ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST PRODUCTION DIRECTOR STARRING A SYNOPSYS Italy, USA, Spain 1968. Producers: Bino Cicogna and Fulvio Morsella The story revolves around Sweetwater, a piece of land near Flagstone, a fictional town in the American Old West, containing the only water source in the region. Sergio Leone. Screenplay The owner of Sweetwater is Brett McBain, who hopes written by Sergio Donati and Sergio Leone, from that the railroad will have to pass through that area a story by Dario Argento, to provide water for the steam locomotives. To get his Bernardo Bertolucci and hands on Sweetwater, railroad tycoon Morton hires Sergio Leone; English killers, led by cynical and cruel Frank, who wipes adaptation by Mickey Knox. out Brett McBain and his family, but McBain s new Claudia Cardinale (Jill bride, Jill, just arrived from New Orleans, inherits the McBain), Henry Fonda property. Both outlaw Cheyenne and a mysterious guy (Frank), Jason Robards called Harmonica decide to look after Jill and spoil («Cheyenne ), Charles Frank s plans to grab her land. Construction materials Bronson ( Harmonica ) are delivered at Sweetwater to build a railroad station Gabriele Ferzetti (Mr. and a small town. Harmonica explains that Jill will Morton, railroad magnate) lose Sweetwater unless the station is built by the time the track s construction crews reach that point, so Cheyenne puts his men to work building it. It soon becomes clear that Harmonica wants to get Frank for another reason but he will reveal who he really is only at the point of dying . Filming took place at Cinecitta Studios in Rome and on location in Spain (for the town and ranch-house) and Monument Valley, Utah, USA. The movie soundtrack (written by Ennio Morricone) is one of the most famous film themes of the cinema history. BEFORE VIEWING ONLINE RESOURCES Answer the following questions. 1. Have you ever seen any Western films ? What was it about? 2. Do you remember the title of some famous Western films ? 3. What does the term Spaghetti Westerns refer to? After viewing activities Blazing Saddles (Mel Brooks parody of Once Upon a Time in the West) FILM CLIP The scene opens with lots of workers laying down the railroad tracks near Jill McBain s house, Harmonica is sitting outside the house while Frank, riding his horse, is coming close to him. 1 Now watch the film clip and fill in the script with the following expressions: a businessman ancient race be like him knew matter to us me here not the money point of dying you were around you ll tell me FRANK: Surprised to see (1) ...............................................? HARMONICA: I (2) ............................................... you d come. F.: Morton once told me I could never (3) ........................................ Now I understand why. Wouldn t have bothered him, knowing (4) ............................................... somewhere alive. H.: So you found out you re not (5) ............................................... after all? F.: Just a man. H.: An (6) ................................................ Other Mortons will be along and they ll kill it off. F.: The future doesn t (7) ................................................ Nothing matter us. Not the land, (8) ..............................................., not the woman. I came here to see you, cos I know that now (9) ............................................... what you re after. H.: Only at the (10) ................................................ F.: I know. HOUSE PLANNING Module 4 185