A Fistful of Dollars Movie Review:


Clint Eastwood´s and Sergio Leone´s breakthrough film. Was revolutionary when it came 64´, with an anti-hero who only think of himself. The production was not in the US, but in Spain with an Italian director on place. That´s why it called spaghetti western. A whole new type of western film, which at that time was extremely rough and cynical, and always with a lonely and quiet hero in the leading part.

A lonely cowboy (Clint), rides into a little town there two rival families rules, the Rojos and the Baxters. He finds out that the Rojos is the strongest family, and then he immediately shoot down four of the Baxters gunmen, because they earlier had frightened his horse. After that is he offer the Rojos family his services in exchange for money. Clint receives his money, but the Rojos wants to keep a low profile for a while and has at the moment other plans than to kill the Baxter family. Then, is Clint debunk the Rojos criminal plans to the Baxters for... that´s right, money. The Baxters want at all costs to run them in jail, but Clint is forewarn the Rojos who manage to remove all the evidence. Now are the family conflicts in full swing and Clint is enjoying himself and earns a lot of money here, there and everywhere. But the Rojos is eventually come upon what Clint is doing, and pretty soon begins the place to be too hot for him.

"Fistful of Dollars" is in my opinion the worst part in Leone´s dollar trilogy. The beginning of the film is a classic, and the last third when Clint starts to show heroism is also entertaining. But in between is it actually very boring. The actors are in general poor, in particular the kid who only cries after his mother. Even Clint is unusually weak, but is still clearly the most shining star. He doesn´t say so much, but the fact that he looks cool is enough for him. A plus to Ennio Morricone´s music. Sergio Leone didn´t made anything badly. But his coming films was so much better.

Kent Palmgren

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