Production Companies Paramount Pictures, Rafran Cinematografica (as A Rafran-San Marco Production), San Marco Production (as A Rafran-San Marco Production)
Studio Paramount, Rafran Cinematografica, San Marco Finanziera
Other Titles • Once Upon a Time in the West • C'era una volta il West (1968) • There Was Once the West • Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod (1969)
Trivia from Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
1
According to Dario Argento, who is credited with co-writing the film's original story, he and Bernardo Bertolucci were on the set during the filming, and both constantly rewrote the script.
2
Co-produced by Safran and San Marco.
3
Color by Technicolor; shot in TechniScope on location in Monument Valley, also Spain and Cinecitta Studio in Rome, Italy.
4
The film has been shown on the AMC Cable Network in Letterbox format, in its original uncut version.
5
When Henry Fonda first received the script from Leone, he was not impressed with it. But close friend Eli Wallach, who had been in Leone's "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," convinced him to take the part. Wallach told Fonda that Leone used the script only as an outline for the film, which was improvised as the production went on and strengthened by the addition of evocative music and stylized action. Fonda got hold of the scripts of other Leone films, and then watched the finished products; he quickly realized that what Wallach had told him was true.
6
Original distributor United Artists refused to release the film with Henry Fonda cast as the cold-hearted, sadistic killer in the lead role, so Leone took the deal to Paramount, who ultimately distributed the film.
7
The music, composed by Ennio Morricone, is broken up into the following themes and sections:
8
1. Once Upon a Time in the West
9
2. As a Judgment
10
3. Farewell to Cheyenne
11
4. The Transgression
12
5. The First Tavern
13
6. The Second Tavern
14
7. Man with a Harmonica
15
8. A Dimly Lit Room
16
9. Bad Orchestra
17
10. The Man
18
11. Jill's America
19
12. Death's Rattle
20
13. Finale
21
Music published by Famous Music. Corp (ASCAP), distributed by BMG Music.
Mooviees.com is not the official site for this film.
All editorial views and opinions expressed here are for entertainment purposes only.
Movie Database
In Theaters
