Once Upon a Time in the West

Play trailer

Once Upon a Time in the West

PG-13

Released May 28, 1969

2h 45m

Western

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

68 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

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

May 26, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

JOE S

Classic spaghetti Western

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/21/24

Full Review

Tom

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

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/01/24

Full Review

Dave L

One of the most iconic western's ever made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/07/25

Full Review

Andrzej K

Spectacular! Fabulous! Stunning!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/06/25

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

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

View more videos

Hang 'Em High

92%

73%

Hang 'Em High

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Hang 'Em High

Monte Walsh

90%

64%

Monte Walsh

Watchlist

Little Big Man

91%

87%

Little Big Man

Watchlist

Major Dundee

97%

67%

Major Dundee

Watchlist

Big Jake

75%

85%

Big Jake

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Alexandre Aja’s Five Favorite Films

Nicolas Cage’s 13 Favorite Films

10 Movie Classics the Oscars Ignored

View more photos

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)

Most Popular at Home Now