felixoteiza
I remember when, during my teens, I went once to see a Western that had just come out, one of many. As all those growing in the 50s, 60s, I had had my fill of U.S, Westerns, which was practically all we kids of that era had as screen fun so I thought WTH. But then the lights went out and there, out of nowhere, comes this poncho wearing guy, the coolest cat in the universe, riding a mule and killing four baddies in a flash. I knew at that moment that I have found my ultimate hero. The modern day version of the Achilles, Captain Nemos I had been reading about. It seems I digress but I'm simply answering the question many ask, why DYS is never considered at a same level with the Dollars classics: because the Classics deal with Myth while DYS deals with the cruel and stark realities of revolution and civil war. And reality will never match myth.By the late 60s Leone had grown tired of SWs and wanted to change, something he had been gradually showing in his past movies anyway, in the evolution of his characters. For ex. in the increasing use of the flashback to give us information on them. In FOD there is just a hint when Joe says to Marisol that he once knew someone like her. In FAFDM the flashback not only gives depth to Indio, Mortimer, but also ties them up, put them inside a (pyschological) box from which they can't escape. Slowly but surely Leone's SWs go from action to character driven and characters themselves become more and more determined by their own psyche and history rather than by events. This is even more clear in GBU, where events, even a Civil War battle, leave them untouched, as they were there more to give a context to their struggle than to influence them in any way. OUATITW is where Leone touches the real world, but smart as he is, he knows that what the masses keep asking for is the cool, faster drawing stranger, i.e. the myth. Striking an unlikely balance he still goes to greater depth for his characters but keeping the heart of the myth, which makes of the film a compromise of myth and reality. Characters here are realistic, well developed, they have histories and backgrounds. And the events they go through are life changing—contrary to what happened in the dollar trilogy.It is in DYS where Leone finally ends his journey from myth to reality: he totally drops the myth and replaces it with conflicted, war/world weary, ordinary people. At that time the entire world was going through great political upheaval, Europe was being shaken by tremendous political tremors, not to mention Latin America, and clandestine political movements espousing violence were popping up all over so it is no wonder that this context heavily influenced his work. That's what startled the most the usual SW fan, that there is no myth anymore in which to seek refuge, no more stranger coming into town and redressing all wrongs.Leone said that once this movie was about friendship but I beg to disagree: DYS is above all about human weakness, betrayal; most of all about disillusionment. The most powerful scene in the whole movie--and probably his best scene in his acting career--is when Coburn's John locks stares with Sean in the pub (Sean asks him for a mercy killing, if you ask me) The montage with the action in the locomotive is truly unforgettable. While I praise Leone for this superb moment, I can only marvel at Coburn playing it to perfection, carrying the pathos of both situations in a single facial expression, then refusing to commit another mercy killing. This is a disillusioned man who wanted to have faith again and came to Mexico to try once more and here he found the perfect subject, a man as disillusioned as he. But after making a hero out of him he realizes that there is no gold at the end of the revolutionary rainbow, that human nature will always bring weakness, betrayal and then disappointment.In all, another brilliant movie by Leone but don't expect to see it any day soon at the top of any Classic Movies list. 9/10.
ironhorse_iv
Made after the success of the 'The Dollars trilogy', (1964's A Fistful of Dollars, 1965's For a Few Dollars More and 1966'sThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and a few years after one- off success of 1968's 'Once Upon a Time in the West', 'Duck! You Sucker!' was director Sergio Leone's last Spaghetti western. It was, as well, one of his most overlooked films. I think, one of the reasons why this movie didn't really shine and became an overnight success, was because, of the odd title. Known as 'Giu La Testa'(Keep your head down') in Italy, the title didn't really translate well with the American audience. For me, 'Duck! You Sucker!' sounds more like a Blaxploitation movie, than a Spaghetti Western. It's sound too cartoony. Because of that, I really didn't like the title. I'm one of those critics; that agrees with the studio. They should had retitling the film. They should had changed it to 'A Fistful of Dynamite'. That title works so much better, because how much this story, remind us, of Leone's older films, while, also giving us, something new. Better yet, I would rather see the movie be call, by its French title, 'Once Upon a Time in a Revolution', because it match so well with Sergio Leone's other 'Once Upon a Time' films. Though, all of those 'Once' films, widely differ in location, character and time periods, the recurrent themes of time and memory, plays a big part of these films. Not only that, Leone's style alters sharply here. It's here, where you see his bitter metamorphosis from Spaghetti Western to gritty post-modern