Once Upon a Time in the West

Once Upon a Time in the West is a 1968 epic Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone, widely regarded as one of the most influential and iconic films in the genre. The movie tells the story of the unyielding determination of a group of railroad builders and their subsequent clash with a group of outlaws. At its core, it is a tale of civilization's advance into the untamed American West and the friction that arises between those who cling to the old ways and those who seek to impose order. The film opens on Harlan's Railroad, an industrial behemoth led by Colonel John Henry Frade, played by Keenan Wynn. As the railroad begins its construction through the Arizona desert, workers toil day and night to lay tracks and forge a path to the Pacific Ocean. In Flagstone, a small, dusty town at the edge of the railway's expansion, a mysterious young woman, Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale), arrives seeking a fresh start. She is accompanied by her young son, and with their arrival, the attention of a complex web of characters is subtly drawn. Cheyenne, a ruthless and cunning gunslinger, played by Charles Bronson, disembarks from a train, not by chance, but by intention. Cheyenne is a mysterious figure with a troubled past, preying on the vulnerability of those who inhabit the town, flagrantly presenting himself as a merciless individual. Alongside Cheyenne rides two well-known outlaws, Bill Card and Harry Logan, collectively presenting those of Flagstone with suspicion and foreboding. As Flagstone teeters on the edge of paranoia and anxiety, the citizens sense that a significant event is looming. Their apprehension is well-founded for Colonel Frade plans on buying their property, regardless of price, to accommodate his railroad interests. Sensing an increased threat to their existence, the townsfolk do not hesitate in conveying word that they are interested in selling but on one condition that all residents will receive a fair price. Meanwhile, Cheyenne presents himself at the local saloon, where he forms a bond with a retired gunslinger, Frank McBain (Henry Fonda). As the relationship deepens and trust is developed, Cheyenne discovers an unlikely common bond with the townsfolk. They all aim to protest against the economic supremacy of the railroad that will result in their loss of property. However, an inevitable confrontation seems inevitable, primarily as Colonel Frade treats the townspeople as though they are part of a hindrance instead of pioneers. This narrative is beautifully interwoven by characters who challenge Cheyenne's inquisitive nature towards loyalty and adherence. As a strong proponent of honesty and a moral code, he finds solace in Frank's company, for both have experienced years of moral struggle in an arid landscape of moral dilemmas which put traditional Western values to the test. This existential conflict becomes the central focus of the film and reinforces Cheyenne's character complexity as a moral cipher torn between belonging to a code of survival and justice in battle-hardened lands of crime and corruption. As tensions mount in Flagstone, alliances are forged between outlaws and townsfolk. On one side of the conflict lies Colonel Frade's forces of order who aim to construct a new vision of American expansion, grounded in progress and money. Cheyenne's vendetta against the ruthless Colonel is gradually intensified, mirroring the conflict between moral codes and an industrial age where there was less remorse for those ignored in history. The town is suspended between these two disparate visions: progress without soul, or honor and human integrity in defiance of progress. The film reaches its climax when Jill, Frank, and Cheyenne resist the capture and disbanding efforts of the railroad's hired guns. It is here that Cheyenne's vendetta, forged in the desert battlefields of his past life, plays out against Colonel Frade in a face-to-face showdown. This eventual stand-off will confirm which course of history will ultimately prevail. As such, the denouement evolves ultimately along stark and emotional lines. In compliance with the natural order of reality that governs life, where the 'underdogs' should stand little chance, the film resolves by transforming moral and social virtues on the personal and individual scale into final, catastrophic, and bloody realities.