Once Upon a Time in the West

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Once Upon a Time in the West

PG-13

Released May 28, 1969

2h 45m

Western

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96%

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68 Reviews

94%

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50,000+ Ratings

There's a single piece of land around Flagstone with water on it, and rail baron Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti) aims to have it, knowing the new railroad will have to stop there. He sends his henchman Frank (Henry Fonda) to scare the land's owner, McBain (Frank Wolff), but Frank kills him instead and pins it on a known bandit, Cheyenne (Jason Robards). Meanwhile, a mysterious gunslinger with a score to settle (Charles Bronson) and McBain's new wife, Jill (Claudia Cardinale), arrive in town.

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Critics Consensus

A landmark Sergio Leone spaghetti western masterpiece featuring a classic Morricone score.

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TIME Staff

TIME Magazine

Leone's newest effort, Once Upon a Time in the West, with a major cast and a lot of big studio money behind it, proves that he is simply a serious bore.

Mar 24, 2020

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Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

If there had to be a final Western, Once Upon a Time in the West would be it.

Mar 24, 2020

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Moments of intense realism flow into passages of operatic extravagance; lowbrow burlesque exists side by side with the expression of the most refined shades of feeling.

Mar 24, 2020

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Noah Gittell

Washington City Paper

Sergio Leone’s 1968 spaghetti western might be set in the 19th century, but it captured the violence of the ’60s, yet the grandly cinematic film that still somehow embraces humanity.

Jun 8, 2024

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John Nguyen

Nerd Reactor

The epic spaghetti Western features an excellent score from Ennio Morricone, sweeping cinematography, and a gritty cast with rugged features that are great for Leone’s close-up and long takes.

Rated: 4.5/5

May 21, 2024

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Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

Leone’s gloriously inflated epic isn’t just any old Western. It’s all of them.

May 26, 2023

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JOE S

Classic spaghetti Western

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/21/24

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Tom

Awesome quality film print. Really enjoyed the movie. Excellent food and drink service

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/01/24

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Andrzej K

Spectacular! Fabulous! Stunning!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/06/25

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Mark S

Once Upon a Time in the West is one of the best westerns. While some prefer The Good , The Bad and The Ugly from Leone's ouevre, Once Upon a Time is far more ambitious because it shows how the civilization being brought by the railroads would end a way of life for the old type of gunfighters. Land, water, a capitalist, a ruthless gunfighter, a widow , a criminal framed and a mysterious stranger combine with some of the best scenes in westerns and complimented by another excellent Morricone score to make this a watchable classic.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/06/25

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Peter V

Is equal to the 'The good, the Bad and the Ugly', my number 8 of my Top 10 list. As I already mentioned Serio Leone is one of my favorite best directors. Henry Fond, Claudia Cardinale, Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, icoons!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

Full Review

Insomniac X

Rehash of western tropes has beautiful locations and a few fun sequences, but lacks the economic virtuosity of Leone's "Dollars" trilogy. Despite its sense of scale, the film's real magic comes from its quiet moments -- capturing a pesky fly in the barrel of a gun -- drinking water from the brim of a Stetson hat -- silent communication exchanged through stares and knowing glances.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/19/25

Full Review

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Sergio Leone

Director

Henry Fonda

Frank

Claudia Cardinale

Jill McBain

Charles Bronson

Harmonica

Jason Robards

Cheyenne

Frank Wolff

Brett McBain

Once Upon a Time in the West: Official Clip - What You're After

2:13

Once Upon a Time in the West: Official Clip - He Not Only Plays, He Can Shoot Too

2:05

Once Upon a Time in the West: Official Clip - Frank's Death

2:13

Once Upon a Time in the West: Official Clip - Harmonica's Flashback

2:14

Once Upon a Time in the West: Official Clip - A Man's Hands All Over You

2:13

Once Upon a Time in the West: Official Clip - That Strange Sound Right Now

2:12

Once Upon a Time in the West: Official Clip - McBain Family Slaughter

2:09

Once Upon a Time in the West: Official Clip - Two Horses Too Many

2:13

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Synopsis

There's a single piece of land around Flagstone with water on it, and rail baron Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti) aims to have it, knowing the new railroad will have to stop there. He sends his henchman Frank (Henry Fonda) to scare the land's owner, McBain (Frank Wolff), but Frank kills him instead and pins it on a known bandit, Cheyenne (Jason Robards). Meanwhile, a mysterious gunslinger with a score to settle (Charles Bronson) and McBain's new wife, Jill (Claudia Cardinale), arrive in town.

Director: Sergio Leone
Producer: Bino Cicogna
Screenwriter: Dario Argento, Bernardo Bertolucci, Sergio Leone
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Western
Original Language: Italian
Release Date (Theaters): May 28, 1969, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2014
Runtime: 2h 45m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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