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``Once Upon a Time in the West'' is a tribute to the epic Western film created by three great talents.
Actor Henry Fonda plays the role of the ruthless villain Frank.
The biggest surprise in "Western" was the casting of Henry Fonda as Frank, the ruthless villain who wouldn't hesitate to shoot a child. Leone thought that audiences would be shocked if this great actor, who had played the "conscience of America" in films such as " My Darling Clementine " (1946) and " 12 Angry Men Angry Men" (1957), were to play a villain.
In fact, Henry Fonda was originally the first choice for the role of the "Man with No Name" played by Clint Eastwood in "A Fistful of Dollars." However, Fonda's agent, worried that his public image as a righteous man would be tarnished, refused the role, saying "He can't appear in it," without even showing Fonda the script that was sent to him. Despite this, Leone, determined to get revenge, offered him the riskier role of Frank.
This great American actor was worried about whether he should appear in this movie or not, so he asked Eli Wallach, who had worked with Leone on "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," for advice. Wallach's answer was, "You will have the time of your life." Without hesitation, he strongly recommended that Fonda appear in the film.
Once Upon a Time in the West(c)Photofest/Getty Images
After much deliberation, Henry Fonda decided to star in the film, and traveled to Italy with brown Contact lenses and a moustache. He already had a clear image of the look of Frank in mind. However, as soon as he saw Fonda, Leone ordered him to remove the lenses. Leone, who often uses extreme close-ups, placed importance on the impact of Fonda playing the villain with his natural blue eyes, not the brown contact lenses.
After many twists and turns, Henry Fonda first joined Leone's team. He was so in awe of the work of the man known as the father of the Spaghetti Western that he convinced James Coburn, who was unsure whether to accept the role of Mallory in "Once Upon a Time in the West " (1971), by saying, "Leone is one of the greatest directors I've ever worked with."
And Harmonica, the mysterious gunman who teams up with Jill to fight against railroad magnate Morton. Sergio Leone had considered Clint Eastwood for the role, but he had lost interest in working with Leone and turned down the offer. Charles Bronson was given the role. Leone also had the idea of having Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach, the three stars of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," make cameo appearances as the three assassins waiting for Harmonica at the opening of the film, but this also did not come to fruition. If it had been realized, the Leone Universe would have been completed with this film as its apex.
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