A Fistful of Dollars




Crazy bellringer was right, there's money to be made in a place like this.

Granted, it's not the best of Sergio Leone's 'Man With No Name' trilogy, but A Fistful of Dollars was what really kicked off the spaghetti Western movement and was a good indicator of what was to come.

The plot is almost painfully simple. A lone gunslinger (Clint Eastwood), later labeled as Joe, rides into a town controlled by two crime families. Initially not altogether welcome, he seizes the opportunity to play both sides off each other, making some money for himself in the process. Not only is he smart enough to stay one step ahead of his employers, but he's more than fast enough with a gun to take care of himself (and the town full of thugs as well).

The story basically amounts to an unauthorized remake of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo. When compared to the rest of its trilogy, especially in light of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, it pales both in substance and style. When considered alone, however, it offers enough entertaining bits (mostly the fights) connected by the rest, which is frivolous in comparison. The fights are appropriately fast and fatal to anyone who stands in Eastwood's way, embracing Leone's grittier version of violence and the West. There are also dabblings of lean humor, often playing on the set expectations of what a hero is supposed to do. Eastwood's character has that sarcasm and quiet benevolence that defines him, though it's not as subtle as it probably should've been. His character is cool elsewhere because he doesn't need to say much, but way too much dialogue is spoken here.

The rest of Leone's nearly uneven direction is tolerable, handling the more demanding gun fights with flair. He also keeps the various reactions of the situation in mind, even if they're not handled perfectly. There's an annoying subplot involving a family torn apart by one of the gangs, but the whining is pushed hard enough that it's more irritating than touching. Ennio Morricone makes his first collaboration with Leone here with the film's most obvious bonus: an extremely catchy score, featuring his trademark atypical presentation.

Clint Eastwood plays his character to the hilt, establishing the squinty stare, poncho and short cigars that would become an image synonymous with the Western. And even though he talks too much, he's still the Man With No Name. The rest of the cast is mostly amateurish and rigid according to their roles, including Gian Maria Volontè as the menacing villain, Marianne Koch as the lady in distress and Jose Calvo as the friendly bartender on Joe's side.

In many ways this is a film with runny sauce, but some great ideas that would go on to revolutionize its genre. At the very least it makes for a decent substitute for those craving spaghetti.



-The Gnome