Once Upon a Time in the West
A railroad is such a perfect symbol. Having it as the centerpiece of your film does half your thematic work for you. It’s a paradox of progress and colonial destruction. And as with all engines of progress and colonialism it has its dark personalities outside the official political structures, personified by <PERSON> here.
The main strength of Once Upon a Time in the West is not its themes though. 352
It’s the basics of image and sound, culminating in one of the most impactful moments in cinematic storytelling. The “keep your lovin brother happy” scene is practically worth 5 stars on it’s own. An example of cinematic mastery. And it’s no shock that <PERSON>’s score is sheer perfection at this moment and every other one for that matter. But the film as a whole falls about one star short of that moment.
Still, an all time great Western. 529