Polizieschi crime drama. In scope, Sergio knew, times were indeed changing. Audience weren't as interested in Westerns, anymore. Sergio was able to show, with this Zapata film, in a metaphor way. He shows that the 19th century, primitive frontier life was indeed dying, to make way, for the 20th century, complex, and post-industrial revolution life. The way, he use weapons like dynamite, trains, machine guns, and tanks as a metaphor to bring the end of western is haunting. It's scary, when you think, deep around it. After all, a lot of his dark imagery here, remind us, way too much of massive World Wars imagery that later would come alive. Still, it wasn't that dark, there were a lot of cool, bloodless action moments, extreme close-ups, semi smart dialogue, great epic scope in cinematography, and funny moments to make it, a more rounded picture. Also, the moody soundtrack by composter Ennio Morricone was beautiful and simply wonderful to listen to. It match the film, so well. Set during the Mexico Revolution of the 1910s, the film tells the story of Juan Miranda (Rod Steiger), an amoral Mexican outlaw, and John Mallory (James Coburn), an ex-Irish Republican revolutionary, trying to rob a bank, only to find themselves, accidentally and involuntarily becoming heroes of the Revolution. I love the allegory that Leone is using with these two main protagonists. Miranda is the old, Mexican bandit unaware that his era is almost over. And then we have Mallory as the 20th Century bandit, unaware where his love for technology is going to take him. While, it's might be hard to cheer, for two main characters who are technically murderers, rapist, and terrorists. At least, the movie gives them, enough positive depth and character development to overlook their dark side and faults. However, it's hard to understand what motivates them to do what, they do, since both Mallory and Miranda hates revolutions. Despite that, both actors in this movie were amazing in their roles. James Coburn is able to show how haunted, his character was, with his past, while also dreaming of living the American Dream. I love the scene where he was in the pub, looking at the mirror at his betrayer. Very moving. Then you got Rod Steiger, who pretty much seem like a real-life Mexican bandit. Despite the fact that he is playing off, a carbon copy of the Tuco's buffoon type character from 1966's 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'. He was still able to pull this off with his strict method acting. After all, the character was originally written for actor, Eli Wallach, instead of him. Lucky for him, Eli Wallach drop out, during the early stages of production. That wasn't the only time, he got lucky. The studio save him, a second time, when Leone wanted to replace him, with Wallach, after they butt-heads over Steiger demands on Leone to film his scenes with natural sound. Once again, Steiger won out, and Wallach was cause to subsequently sued, when Wallach had to dropped out of the other project when Leone promise him, the role. While, Steiger and Leone didn't get along, I thought, personally, that he had great screen chemistry with his co-star, James Coburn. Both, seem to work best with each other. However, other than them. Most of the supporting characters were very bland and underdeveloped. Another conflict, I had with the movie is the pacing. Like, any other of Sergio Leone's movies, this movie also suffers from a long seat. It was slow and tedious, at parts. 157 is a lot of minutes sit through. I know, not all U.S versions of this movie has that long of a run-time, but most modern DVDs has this same copy, in which I watch this film. All, I know, about the other copies, is that it's 22 minutes, shorter with awkward editing. The ending is also disappointing. Without spoiling it, it's bittersweet, at best, but also a bit anti-climax. Overall: I wouldn't call this my favorite Leone film, but it's still worth checking out. There's just something very appealing about it. Check it out, if you want. Just note, it does have problems.
grantss
Sergio Leone's best film, in my opinion. That doesn't say much, though to some it might. In my opinion the four movies he is most famous for - Once Upon a Time in the West, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More - are okay but are vastly over-rated. Slow, badly produced, with holey plots, ridiculous dialogue and hammy acting, especially by the supporting cast. The only things preventing those from being total failures was the action scenes and, in three of them, the acting of Clint Eastwood.A Fistful of Dynamite is better in all those respects, without compromising on the action. Decent plot, though not entirely watertight. There's even a few nice themes running through it. Themes of patriotism, family, loyalty and camaraderie.Dialogue is OK. Has some silly moments but mostly fine.Performances are fine. Rod Steiger and James Coburn put in solid performances in the lead roles and the supporting cast don't embarrass themselves.Production is still reasonably cheap though. You get the usual effect of it appearing as if the actors voices have been dubbed in, rather than being recorded live.This is also shorter than those four, which is a blessing. There are still some pointless and/or drawn out scenes but these are more limited in number than the other four. Helps the pacing of the movie too.The main issue with this one is the fact that the soundtrack consists of one song and that seems to be on an infinite loop...Ultimately a very engaging and entertaining western.
