Hard To Define.

Rating: 9/10 (13 July 2008)

Sergio Leone created some memorable movies. Mostly they're remembered for their irony, comedy and Clint Eastwood.
'A Fistful Of Dynamite' is probably his least well remembered, and that's a pity because although it may not be the masterpiece that some would claim, it is certainly an epic.
It contains all of his flawed genius. There are the usual needlessly drawn-out episodes, the irrelevant digressions, and of course his trademark wretchedly dubbed voice-overs. But amongst these are the stupendous vistas of the barren 'west' (usually somewhere in Spain), the minutely choreographed operatic confrontations, and his other great asset; the soaring, beautiful music from Ennio Morricone. Much of the emotional impact of this movie is down to Morricone's lyrical interpretation of the moment. I believe that his interludes at least equal those of 'The Mission', a movie that is usually regarded as his master-work.
And for the first time we have what I might call a serious character actor, in the person of Rod Steiger. A few years earlier he won an Oscar for his part as the bigoted racist policeman in 'Heat Of The Night'. Although never a handsome heroic figure in the mould of Eastwood or Coburn, Steiger could nevertheless act either of these men clear off the screen, and here brings to a role the sort of gravitas that was so lacking in other spaghetti westerns.
Once again we see the histories of the protagonists reprised in occasional flashback. They fit pretty seamlessly into the story-line and pad out what in this case would be a rather two-dimensional character of Sean Mallory, represented by Coburn.
The story is the old one of revolution and its betrayal. In response to a throwaway cynicism by Coburn, Steiger's Juan Miranda spits out a furious denunciation about poor people serving as cannon-fodder for contemptuous academics. It is entirely believable as well as true. And there is no shortage of betrayal in this movie.
As a consequence of which, in one particularly tragic scene, Steiger's family are annihilated. His unspoken demonstration of grief and despair at their discovery is heartbreaking to watch. It is an object lesson in body language and facial expression that many a modern movie-star should take as example. And Morricone is right there on the money, with a lament to make you weep.
I said that this movie was an epic. And any who doubt me should pay close attention to the scenes in which captured revolutionaries are being slaughtered at a railway siding. The camera pans across huge pits in which hundreds of extras are being executed by soldiers in a take that could have been lifted straight from 'Schindler's List', had that movie come first. Later, we see a great disorganised mob attempting to board a train. The chaos of disparate people, possessions and props, the animals, dust, steam and noise create a genuinely authentic appearance of society in meltdown. You could hardly believe that it was all manufactured. And once again I wonder if it wasn't an inspiration for Spielberg's take on Jewish 're-settlement' so many years later.
If this were not a Sergio Leone western with all its cheap jokes and visual gags, but instead emphasised the issues of revolution, it would be an acclaimed work with a reputation to rival that of 'Doctor Zhivago' or 'Lawrence Of Arabia'. But as it is, it must jog elbows with the trivial though similarly titled 'Fistful Of Dollars', whilst standing in the shadow of the much more popular 'Once Upon A Time In the West'. Such a placement does not do this movie justice at all.
Because of the typical - and at times, rather crass - Leone gags and operatic drama, it is difficult to appreciate the monumental moments of conflict and the quiet interludes of personal reflection with which they often jar, making this work difficult to define as a piece. The director seems to stray beyond his commercial and popular mandate into the world of serious political commentary where his cheap humour has no place. He clearly demonstrates that he can indeed do both, but not perhaps in the same movie.
One thing I'm pretty sure of; it will entertain you in ways that you wouldn't expect, and some scenes will stay in your memory for a very long time - as indeed will the music.