Restored version, with characteristically memorable Morricone score, and swearing. Music provides wonderfully ironic commentary to the action - Leone and Morricone are utterly inseparable.
Leone really plays us here. It's all very jolly, then unexpectedly Steiger's family is killed and there's Fascist-style executions. It's very much of the time, more overtly political than the other Leones (this written by he and Sergio Donati, and Luciano Vincenzoni).
Steiger is like the Eli Wallach character in TGTBTU, the honest bandit. He's extraordinary. Much close up of the fabulous twinkly eyed James Coburn. Romolo Valli also noteworthy as revolutionary doctor (he was also in The Leopard) and it was shot by Giuseppe Rozzelini in Techniscope. (The second unit photographer is Franco Delli Colli, I guess Tonino's brother.)
The extra story's in the flashbacks, apparently originally cut (great to hear Christopher Frayling about all of this). Many superb touches and scenes of pure cinema.
The 'shom shom shom' and the whole score is of course wonderful as is Leone's style and Nino Baragli's cutting (also Benigni's The Monster, Mediterraneo, Nest of Vipers - Ornella Muti and Senta Berger, Salo, Arabian Nights, My Name is Nobody, A Genius Two Friends and an Idiot, and most of the other Morricones - since 1950. Died 2013 aged 87).
Q loved it as well. Previously 17 June 2012.
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