Summary
One of the bestWesternsof all time is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and theall-time great features Henry Fonda fightingCharles Bronson. Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson were two of the biggest actors of their times, with them appearing in some of the most popular and critically acclaimed films ever made. However, this specific Western is so popular because it featured both of the actors on screen together, with the movie in which they fight now streaming for fans to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Henry Fonda is an iconic actor most famous for his appearance in the classic film12 Angry Men, among other beloved movies. However, Fonda was especially known for being an actor in Westerns, with him starring in movies likeHow the West Was WonandMy Name Is Nobody. Similarly,Charles Bronson also appeared in some incredibly popular moviesthroughout his career, with him starting theDeath Wishfranchise while also appearing in Westerns likeThe Magnificent Sevenand this Western film that features both of the aforementioned movie stars.
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Once Upon A Time In The West Was Henry Fonda vs. Charles Bronson
& Fonda Is The Villain
Once Upon a Time in the Westis now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and it is the classic Western that features Henry Fonda vs. Charles Bronson. Legendary Western directorSergio Leone returned to the spaghetti Western genreafter theDollarstrilogy in order to make the 1968 epicOnce Upon a Time in the West, which has gone on to be one of the most influential films in the genre. The film follows a complicated combination of barons and gunslingers as a conflict is kicked off over a piece of land, leading to an incredible 2-hour and 25-minute saga.
While the cast ofOnce Upon a Time in the Westis massive, the most notable members areHenry Fonda as Frank and Charles Bronson as Harmonica. Frank is an outlaw who feuds with Harmonica throughout the film, withOnce Upon a Time in the Westending with an epic Western shootout between the two characters. One of the most interesting parts of this character dynamic is that Henry Fonda’s Frank is actually the villain of the film, something that is a rarity in the legendary actor’s filmography.
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Once Upon A Time In The West Is One Of The Best Westerns Ever Made
It Stands Out In The Genre
Since the film premiered in 1968,Once Upon a Time in the Westhas been upheld as one of the best Westerns ever made. The film was a massive critical success, with it gaining acclaim when it first released. However, the film has become even more beloved in the years since, with it being cited as a favorite of many film critics and filmmakers alike.Once Upon a Time in the Westhas been added to many lists that chronicle the best films of all time, with it proving that Sergio Leone was truly a master of his craft.
The epic story and vast array of characters is one of the reasons thatOnce Upon a Time in the Westis one of history’s best Westerns, with its runtime allowing for a much more dynamic narrative than some of its contemporaries. The film is full of iconic lines and moments that have gone on to define the Western genre, with it being an inspiration for nearly every Western that has been released since. It is considered to be one of the best films of nearly every actor who is involved, with it still holding up as a Western classic to this day.
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Once Upon A Time In The West Is Technically Part Of A Trilogy
It Is The First Entry
Once Upon a Time in the Westis great, but there is still a lot more Western greatness for fans to consume after seeing the 1968 film. Much like Sergio Leone’sDollarstrilogy,Once Upon a Time in the Westis also part of a trilogy, with it being the first entry in the beloved director’s final set of Western movies.
TheOnce Upon a Timetrilogyalso featuresDuck, You Sucker!andOnce Upon a Time in America, two films that have also gone on to become staples of their genre. Like theDollarstrilogy, these three films do not contain a continuing story or recurring characters. Instead, their connections are thematic and stylistic, with the DNA that is established inOnce Upon a Time in the Westbeing seen in the subsequent twoWesterns.
Once Upon a Time in the West
Cast
Once Upon a Time in the West is a critically acclaimed Italian Western released in 1968. Directed by Sergio Leone, the film stars Henry Fonda as Frank and Charles Bronson as Harmonica, two men who work together to protect widow Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale) from an assassin. Sergio Donati and Leone wrote the screenplay for the film based on a story by Dario Argento.
