Everything but Dialogue in the West

Personal Response to Film:

In the past, Western films haven’t been my favorite genre. When I hear the term, I usually tune out because my mind immediately goes to Clint Eastwood, overdramatized acting, and the vast array of stereotypes known to be featured in these types of movies. Westerns seem to focus so heavily on the male characters, it makes it difficult for women to relate. Women are featured as very one-sided characters; either the virgin schoolteacher or the sinful prostitute, both at the mercy of the men in the film. The lack of depth and storyline not only bored me as I watched but also annoyed me.

These aspects coupled with the drawn out, violent showdowns rarely piqued my interest while watching. However, recent Westerns such as Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight were movies I really enjoyed watching because of the disruption of the typical Western plot line. As we discussed Once Upon a Time in the West, I thought that it might differ from the Westerns I had watched as a kid. As I watched the film, I learned that this wasn’t really true. However, I really enjoyed the element of sound in this film. It kept me engaged and led me to make predictions as I watched.

The sounds in the opening scene established its importance throughout the movie.  The buzzing of the fly, the telegraph machine, and the dripping water all caught my attention. When I thought about it, I wasn’t sure whether I was more in tune with sound because of what I’ve learned about the elements of film so far this semester, or because it was what the director wanted me to focus on during this scene. I came to the conclusion that it was probably a combination of both. While I can’t say that this movie made me fall in love with Westerns, it did help me become more attune to cinematic elements of the genre.

Summary of Critical Article:

In the article, The Art of Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West John Fawell analyzes the importance close-ups in the film Once Upon a Time in the West. While the extensive use of the shot may not have been popular with all audiences, Fawell addresses Leone’s perspective on the importance of facial features in film quoting him as saying that they exposed “‘…everything you need to know about the character … courage, fear, uncertainty, death’” (p. 139).  Fawell goes on to analyze the importance of the close-up for the main characters and how it affected their roles stating, “Cheyenne’s close-ups are the most philosophical…Leone wanted Cheyenne to deliver whatever aphorism he had chosen to finish the scene.” (p. 142). Fawell states that Leone believed so strongly in the importance of the close-up, that when he was selecting actors for the film, he made his decisions based off of their facial features rather than their ability to act well. Fawell believes that Leone was particularly focused on the eyes, believing they had the power to tell a large portion of the story.

Response to Critical Article:

I chose this article because I was so focused on sound throughout the film that I was interested in the other elements that affected the overall portrayal of the film. Although I did not address it in my personal response to the film, I did notice the amount of close-ups Leone used throughout the film. I really enjoyed reading about Leone’s opinion of the importance of facial features and how they can tell a story or establish a mood all on their own. After reading that, Leone’s decision to choose actor based on their physical appearance, made a lot of sense to me. Both this and the aspect of sound made me realize all of the subtleties that went into the making of this film, a word I hadn’t previously associated with Westerns. I almost wish I would’ve read this article before watching the film for the first time. I believe it would have helped me  stay engaged throughout the film’s entirety.

Consideration of Critic’s Use of Critical frameworks/concepts:

Fawell utilized the formalist framework to decode the meaning and purpose of the close-ups throughout the film. He addressed the importance of facial expressions and analyzed how a viewer would be able to draw meaning or establish an opinion regarding the demeanor of a character based on the execution of the shot. Fawell noted Leone’s attention to the appearance of his characters facial features, and their ability to move along a story without the use of dialogue to lay it out for the audience.

Film Analysis:

The opening sequence begins in a desolate town, where cowboys are tying up their horses, there is no dialogue and very little sound. The scene continues and a creaking, windmill sound is introduced adding to the sloth-like pace of the scene. The slow, controlled  shots of each character reveal that they are alert to their surroundings. As the camera pans to the open railroad, the viewers are led to believe the action may take place at that location. A telegraph begins to click and its wires are pulled silencing it, signaling the characters  easily agitated demeanor, adding tension. A lone buzzing fly also adds to the desolate feel of the setting. Suddenly, a loud train whistle breaks the tension and grabs the attention of the characters and the audience. All characters remain serious and stone-faced, saying nothing; making viewers make predictions as to what their intentions might be, again beginning to build more suspense. 

I chose to analyze the opening sequence, when characters are introduced to the viewers for the first because of the lack of dialogue. The viewers are able to learn a great deal about the characters from the sound and close-ups featured throughout this scene. The sound is significant because of the tension it creates in the scene. The fly buzzing by as well as the train whistle set a slow-paced tone in the beginning. However, the close-up shots of each character tell another story. They look cold, and alert. This leads the viewer to believe that a high action scene may take place relatively quickly, building tension. These elements are paired with the lack of dialogue also make the viewers to make predictions, engaging them in the scene. 

Highest Grossing Westerns

(Adjusted for inflation)

11.    "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" $560,229,400

·      Comedy Western

·      1969

22.    "Blazing Saddles" $502,026,500

·      1974

·      Political corruption (Mel Brooks comedic role)

33.    "Duel in the Sun" $405,102,000

·      1946

·      Prejudice and forbidden love

44.    "Dances with Wolves" $346,972,400

·      1990

·      Exiled civil war soldier and Lakota Tribe relationship

55.    "Shane" $272,635,000

·      1953

·      Unexpected protagonist

66.    "Little Big Man" $184,064,401

·      1970

·      Storytelling (oral historian)

77.    "True Grit" $171,243,005

·      2010

·      Woman and man partnership (avenge father’s death)

88.    "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" $170,261,707

·      1968

·      Cowboy and Mexican uneasy partnership (Civil War era)

99.    "Unforgiven" $163,059,604

·      1992

·      Brothel worker post reward for villains demise

110."Django Unchained" $162,805,434

·      2012

·      Role reversal

Works Cited (MLA) or References (APA):

Fawell, J. W. (2005). The art of Sergio Leone's Once upon a time in the West: A critical appreciation.

                Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
Lovece, . (2013). Greatest Westerns: Adjusted for Inflation