After Django Unchained: 10 Must-See Westerns
8. For A Few Dollars More
The second film in Sergio Leone's infamous Spaghetti Western trilogy, For A Few Dollars More is nothing short of a masterpiece. Sadly overlooked due to the canonical status of its sequel, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, this film is an under appreciated gem. Providing a rip-roaringly kaleidoscopic series of violent shootouts, tense duels and iconic imagery, For A Few Dollars More ticks every single box you could ask of a Spaghetti Western. In front of the camera we have some fascinating characters, the film's villain, El Indio, is a masterfully cruel and psychologically complex character, Clint Eastwood is exactly what you'd expect (i.e. he's Clint Eastwood) and Lee Van Cleef adds not only a great moustache but an intensely engaging on screen presence. Behind the camera Leone nails the pacing, imagery and tone of the film; helped hugely by Ennio Morricone who provides arguably the finest score of his illustrious career. Of particular note is the recurrent, haunting musical refrain that plays from El Indio's pocket watch; a piece of music which seems to encapsulate the tone of the entire film perfectly.