‘When a man’s got money in his pocket, he begins to appreciate peace...’
While legendary director Sergio Leone began his career with the mostly forgotten sword and sandals epic The Colossus of Rhodes, it wasn’t until his second film, A Fistful of Dollars, that he established the Spaghetti Western style that would define the rest of his career. What is astonishing about this film is that Leone arrives fully formed, with many of the trademarks that would define his career already in place. As with much landmark cinema, it wasn’t well received upon release, particularly in Leone’s home country of Italy, but this serves only as a testament to how groundbreaking and innovative this movie is…
The plot is essentially a reimagining of Kurosawa’s masterpiece Yojimbo (to the extent that Leone ended up having to pay Kurosawa royalties). The Man with No Mate (Clint Eastwood) rides into a town divided by two gangs with the intention of ripping both of them off. He can’t help himself from saving a damsel in distress, however, leading to the inevitable showdown at the film’s conclusion.
While The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is unarguably the best of Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns, A Fistful of Dollars is a better starting point for the uninitiated. Not only because it is the first of the Dollars Trilogy, but also because it is the shortest of the three and also the most simple. Eastwood’s protagonist can be morally complex at times, but by the end, we all know who we’re rooting for Ramón Rojo (as portrayed by Gian Maria Volonté) – no matter how good he is with a rifle.
Much of what would eventually make the Dollars Trilogy so iconic is already on display here. Ennio Morricone’s unsurpassed score. Leone’s use of close-ups and colour. Eastwood’s steely gaze. And while it’s not his best work, it’s impossible not to get caught up in it all – thoroughly enjoyable.
