Once Upon a Time in the West

(CW: Brief discussion of the sexual assault scene from 1:20:00 to 1:25:00.)

The whole Dollars thing is so last week. Now it’s all about the Once Upon a Time stuff with Once Upon a Time in the West! This cinematic epic feels in many ways like the pinnacle of Leone’s “adult fairytale” storytelling, mixed expertly with slow pacing that’s punctuated by brutal violence. We discuss the undeniable technical prowess on display here, the confusing gaps in the back half of the story, and our misgivings about the characterization of Jill McBain.