong, i still love both of them!). FAFDM is a much more character driven film with real emotional depth. It’s also more the story of Indio and Mortimer, rather than the Man with No Name (who just seems to be there to enable the two of them to reach the logical conclusion of their “relationship”. Out of the so called “Great” SW’s, this is the best for me, and Van Cleef’s best performance (along with Big Gundown). Strangely, GBU is my least favourite of the Dollars trilogy…
Friday 22nd of February 1889 is the birthday of Josef Egger (A.K.A the Prophet), who is so memorable in this film.
My fav scenes are the ones between Van Cleef & Kinski, the facial expressions of KK when LVC lights a match on his braces are priceless.
I like it better than A Fistful of Dollars and Volonte’s Indio is more brutal and villainous than Ramon Rojo.
Great cast too, Eastwood , Van Cleef, Volonte, Kinski, Brega , Pistilli and Eggar.
My all time favorite western (European or otherwise). Van Cleef makes this one absolutely classic. I was weary at first view but man this one kicks so much ass. The cast is top notch - Pistilli, Kinski, Brega all in supporting roles plus three of the best leading men in one movie - Eastwood, Volonte, and Van Cleef. Add the perfect score by Morricone and you have the best movie. It does not drag like parts of TG, TB, and TU (which I love too but it’s a little long in getting to the point).
the best!
could not agree with you more.
I’ve been thinking about this film recently and I was just wondering waht you guys think about the pocket watch, what do you think it means. Whenever Indio listens to the music (carillion) he goes into a trance-like state. It’s almost as if this watch reminds him of what he is and it tortures him deeply, I really liked how it all came together in the end with the Douglas Mortimer character, it’s such an efficient film with a lot of characterization, I love it.
well of course it reminds him, you actually see in the movie what it reminds him of. did you watch it till the end?
It also reminds him of who Mortimer is and why he’s after Indio.
Of course I saw it until the end, but i’m just saying…wait what was I saying? Right, he rapes the girl, she shoots herself, and she was related to Mortimer. Hmmmmm, I seem to have forgotten the point of this…
Hey Indio - welcome.
I wrote some psuedo-bollocks (on page 5) that I’m pretty chuffed with, and this expresses my thoughts about it - have a read if the muse grabs ya. (You won’t spot my avatar tho’ cos I was going thru’ a temporary ‘dead’ patch.)
Can you post a link, I don’t know what you’re really talking about.
… and we finally learn the truth - the trialectic link between El Indio and the watch, and the watch and Mortimer. The showdown takes place and we see that El Indio controls the situation. Mortimer’s gun lies beside him, but out of reach. Leone, visually, shows us the watch - poised between the two but in El Indio’s hand. As the tension winds up (and the watch winds down) we see Leone’s filmic trademark: metonymic close-up; metophoric panorama; poker players’ eyes devoid of the ‘tell’ and an inhospitable arid landscape that cares nothing for the outcome.
Just as the watch ceases to play and the climax appears to be upon us we hear the music start again and we see Manco’s left hand (the pleasure!) arise holding up another watch (Mortimer’s) to start the ritual anew. His right hand carries the metaphor for the reality principle and his control - an even bigger gun than Mortimer’s. “Very careless of you Old Man” he says, giving Mortimer his own pistol and belt. Manco has now levelled the odds and repaid a debt (to the father(figure) - another Freudian concept). Now Manco controls the game as the Ego mediates between Id and Superego. “Now we start.”
And the ‘tell’ starts to show. Metonym, metaphor, close-up, panorama; but this time there is a bead of swead that drips towards El Indio’s eye - a signifier, an indexical link to fear, a metonym for an internal realisation. The Freudian (as Leone tells us they are) flashbacks have eventually given up their meaning and have allowed for his catharsis and his ‘therapy’ to be concluded. The fear that he feels now is not born from his previous internalised trauma and impotence - but from a new external one. Manco is now in control with Mortimer’s sister’s watch. It is not the same watch - not mimetic. It is visibly different - smaller and less ornate - but most importantly, it tells a different time. This time the reality is one of realisation and is not hidden, as previously, by El Indio’s repression. His stolen watch has given up it’s power - mechanically, metaphorically and metonymically. And so, the ritual is replayed, and like this different watch that leads us now - we know that this time, the outcome will also be different.
“Sometimes its good to exercise your brain as well as your cock!” (I’m not sure which bit of the bible that’s from.)
(EDIT : It’s on page 5 of this thread and follows a previous rant by myself about a possible Freudian reading of this film - [Leone read Freud].)
Wow, simply amazing. Do you go to film school?
Thanks - but no. a few years ago I did a masters in the history and philosophy of sculpture (I’m an artist of sorts)??
So how do sws fit in?
The first essay could be about anything as long as it had the required intellectual weight/rampant bollocks (delete as applicable) … I went to a lecture on deconstruction (scherpschutter’s territory now) and they were banging on about “western philosophy” - I was so out of my depth that I kept seeing and misinterpreting FAFDM imagery in what I was hearing. Of course - with ‘deconstruction’ you can ‘misread’ to your heart’s content as long as you quote Bartesian ‘Death of the Author’ and Derridian ‘Everything’s included’ … so I did my favourite film.
And got a very smug distinction! Fooled 'em!! ;D
Things may have been a bit quiet on the western reviews front, but I have been working :
http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/For_a_Few_Dollars_More_Review
http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/For_a_Few_Dollars_More_MGM_S.E._DVD_Review
Another Leone Review will be published on Fistful of Pasta
I remember selling a similar poster for a tidy sum, even though a reproduction.
That’s the german cover (made for the 1st VHS release?) which made KK the co-star of the film by ignoring LvC and GMV.
Awesome review scherps - still my favorite sw!
I also have to notice Kinski’s Dan Hogan from one of my favorite spaghettis, Shoot the Living, Pray for the Dead. ;D