This is, I think, the first of Leone's true masterpieces, and quite possibly Leone's most "watchable" film. A Fistful of Dollars is a great film: revolutionary, gritty, violent, and fun, and it certainly was the true beginning of a monumental change in westerns. However, this is the first film where Leone's brilliance fully comes to the front. On the other hand, while not quite as famous (in the English-speaking world) as the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (GBU) and perhaps not quite as great a cinematic achievement as GBU or Once Upon a Time in the West (OUTIW), this film is nevertheless not far behind those clear masterpieces.
The characteristic Leone visual style and incredible artistry are very powerful here. Although some of this is evident in small amounts in the previous film, here we really get to see the incredible, revolutionary close-ups and the contrast between close-ups and long shots. These and other images are powerful and beautiful. The film also brings the deliberate pacing and wonderful, almost unbearable, build-up of tension before quick action. Leone's sense of irony and brilliant weaving together of various motifs and symbols (particularly religious) also comes to the forefront in this film, as does the humour.
The story is more complex than before, and more emotional and profound than GBU or OUTIW. Not until Duck, You Sucker! does Leone really delve more into emotions and psyches more than here, which gives this film an added depth and power.
The scenes showing Indio's psyche, obsession, and mental decay are also powerful and perfect. Some (including Leone himself, apparently) feared that Volonte was overacting a tad, while others point out how the flashbacks are supposedly inaccurate portrayals of the effects of marijuana, however, this all works incredibly well. Volonte is quite convincing as a criminal sinking into a form of psychosis and obsessed with personal demons of the past and the flashbacks work brilliantly at hitting this theme home, creating an powerful, surreal, mournful, and lonely eeriness that, although it is not clear at first, perfectly parallels Mortimer's own despair and quest.
The the way in which the story progresses, and brings the three main characters together, is brilliant. The introductions of the characters to how Mortimer and Manco focus on the same bandit (Indio), but with the reason for the interests rather subtly and vaguely indicated from the start, to how Mortimer and Manco "duel" before joining forces (sort of) is perfect.
The music here, while similar to, and less famous than, the score for GBU, is also simply incredible. Just as this film reveals the first full flowering of Leone's gifts, it is also the first full flowering of Morricone's abilities and style introduced in the prior film. The score is in fact just as incredible as Morricone's subsequent ones and it excels at creating a sense of loneliness, despair, mournfulness, and eeriness in a way the even GBU doesn't and which fewof his other scores have. The only scores of his that I can think of which match or excell it on this point Once Upon a Time in America (at least with respect to despair, mourning, and loneliness), The Great Silence, OUTIW (but the harmonica music only) and The Untouchables (in despair and eeriness). This score thus perfectly conveys the atmosphere of the lonely, unpleasant towns, the lonely, harsh life of the bounty hunters, the harshness of the outlaws and Indio's increasingly crazed mind, and Mortimer's despair and personal quest.
Finally, we for the first time get to see Lee van Cleef in a first role and he is simply outstanding. He handles the role so well, it's hard to imagine that he had nothing even approaching this magnitude before.
This film really has no real faults, the only ones being a few technical errors such as the discrepancy in the wanted poster that Mortimer slides under the door near the beginning. However, these are tiny, most people won't notice, and no-one should really care about them. They are also problems that vanished in Leone's later films where he had more time and more money.
In terms of length and pacing, this is also one of Leone's shorter, faster-paced films. Only a Fistful of Dollars and Duck, You Sucker! compare in those terms. This can be good, or bad, depending on the person, interests, or mood. Personally, Leone's longer masterpieces are my favourites, but sometimes even I don't have the time or patience to sit through their relatively slow development (and I am someone who can watch the 3.75-hour Once Upon A Time in America over and over) and want the quicker pace, action, and wit of this film. Also, certainly for some people this movie will be better suited on this point and those who find GBU or OUTIW to be a tad long should opt for this. It certainly is one of the two most lively and fun of Leone's films (the other being the longer GBU).
On the whole, the combination of everything makes this a brilliant masterpiece and the pacing and development make the film extremely fun and fast-paced to watch. It is a clear masterpiece.
The characteristic Leone visual style and incredible artistry are very powerful here. Although some of this is evident in small amounts in the previous film, here we really get to see the incredible, revolutionary close-ups and the contrast between close-ups and long shots. These and other images are powerful and beautiful. The film also brings the deliberate pacing and wonderful, almost unbearable, build-up of tension before quick action. Leone's sense of irony and brilliant weaving together of various motifs and symbols (particularly religious) also comes to the forefront in this film, as does the humour.
The story is more complex than before, and more emotional and profound than GBU or OUTIW. Not until Duck, You Sucker! does Leone really delve more into emotions and psyches more than here, which gives this film an added depth and power.
The scenes showing Indio's psyche, obsession, and mental decay are also powerful and perfect. Some (including Leone himself, apparently) feared that Volonte was overacting a tad, while others point out how the flashbacks are supposedly inaccurate portrayals of the effects of marijuana, however, this all works incredibly well. Volonte is quite convincing as a criminal sinking into a form of psychosis and obsessed with personal demons of the past and the flashbacks work brilliantly at hitting this theme home, creating an powerful, surreal, mournful, and lonely eeriness that, although it is not clear at first, perfectly parallels Mortimer's own despair and quest.
The the way in which the story progresses, and brings the three main characters together, is brilliant. The introductions of the characters to how Mortimer and Manco focus on the same bandit (Indio), but with the reason for the interests rather subtly and vaguely indicated from the start, to how Mortimer and Manco "duel" before joining forces (sort of) is perfect.
The music here, while similar to, and less famous than, the score for GBU, is also simply incredible. Just as this film reveals the first full flowering of Leone's gifts, it is also the first full flowering of Morricone's abilities and style introduced in the prior film. The score is in fact just as incredible as Morricone's subsequent ones and it excels at creating a sense of loneliness, despair, mournfulness, and eeriness in a way the even GBU doesn't and which fewof his other scores have. The only scores of his that I can think of which match or excell it on this point Once Upon a Time in America (at least with respect to despair, mourning, and loneliness), The Great Silence, OUTIW (but the harmonica music only) and The Untouchables (in despair and eeriness). This score thus perfectly conveys the atmosphere of the lonely, unpleasant towns, the lonely, harsh life of the bounty hunters, the harshness of the outlaws and Indio's increasingly crazed mind, and Mortimer's despair and personal quest.
Finally, we for the first time get to see Lee van Cleef in a first role and he is simply outstanding. He handles the role so well, it's hard to imagine that he had nothing even approaching this magnitude before.
This film really has no real faults, the only ones being a few technical errors such as the discrepancy in the wanted poster that Mortimer slides under the door near the beginning. However, these are tiny, most people won't notice, and no-one should really care about them. They are also problems that vanished in Leone's later films where he had more time and more money.
In terms of length and pacing, this is also one of Leone's shorter, faster-paced films. Only a Fistful of Dollars and Duck, You Sucker! compare in those terms. This can be good, or bad, depending on the person, interests, or mood. Personally, Leone's longer masterpieces are my favourites, but sometimes even I don't have the time or patience to sit through their relatively slow development (and I am someone who can watch the 3.75-hour Once Upon A Time in America over and over) and want the quicker pace, action, and wit of this film. Also, certainly for some people this movie will be better suited on this point and those who find GBU or OUTIW to be a tad long should opt for this. It certainly is one of the two most lively and fun of Leone's films (the other being the longer GBU).
On the whole, the combination of everything makes this a brilliant masterpiece and the pacing and development make the film extremely fun and fast-paced to watch. It is a clear masterpiece.