Watch A Fistful of Dynamite
- PG
- 1972
- 2 hr 37 min
-
7.6 (38,078)
In the Wild West, a Mexican bandit named Juan Miranda (Rod Steiger) and an Irish gunman named John Mallory (James Coburn) team up to rob a bank in Mesa Verde. After a rocky start, they successfully pull off the robbery and escape with the gold. As they travel together, Juan invites John to join him in his revolutionary activities against the corrupt government. John is initially reluctant, but eventually agrees to help Juan and his comrades in their fight for justice.
Their journey takes them through dangerous terrain and they encounter a variety of colorful characters, such as a wealthy landowner and his family, a sadistic prison warden, and a group of rebels led by a man named Dr. Villega (Romolo Valli). Along the way, Juan and John's relationship evolves from distrust to friendship, as they learn to rely on each other in life-threatening situations.
A Fistful of Dynamite employs the classic Western formula of a reluctant hero who must confront and overcome his inner demons to save the day. However, it also subverts this formula by emphasizing the friendship between Juan and John, as well as the political message of the story.
The film was directed by Sergio Leone, who is best known for his work on the "Dollars Trilogy" (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). Like those films, A Fistful of Dynamite features Leone's signature style, which includes long shots, extreme close-ups, and a focus on facial expressions.
The performances by Steiger and Coburn are also noteworthy. Steiger brings a sense of humor and charisma to his role as Juan, while Coburn delivers a stoic performance as John. The two actors have great chemistry together, which makes their onscreen friendship believable and ultimately very moving.
Another standout element of the film is Ennio Morricone's musical score. Morricone was a frequent collaborator with Leone and his music has become synonymous with the Western genre. The score for A Fistful of Dynamite is no exception, with a haunting melody that perfectly captures the film's themes of revolution and sacrifice.
Overall, A Fistful of Dynamite is a powerful and moving Western that combines action and adventure with a political message about the struggle against oppression. It is a must-see for fans of the genre and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of cinema and politics.
A Fistful of Dynamite is a 1972 western with a runtime of 2 hours and 37 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.6 and a MetaScore of 77.