Well, in this one, a whole lot more is going on.

Firstly, I really really like Sergio Leone. I haven't seen his trilogy starring Clint Eastwood lately (Mr. Otter doesn't like them much, so timing is critical...I use up a lot of spouse points when I make him watch them) but I love them, especially The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

So right there, you know this one is gonna be good. Sergio Leone, music by Ennio Morricone, it'll look right and sound right.

And then the cast: Charles Bronson (who, oddly enough, was also in House of Wax, which we had watched earlier that day (the deaf-mute assistant)), Jason Robards (maybe a honey, gotta think about it), Jack Elam (how can you have a western without Jack Elam?) and Woody Strode...the last two are about 6th and 7th in the credits, and get killed in the first 10 minutes of the movie, so you can tell how many unknown (in the US) Italian actors were in this!.

And then there's Claudia Cardinale, who, although beautiful (but that HAIR! oh my GOD!) is really kinda scary looking, like a wind up destructo doll in a horror movie (See Barbie as you've never seen her! Knife sold seperately!). She actually got top billing over Henry Fonda...I wonder how THAT deal got cut?

And Henry Fonda. What a joy to watch. This is one of the best movies he ever did, because in this one he's an evil sumbitch, a cold blooded killing machine, not averse to a little rape and blackmail on the side when he's not doing anything else more fun. Oh man. Those mild blue eyes were just plain SCARY all through this flick. He must have had a blast being so bad!

And...well, I could babble on and on...the scenery, the beautiful horses, the good solid plot with enough twists that the viewer doesn't really figure it all out right away, the characteristic quick-cuts-and-focus-on-their-eyes Sergio Leone final gunfight...it's all there, and it's really good.

I'd put this one right up there with Unforgiven and The Wild Bunch in my pantheon of really really excellent Westerns. And there's lots of interesting bonus material on the dvd as well, if that sort of thing makes your heart beat fast.

Buy it. Watch it. Love it. This one is a real winner.