FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (1964) A Film Review by Ted Prigge Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Director: Sergio Leone Writers: Sergio Leone and Peter Fernandez Starring: Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volonte
Ever see either "Back to the Future II" or "III?" Well, there was this once scene in the second one where Biff in his hot tub with a bunch of scantily-clad chicks watch this film's finale where Eastwood walks into town where all the bad guys want to kill him, and he keeps being shot by the leader, yet keeps getting up. He then reveals an iron plate under his mexican rug and proceeds to shoot all of them in a total of three seconds. It was also parodied in the third one, where Michael J. Fox outsmarts Biff's grandfather (or is it great-grandfather) by using this exact technique. Leone's film is a classic film, as it was the trendsetter for producing the anti-western: where the good guy isn't necessarily "good," and the bad guys aren't always "bad," but they're what Hitchcock called "greys." Combined with Leone's amoral outlook on the west, where most people were just greedy schmucks, this is one bitching classic.
Basically a remake of Kurosawa's "Yojimbo" (which I haven't seen yet, but I imagine is awesome as hell), "Fistful of Dollars" doesn't necessarily limit itself to being just a "remake," but has a style all its own, or rather that of director Sergio Leone's. The first in a trilogy that also featured "For a Few Dollars More" and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," this one introduces us to the eclectic and mysterious character, The Man With No Name (Clint Eastwood), called that because, well, we never find out his name. Here we find Eastwood looking his absolutely coolest: the three-day beard, the cigarette in his mouth, the cool-ass cowboy hat, the mexican rug draped over his body, the squinting eyes, and the hushed voice. Also what seems to be the fastest gun in the west, which pops out suddenly, firing with one hand, and hitting the hammer with the other, for maximum speed.
He drops in on an anonomys village somewhere west ruled by two bands of outlaws. Emerging as a kind of fallen angel, not really sure whether he wants the goodness of heaven or the luxuries of hell, he starts not only playing for both teams of outlaws, but also starts helping the more innocent people in town, like a family who's mother has been kidnapped by the leader of the one band as his "chick" who Eastwood decides to rescue and deliver her to her family once again, even if it might mean being found out by his employers.
Eastwood comes into town on a mule, which is greeted with bullets by some of the more asswholish bandits. He parks it, walks over to them, and tells them that his mule doesn't like people laughing at him and wants an apology for the shooting. The bandits laugh again, and Eastwood looks up and tells them he doesn't appreciate the laughter. He then pulls his gun out, fires several times, and kills all of them before they can even touch their guns. The sheriff approaches him about it, and Eastwood just shrugs off his warning by telling him to just get the stiffs in the ground. This is just one of many classic scenes, amazingly directed by Leone, and acted well by Eastwood.
Eastwood hangs out in the local inn, befriends the owner, and begins working both sides of the city, just for money. They're having a big war, which he doesn't care about, and eventually he gets rich and begins taking down both sides of the bandits, and hopefully restoring it to a good town. The finale, which I talked about, involves Eastwood and one side of the town, run by Ramon (Gian Maria Volonte).
The amazing soundtrack by Ennio Morricone meshes well with the cool ass direction by Leone, who, like Peckinpah and Woo, knows how to orchestrate an action sequence, getting the maximum effect by the audience, and even tossing in a satirical message. And Eastwood doesn't really need to act - his persona is perfect for the role. But the Man With No Name is no acting feat, although name one other person who could have done it as effectively.
"Fistful of Dollars" is a classic of cinema, and is somtimes underrated when people refer to westerns. It is an anti-western: a film that refuses to abide by the good John Wayne type overcoming the villains and getting the girl. Eastwood doesn't get the girl, but he takes off at the end with a bag full of money.
MY RATING (out of 4): ****
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