And this is how I would class Sergio Leone's epic 'Once Upon A Time In The West'. It is regarded as the fourth in the trilogy of 'Spaghetti' Westerns and provides an apt depiction of the end of the Wild West. 'West' is a very slow film, and Leone relies very much on his style of wide-angle shots immediate close-ups, with a panning camera not the focus as it is in most films. It is this style that we see immediately, as the immesurably long opening sequence sets the scene for what is to come.

The drifter turns out to be a man playing a harmonica, and the men have been sent by the mercenaric gun for hire Frank (Henry Fonda). Dispatching with the men, we see the true determination of the man who becomes known purely as Harmonica, as he continues on his journey, seemingly without purpose.

Into the scene comes a third 'journeyman' as such, that of the notorious bandit Cheyenne (Jason Robards), recently escaped from captivity who has been set up by Frank as the murderer of the McBain family. These three heroes cross paths a few times before combining their efforts to thwart Frank and his employer, the railroad developer Morton, who are trying to gain the McBains' land in order to monopolise the railroad running right through the plains.

In fact, the acting and direction are perfectly done by the four main leads. Bronson has always struck me as a bit of a loose cannon when it comes to his performances. Here, he surpasses other films I have seen him in, even The Magnificent Seven, where I believe he is excellent. In West, as a character very much in the mould of Eastwood's Man With No Name, he does Leone's recurring style of character justice throughout, from start to finish, his weathered features seemingly apt for such an obviously disturbed and introvertial character.

What amazes me even more is the score from Ennio Morricone and how Leone uses it to announce each character on screen. The different tempos for each of the four main characters (powerful female solo for Jill, heavy guitar for Frank, deft harmonica for Harmonica(!) and gently humourous twangs for Cheyenne) fit perfectly. What is even better are the silences when these four are not on screen and when there are more of them on at a time. The music is excellently placed.

Apparently, there are references throughout the film to other Westerns, although I missed this. Perhaps I was focused too much on the plot at hand, too engrossed to let my mind wander to find tedious links to other films or previously visited elements. I feel it is a shame that the release of this film in the US was held back for legal reasons as battles were ongoing at the time, but perhaps this has helped to make the film an even more appreciated 3 hours of genius.