For all those who haven't watch this movie for some time, or ever, I can highly recommend a viewing. I watched it again the other evening, the first time in over a decade and was really surprised and then amazed at the artistry represented in its creation. The story revolves around the interactions of three characters in their pursuit of a buried treasure of gold coins. But it is within the framing of that story that the real story is told and it is a powerful one. The backdrop for the adventures of the characters is the US civil war and amongst contrasting the confederate's paper script currency against the honest value of gold, it also tells the story of how futile it is to buy into the political wars and policies of a centrally controlled society. The protagonist is a rugged individualist, irreverently abusing the laws seeking to deal death to criminals to earn an income. So straight away we are confronted with the confused morality of breaking laws of a central authority that are themselves immoral, and it goes on from there. A great story for someone with an eye on the individual, contrasted to the insanity of the collective. I was struck with the thought that such a story, pointing out the battle of the indivual to succeed despite the insanity of government and its ultra violent military war machine, would not be made these days. The hero would have to be from the collective, a military man, policeman, or some other position of authority, not the undependent individualist who has to confront the insanity, waste and abuse of the central power. Probably the peak of the spaghetti western genre. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ayw7Wqgt5s[/youtube]
Very nice insight CriticalSilver. It also continues the theme that the secret of a fortune in gold can be kept by 3 men, if 2 of them are dead
Hmmmn. This concept has held my attention since I began watching this movie... at 1am this morning :/ I also think Leon was pushing a wagon with the amount of violence required to exist... outside the system!? The gun-slinging and knifing and fist fights brought in the punters (but also raised the ire of critics). This was the final of the 'Dollars' franchise he made... and arguably the most violent despite earlier criticisms from film reviewers of this series. Yet that didn't deter Leon. On a backdrop of ferocious battle scenes (organised violence) of the American Civil war, in their lives outside of 'the system' the protagonists must endure and dispense violence on an equal level.
