In Mexico at the time of the Revolution, Juan, the leader of a bandit family, meets John Mallory, an IRA explosives expert on the run from the British. Seeing John’s skill with explosives, Juan decides to persuade him to join the bandits in a raid on the great bank of Mesa Verde. John in the meantime has made contact with the revolutionaries, and intends to use his dynamite in their service. —IMDb
Sergio Leone was virtually born into the cinema – he was the son of Roberto Roberti (aka Vincenzo Leone), one of Italy’s cinema pioneers, and actress Bice Valerian. Leone entered films in his late teens, working as an assistant director to both Italian directors and American directors working in Italy (usually making Biblical and Roman epics, much in vogue at the time). Towards the end of the 1950s he started writing screenplays, and began directing after taking over Gli ultimi giorni di Pompei (1959) in mid-shoot after its original director fell ill. His first solo feature, Il colosso di Rodi (1961), was a routine Roman epic, but his second feature, A Fistful of Dollars (1964), a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo (1961), caused a revolution. Although it wasn’t the first spaghetti Western, it was far and away the most successful, and shot former TV cowboy Clint Eastwood to stardom (Leone wanted Henry Fonda or Charles Bronson but couldn’t afford them). The… read more
A powerhouse of a film! Leone's movie is inhabited by lively, memorable characters, driven by one of Ennio Morricone's more adventurous scores, and fueled with a political story that's still relevant today. You find yourself really caring about these characters and what happens to them (Of course, it can't end well for all). The jailbreak/bank robbery scene is tremendous (A courageous act performed unwittingly)
Well, now I know where Tony Montana's accent came from. It's Al Pacino doing an impression of Rod Steiger talking like a Mexican.
Under-rated and just willing to be rediscovered classic by Leone a worthy follow up to 'the man with no name trilogy' and 'once upon a time in the west'. Coburn and Steiger both inhabit their parts perfectly in this interesting take on revolution made at a time in history when revolution was prevalent in most young people's minds Top notch action effects, well cast supporting players but such a strange soundtrack.
Leone's weaker film, but not without some amazing moments. The flashbacks are my favorite.
A kaleidoscopic sample of film music: impossible fantasies, lush atmospheres, epic operas, sophisticated seductions.
It’s got nowhere near the acting talent and style of Sergio Leone’s other films, but the good story and the film making make it a worthwhile film. I actually really liked James Coburn in this, but… read review
Seems futile to compare this to the other westerns made by Sergio Leone. It doesn’t reach the levels of drama, lyricism and intensity of his previous work, nor the raw epic excitement of the “dollars… read review
