3. A Fistful Of Dollars (1964)
The first instalment of Sergio Leone's lauded 'Dollars Trilogy' focuses on the arrival of a mysterious stranger at a town run by two rival gangs. It doesn't take long before he decides to play the two against each other for his own benefit, and, incidentally, the townspeople's. It is Leone's Spaghetti Western take on Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo, which was released three years prior. Despite the clear similarities - such as an antagonist fawning over his fancy weapon (Unosuke's revolver and Ramon's rifle) and the stranger informing the coffin maker that he's got work to do - credit wasn't quite given where it was due. Needless to say, Kurosawa was none too happy about this, and proceeded to sue the Italian. He was awarded 15% of all revenue generated by the remake, and later admitted that he made more money off it than he did his own film.
There are a few reasons I consider A Fistful of Dollars the superior film of the two. Clint Eastwood, for a start. Also, the OST, composed by the legendary Ennio Morricone, is awesome. On the whole, like many things, it comes down to personal preference, which isn't always something you can put your finger on.